Communications devices with the ability to consolidate multiple functions into a single device are becoming increasingly popular. For example, such a communications device may be used as a telephone and for e-mail. In addition, it is common for an individual to use such a communications device for many aspects of their lives such as work and personal use.
A user may wish to use a different phone line when making calls to different parties. For example, when calling a work colleague, a user may wish to use a line dedicated for work use so that, when the work colleague receives the call on their communications device, the user's work phone number is identified. Likewise, when calling a friend, the user may wish to use a line for personal use so that, when the friend receives the call on their communications device, the user's personal phone number is identified. The use of multiple lines may also be useful for tracking long distance bills and other billing matters.
Systems for selecting alternate lines exist and are commonly known as “Alternate Line Service” (ALS). In one known system, when a user wishes to make a call on an alternate line, they must open a menu and manually select the alternate line. Due to the added operating steps and time it would take to configure the call, it is not convenient to use an alternate line. In addition, the user may accidentally make a call on the wrong line by forgetting to select an alternate line or by selecting the wrong line.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds