Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a communication connection

• US 10,198,741 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vusura Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Wendell D. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Wendell D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teshale, Akelaw
• Application Number:
  US15/089,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20160219142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 37920702, 379 8819, 37921001, 37926502, 37914207, 37920703, 37920901, 379229, 379133, 37914201, 37920716, 37921701, 379219, 37922102, 37926501, 37926505, 37926507, 37926512, 37926603, 37926608, 379 37, 379424, 37942801, 379 8804, 379 8817, 37911413
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/848 Tone, e.g. beeper
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/351 Pre or post-call/conference information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/352 In-call/conference information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 : Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for presenting content to a caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call or other communication connection. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party'"'"'s telephone rings), in-call, and/or post-call, and may be related to a party participating in the call or may be related to a third party. Presentation of specified content may include assisted sharing, wherein both parties view the same content and one guides or assists the other. A received call may be split into signal and voice channels, with the signal channel used to notify a call controller of the call and the voice channel being directed to an agent selected by the call controller to handle the call.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating presentation of content on a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving notification of a call from a first communication device;

in response to the notification;

delaying routing of the call without soliciting action by a first operator of the first communication device; and

selecting a second operator of a second communication device to receive the call;

separating the call into a signaling channel and a voice channel; and

connecting the voice channel of the call to the second communication device after termination of the delay.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the notification:

causing to be transmitted, to one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device, pre-ring content delivered before the call rings at the second communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the notification comprises a notification of initiation of the call; and

delaying routing of the call comprises transmitting a signal to the first communication device to delay dialing the call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the notification comprises a notification of receipt of the call at a gateway; and

delaying routing of the call comprises delaying connection of the voice channel of the call from the gateway to the second communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the notification comprises receiving the signaling channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the notification:

receiving the call, at a gateway, from a public switched telephone network;

wherein receiving the notification comprises receiving the notification at a call controller, from the gateway; and

wherein the call controller selects the second operator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein connecting the call comprises:

signaling the gateway, by the call controller, to direct the voice channel of the call to the second communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after connecting the call to the second communication device, causing to be transmitted, to one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device, in-call content delivered during the call.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the in-call content comprises content displayed simultaneously, during the call, on the first communication device and the second communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the in-call content comprises a first sequence of content items from the first communication device interleaved with a second sequence of content items from the second communication device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing to be transmitted, to one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device, post-call content delivered after the call is terminated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said causing to be transmitted comprises transmitting a reference to the post-call content to the one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of facilitating presentation of content on a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving notification of a call from a first communication device;

in response to the notification;

delaying routing of the call without soliciting action by a first operator of the first communication device; and

selecting a second operator of a second communication device to receive the call;

separating the call into a signaling channel and a voice channel; and

connecting the voice channel of the call to the second communication device after termination of the delay.

14. An apparatus for facilitating presentation of content on a communication device, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

receive notification of a call from a first communication device;

in response to the notification;

delay routing of the call without soliciting action by a first operator of the first communication device; and

select a second operator of a second communication device to receive the call;

separate the call into a signaling channel and a voice channel; and

connect the voice channel of the call to the second communication device after termination of the delay.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to, in response to the notification:

cause to be transmitted, to one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device, pre-ring content delivered before the call rings at the second communication device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the notification comprises a notification of initiation of the call; and

delaying routing of the call comprises transmitting a signal to the first communication device to delay dialing the call.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the notification comprises a notification of receipt of the call at a gateway; and

delaying routing of the call comprises delaying connection of the voice channel call from the gateway to the second communication device.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein receiving the notification comprises receiving the signaling channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to, prior to receiving the notification:

receive the call, at a gateway, from a public switched telephone network;

wherein receiving the notification comprises receiving the notification at a call controller, from the gateway; and

wherein the call controller selects the second operator.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein connecting the call comprises:

signaling the gateway, by the call controller, to direct the voice channel of the call to the second communication device.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

after connecting the call to the second communication device, cause to be transmitted, to one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device, in-call content delivered during the call.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the in-call content comprises content displayed simultaneously, during the call, on the first communication device and the second communication device.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to, further comprising:

causing to be transmitted, to one or more of the first communication device and the second communication device, post-call content delivered after the call is terminated.