Method and apparatus for calendar based call control
First Claim
1. A method for providing calendar based call control, comprising:
- defining a markup language element having a user defined tag representing a calendar entry having call control information; and
representing data fields in the calendar entry as attributes within said markup language element, said attributes having user defined tags, said attributes representing a call control instruction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus for an extensible markup language (XML) calendar-telephony interface. The method can include the steps of defining an markup language element having a user defined tag that represents a calendar entry. The markup language element can have attributes which can represent call control instructions or information. The attributes can also be formatted using a markup language format that utilizes user defined tags. The elements and/or attributes can be formatted using XML format. The call control instruction can be provided to a telephony application upon initiation of a call or by request. A calendar application program can be used for maintaining calendar entries which can be stored in a database and made accessible to the telephony call control application. Utilizing call rejection as an illustration, a called party can have an XML formatted calendar entry stored which indicates that no calls are to be received from callers during a specified period except calls from a caller having a particular DN. If a call is initiated by a caller having that particular DN during the specified time period, the telephony application can determine that the call should be allowed. Accordingly, a network signaling device can be instructed to route the call to the dialed DN. If the calling DN was different from the particular DN stored in the XML calendar database, the call would not be completed.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for providing calendar based call control, comprising:
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defining a markup language element having a user defined tag representing a calendar entry having call control information; and
representing data fields in the calendar entry as attributes within said markup language element, said attributes having user defined tags, said attributes representing a call control instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for providing calendar based call control, comprising:
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acquiring a called telephone number and a calling telephone number from a telephone network device for an associated telephone call;
determining an identity of a party affiliated with said called telephone number;
extracting call control information from a markup language element having a user defined tag, said element representing a calendar entry associated with said identified party; and
controlling a call based on said extracted call control information. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing calendar based call control, comprising:
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acquiring a called telephone number for a telephone call originating from a calling telephone;
providing said acquired telephone number to a telephony application, said telephony application acquiring call control data from a calendar;
receiving call control data from said telephony application;
routing said telephone call originating from said calling telephone based on said received call control data. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for providing calendar based call control, comprising:
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formatting data fields of a calendar entry in an XML format, said data fields containing call control data; and
communicating said XML formatted call control data to a telephony interface based on a call request, said telephony interface causing said XML formatted data to control handling of a telephony call feature.
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18. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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defining an markup language element having a user defined tag representing a calendar entry having call control information, said defining step for providing calendar based call control; and
representing data fields in the calendar entry as attributes within said markup language, said attributes having user defined tags, said attributes representing a call control instruction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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acquiring a called telephone number and a calling telephone number from a telephone network device for an associated telephone call, said acquiring step for providing calendar based call control;
determining an identity of a party affiliated with said called telephone number;
extracting call control information from a markup language element having a user defined tag, said element representing a calendar entry associated with said identified party; and
controlling a call based on said extracted call control information. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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acquiring a called telephone number for a telephone call originating from a calling telephone, said acquiring step for providing an calendar based call control;
providing said acquired telephone number to a telephony application, said telephony application acquiring call control data from a calendar;
receiving call control data from said telephony application;
routing said telephone call originating from said calling telephone based on said received call control data. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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formatting data fields of a calendar entry in an XML format, said data fields containing call control data, said formatting step for providing calendar based call control; and
communicating said XML formatted call control data to a telephony interface based on a call request, said telephony interface causing said XML formatted data to control handling of a telephony call feature.
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Specification