Methods and systems for providing contextual information on communication devices and services

• US 20030065768A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• 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 3/5307 : for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 : Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 : where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 : where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 : where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 : where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13338 : Do-not-disturb
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing contextual information regarding communication devices and/or services. Profile information relating to a user is stored by a communications manager. Data about a communication for the user may be received from a telecommunications manager in a telecommunications network or from a gateway in a data network. A comparison is made between the profile information and the data about the communication. Based on the comparison, contextual information relating to the communication is presented. The contextual information may be presented while the user participates in the communication. The contextual information may relate to a communication device and/or service used in the communication. The contextual information may relate to a discrepancy between the profile information relating to the user and the originating communication device and/or service. Further, the contextual information may be obtained from a telecom manager in a telecommunications network or from a gateway in a data network.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user with contextual information relating to a communication for the user, the method comprising:

storing profile information relating to the user;

receiving data about a communication for the user;

making a comparison between the profile information and the data about the communication;

based on the comparison, obtaining contextual information relating to the communication; and

presenting the contextual information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information is presented to the user while the user participates in the communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from a telecommunications manager in a telecommunications network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from a gateway in a data network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information relates to a communication device used in originating the communication to the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the comparison identifies a discrepancy between the profile information relating to the user and the communication device used in originating the communication for the user;

and

wherein the contextual information presented to the user includes information relating to the discrepancy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information relates to a communication service used in the communication to the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the comparison identifies a discrepancy between the profile information relating to the user and the communication service used in the communication to the user;

and

wherein the contextual information presented to the user includes information relating to the discrepancy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information is obtained from a telecom manager in a telecommunications network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information is obtained from a gateway in a data network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering a presentation of additional contextual information; and

based on a positive response to the offer, presenting the additional contextual information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the additional contextual information comprises a web site in a data network;

and

wherein presenting the additional contextual information comprises making a connection to the web site.

13. A method for providing a user with contextual information relating to a communication to the user, the method comprising:

causing a communications manager to store profile information relating to at least a communication device of the user and at least a communication service of the user;

causing the communications manager to receive data about the communication to the user;

causing the communications manager to make a comparison of the profile information and the data about the communication; and

based on the comparison, causing the communications manager to present the user with contextual information relating to the communication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the communications manager receives the data about the communication from a telecommunications manager in a telecommunications network or a gateway in a data network.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the data about the communication and the contextual information relates to a communication device or a communication service used in the communication to the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the comparison identifies a discrepancy between the profile information relating to the user and the communication device or communication service used in the communication to the user;

and

wherein the contextual information presented to the user includes information relating to the discrepancy.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

causing the communication manager to present additional contextual information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the additional contextual information comprises a web site in a data network;

and

wherein causing the communications manager to present the additional contextual information comprises causing the communications manager to make a connection to the web site.

19. A method for providing a user with contextual information relating to a communication for the user, the method comprising:

storing user profile information;

storing profile information about a communicating partner of the user;

receiving data about a communication for the user from the communicating partner;

making a comparison of the user profile information, the profile information about the communicating partner, and the data about the communication; and

based on the comparison, presenting the user with contextual information relating to the communication.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the comparison identifies at least a discrepancy between the user profile information, the profile information about the communicating partner, and the data about the communication;

and

wherein the contextual information presented to the user includes information relating to the discrepancy.