Methods and apparatus for returning a call over a telephony system

• US 20030081753A1
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: FuzeBox, Inc.
• Inventors: Trandal, David S., Brahm, David J., Kelley, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 6,738,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

The present invention provides a call-return process and system, wherein a called party can return a missed call to a caller'"'"'s private number. A forwarded call is received by a call management system, wherein the forwarded call was originally directed by a caller to a first telephone line associated with a user. The call management system receives call signaling information, including a phone number, associated with the caller. The call management system then determines whether the phone number is a private phone number or a public phone number. If the phone number is private, the call management system notifies the user of the call, and without revealing the caller'"'"'s phone number to the user, enables the user to return the caller'"'"'s call.

Claims

1. A method of performing a return-call operation, comprising:

receiving a forwarded call originally directed by a caller to a first telephone line associated with a user;

receiving signaling information, including a phone number associated with the caller;

determining whether the phone number is one of a private phone number and a public phone number;

generating a display message, the display message notifying the user of the call, wherein the display message includes the phone number when the phone number is public, and the display message does not include the phone number when the phone number is private; and

enabling the user to return the call to the caller without revealing the phone number to the user when the phone number is private.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call is returned to the caller using a call bridging operation performed by a call management system to thereby inhibit the caller'"'"'s phone number from appearing on a telephone bill of the user as a result of the return call.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising returning the call using Voice over Internet Protocol.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising returning the call using a POTs system.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call was forwarded at least partly as a result of one of a Call Forward On Busy operation, a call forward on Ring-No-Answer operation, and a call forward on Do-Not-Disturb operation.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the display message is transmitted to a computer terminal associated with the user.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

using an encryption key to encrypt the phone number; and

storing the encrypted phone number on a computer terminal associated with the user, wherein the user is prevented from viewing the phone number in an unencrypted form.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the encrypted phone number is stored in a contact database in association with a text identifier provided by the user.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the encrypted phone number is stored in a contact database located in the computer terminal.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

storing the phone number in a central call manager system database; and

storing a pointer to the stored phone number on a computer terminal associated with the user.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to return the call via a computer modem, wherein the computer modem dials the phone number and the user uses a POTs phone to converse with the caller.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the caller to record a voice message in response to receiving the forwarded call; and

transmitting the recorded voice message to a computer terminal associated with the user.

13. A method of processing a call the method comprising:

receiving a first call from a caller at a call management system, wherein the first call had been intended for a first telephone line associated with a called party and forwarded to the call management system;

receiving at the call management system a private phone number associated with the caller;

initiating the transmission of a message over a computer network to a computer terminal used by the called party, the message configured to provide a notification related to the call without displaying the private phone number; and

enabling the called party to return the call to the caller.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a second call intended for the called party from a second caller at the call management system;

receiving a public phone number associated with the second caller; and

transmitting a second message over the computer network to the computer terminal, the second message configured to provide a notification related to the second call and displaying the public phone number to the called party.

15. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising bridging a call between the caller and the called party.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the bridging is performed by first calling the called party, then calling the caller, and then bridging the calls to the called party and the caller.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the bridging is performed by first calling the caller, then calling the called party, and then bridging the calls to the called party and the caller.

18. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the computer terminal is one of a personal computer, personal digital assistant and a WAP-enabled phone.

19. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the private number is received by the call management system via SS7 signaling.

20. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the first call was forwarded to the call management system via a toll-free number, thereby enabling the call management system to receive the private phone number.

21. A method of performing a return-call operation, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of forwarded calls originally directed by a corresponding plurality of callers to a first telephone line associated with a user;

receiving signaling information for the plurality of callers, the signaling information including phone numbers corresponding to the callers;

determining for each of the first plurality of phone numbers whether the phone number is one of a private phone number and a public phone number;

generating a display message, the display message notifying the caller of the calls, wherein the display message includes for each of the first plurality of calls the corresponding phone number when the corresponding phone number is public, and the display message does not include the corresponding phone number when the corresponding phone number is private;

receiving an instruction from the user to return one of the plurality of calls, wherein the one of the plurality of calls is associated with a first private phone number; and

initiating the call return to the first private phone number at least partly in response to receiving the instruction.

22. A call processing apparatus, comprising:

a first instruction configured to answer a first call from a caller, wherein the first call was directed to a first telephone line associated with a first user and was forwarded to a second telephone line;

a second instruction configured to receive a private phone number associated with the caller; and

a third instruction configured to transmit a message over a network to a computer terminal associated with the first user, the message configured to provide a notification of the first call without revealing the private phone number to the first user; and

a fourth instruction configured to return the call to the caller without revealing the private phone number to the first user in response to a command from the first user.

23. The call processing apparatus as defined in claim 22, further comprising a fifth instruction configured to determine that the first user is online based on a first communication received over a network from a client application executing on a computer terminal coupled to the first telephone line.

24. The call processing apparatus as defined in claim 23, further comprising the client application.

25. The call processing apparatus as defined in claim 22, further comprising a fifth instruction configured to determine whether a second received phone number is a private phone number or a public phone number and to cause the phone number to be displayed on the computer terminal only when the second phone number is public.

26. The call processing apparatus as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

a fifth instruction configured to encrypt the phone number; and

an sixth instruction configured to store the encrypted phone number on the computer terminal.

27. The call processing apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the fourth instruction is further configured to return the call to the caller using a bridging operation.