Identifying a call made or received on behalf of another

• US 20030112951A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/210.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• 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

Abstract

A system, system, and program for identifying a call made or received on behalf of another are provided. In particular, a call request for a call is detected. A context for the call is requested from a context inference service, wherein the context indicates whether an on behalf of action is invoked for the call by the caller or callee. An on behalf of action may be requested by a caller or callee, automatically authorized by the on behalf of party, or inferred from other call context.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a context for a call, said method comprising:

detecting a call request for a call; and

requesting a context for said call, wherein said context indicates whether an on behalf of action is invoked for said call.

2. The method for identifying a context for a call according to claim 1, wherein said on behalf of action indicates that a caller identified for placing said call is calling on behalf of another party.

3. The method for identifying a context for a call according to claim 1, wherein said on behalf of action indicates that a callee identified as a recipient of said call is answering said call on behalf of another party.

4. The method for identifying a context for a call according to claim 1, further comprising:

transferring said context for said call to at least one party to said call.

5. A system for identifying a context for a call, said system comprising:

a trusted telephone network;

means for detecting a call request for a call at said trusted telephone network ; and

means for requesting a context for said call, wherein said context indicates whether an on behalf of action is invoked for said call.

6. The system for identifying a context for a call according to claim 5, wherein said on behalf of action indicates that a caller identified for placing said call is calling on behalf of another party.

7. The system for identifying a context for a call according to claim 5, wherein said on behalf of action indicates that a callee identified as a recipient of said call is answering said call on behalf of another party.

8. The system for identifying a context for a call according to claim 5, further comprising:

means for transferring said context for said call to at least one party to said call.

9. A computer program product for identifying a context for a call, said computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting a call request for a call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for requesting a context for said call, wherein said context indicates whether an on behalf of action is invoked for said call.

10. The computer program product for identifying a context for a call according to claim 9, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for transferring said context for said call to at least one party to said call.

11. A method for determining a call context, comprising:

receiving a call context request for a call;

analyzing call context information associated with at least one from among a caller and a callee associated with said call; and

inferring that an on behalf of action is invoked for said call from call context information.

12. A system for determining a call context, comprising:

a context inference server communicatively connected to a telephone network;

means for receiving a call context request for a call at said context inference server;

means for analyzing call context information associated with at least one from among a caller and a callee associated with said call; and

means for inferring that an on behalf of action is invoked for said call from call context information.

13. A computer program product for determining a call context, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting receipt of a call context request for a call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for analyzing call context information associated with at least one from among a caller and a callee associated with said call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for inferring that an on behalf of action is invoked for said call from call context information.

14. A method for identifying parties to a call comprising:

detecting a call between at least two parties;

detecting an on behalf of action invoked for said call; and

informing at least one party to said call that said on behalf of action is invoked, such that an on behalf of party is also indicated for said call.

15. A system for identifying parties to a call comprising:

a context inference server communicatively connected to a telephone network;

means for detecting a call between at least two parties, wherein said call is processed by said telephone network;

means for detecting an on behalf of action invoked for said call; and

means for informing at least one party to said call that said on behalf of action is invoked.

16. A computer program product for identifying parties to a call comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for enabling detection of a call between at least two parties;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for determining an on behalf of action invoked for said call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for informing at least one party to said call that said on behalf of action is invoked.

17. A method for determining a call context, comprising:

receiving a call context request for a call;

analyzing call context information associated with said call; and

determining whether an on behalf of action is invoked for said call from said call context information.

18. The method for determining a call context according to claim 17, wherein said call context information comprises at least one from among, identifiers for said at least two parties, profiles associated with said at least two parties, and profiles associated with subscribers of line numbers associated with said call.

19. The method for determining a call context according to claim 17, wherein determining whether an on behalf action is invoked further comprises:

detecting a request for said on behalf action by at least one party to said call.

20. The method for determining a call context according to claim 17, wherein determining whether an on behalf action is invoked further comprises:

detecting an automatic authorization for said on behalf of action by an on behalf party to said call.

21. The method for determining a call context according to claim 17, wherein determining whether an on behalf action is invoked further comprises:

inferring said on behalf action from said call context information.

22. The method for determining a call context according to claim 17, further comprising:

contacting an on behalf of party for authorization of said on behalf of action.

23. The method for determining a call context according to claim 22, further comprising:

paging said on behalf of party within a paging radius of a private network system; and

responsive to detecting an identifier for said on behalf of party at a telephony device within a private network system, requesting authorization of said on behalf of action at said telephony device.

24. The method for determining a call context according to claim 22, further comprising:

querying at least one line number for said on behalf of party; and

responsive to locating said on behalf of party via a particular line number, requesting authorization of said on behalf of action via said particular line number.

25. The method for determining a call context according to claim 17, further comprising:

accessing on behalf of filtering preferences; and

filtering said on behalf of action in said call context according to said filtering preferences.

26. The method for determining a call context according to claim 25, wherein said on behalf of filtering preferences are accessed for an on behalf of party.

27. The method for determining a call context according to claim 25, wherein said on behalf of filtering preferences are accessed for a party invoking said on behalf of action.

28. The method for determining a call context according to claim 25, wherein said filtering preferences specify parties enabled to invoke said on behalf of action for said call.

29. The method for determining a call context according to claim 25, wherein said filtering preferences specify parties enabled to receive said call context.

30. The method for determining a call context according to claim 25, wherein said filtering preferences specify parties blocked from invoking said on behalf of action for said call.

31. A system for determining a call context, comprising:

a context inference server communicatively connected to a telephone network;

means for receiving a call context request for a call at said context inference server;

means for analyzing call context information associated with said call; and

means for determining whether an on behalf of action is invoked for said call from said call context information.

32. The system for determining a call context according to claim 31, wherein said call context information comprises at least one from among, identifiers for said at least two parties, profiles associated with said at least two parties, and profiles associated with subscribers of line numbers associated with said call.

33. The system for determining a call context according to claim 31, wherein said means for determining whether an on behalf action is invoked further comprises:

means for detecting a request for said on behalf action by at least one party to said call.

34. The system for determining a call context according to claim 31, wherein said means for determining whether an on behalf action is invoked further comprises:

means for detecting an automatic authorization for said on behalf of action by an on behalf party to said call.

35. The system for determining a call context according to claim 31, wherein said means for determining whether an on behalf action is invoked further comprises:

means for inferring said on behalf action from said call context information.

36. The system for determining a call context according to claim 31, further comprising:

means for contacting an on behalf of party for authorization of said on behalf of action.

37. The system for determining a call context according to claim 36, further comprising:

means for paging said on behalf of party within a paging radius of a private network system; and

means responsive to detecting an identifier for said on behalf of party at a telephony device within a private network system, for requesting authorization of said on behalf of action at said telephony device.

38. The system for determining a call context according to claim 36, further comprising:

means for querying at least one line number for said on behalf of party; and

means responsive to locating said on behalf of party via a particular line number, for requesting authorization of said on behalf of action via said particular line number.

39. The system for determining a call context according to claim 31, further comprising:

means for accessing on behalf of filtering preferences; and

means for filtering said on behalf of action in said call context according to said filtering preferences.

40. The system for determining a call context according to claim 39, wherein said on behalf of filtering preferences are accessed for an on behalf of party.

41. The system for determining a call context according to claim 39, wherein said on behalf of filtering preferences are accessed for a party invoking said on behalf of action.

42. The system for determining a call context according to claim 39, wherein said filtering preferences specify parties enabled to invoke said on behalf of action for said call.

43. The system for determining a call context according to claim 39, wherein said filtering preferences specify parties enabled to receive said call context.

44. The system for determining a call context according to claim 39, wherein said filtering preferences specify parties blocked from invoking said on behalf of action for said call.

45. A computer program product for determining a call context, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for enabling receipt of a call context request for a call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for analyzing call context information associated with said call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for determining whether an on behalf of action is invoked for said call from said call context information.

46. The computer program product for determining a call context according to claim 45, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting a request for said on behalf action by at least one party to said call.

47. The computer program product for determining a call context according to claim 45, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an automatic authorization for said on behalf of action by an on behalf party to said call.

48. The computer program product for determining a call context according to claim 45, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for inferring said on behalf action from said call context information.

49. The computer program product for determining a call context according to claim 45, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing on behalf of filtering preferences; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for filtering said on behalf of action in said call context according to said filtering preferences.

50. A method for controlling a telephony device, comprising:

graphically displaying at least one on behalf of party authorized for a party utilizing a telephony device; and

detecting a selection from among said at least one on behalf of party; and

automatically updating a context for a call to indicate an on behalf of action invoked by said party for said selection from among said at least one on behalf of party.

51. The method for controlling a telephony device according to claim 50, further comprising:

authenticating an identity of said party; and

accessing a profile according to said authenticated identity, wherein said profile comprises said at least one on behalf of party authorized for said party utilizing said telephony device.

52. The method for controlling a telephony device according to claim 50, wherein said selection from among said at least one on behalf of party comprises a single on behalf of party.

53. The method for controlling a telephony device according to claim 50, wherein said selection from among said at least one on behalf of party comprises a plurality of on behalf of parties.

54. The system for controlling a telephony device according to claim 50, further comprising:

graphically displaying authorization parameters selected by said at least one on behalf of party.