Method and system for priority based telephone call screening
First Claim
1. A method for managing incoming telephone calls to a telephone user'"'"'s telephone, each incoming telephone call being associated with a respective telephone number, the method comprising:
- selecting telephone numbers to assign a priority code to each of the selected telephone numbers;
selecting a time constraint to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers, the time constraint being indicative of a possible period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number;
selecting a telephone use status to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers, the telephone use status being indicative of a possible status of the telephone user'"'"'s telephone during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number;
selecting a treatment option to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers;
assigning a priority code to each of the selected telephone numbers based on the selected time constraint, the selected telephone use status, and the selected treatment option;
storing the assigned priority code for each of the selected telephone numbers in a memory medium;
determining if a telephone number associated with an incoming telephone call to the telephone user'"'"'s telephone is one of the selected telephone numbers; and
if the telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call is a selected telephone number, accessing the memory medium to determine the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call based on the period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call and based on the telephone use status during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call; and
managing the incoming telephone call according to the treatment option associated with the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and system for managing incoming telephone calls in which each incoming call is associated with a telephone number. A time constraint, a telephone use status, and a treatment option to associate with a priority code of a selected telephone number are selected. The priority code is assigned to each selected number based on the selected time constraint, telephone use status, and treatment option. If a number associated with an incoming call is a selected number, the priority code assigned to the selected number associated with the incoming call is determined based on the period of time at which the telephone receives the incoming call and based on the telephone use status during the time at which the telephone receives the incoming call. The incoming call is then managed according to the treatment option associated with the priority code assigned to the number associated with the incoming call.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for managing incoming telephone calls to a telephone user'"'"'s telephone, each incoming telephone call being associated with a respective telephone number, the method comprising:
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selecting telephone numbers to assign a priority code to each of the selected telephone numbers;
selecting a time constraint to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers, the time constraint being indicative of a possible period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number;
selecting a telephone use status to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers, the telephone use status being indicative of a possible status of the telephone user'"'"'s telephone during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number;
selecting a treatment option to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers;
assigning a priority code to each of the selected telephone numbers based on the selected time constraint, the selected telephone use status, and the selected treatment option;
storing the assigned priority code for each of the selected telephone numbers in a memory medium;
determining if a telephone number associated with an incoming telephone call to the telephone user'"'"'s telephone is one of the selected telephone numbers; and
if the telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call is a selected telephone number, accessing the memory medium to determine the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call based on the period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call and based on the telephone use status during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call; and
managing the incoming telephone call according to the treatment option associated with the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for managing incoming telephone calls to a telephone user'"'"'s telephone, each incoming telephone call being associated with a respective telephone number the method comprising:
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inputting telephone numbers to assign a priority code to the telephone numbers into a telephone user'"'"'s telephone;
selecting a time constraint to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers into the telephone user'"'"'s telephone, the time constraint being indicative of a possible period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number;
selecting a telephone use status to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers into the telephone user'"'"'s telephone, the telephone use status being indicative of a possible status of the telephone user'"'"'s telephone during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number;
selecting a treatment option to associate with the priority code of each of the selected telephone numbers into the telephone user'"'"'s telephone;
assigning a priority code to each of the selected telephone numbers based on the selected time constraint, the selected telephone use status, and the selected treatment option;
storing the priority code for each of the selected telephone numbers into a memory medium in the telephone user'"'"'s telephone;
determining if a telephone number associated with an incoming telephone call to the telephone user'"'"'s telephone is one of the selected telephone numbers;
accessing the memory medium when the telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call is one of the selected telephone numbers to determine the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call based on the period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call and based on the telephone use status during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call; and
managing the incoming telephone call associated with the selected telephone number according to the treatment option associated with the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A system for controlling treatment of an incoming telephone call to a telephone user'"'"'s telephone based upon a priority coding scheme determined by the telephone user, each incoming telephone call being associated with a respective telephone number, the system comprising:
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a telephone user computer operable for enabling a telephone user to select telephone number to assign a priority code, select a time constraint to associate with the priority code, the time constraint being indicative of a possible period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number, select a telephone use status to associate with the priority code, the telephone use status being indicative of a possible status of the telephone user'"'"'s telephone during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number, and select a treatment option to associate with the priority code, wherein the telephone user computer assigns a priority code to each of the selected telephone numbers based on the selected time constraint, the selected telephone use status, and the selected treatment option;
an internet website at a telephone service provider, the website operable for receiving from the telephone user computer the priority code for each of the selected telephone numbers;
a telephone service provider database operable with the website for storing the priority codes for each of the selected telephone numbers; and
a processor at the telephone service provider operable with the database for determining if a telephone number associated with an incoming telephone call to the telephone user'"'"'s telephone is one of the selected telephone numbers, the processor further operable for managing the incoming telephone call according to the treatment option associated with the priority code assigned to the telephone number associated with the incoming call if the telephone number is a selected telephone number based on the period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call and based on the telephone use status during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives the incoming telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A system for controlling treatment of an incoming telephone call to a telephone user'"'"'s telephone based upon a priority coding scheme determined by the telephone user, each telephone call being associated with a respective telephone number, the system comprising:
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a telephone having a touchscreen display operable for enabling a telephone user to select telephone numbers to assign a priority code, the telephone operable for selecting a time constraint to associate with the priority code, the time constraint being indicative of a possible period of time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number, the telephone operable for selecting a telephone use status to associate with the priority code, the telephone use status being indicative of a possible status of the telephone user'"'"'s telephone during the time at which the telephone user'"'"'s telephone receives an incoming telephone call associated with a selected telephone number, and the telephone further operable for selecting a treatment option to associate with the priority code;
a memory medium operable for storing the priority codes for each of the selected telephone numbers; and
a processor in the telephone operable for displaying the telephone number of an incoming telephone call on the touchscreen display, the processor operable for determining if the telephone number of an incoming telephone call to the telephone is one of the selected telephone numbers, the processor further operable for managing the incoming telephone call according to the treatment option associated with the priority code assigned to the selected telephone number associated with the incoming telephone call based on the period of time at which the telephone receives the incoming telephone call and based on the telephone use status during the time at which the telephone receives the incoming telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification