Providing of presence information to a telephony services system

• US 20050074101A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gunasekar, Duraisamy, Moore, Richard G., Mumsford, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US10/404,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20050074101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• 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 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 : wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/07 : Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 : Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 : Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 : for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 : shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 : involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 : per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 : Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 : Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 : Medium conversion
• 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 2203/4509 : Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 : Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 : IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 : Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 : Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 : Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 : Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 : Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 : Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 : Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 : for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 : Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0003 : Interconnection between telephone networks and data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 : where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 : where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0051 : where the data service is a multimedia messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 : where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 : Details of gateway equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2335 : involving reformatting operations of audio signals, e.g. by converting from one coding standard to another details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 : by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 : by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 : by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text

Abstract

In support of an interactive telephony services system, a presence gateway provides presence information regarding availability of a called party to communicate using an instant communications client.

Claims

1. In a communication system serving a plurality of parties and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device acting to enable call completion between a first party via a telephony connection and a second party via an instant communications client, the device comprising:

control information determining means for determining control information pertaining to establishing communications involving the instant communications client;

a voice processing system interface acting to communicate the control information to the interactive voice processing system;

an instant messaging interface acting to communicate with the instant communications client; and

a bearer channel interface acting to communicate telephony signals with the voice processing system.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the control information determining means further comprises a presence-determining process for determining presence information associated with the instant communications client and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the presence information.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the control information determining means further comprises a capabilities-determining process for determining a capability attribute associated with the instant communications client and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the capability attribute.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the control information comprises indication that the device is to establish communication involving the instant messaging interface and the instant communications client.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a billing interface acting to communicate to a billing system whether the device is to establish communication involving the instant messaging interface and the instant communications client.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the instant communications client is identified in the control information.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising an information translator, the information translator comprising at least one of:

a text-to-speech translator acting to receive textual information input via the instant messaging interface, to translate the textual information input into corresponding audio information output, and to provide the corresponding audio information output via the voice processing system interface; and

a speech-to-text translator acting to receive audio information input via the voice processing system interface, to translate the audio information input into corresponding textual information output, and to provide the corresponding textual information output via the instant messaging interface.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the control information indicates at least whether the information translator is to be engaged in communications involving the instant communications client.

9. The device of claim 7 further comprising a billing interface through which the device indicates to a billing system whether the information translator is to be engaged in communications involving the instant communications client.

10. In a communication system operably coupled to a plurality of communicating stations and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device acting to enable call completion through instant communications, the device comprising:

control information determining means for determining control information pertaining to establishing instant communications involving a communicating station;

a voice processing system interface acting to communicate the control information to the interactive voice processing system;

an instant messaging interface acting to communicate with an instant communications client at one of the communicating stations; and

a bearer channel interface acting to communicate telephony signals with the voice processing system.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the control information determining means comprises a presence-determining process for determining presence information associated with the instant communications client and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the presence information.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the control information determining means comprises a capabilities-determining process for determining a capability attribute associated with the instant communications client and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the capability attribute.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the control information comprises indication that the device is to establish communication involving the instant messaging interface and the instant communications client.

14. The device of claim 10 further comprising a billing interface acting to communicate to a billing system whether the device is to establish communication involving the instant messaging interface and the instant communications client.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the instant communications client is identified in the control information.

16. The device of claim 10 further comprising an information translator, the information translator comprising at least one of:

a text-to-speech translator acting to receive textual information input via the instant messaging interface, to translate the textual information input into corresponding audio information output, and to provide the corresponding audio information output via the voice processing system interface; and

a speech-to-text translator acting to receive audio information input via the voice processing system interface, to translate the audio information input into corresponding textual information output, and to provide the corresponding textual information output via the instant messaging interface.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the control information indicates at least whether the information translator is to be engaged in communications involving the instant communications client.

18. The device of claim 16 further comprising a billing interface through which the device indicates to a billing system whether the information translator is to be engaged in communications involving the instant communications client.

19. In a communication system operably coupled to a plurality of communicating stations and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device acting to facilitate communications among the communicating stations comprising:

a voice processing system interface for communicating, with the interactive voice processing system, control information pertaining to establishing instant communications among communicating stations coupled to the network; and

a presence-determining process for determining presence information associated with a communicating station, wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the presence information.

20. In a communication system operably coupled to a plurality of communicating stations and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device acting to facilitate communications among the communicating stations comprising:

a voice processing system interface for communicating, with the interactive voice processing system, control information pertaining to establishing instant communications among communicating stations coupled to the network; and

a capabilities-determining process for determining a capability attribute associated with a communicating station, wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the capability attribute.

21. In a communication system serving a plurality of parties and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device operable to facilitate call completion through instant communications, the device comprising:

control information determining means for determining information pertaining to establishing instant communications involving parties coupled to the network; and

voice processing system interface means for communicating, with the interactive voice processing system, control information comprising the information pertaining to establishing instant communications involving parties coupled to the network.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the control information determining means presence determining means for determining presence information associated with a party and wherein content of the control information is responsive to the presence information.

23. The device of claim 21 wherein the control information determining means comprises capabilities determining means for determining a capability attribute associated with a party and wherein content of the control information is responsive to the capability attribute.

24. The device of claim 21 further comprising:

billing interface means for communicating, with a billing system, indication of activity by the device in performing at least one of the determining the information pertaining to establishing instant communications and the communicating the control information.

25. The device of claim 21 further comprising:

billing means for determining usage charges related to activity by the device in performing at least one of the determining the information pertaining to establishing instant communications and the communicating the control information.

26. The device of claim 25 further comprising:

means for determining whether payment can be obtained for the usage, wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for usage charges.

27. In a communication system operably coupled to a plurality of communicating stations and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device operable to facilitate call completion through instant communications, the device comprising:

control information determining means for determining information pertaining to establishing instant communications among communicating stations coupled to the network; and

voice processing system interface means for communicating, with the interactive voice processing system, control information comprising the information pertaining to establishing instant communications among communicating stations coupled to the network.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein the control information determining means comprises:

presence determining means for determining presence information associated with a communicating station and wherein content of the control information is responsive to the presence information.

29. The device of claim 27 wherein the control information determining means comprises:

capabilities determining means for determining a capability attribute associated with a communicating station and wherein content of the control information is responsive to the capability attribute.

30. The device of claim 27 further comprising:

billing interface means for communicating, with a billing system, indication of activity by the device in performing at least one of the determining the information pertaining to establishing instant communications and the communicating the control information.

31. The device of claim 27 further comprising:

billing means for determining billable usage of the system related to activity by the device in performing at least one of the determining the information pertaining to establishing instant communications and the communicating the control information.

32. The device of claim 31 further comprising:

means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the communications, wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for usage charges.

33. In a communication system operably coupled to a plurality of communicating stations and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device for enabling call completion through instant communications, the device comprising:

voice processing system interface means for communicating, with the interactive voice processing system, control information pertaining to establishing instant communications among communicating stations coupled to the network;

instant messaging interface means for communicating with at least one instant communications client; and

bearer channel interface means for communicating with the voice processing system.

34. The device of claim 33 further comprising:

presence determining means for determining presence information associated with the instant communications client and wherein content of the control information is responsive to the presence information.

35. The device of claim 33 further comprising:

capabilities determining means for determining at least one capability attribute associated with the instant communications client and wherein content of the control information is responsive to the capability attribute.

36. The device of claim 33 wherein the control information comprises indication that the device is to establish communication involving the instant messaging interface means and the instant communications client.

37. The device of claim 36 further comprising:

billing interface means acting to communicate to a billing system as to whether the device is to establish communication involving the instant messaging interface and the instant communications client.

38. The device of claim 33 wherein the instant communications client is identified in the control information.

39. The device of claim 33 further comprising:

information translator means, the information translator means comprising at least one of;

a text-to-speech translating means for receiving textual information input via the instant messaging interface means, translating the textual information input into corresponding audio information output, and providing the corresponding audio information output via the voice processing system interface means; and

a speech-to-text translating means for receiving audio information input via the voice processing system interface means, translating the audio information input into corresponding textual information output, and providing the corresponding textual information output via the instant messaging interface means.

40. The device of claim 39 wherein the control information indicates whether the information translator means is to be engaged in communications involving the instant communications client.

41. The device of claim 39 further comprising:

billing interface means through which the device indicates to a billing system whether the information translator is to be engaged in communications involving the instant communications client.

42. In a communication system serving a plurality of parties and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device acting to facilitate communication between a first party via a telephony connection and a second party via an instant communications client, the device comprising:

control information determining means for determining control information pertaining to establishing communications between the first party and the second party; and

a voice processing system interface acting to communicate the control information to the interactive voice processing system.

43. The device of claim 42 wherein the control information determining means comprises a presence-determining process for determining presence information associated with a party and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the presence information.

44. The device of claim 42 wherein the control information determining means comprises a capabilities-determining process for determining a capability attribute associated with a party and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the capability attribute.

45. The device of claim 42 further comprising a billing system interface for communicating, with a billing system, information about usage of the communications system by at least one of the first party and the second party.

46. The device of claim 42 further comprising billing means for determining billable usage of the system related to communications between the first party and the second party.

47. The device of claim 46 further comprising:

means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the communications, wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for usage charges.

48. In a communication system serving a plurality of parties and comprising an interactive voice processing system, a device acting to facilitate call completion through instant communications, the device comprising:

control information determining means for determining control information pertaining to establishing instant communications involving a party; and

a voice processing system interface acting to communicate the control information to the interactive voice processing system.

49. The device of claim 48 wherein the control information determining means comprises a presence-determining process for determining presence information associated with the party and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the presence information.

50. The device of claim 48 wherein the control information determining means comprises a capabilities-determining process for determining a capability attribute associated with the party and wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to the capability attribute.

51. The device of claim 48 further comprising a billing system interface for communicating, with a billing system, information about usage of the communications system associated with the party.

52. The device of claim 48 further comprising billing means for determining billable usage of the system related to communications involving the party.

53. The device of claim 48 further comprising:

means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the communications, wherein content of the control information is responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for usage charges.

54. A method of facilitating communications between a voice processing system and a party using an instant communications client comprising:

determining presence information associated with the party; and

providing the presence information to the voice processing system.

55. The method of claim 54 further comprising:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the providing the presence information.

56. The method of claim 54 further comprising:

receiving a request for presence information from the interactive voice processing system, wherein the providing the presence information is responsive to the request for presence information.

57. The method of claim 56 further wherein the request comprises a presence identifier identifying the party for which presence information is sought.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the providing the presence information is responsive to receiving the presence identifier via the request.

59. The method of claim 54 further comprising:

from the voice processing system, receiving a presence identifier identifying the party for which presence information is sought.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the providing the presence information is responsive to receiving the presence identifier.

61. The method of claim 54 wherein the presence information pertains to whether the party is available via a first mode of communications.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the first mode of communicating comprises instant communications.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the first mode of communication comprises communications with an instant communications client associated with the party.

64. The method of claim 54 wherein the determining presence information associated with the party comprises at least one of:

operating a presence fetcher process for obtaining presence information from a presence server;

operating a presence watcher process for obtaining presence information from the presence server;

communicating with the presence server; and

contacting an instant communications client associated with the party.

65. The method of claim 54 further comprising:

providing an instant communications sender process for sending instant communications to the instant communications client used by the party.

66. The method of claim 65 further comprising:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the providing the instant communications sender process.

67. The method of claim 54 further comprising:

providing an instant communications receiver process for receiving instant communications from the instant communications client used by the party.

68. The method of claim 67 further comprising:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the providing the instant communications receiver process.

69. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method of facilitating communications between a voice processing system and a party using an instant communications client comprising:

determining presence information associated with the party; and

providing the presence information to the voice processing system.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the providing the presence information.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request for presence information from the interactive voice processing system, wherein the providing the presence information is responsive to the request for presence information.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises:

from the voice processing system, receiving a presence identifier identifying the party for which presence information is sought.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises:

providing an instant communications sender process for sending instant communications to the instant communications client used by the party.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 73 wherein the method further comprises:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the providing the instant communications sender process.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises:

providing an instant communications receiver process for receiving instant communications from the instant communications client used by the party.

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 75 wherein the method further comprises:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the providing the instant communications receiver process.