Dynamic call response system

• US 20050123118A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spencer, Bradford Lawrence, Trueman, David Webster, Terry, George Alexis
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

Responding to a telephone call made by a calling party includes receiving a first telephone call and identifying an account associated with the telephone number to which the first calling party directed the first telephone call. Configuration data related to the account is accessed. A first identity associated with the account is identified based on the configuration data accessed. A first electronic communication is sent to a computer of a first called party associated with the first identity. The first called party may respond to the first electronic communication by dynamically and manually inputting a call redirection telephone number, sending an e-mail, or sending an instant message. If a call redirection telephone number is inputted, the first telephone call may be redirected to the call redirection telephone number.

Claims

1. A method for responding to a telephone call made by a calling party, the method comprising:

receiving a first telephone call;

identifying an account associated with a telephone number to which the first calling party directed the first telephone call;

accessing configuration data related to the account;

identifying a first identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

sending a first electronic communication to a computer of a first called party associated with the first identity;

enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by dynamically and manually inputting a call redirection telephone number; and

redirecting the first telephone call to the calling redirection telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the call redirection telephone number is not stored by the computer prior to receiving the first telephone call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call redirection telephone number is typed in by the first called party through a user interface of the computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling redirection telephone number is not the telephone number to which the first calling party directed the incoming first telephone call.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the availability of the first identity to receive the first electronic communication and wherein sending the first electronic communication to the computer of the first identity is conditioned on whether the first identity is determined to be available to receive the first electronic communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first identity associated with the account comprises:

identifying several identities associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed; and

determining the first identity from among the several identities based on the configuration data accessed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an account comprises identifying an account based on call related information received from a telephone network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the call related information includes a call destination telephone number and is extracted from an integrated services digital network call setup.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identity comprises a user identifier through which an online status of the first called party may be determined.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first identity comprises a screen name registered for use in conjunction with an instant messaging application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes enabling the first called party to perceive a display corresponding to the first electronic communication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the display includes calendar or address book information associated with the first calling party.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the display includes an e-mail address of the first calling party or a first calling party screen name registered for use in conjunction with an instant messaging application.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the display includes a graphical representation of the first calling party.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving call origin information from a telephone network, wherein the call origin information includes a first calling party telephone number and is received through an automatic number identification service and wherein the display includes at least a portion of the call origin information.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the display includes an option selectable by the first called party to dynamically and manually input the calling redirection telephone number.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the display includes a set of options including an option selectable by the first called party to dynamically and manually input the call redirection telephone number.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of options is tailored to the first identity such that the options differ for at least two of several identities associated with the account.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of options includes sending an outbound audio message to be perceived by the first calling party.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of options includes sending the first telephone call to a predetermined call destination.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the predetermined call destination is the telephone number to which the first calling party directed the incoming first telephone call.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of options includes responding to the first telephone call by sending an instant message to the first calling party.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of options includes responding to the first telephone call by sending an e-mail to the first calling party.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes receiving an option selection from the computer of the first called party.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes handling the first telephone call in accordance with the received option selection.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein handling the first telephone call includes sending an outbound audio message to be perceived by the first calling party prior to redirecting the first telephone call to the call redirection telephone number.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication while concurrently enabling the first called party to listen to a voice mail being deposited by the first calling party.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the call redirection telephone number is stored by the computer after receiving the first telephone call.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a second telephone call;

identifying the account as being associated with a telephone number to which a second calling party directed the second telephone call;

accessing configuration data related to the account;

identifying the first identity based on the configuration data accessed;

sending a second electronic communication to the computer of the first called party;

enabling the first called party to respond to the second electronic communication by selecting the stored call redirection telephone number; and

redirecting the second telephone call to the stored call redirection telephone number.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the call redirection telephone number is stored temporarily by the computer after receiving the first telephone call.

31. A computer system for screening a telephone call made by a calling party, the computer system comprising:

a data store for storing configuration data;

a telephony interface element configured to receive a telephone call; and

a call processing element configured to;

identify an account associated with a telephone number to which the first calling party directed the first telephone call;

access configuration data related to the account from the data store;

identify a first identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

send a first electronic communication to a computer of a first called party associated with the first identity;

enable the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by dynamically and manually inputting a call redirection telephone number; and

instruct the telephony interface element to redirect the first telephone call to the calling redirection telephone number.

32. An apparatus for responding to a telephone call made by a calling party, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first telephone call;

means for identifying an account associated with a telephone number to which the first calling party directed the first telephone call;

means for accessing configuration data related to the account;

means for identifying a first identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

means for sending a first electronic communication to a computer of a first called party associated with the first identity;

means for enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by dynamically and manually inputting a call redirection telephone number; and

means for redirecting the first telephone call to the calling redirection telephone number.

33. A method for responding to a telephone call made by a calling party, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call made by a calling party;

identifying an account associated with a telephone number to which the calling party directed the incoming telephone call;

accessing configuration data related to the account;

identifying a first call destination identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

identifying a calling party identity associated with the calling party;

determining the availability of the first call destination identity to receive a first electronic communication associated with the call;

sending the first electronic communication associated with the call to a computer of a first called party associated with the first call destination identity conditioned on whether the first call destination identity is determined to be available to receive the first electronic communication;

determining the availability of the calling party identity to receive an instant message from the first called party; and

enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by sending an instant message to the calling party conditioned on whether the calling party identity is determined to be available to receive the instant message.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein identifying a calling party identity associated with the calling party comprises enabling the calling party to specify the calling party identity.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein identifying a calling party identity associated with the calling party comprises enabling the first called party to specify the calling party identity.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes:

establishing an instant messaging session between the calling party identity and the first call destination identity, and

enabling an instant message to be sent by the first call destination identity to the calling party identity.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein establishing an instant messaging session includes establishing a direct connection between a computer of the calling party and the computer of the first called party.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising disconnecting the telephone call subsequent to establishing the instant messaging session.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising sending an audio message to the calling party prior to disconnecting the telephone call.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein identifying the first call destination identity associated with the account comprises:

identifying several call destination identities associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed; and

determining the first call destination identity from among the several identities based on the configuration data accessed.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein identifying an account comprises identifying an account based on call related information received from a telephone network.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the call related information includes a call destination telephone number that is extracted from an integrated services digital network call setup.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein the first call destination identity comprises a user identifier through which an online status of the first called party may be determined.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the first call destination identity comprises a screen name registered for use in conjunction with an instant messaging application.

45. The method of claim 33, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes enabling the first called party to perceive a display corresponding to the first electronic communication.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the display includes calendar or address book information associated with the calling party.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the display includes an e-mail address of the calling party or a calling party screen name registered for use in conjunction with an instant messaging application.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the display includes a graphical representation of the calling party.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising receiving call origin information from a telephone network, wherein the call origin information includes a calling party telephone number and is received through an automatic number identification service and wherein the display includes at least a portion of the call origin information.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the display includes an option selectable by the first called party to send an instant message to the calling party.

51. The method of claim 45, wherein the display includes a set of options including an option selectable by the first called party to send an instant message to the calling party.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the set of options is tailored to the first call destination identity such that the options differ for at least two of several identities associated with the account.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the set of options includes sending an outbound audio message to be perceived by the calling party.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the set of options includes sending the telephone call to a predetermined call destination.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the predetermined call destination is the telephone number to which the calling party directed the incoming telephone call.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the set of options includes redirecting the telephone call to a telephone number dynamically and manually inputted by the first called party.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the set of options includes redirecting the telephone call to a telephone number typed into the computer of the first called party by the first called party in response to the first electronic communication.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the set of options includes responding to the telephone call by sending an e-mail to the calling party.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes receiving an option selection from the computer of the first called party.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes handling the telephone call in accordance with the received option selection.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein handling the telephone call includes sending an outbound audio message to be perceived by the calling party prior to or concurrent to sending the instant message to the calling party.

62. The method of claim 33, wherein enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication includes enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication while concurrently enabling the first called party to listen to a voice mail being deposited by the calling party.

63. A computer system for screening a telephone call made by a calling party, the computer system comprising:

a data store for storing configuration data;

a telephony interface element configured to receive a telephone call made by a calling party; and

a call processing element configured to;

identify an account associated with a telephone number to which the calling party directed the incoming telephone call;

access configuration data related to the account from the data store;

identify a first call destination identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

identify a calling party identity associated with the calling party;

determine the availability of the first call destination identity to receive a first electronic communication associated with the call;

send the first electronic communication associated with the call to a computer of a first called party associated with the first call destination identity conditioned on whether the first call destination identity is determined to be available to receive the first electronic communication;

determine the availability of the calling party identity to receive an instant message from the first called party; and

enable the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by sending an instant message to the calling party conditioned on whether the calling party identity is determined to be available to receive the instant message.

64. An apparatus for responding to a telephone call made by a calling party, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a telephone call made by a calling party;

means for identifying an account associated with a telephone number to which the calling party directed the incoming telephone call;

means for accessing configuration data related to the account;

means for identifying a first call destination identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

means for identifying a calling party identity associated with the calling party;

means for determining the availability of the first call destination identity to receive a first electronic communication associated with the call;

means for sending the first electronic communication associated with the call to a computer of a first called party associated with the first call destination identity conditioned on whether the first call destination identity is determined to be available to receive the first electronic communication;

means for determining the availability of the calling party identity to receive an instant message from the first called party; and

means for enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by sending an instant message to the calling party conditioned on whether the calling party identity is determined to be available to receive the instant message.

65. A method for responding to a telephone call made by a calling party, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call made by a calling party;

identifying an account associated with a telephone number to which the calling party directed the incoming telephone call;

accessing configuration data related to the account;

identifying a first identity associated with the account based on the configuration data accessed;

identifying a calling party e-mail address associated with the calling party;

sending a first electronic communication associated with the call to a computer of a first called party associated with the first identity; and

enabling the first called party to respond to the first electronic communication by sending an e-mail to the calling party e-mail address.