Method and system for providing a camp-on service in telecommunications

• US 20060093116A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baird, Randall B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/209.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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 2203/2077 Call queuing apart from automatic call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention a method for facilitating communication includes receiving an indication that a caller desires to camp-on a telephone associated with a campee and in response to the indication assigning the caller to a camper queue that stores a prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the telephone associated with the campee.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication comprising:

receiving an indication that a caller desires to camp on a telephone associated with a campee;

in response to the indication, assigning the caller to a camper queue storing a prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the telephone associated with the campee;

providing the prioritized list to the campee;

setting the order of the prioritized list in response to information provided by the campee;

monitoring the apparent availability of the campee to receive a call by receiving the apparent availability from at least one presence user agent associated with the campee; and

in response to an indication that the campee appears available to receive a call and to attainment by the caller of the highest priority in the prioritized list, automatically providing an indication to the caller that the campee appears available to receive the call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the order of the prioritized list comprises setting the order before providing the prioritized list to the campee.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the order of the prioritized list comprises setting the order after providing the prioritized list to the campee.

4. A method for facilitating communication comprising:

receiving an indication that a caller desires to camp on a telephone associated with a campee; and

in response to the indication, assigning the caller to a camper queue that stores a prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the telephone associated with the campee.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising automatically providing an indication to the caller that the campee appears available to receive a call when the caller attains the highest priority in the prioritized list and the campee appears available to receive a call.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the prioritized list is a first-in, first-out list.

7. The method of claim 4, and further comprising prioritizing the prioritized list in response to information provided by the campee.

8. The method of claim 4, and further comprising prioritizing the prioritized list in response to the identity of the camper.

9. The method of claim 4, and further comprising providing access to the prioritized list to the campee.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein automatically providing an indication to the caller that the campee appears available further comprises automatically providing an indication to the caller that the campee appears available only if the caller appears available.

11. The method of claim 4, and further comprising monitoring by a presence server the availability of the campee to receive a call.

12. The method of claim 4, and further comprising monitoring by a presence server the availability of the plurality of campers to receive a call.

13. The method of claim 5, and further comprising automatically placing a call from the caller to the campee in response to the indication that the caller is available.

14. A system for facilitating communication comprising:

a presence server operable to receive at least one indication associated with respective ones of at least one campee that is indicative of the availability of the campee; and

a memory storing at least one prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the callee.

15. The system of claim 14, and further comprising a filter operable to prioritize the prioritized list.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the filter and the prioritized list are stored on one of on the presence server and off the presence server.

17. The system of claim 14, and further comprising a presence user agent operable to generate the at least one indication of the availability of the campee.

18. The system of claim 14, and further comprising at least one presence user agent operable to generate at least one indication of the availability of at least one of the campers.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the filter is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in a first in, first out manner.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the filter is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to information provided by the campee.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the filter is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to the identity of the camper.

22. The system of claim 14, and further comprising a connection between the prioritized list and the campee allowing access to the prioritized list by the campee.

23. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, a computer program operable, when executed on a processor, to:

receive an indication that a caller desires to camp on a communication device associated with a campee; and

in response to the indication assign the caller to a camper queue that stores a prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the telephone associated with the campee.

24. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to provide an indication to the caller that the campee appears available to receive a call when the caller attains the highest priority in the prioritized list and when the campee appears available to receive the call.

25. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the prioritized list is at first in, first out list.

26. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to information provided by the campee.

27. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to the identity of the camper.

28. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to provide access to the prioritized list to the campee.

29. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to automatically provide an indication to the caller that the campee appears available by automatically providing an indication to the caller that the campee appears available only if the caller appears available.

30. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to monitor the availability of the campee to receive a call.

31. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further operable to monitor the availability of the plurality of campers to place a call.

32. Logic encoded in media operable:

to receive an indication that a caller desires to camp on a telephone associated with a campee; and

in response to the indication, assign the caller to a camper queue that stores a prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the telephone associated with the campee.

33. The logic of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to provide an indication to the caller that the campee appears available to receive a call when the caller attains the highest priority in the prioritized list and the campee appears available to receive a call.

34. The logic of claim 32, wherein the prioritized list is a first in, first out list.

35. The logic of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to information provided by the campee.

36. The logic of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to provide access to the prioritized list to the campee.

37. The logic of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to automatically provide an indication to the caller that the campee appears available only when the caller appears available.

38. The logic of claim 32, when the logic is further operable to monitor the availability of the campee to receive a call.

39. The logic of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to monitor the availability of the plurality of campers to receive a call.

40. A system for facilitating communication comprising:

means for receiving at least one indication associated with respective ones of at least one callee that is indicative of the availability of the callee; and

means for storing a prioritized list of a plurality of campers camping on the callee.

41. The system of claim 40, and further comprising a means operable to prioritize the prioritized list.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the means operable to prioritize the prioritized list and the prioritized list are stored on one of the means operable to receive at least one indication and off the means operable to receive at least one indication.

43. The system of claim 40, and further comprising a means for generating the at least one indication of the availability of the campee.

44. The system of claim 40, further comprising at least one means for generating at least one indication of the availability of at least one of the campers.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the means for prioritizing the prioritized list is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in a first in, first out manner.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein the means for prioritizing the prioritized list is further operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to the information provided by the campee.

47. the system of claim 41, wherein the means operable to prioritize the prioritized list is operable to prioritize the prioritized list in response to the identity of the camper.

48. The system of claim 40, further comprising a connection means between the prioritized list and the campee allowing access to the prioritized list by the campee.