Methods and systems for automatic forwarding of communications to a preferred device
First Claim
1. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
- intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user;
receiving information pertaining to the communication;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
routing the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for routing a communication to a preferred device are disclosed. A service center consistent with the present invention is operable to receive information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, and retrieve data corresponding to the user using the received information. The service center also determines a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data, wherein the preferred device is one of a plurality of devices associated with the user. Thereafter, the service center ascertains whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery, and routes the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining.
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Citations
129 Claims
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1. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user;
receiving information pertaining to the communication;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
routing the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 115, 123, 125)
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16. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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intercepting a communication from a calling part to a device associated with a particular user;
receiving information pertaining to the communication;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the communication;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data; and
routing the communication to the preferred device of the user.
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17. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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receiving information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
initiating a first call to a device of the calling party;
initiating a second call to the preferred device of the user;
ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
connecting the first call and second call based on the ascertaining. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 116, 117, 121, 126)
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40. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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receiving information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
initiating a first call to a device of the calling party;
initiating a second call to the preferred device of the user; and
connecting the first call and second call.
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41. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user, the communication being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
receiving information pertaining to the communication;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
sending information reflective of the preferred device to a device of the calling party, wherein the device of the calling party establishes communication with the preferred device.
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42. A method for looking up information pertaining to a user, comprising:
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receiving a request for information pertaining to a user;
retrieving data corresponding to the user;
determining a state of at least one communication line associated with the user;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the state; and
providing information reflecting the preferred device based on the state. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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means for intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user;
means for receiving information pertaining to the communication;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user using information pertaining to the communication;
means for determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
means for ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
means for routing the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 118, 124, 127)
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67. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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means for intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user;
means for receiving information pertaining to the communication;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the communication;
means for determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data; and
means for routing the communication to the preferred device of the user.
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68. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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means for receiving information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information;
means for determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
means for initiating a first call to a device of the calling party;
means for initiating a second call to the preferred device of the user;
means for ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
means for connecting the first call and second call based on the ascertaining. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 119, 120, 122, 128)
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91. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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means for receiving information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
means for determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
means for initiating a first call to a device of the calling party;
means for initiating a second call to the preferred device of the user; and
means for connecting the first call and second call.
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92. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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means for intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user, the communication being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
means for receiving information pertaining to the communication;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
means for determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
means for sending information reflective of the preferred device to a device of the calling party, wherein the device of the calling party establishes communication with the preferred device.
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93. An apparatus for looking up information pertaining to a user, comprising:
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means for receiving a request for information pertaining to a user;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user;
means for determining a state of at least one communication line associated with the user;
means for determining a preferred device of the user based on the state; and
means for providing information reflecting the preferred device based on the state. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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103. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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a memory having a program that intercepts a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user, receives information pertaining to the communication, retrieves data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the communication, determines a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data, ascertains whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery, and routes the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining; and
a processor that runs the program.
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104. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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a memory having a program that;
receives information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
retrieves data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determines a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
initiates a first call to a device of the calling party;
initiates a second call to the preferred device of the user;
ascertains whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
connects the first call and second call based on the ascertaining; and
a processor that runs the program.
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105. An apparatus for looking up information pertaining to a user, comprising:
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a memory having a program that receives a request for information pertaining to a user, retrieves data corresponding to the user, determines a state of at least one communication line associated with the user, determines a preferred device of the user based on the state and provides information reflecting the preferred device based on the state; and
a processor that runs the program.
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106. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for routing a communication to a preferred device, the instructions comprising:
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intercepting a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user;
receiving information pertaining to the communication;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the communication;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
routing the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining.
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107. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for routing a communication to a preferred device, the instructions comprising:
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receiving information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
initiating a first call to a device of the calling party;
initiating a second call to the preferred device of the user;
ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
connecting the first call and second call based on the ascertaining.
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108. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for looking up information pertaining to a user, the instructions comprising:
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receiving a request for information pertaining to a user;
retrieving data corresponding to the user;
determining a state of at least one communication line associated with the user;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the state; and
providing information reflecting the preferred device based on the state.
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109. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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a first server operable to intercept a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a particular user, receive information pertaining to the communication, retrieve data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the communication, determine a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data, and ascertain whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
a second server operable to route the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining.
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110. An apparatus for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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a first server operable to;
receive information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on a data network;
retrieve data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determine a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data; and
a second server operable to initiate a first call to a device of the calling party and initiate a second call to the preferred device of the user, wherein the first server ascertains whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery, and the second server connects the first call and second call based on the ascertaining.
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111. An apparatus for looking up information pertaining to a user, comprising:
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a first server operable to receive a request for information pertaining to a user, retrieve data corresponding to the user, determine a state of at least one communication line associated with the user, and determine a preferred device of the user based on the state; and
a second server operable to provide information reflecting the preferred device based on the state.
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112. A system for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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a voice network;
a data network; and
a service center operable to;
intercept a communication from a calling party to a device associated with a user;
receive information pertaining to the communication;
retrieve data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the communication;
determine a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data, wherein the preferred device is one of the plurality of devices associated with the user;
ascertains whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
routes the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining.
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113. A system for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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a voice network;
a data network; and
a service center operable to;
receive information pertaining to a communication to the user from a calling party, the communication to the user being initiated by an action of the calling party on the data network;
retrieve data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determine a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data, wherein the preferred device is one of a plurality of devices associated with the user;
initiate a first call to a device of the calling party;
initiate a second call to the preferred device of the user;
ascertain whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery; and
connect the first call and second call based on the ascertaining.
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114. A system for looking up information pertaining to a user, comprising:
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a voice network;
a data network;
at least one switch for connecting to a plurality of devices associated with a user; and
a service center operable to;
receive a request for information pertaining to a user;
retrieve data corresponding to the user;
determine a state of at least one communication line associated with the user;
determine a preferred device of the user based on the state, wherein the preferred device is one of the plurality of devices; and
provide information reflecting the preferred device based on the state.
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129. A method for routing a communication to a preferred device, comprising:
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receiving information pertaining to a communication to a user from a calling party;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the received information;
determining a preferred device of the user based on the retrieved data;
ascertaining whether the preferred device of the user requires a new mode of delivery;
presenting the calling party with an appropriate overlay to communicate with the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining; and
routing the communication to the preferred device of the user based on the ascertaining.
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Specification