Call establishment based on presence

• US 20060182251A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Klemm, Reinhard Peter, Seligmann, Doree Duncan, John, Ajita, Shan, Xueshan
• Granted Patent: US 8,804,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/210.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• 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 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy

Abstract

An apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable a caller to specify a condition of availability for a return call when the caller is unable to reach the called user. A condition might indicate a time interval in which the caller is willing to accept a return call, a location, or some other constraints. In the illustrative embodiments, when a caller places a call and is unable to reach the called user, the caller is prompted via an interactive voice response (IVR) system for one or more conditions of availability for a return call. As soon as the called user'"'"'s terminal becomes available, a software application checks whether the condition of availability is satisfied, and if so, establishes a call between the caller'"'"'s terminal and the called user'"'"'s terminal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal that comprises a condition of availability of a first user for a call with a second user;

receiving a second signal that indicates that said second user is able to engage in said call via a telecommunications terminal T; and

transmitting a third signal to said telecommunications terminal T if, and only if, said second signal is received when said condition of availability is satisfied, wherein said third signal indicates that said first user called.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving said first signal:

receiving a fourth signal that indicates an unsuccessful call attempt from a telecommunications terminal X that is associated with said first user to a telecommunications terminal Y that is associated with said second user; and

transmitting a fifth signal that prompts said first user for said condition of availability.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said telecommunications terminal Y and said telecommunications terminal T are the same.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said condition of availability is defined in terms of time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said condition of availability is also defined in terms of the location of said first user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said condition of availability is defined in terms of the location of said first user.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal that comprises a condition of availability of a first user for a call with a second user;

receiving a second signal that indicates that said second user is able to engage in said call via a telecommunications terminal T; and

establishing said call between said telecommunications terminal T and a telecommunications terminal that is associated with said first user if, and only if, said second signal is received when said condition of availability is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, prior to receiving said first signal:

receiving a third signal that indicates an unsuccessful call attempt from a telecommunications terminal X that is associated with said first user to a telecommunications terminal Y that is associated with said second user; and

transmitting a fourth signal that prompts said first user for said condition of availability.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said telecommunications terminal Y and said telecommunications terminal Tare the same.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said condition of availability is defined in terms of time.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said condition of availability is also defined in terms of the location of said first user.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said condition of availability is defined in terms of the location of said first user.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal that comprises a condition of availability of a first user for a call with a second user;

receiving a second signal that indicates that said second user is able to engage in said call via a telecommunications terminal T; and

transmitting a third signal to said telecommunications terminal T when both said second signal has been received and said condition of availability is satisfied, wherein said third signal indicates that said first user called.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising, prior to receiving said first signal:

receiving a fourth signal that indicates an unsuccessful call attempt from a telecommunications terminal X that is associated with said first user to a telecommunications terminal Y that is associated with said second user; and

transmitting a fifth signal that prompts said first user for said condition of availability.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said telecommunications terminal Y and said telecommunications terminal Tare the same.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said condition of availability is defined in terms of the location of said first user.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal that comprises a condition of availability of a first user for a call with a second user;

receiving a second signal that indicates that said second user is able to engage in said call via a telecommunications terminal T; and

establishing said call between said telecommunications terminal T and a telecommunications terminal that is associated with said first user when both said second signal has been received and said condition of availability is satisfied.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising, prior to receiving said first signal:

receiving a third signal that indicates an unsuccessful call attempt from a telecommunications terminal X that is associated with said first user to a telecommunications terminal Y that is associated with said second user; and

transmitting a fourth signal that prompts said first user for said condition of availability.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said telecommunications terminal Y and said telecommunications terminal Tare the same.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said condition of availability is defined in terms of the location of said first user.