Multi-modal call management

• US 20060217133A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Christenson, Steven L., Pirzada, Shamim S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,283,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/461
• 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling 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

Abstract

A communication system for providing multi-modal call management includes a communication manager, a notification database, and a personal assistant. The communication system can receive a call, collect caller identification information, generate a call notification, and send the call notification to one or more communication devices through one or more communication protocols. The communication system can also receive a response to the call notification and initiate an action regarding the call based on the call notification response. The communications system can perform all of these activities while maintaining the call in an offering state. The call management system allows a system user to manage an outstanding call using one or more of multiple communication devices, identified by the communication manager as being associated with the system user.

Claims

1. A system for managing a communication request comprising:

a communication manager operable to;

receive a communication request, requesting a voice communication session with a target address;

determine an endpoint device associated with the target address;

offer the voice communication session to the endpoint device; and

maintain the communication request in an offering state;

a notification database comprising;

a plurality of user profiles each comprising an enterprise address;

one or more notification addresses each having an associated communication protocol; and

notification preferences;

a personal assistant operable to;

detect the offered voice communication session;

extract caller information from the offered voice communication session;

identify one or more of a time and a date;

determine if a communication request notification is required for the communication request, based on one or more of the caller information, the time, and the date;

if a communication request notification is not required;

determine a default action for the communication request, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state; and

initiate the default action for the communication request, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state; and

if a communication request notification is required;

access the notification addresses in the notification database;

identify one or more notification addresses, associated with the target address, from the notification addresses in the notification database;

generate the communication request notification, the communication request notification comprising a portion of the caller information and one or more response options, wherein the response options comprise one or more potential actions for the personal assistant to initiate for the communication request;

send the communication request notification to one or more notification addresses, associated with the target address, from the notification addresses in the notification database using an asynchronous text-based communication protocol, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state;

receive an asynchronous response to the communication request notification while the communication request is maintained in an offering state;

determine a selected action for the communication request, based upon the asynchronous response to the communication request notification, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, wherein the selected action for the communication request is placing the caller information in a blocked caller table and terminating the communication request; and

initiate the selected action for the communication request, based upon the asynchronous response to the communication request notification, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, wherein the selected action for the communication request is placing the caller information in a personal blocked caller table and terminating the communication request.

2. A system for managing a communication request comprising:

a communication manager operable to;

receive a communication request, requesting a voice communication session with a target address;

offer the voice communication session to an endpoint device; and

maintain the communication request in an offering state;

a notification database comprising;

a plurality of user profiles each comprising an enterprise address; and

one or more notification addresses each having an associated communication protocol; and

a personal assistant operable to;

detect the offered voice communication session;

extract caller information from the offered voice communication session;

access the notification addresses in the notification database;

send a communication request notification to one or more of the notification addresses in the notification database while the communication request is maintained in an offering state;

receive a response to the communication request notification while the communication request is maintained in an offering state; and

initiate a selected action for the communication request, based upon the response to the communication request notification, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication request notification is sent using an asynchronous text-based communication protocol.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the selected action for the communication request is using a local device to hairpin the voice communication session to a remote communication device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein selected action initiated by the personal assistant is to convert a customized text message, contained in the response to the communication request notification, into a customized voice message, to establish the voice communication session, and to play the customized voice message.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication request notification comprises a portion of the caller information and one or more response options, the one or more response options comprising one or more potential actions for the personal assistant to initiate for the communication request.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more response options include one or more of:

establish the voice communication session and initiate a voicemail exchange;

continue to maintain the communication response in an offering state;

play a stored message and place the voice communication session on hold;

play a customized message;

forward the voice communication session to a remote communication device; and

place the caller information in a personal blocked caller table and terminate the communication request.

8. A method for managing a communication request comprising:

receiving a communication request, requesting a voice communication session with a target address;

determining an endpoint device associated with the target address;

offering a voice communication session to the endpoint device associated with the target address;

maintaining the communication request in an offering state;

extracting caller information from the communication request;

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, selecting a notification address based on the target address, the selected notification address having an associated communication protocol;

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, sending a communication request notification to the selected notification address;

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, receiving a response to the communication request notification; and

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, initiating a selected action for the communication request, based upon the response to the communication request notification.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication request notification is sent using an asynchronous text-based communication protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected action for the communication request is using a local device to hairpin the voice communication session to a remote communication device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected action for the communication request is to convert a customized text message, contained in the response to the communication request notification, into a customized voice message, to establish the voice communication session, and to play the customized voice message.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication request notification comprises a portion of the caller information and one or more response options, the one or more response options comprising one or more potential actions to initiate for the communication request.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more response options include one or more of:

establish the voice communication session and initiate a voicemail exchange;

continue to maintain the communication response in an offering state;

play a stored message and place the voice communication session on hold;

play a customized message;

forward the voice communication session to a remote communication device; and

place the caller information in a personal blocked caller table and terminate the communication request.

14. Logic for managing a communication request, the logic encoded in computer-readable media and, when executed using one or more processors, operable to:

receive a communication request, requesting a voice communication session with a target address;

determine an endpoint device associated with the target address;

offer a voice communication session to the endpoint device associated with the target address;

maintain the communication request in an offering state;

extract caller information from the communication request;

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, select a notification address based on the target address, the selected notification address having an associated communication protocol;

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, send a communication request notification to the selected notification address;

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, receive a response to the communication request notification; and

while the communication request is maintained in an offering state, initiate a selected action for the communication request, based upon the response to the communication request notification.

15. The logic of claim 14, wherein the communication request notification is sent using an asynchronous text-based communication protocol.

16. The logic of claim 14, wherein the selected action for the communication request is using a local device to hairpin the voice communication session to a remote communication device.

17. The logic of claim 14, wherein the selected action for the communication request is to convert a customized text message, contained in the response to the communication request notification, into a customized voice message, to establish the voice communication session, and to play the customized voice message.

18. The logic of claim 14, wherein the communication request notification comprises a portion of the caller information and one or more response options, the one or more response options comprising one or more potential actions to initiate for the communication request.

19. The logic of claim 18, wherein the one or more response options include one or more of:

establish the voice communication session and initiate a voicemail exchange;

continue to maintain the communication response in an offering state;

play a stored message and place the voice communication session on hold;

play a customized message;

forward the voice communication session to a remote communication device; and

place the caller information in a personal blocked caller table and terminate the communication request.

20. A system for managing an outstanding call comprising:

a means for receiving a communication request, requesting a voice communication session with a target address;

a means for determining an endpoint device associated with the target address;

offering a voice communication session to the endpoint device associated with the target address;

a means for maintaining the communication request in an offering state;

a means for extracting caller information from the communication request;

a means of selecting a notification address based on the target address, the selected notification address having an associated communication protocol, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state;

a means for sending a communication request notification to the selected notification address, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state;

a means for receiving a response to the communication request notification, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state; and

a means for initiating a selected action for the communication request, based upon the response to the communication request notification, while the communication request is maintained in an offering state.