Contact number encapsulation system

• US 20070041550A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: One Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: One Number Corporation
• Inventors: Wittekind, Frederick, McLarty, Brandon
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42255 with the subscriber having a personal network-independent number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A contact number encapsulation system is disclosed that is operable to consolidate a plurality of contact numbers associated with a given user into a single contact number. The system includes a call processing application that uses information contained in a SIP message header to determine a list of contact numbers to call. The SIP message header contains a call destination indication that is used by the call processing application to retrieve the list of contact numbers. The list of contact numbers is user defined and may be updated or modified by an account holder at any given time. Once the list of contact numbers is obtained, a simultaneous call module is used to simultaneously call each number contained in the list. As such, the account holder only needs to provide the primary contact number to individuals desiring to reach him/her instead of various numbers that are associated with various locations the account holder may be located.

Claims

1. A contact number encapsulation system, comprising:

a communication network;

a first terminal connected with said communication network operable to place a call designating a primary contact number;

a call processing server connected with said communication network, wherein said call processing server includes a call processing application operable to receive incoming communication traffic from said communication network associated with calls designating said primary contact number;

a multiple contact number lookup module operable to retrieve a list of contact numbers associated with said primary contact number; and

a calling module operable to simultaneously establish a plurality of communication links between said first terminal and a plurality of call reception terminals associated with each contact number contained in said list of contact numbers.

2. The contact number encapsulation system of claim 1, further comprising a connection module operable to establish a voice-based communication link between said first terminal and a respective one of said plurality of call reception terminals if said call is answered by said respective one call reception terminal.

3. The contact number encapsulation system of claim 1, wherein said call processing application uses a SIP message header to generate said list of contact numbers associated with said primary contact number.

4. The contact number encapsulation system of claim 1, further comprising an interactive voice response application operable to provide a plurality of menu based selection options to said first terminal, wherein said plurality of menu based selection options include at least a contact dialed party option and a voice mail option.

5. The contact number encapsulation system claim 4, wherein upon selection of said contact dialed party option a multiple contact module is operable to prompt a user of said first terminal to record a short introduction message, wherein said short introduction message is played to a respective one of said plurality of call reception terminals if said call is answered by said respective one call reception terminal, wherein said respective one call reception terminal is provided with a connection option operable to establish a voice-based communication session between said first terminal and said respective one call reception terminal if accepted by a call receiver or forward said call to a voice mail application if not accepted by said call receiver.

6. The contact number encapsulation system of claim 1, further comprising a facsimile module operable to detect an incoming facsimile from said first terminal, wherein said facsimile module further includes a facsimile email module operable to convert said incoming facsimile into a predetermined digital file and forward said predetermined digital file to a user designated email account.

7. The contact number encapsulation system of claim 1, further comprising a web-enabled user account interface operable to allow an account holder to modify said list of contact numbers.

8. The contact number encapsulation system claim 1, further comprising a voice control portal application operable to allow an account holder to modify said list of contact numbers from a respective remote terminal.

9. A method of calling a plurality of terminals in a communication network, comprising the steps of:

associating a primary contact number with a predetermined user;

calling said primary contact number using a first terminal;

routing said call from said first terminal to a call processing application located on a call processor server connected with said communication network;

retrieving a list of contact numbers associated with said primary contact number;

simultaneously calling each contact number contained in said list of contact numbers; and

connecting said call with a respective terminal associated with one of said contact numbers contained in said list of contact numbers if said predetermined user answers said call.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of directing said call to voice mail if said user does not answer said call after a predetermined amount of time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of recording a voice mail message and transmitting said voice mail message to a user designated email account as an audio file attachment.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of allowing said user to modify said list of contact numbers from a web-enabled user account interface.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of allowing said user to modify said list of contact numbers using a voice control portal application.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of detecting an incoming facsimile.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving said incoming facsimile and converting said incoming facsimile to a predetermined digital file and transmitting said digital file to a user designated email account.

16. A contact number encapsulation system, comprising:

a communication network;

a first terminal connected with said communication network operable to place a call to a primary contact number;

a call processing server connected with said communication network, wherein said call processing server includes a call processing application operable to receive incoming communication traffic from said communication network associated with calls designating said primary contact number;

a multiple contact number lookup module operable to retrieve a list of contact numbers associated with said primary contact number, wherein an SIP message header associated with said call is used to retrieve said list of contact numbers associated with said primary contact number;

a simultaneous calling module operable to simultaneously ring a plurality of call reception terminals associated with said list of contact numbers;

a connection module operable to establish a communication link between said first terminal and a respective one of said plurality of call reception terminals if said call is answered by said respective one call reception terminal;

an interactive voice response application operable to provide a plurality of menu based selection options to said first terminal, wherein said plurality of menu based selection options include at least a contact dialed party option and a voice mail option, wherein upon selection of said contact dialed party option a multiple contact module is operable to prompt a user of said first terminal to record a short introduction message, wherein said short introduction message is played to a respective one of said plurality of call reception terminals if said call is answered by said respective one call reception terminal, wherein said respective one call reception terminal is provided with a connection option operable to connect said call or forward said call to a voice mail application;

a facsimile module operable to detect an incoming facsimile from said first terminal, wherein said facsimile module further includes a facsimile email module operable to convert said incoming facsimile into a predetermined digital file and forward said predetermined digital file to a user designated email account;

a web-enabled user account interface operable to allow an account holder to modify said list of contact numbers; and

a voice control portal application operable to allow an account holder to modify said list of contact numbers from a respective remote terminal not having Internet access.