Professional Services Communications Architecture

• US 20070127400A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leader Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leader Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Petronelli, Paul, McKibben, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/672,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127400A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

Professional services call management architecture. A professional services communications system (e.g., of a law firm) interfaces to a web-based call management system to facilitate call management (e.g., teleconferencing) capabilities in a professional services environment. The system can include a professional services communications component that facilitates voice communications, and a web-based call communications component that interfaces to the professional services communications component to facilitate the professional services call management (e.g., accounting to client). The web-based system can also support communications via VoIP. The web-based call management system facilitates communications for at least one of wired and wireless telephone communications systems and, one-way and two-way communications.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented call management system, comprising:

a professional services communications component of a professional services environment for processing a call; and

a web-based call communications component for interacting with the professional services communications component, processing call information of the services communications component, and providing call communications for a user of the professional services environment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the professional services communications component automatically links to the web-based call communications component in response to the user inputting a call code.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the call code is input via a DTMF signal and, associated with an asterisk character and a number or a speed dial number.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the call communications component initiates a conference call session at a predetermined time by automatically calling session participants and binding the session participants into the conference call session.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the session participants participate in the conference call session via at least one of a cell phone, a messaging device, a computing device, or a VoIP phone.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the web-based call communications component facilitates communications with a push-to-talk handset in the call session.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the web-based call communications component automatically records the call session for download by one or more participants of the call session.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the call communications component automatically sends an invoice of call charges to the services communications component based on predetermined period of time.

9. A computer-implemented method of call management, comprising:

entering a call code into a corporate phone system or voice recording a call code to initiate a call by a caller;

connecting the call from the corporate phone system to a web-based call management system based on the call code; and

routing the call to a call session via the web-based call management system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising prompting a caller of the call for an account number.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising charging a caller account based on call characteristics that include duration of the call.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising inputting an account number of a client and automatically charging the client for the call based on the account number.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising initiating the call via an IP-based communications device.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising prompting the caller with a voice-based recording to confirm call information and processing a voice-based caller response.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising binding the call into the call session of which the recipient is a participant, the call session is a conference call session.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising accessing operator assistance during the call session.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically communicating call session charges from the web-based call management system to a corporate back-office system after the call session has terminated.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising dynamically allocating ports at the web-based call management system for the call session based on the call code.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically changing a level of service for a customer based on past usage.

20. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

computer-implemented means for receiving a call code from a business user into a corporate phone system to initiate a call to an external call session;

computer-implemented means for automatically routing the call from the corporate phone system to a web-based call management system based on the call code;

computer-implemented means for routing the call to the call session via the web-based call management system;

computer-implemented means for binding the call into the call session; and

computer-implemented means for tracking session activities and invoicing a client account of the corporation.