Providing missed call and message information

• US 20070133771A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Caplener, Sarah, Surapaneni, Rao, Stifelman, Lisa, Davis, Angus, Ward, Justin, Sullivan, Anne, Cross, Karen, Khurana, Rajeev
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.10
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/573 Line monitoring circuits for detecting caller identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication

Abstract

Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.

Claims

1. A method of providing information associated with messages and/or missed calls to a subscriber, the method comprising:

monitoring calls received but not answered by the subscriber;

classifying each monitored call as one of a missed call and a message;

summarizing the monitored calls based on a customizable rule set to create a summary; and

providing the summary to the subscriber.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the summary includes one or more identifiers summarizing the monitored calls.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein there no more than a predetermined number of identifiers.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the number of identifiers is configurable.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one identifier is a caller identity associated with at least one monitored call.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein summarizing the monitored calls includes performing a reverse lookup in a personal address book related to the subscriber, so as to retrieve the caller identity.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the caller identity is one of a name and a nickname of a caller associated with the at least one monitored call.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein summarizing the monitored calls includes using caller ID to identify the caller identity.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the caller identity is associated with a plurality of monitored calls from at least two different phone numbers.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein providing the summary includes providing a plurality of caller identities in an order based on when the monitored calls associated with the caller identities were received.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein one of the identifiers is a general identifier indicating a number of callers not associated with a caller identity provided in the summary.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the general identifier is provided when the phone number of a calling party associated with a monitored call is blocked or private.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the general identifier is provided when a calling party does not have an associated contact in the personal address book of the subscriber.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the summary is triggered based on an event.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the event is detecting that the subscriber has gone off-hook.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the event is detecting that the subscriber has gone on-line.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the event is a detecting that the subscriber has pressed a button on a phone.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the event is detecting that the subscriber has opened a phone.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message is at least one of a voice message, a video message, an email message, a text message, a multimedia message, an instant message, and a voice instant message.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the customizable rule set is defined by at least one of the subscriber and a service provider.

21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing to the subscriber a command option, the command option including at least one of a drill down command, a return call command, and an add to personal address book command.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the summary includes providing a voice notification.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein providing the voice notification includes providing a pre-recorded name from an audio library.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the prerecorded name includes the subscriber'"'"'s voice.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein providing the voice notification includes converting text to speech.

26. A method of providing information associated with messages and/or missed calls to a subscriber, the method comprising:

monitoring calls received but not answered by the subscriber;

classifying each monitored call as one of a missed call and a message;

preparing a review of each of the monitored calls based on a customizable rule set; and

providing the review to the subscriber.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the review is provided to the subscriber upon the subscriber accessing a message center.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein preparing the review includes grouping the monitored calls into one or more groups.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein providing the review includes providing to the subscriber random access to one of the groups.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein preparing the review includes:

determining whether each of the monitored calls is from a caller identity associated with a personal address book related to the subscriber, wherein grouping the monitored calls includes grouping the monitored calls by caller identity.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein grouping the monitored calls is a function of whether the caller identity is one of a user-defined group.

32. The method according to claim 28, wherein preparing the review includes:

sorting calls in each group of callers in an order.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the order is based on at least one of time, urgency, a number of calls made by a caller identity, and whether the monitored call is associated with a personal address book of the subscriber.

34. The method according to claim 26, where preparing the review includes providing a time of at least one of the monitored calls.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the time is an elapsed time since the monitored call.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the time is an approximate time of call.

37. The method according to claim 26, wherein providing the review further includes providing the subscriber with command options.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the command options include at least one of a return call command and an add to personal address book command.

39. The method according to claim 26, wherein providing the review includes providing a voice response.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein providing the voice response includes providing a pre-recorded name from an audio library.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the pre-recorded name includes the subscriber'"'"'s voice.

42. The method according to claim 39, wherein providing the voice response includes converting text to speech.

43. The method according to claim 26, wherein preparing the review includes grouping the monitored calls into one or more threads.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein grouping the monitored calls into one or more threads includes:

converting speech of at least one message to text;

searching the text for at least one word; and

grouping the monitored calls based on whether the text was found.

45. A system for providing information associated with messages and/or missed calls to a subscriber, the system comprising:

a monitoring agent for monitoring calls received but not answered by the subscriber;

a classification module for classifying each monitored call as one of a missed call and a message;

a summarizing module for summarizing the monitored calls based on a customizable rule set to create a summary; and

a notification module for providing the summary to the subscriber.

46. The system according to claim 45, wherein the summary includes one or more identifiers summarizing the monitored calls.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein there are no more than a predetermined number of identifiers.

48. The system according to claim 46, wherein the number of identifiers is configurable.

49. The system according to claim 46, wherein at least one of the identifiers includes a caller identity associated with at least one monitored call.

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein the caller identity is retrieved from a personal address book associated with the subscriber.

51. The system according to claim 50, wherein the caller identity is one of a name and a nickname of a caller associated with the at least one monitored call.

52. The system according to claim 49, wherein the caller identity is retrieved using caller 1D.

53. The system according to claim 49, wherein the caller identity is associated with a plurality of monitored calls from at least two different phone numbers.

54. The system according to claim 49, wherein one of the identifiers is a general identifier indicating a number of callers not associated with a caller identity provided in the summary.

55. The system according to claim 54, wherein the general identifier pertains, at least in part, to a monitored call having a phone number of a calling party that is blocked or private.

56. The system according to claim 54, wherein the general identifier pertains, at least in part, to a monitored call not associated with the personal address book of the subscriber.

57. The system according to claim 45, further comprising a trigger module that provides a trigger to the notification module, the notification module providing the summary notification to the subscriber upon receiving the trigger.

58. The system according to claim 57, wherein the trigger provides the trigger to the notification module upon one of detecting that the subscriber has gone off-hook, detecting that the subscriber has opened a phone, detecting that the subscriber pressed a button on a phone, and detecting that the subscriber has gone on-line.

59. The system according to claim 45, wherein the message is at least one of a voice message, a video message, an email message, a multi-media message, instant message, a voice instant message, and a text message.

60. The system according to claim 45, wherein the customizable rule set is defined by at least one of the subscriber and a service provider.

61. The system according to claim 45, wherein the notification module includes a voice module for providing the review to the subscriber via speech.

62. The system according to claim 61, wherein the voice module includes an audio library of at least one pre-recorded name.

63. The system according to claim 62, wherein at least one of the pre-recorded names includes the subscriber'"'"'s voice.

64. The system according to claim 61, wherein the voice module is capable of converting text-to-speech.

79. The system according to claim 57, wherein the response module provides the subscriber with command options.

80. The system according to claim 79, wherein the command options include at least one of a return call command and an add to personal address book command.

65. A system for providing information associated with messages and/or missed calls to a subscriber, the system comprising:

a monitoring agent for monitoring calls received but not answered by the subscriber;

a classification module for classifying each monitored call as one of a missed call and a message;

a review module for preparing a review of each of the monitored calls based on a customizable rule set; and

a response module for providing the review to the subscriber.

66. The system according to claim 65, wherein the response module provides the review to the subscriber upon the subscriber accessing a message center.

67. The system according to claim 65, wherein the review module divides the monitored calls into two or more groups.

68. The system according to claim 67, wherein the response module provides to the subscriber random access to one of the groups.

69. The system according to claim 67, wherein at least one of the monitored calls is from a caller identity associated with at least one of a personal address book related to the subscriber and a caller ID associated with the monitored call.

70. The system according to claim 69, wherein at least one group of calls is from a single caller identity associated with a plurality of monitored calls from at least two different phone numbers.

71. The system according to claim 67, wherein the groups are a function of whether the caller identity is one of a user-defined group.

72. The system according to claim 67, wherein the calls in each group are sorted in an order.

73. The system according to claim 72, wherein the order is based on at least one of time, urgency, a number of calls made by a caller identity, and whether the monitored call is associated with a personal address book of the subscriber.

74. The system according to claim 65, where the review includes a time of at least one of the monitored calls.

75. The system according to claim 74, wherein the time is an elapsed time since the monitored call.

76. The system according to claim 74, wherein the time is an approximate time of call.

77. The system according to claim 65, wherein the review orders the monitored calls by missed calls or messages associated with a contact in the personal address book, missed calls or messages not associated with a contact in the personal address book other than from blocked numbers, and missed calls or messages from blocked numbers.

78. The system according to claim 65, wherein the response module includes a voice response module for providing the review to the subscriber by speech.