Establishing telephone communications

• US 20080056473A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniell, William Todd, Kent, Larry
• Application Number:
  US11/548,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20080056473A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set

Abstract

One embodiment of method for establishing communications with a telephone device can be broadly summarized by the following: receiving an incoming call on the telephone device; checking a set of rules defined by a user of the telephone device, the rules specifying instructions for handling an incoming call; and disposing of the incoming call in accordance with the set of rules. Other methods and systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of establishing communications with a telephone device comprising:

receiving an incoming call on the telephone device;

checking a set of rules defined by a user of the telephone device, the rules specifying instructions for handling an incoming call; and

disposing of the incoming call in accordance with the set of rules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule instructing the telephone device to forward the incoming call to the user if a telephone number of a calling party is contained in an address book of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule instructing the telephone device to perform a particular action if the incoming call to the user is received within a designated time frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the particular action comprises sending a notification message to the user at a remote location notifying the user of the incoming call.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the particular action comprises at least one of forwarding the incoming call and terminating the incoming call.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the particular action comprises sending the incoming call to voicemail.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone device receives telephone calls from a PSTN network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone device receives telephone calls from the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of rules is definable from a web page.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of rules is definable from an interface on the telephone device.

11. A computer readable medium having a computer program for establishing communications with a telephone device, the program having instructions for performing:

receiving an incoming call on the telephone device;

checking a set of rules defined by a user of the telephone device, the rules specifying instructions for handling an incoming call; and

disposing of the incoming call in accordance with the set of rules.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule instructing the telephone device to forward the incoming call to the user if a telephone number of a calling party is contained in an address book of the user.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule instructing the telephone device to perform a particular action if the incoming call to the user is received within a designated time frame.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular action comprises sending a notification message to the user at a remote location notifying the user of the incoming call.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular action comprises at least one of forwarding the incoming call and terminating the incoming call.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the particular action comprises sending the incoming call to voicemail.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the telephone device receives telephone calls from a PSTN network.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the telephone device receives telephone calls from the Internet.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of rules is definable from a web page.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of rules is definable from an interface on the telephone device.

21. A system of establishing telephone communications comprising:

first logic of a telephone device configured to receive an incoming call on the telephone device;

second logic of the telephone device configured to check a set of rules defined by a user of the telephone device, the rules specifying instructions for handling an incoming call; and

third logic of the telephone device configured to dispose of the incoming call in accordance with the set of rules.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule instructing the telephone device to forward the incoming call to the user if a telephone number of a calling party is contained in an address book of the user.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the set of rules comprises a rule instructing the telephone device to perform a particular action if the incoming call to the user is received within a designated time frame.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the particular action comprises sending a notification message to the user at a remote location notifying the user of the incoming call.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the set of rules is definable from an interface on the telephone device.