METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR ADAPTIVE CALL FILTERING

• US 20080317229A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Waters, Timothy M., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Graham, Barry M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• 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 method of and system for filtering telephone calls receives a call to a called party from a caller and determines if the called party has an event scheduled. If the called party has an event scheduled, the system determines if the caller is associated with the event. The system completes the call if the caller is associated with the event. The system sends the call to voice mail if the caller is not associated with said event unless the caller is on an exception list associated with the event, in which case the system completes the call. The system completes the call if it is determined that said called party does not have an event scheduled.

Claims

1. A method of filtering telephone calls, which comprises:

receiving a call to a called party from a caller;

determining if said called party has an event scheduled; and

,

if it is determined that said called party has an event scheduled, determining if said caller is associated with said event.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, including:

completing said call if said caller is associated with said event.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, including:

sending said call to voice mail if said caller is not associated with said event.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, including:

completing said call if said caller is on an exception list.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, including:

completing said call if it is determined that said called party does not have an event scheduled.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining if said called party has an event scheduled includes:

accessing a calendar for said called party.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining if said caller is associated with said event includes:

accessing an address book for said called party.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, including:

determining if said caller is identified; and

,

if said caller is not identified, prompting said caller to identify him or herself.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, including:

sending a message to said called party with the identity of said caller; and

,

prompting said called party to give instructions for handling said call.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining if said called party has an event scheduled includes accessing a calendar for said called party, and wherein determining if said caller is associated with said event includes determining calendar phone settings for said event, and said method including:

handling said call according to said calendar phone settings.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein handling said call according to said calendar phone settings includes:

completing said call if said calendar phone settings are public.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein handling said call according to said calendar phone settings includes:

completing said call if said calendar phone settings are private and said caller is an invitee to said event.

13. A method of filtering telephone calls, which comprises:

providing an event notification dialog, said event notification dialog including an invitee entry area and a phone setting area;

sending an event notification to invitees entered in said invitee entry area;

prompting an invitee receiving said event notification to enter phone settings in said phone setting area; and

,

upon acceptance by an invitee of said event notification, entering said phone settings and said invitees in an electronic calendar of said invitee.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, including:

receiving a call for said invitee; and

,

handling said call according to said phone settings.

15. A call filtering system, which comprises:

a calendar server, said calendar server including events scheduled for users; and

,

a call manager coupled to said calendar server, said call manager including;

means for receiving a call from a caller to one of said users;

means for determining if said user has an event scheduled; and

,

means for determining, if it is determined that said calling party has an event scheduled, if said caller is associated with said event.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, including:

means for completing said call if said caller is associated with said event.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, including:

means sending said call to voice mail if said caller is not associated with said event.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, including:

means for completing said call if said caller is on an exception list.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, including:

means for completing said call if it is determined that said user does not have an event scheduled.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, including:

a messaging server coupled to said call manager;

means for determining if said caller is identified;

means for prompting said caller to identify him or herself, if said caller is determined not to be identified;

means for sending a message to said called party with the identity of said caller; and

,

means for prompting said called party to give instructions for handling said call.