System, Method and Portable Communication Device

• US 20100020728A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alec Saunders, Brad Dixon, Howard H. Thaw, Noam David Tomczak, Peter Macaulay, Tim Wilson, Todd Jefferson, Yanick Dufresne
• Original Assignee: Alec Saunders, Brad Dixon, Howard H. Thaw, Noam David Tomczak, Peter Macaulay, Tim Wilson, Todd Jefferson, Yanick Dufresne
• Inventors: Tomczak, Noam David, Jefferson, Todd, Wilson, Tim, Macaulay, Peter, Thaw, Howard H., Dixon, Brad, Dufresne, Yanick, Saunders, Alec
• Application Number:
  US12/435,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20100020728A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for providing a user a way to change communications presence information is disclosed. A point of presence (PPD) device may produce presentity (a source of presence information about a user) which may be transmitted out-of-band to a watcher or watchers of an intelligent call handling presence server.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. A telecommunications system comprising:

a telecommunications network;

a plurality of communication devices, associated with an End User, said End User communication devices interconnected with said telecommunications network;

a telecommunications server interconnected with said telecommunications network; and

an End User interface device wirelessly interconnected with said telecommunications network;

said End User interface device comprising;

configurable hot-keys enabling said End User to explicitly specify presence; and

a wireless data transmitter for transmitting said specified presence status to said telecommunications server via said telecommunications network;

said telecommunications server being operable to;

establish contextual parameters for said End User, including presence;

enable said End User to set up rules governing management of communications based on values for said contextual parameters; and

execute said rules, in view of a current contextual state and said specified presence status, to manage communications between said telecommunications network and said plurality of End User communication devices.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said presence includes location, level of availability and mode for communication.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein said End User interface device and said telecommunications network communicate in a data/non-voice band.

40. The system of claim 37, further comprising:

a desktop PC in communication with said telecommunications server;

said desktop PC supporting a software application operable to;

enable said End User to specify said rules;

interface desktop context information to said telecommunications server; and

dictate call control between said telecommunications server and said plurality of End User communication devices.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein said rules comprise a hierarchy of rules and policies that allow for global and individual rules processing.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein said End User interface is operable to transmit instructions to said telecommunications server to perform a function selected from the group consisting of:

transferring an ongoing call from a first one of said plurality of End User communication devices to a second one of said plurality of End User communication devices;

adding a calling party to a conference call;

putting a call on hold;

instructing said telecommunications server to place a telephone call from one of said plurality of End User communication devices;

changing a voicemail message being issued by one of said plurality of End User communication devices;

synchronizing locally stored PIM information with said telecommunications server;

organizing conference calls;

sending a wake-up/rescue call at a given point in time or after a specified duration has elapsed;

supporting a to-call list; and

displaying presence/availability/willingness of contacts including location information.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein said End User interface device further comprises:

a data receiver for receiving announcements from said telecommunications server; and

a display for displaying said received announcements.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein said End User interface device further comprises:

means for detecting the current physical location of said End User; and

a transmitter for transmitting said current physical location of said End User to said telecommunications server.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said means for detecting the current physical location of said End User comprises a set of technologies selected from the group consisting of GPS, WiFi, and RFID.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein said telecommunications server and said End User interface device communicate via a signaling protocol selected from the group consisting of:

MGCP;

SIP; and

RTP.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein communications between said End User interface device and said telecommunications server are encrypted.

48. The system of claim 37, wherein communications between said End User interface device and said telecommunications server are effected over a secure communications link.

49. The system of claim 37, wherein said telecommunications server is operable to detect End User communication patterns.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein said telecommunications server is operable to use said detected patterns to modify the End User'"'"'s rules.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein said telecommunications server is operable to use said detected patterns to suggest modifications to the End User'"'"'s rules.

52. The system of claim 37, wherein said telecommunications server is operable to respond to entry of a “

call break through”

code by a calling party, by interrupting an End User communication that is currently underway.

53. The system of claim 37, wherein said plurality of End User communications devices includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular telephone;

a personal digital assistant;

a personal computer;

an Internet-ready telephone;

a voice over IP telephone; and

a television set-top box.

54. The system of claim 37, wherein said contextual parameters include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

day and time;

on/off hook status of said End User'"'"'s communication devices;

current activity of said End User;

activity level of said End User'"'"'s PC;

physical velocity of said End User;

ambient noise and environment; and

physical location of said End User.

55. A method of operation for a telecommunications system comprising the steps of:

providing a telecommunications network, a plurality of communication devices associated with an End User, said End User communication devices interconnected with said telecommunications network, a telecommunications server interconnected with said telecommunications network, and an End User interface device wirelessly interconnected with said telecommunications network;

enabling said End User to explicitly specify presence status to said telecommunications server using configurable hot-keys on said End User interface device;

transmitting said specified presence status to said telecommunications server via a wireless data transmitter in said End User interface device; and

in said telecommunications server;

establishing contextual parameters for said End User, including presence;

enabling said End User to set up rules governing management of communications based on values for said contextual parameters; and

executing said rules, in view of a current contextual state and said specified presence status, to manage communications between said telecommunications network and said plurality of End User communication devices.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said presence includes location, level of availability and mode for communication.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein said step of transmitting said specified presence status is effected in a data/non-voice band.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising the steps of:

executing a software application on a desktop PC, said desktop PC being in communication with said telecommunications server;

enabling said End User to specify said rules;

interfacing desktop context information to said telecommunications server; and

dictating call control between said telecommunications server and said plurality of End User communication devices.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein said rules comprise a hierarchy of rules and policies that allow for global and individual rules processing.

60. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of said End User interface transmitting instructions to said telecommunications server to perform a function selected from the group consisting of:

transferring an ongoing call from a first one of said plurality of End User communication devices to a second one of said plurality of End User communication devices;

adding a calling party to a conference call;

putting a call on hold;

instructing said telecommunications server to place a telephone call from one of said plurality of End User communication devices;

changing a voicemail message being issued by one of said plurality of End User communication devices;

synchronizing locally stored PIM information with said telecommunications server;

organizing conference calls;

sending a wake-up/rescue call at a given point in time or after a specified duration has elapsed;

supporting a to-call list; and

displaying presence/availability/willingness of contacts including location information.

61. The method of claim 55, further comprising the steps of:

said telecommunications server transmitting an announcement to said End User interface device;

said End User interface device receiving said announcement from said telecommunications server using a data receiver, and displaying said received announcement on a display.

62. The method of claim 55, further comprising the steps of:

said End User interface device detecting the current physical location of said End User, and transmitting said current physical location of said End User to said telecommunications server.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein said step of detecting the current physical location of said End User is effected using a set of technologies selected from the group consisting of GPS, WiFi, and RFID.

64. The method of claim 55, wherein said steps of transmitting are effected via a signaling protocol selected from the group consisting of:

MGCP;

SIP; and

RTP.

65. The method of claim 55, wherein said steps of transmitting are effected in an encrypted form.

66. The method of claim 55, wherein said steps of transmitting are effected over a secure communications link.

67. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of said telecommunications server detecting End User communication patterns.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of using said detected patterns to modify the End User'"'"'s rules.

69. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of using said detected patterns to suggest modifications to the End User'"'"'s rules.

70. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of responding to entry of a “

call break through”

code by a calling party, by interrupting an End User communication that is currently underway.

71. The method of claim 55 wherein said plurality of End User communications devices includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular telephone;

a personal digital assistant;

a personal computer;

an Internet-ready telephone;

a voice over IP telephone; and

a television set-top box.

72. The method of claim 55 wherein said contextual parameters include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

day and time;

on/off hook status of said End User'"'"'s communication devices;

current activity of said End User;

activity level of said End User'"'"'s PC;

physical velocity of said End User;

ambient noise and environment; and

physical location of said End User.