SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AN INCOMING PHONE CALL

• US 20100080363A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hull, Heather Ann, LESHER, CHARLES M., Howarter, Jamie Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.190
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• 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: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party

Abstract

An embodiment of a method, system, and apparatus for acknowledging an incoming call includes receiving an incoming call request addressed to a first communication device from a second communication device, and forwarding the incoming call request to the first communication device. The method further includes receiving an acknowledgment indication from the first communication device that the incoming call request has been received by a user of the first communication device. The method still further includes connecting a call between the second communication device and a media server in response to receiving the acknowledgment indication. In at least one embodiment, the media server is configured to play an acknowledgment voice message to the second communication device. A further embodiment includes sending a reminder message to the first communication device if the user of the first communication device has not initiated a return call to the second communication device within a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A method for acknowledging an incoming call comprising:

receiving an incoming call request addressed to a first communication device from a second communication device;

forwarding the incoming call request to the first communication device;

receiving an acknowledgment indication from the first communication device that the incoming call request has been received by a user of the first communication device;

connecting a call between the second communication device and a media server in response to receiving the acknowledgment indication, wherein the media server is configured to play an acknowledgment voice message to the second communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a reminder message to the first communication device if the user of the first communication device has not initiated a return call to the second communication device within a predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

setting the predetermined time period by the user of the first communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the acknowledgment voice message by the user; and

associating the acknowledgment voice message with a caller identifier, the caller identifier associated with the second communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user of the first communication device to acknowledge the incoming call request;

receiving an input from the user of the first communication device; and

sending the acknowledgment indication in response to receiving the user input.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a caller associated with the second communication device to leave a voicemail message; and

recording a voicemail message from the caller.

7. A system for acknowledging an incoming call comprising:

a media server; and

a switch, the switch configured to;

receive an incoming call request addressed to a first communication device from a second communication device;

forward the incoming call request to the first communication device;

receive an acknowledgment indication from the first communication device that the incoming call request has been received by a user of the first communication device; and

initiate the delivery of an acknowledgment voice message to the second communication device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the media server is configured to:

send a reminder message to the first communication device if the user of the first communication device has not initiated a return call to the second communication device within a predetermined time period.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined time period is set by the user of the first communication device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the acknowledgement voice message comprises a pre-recorded audio message.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the acknowledgment voice message is generated by the user and associated with a caller identifier, the caller identifier associated with the second communication device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the acknowledgment indication is received in response to an input by the user.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the media server is further configured to:

prompt a caller associated with the second communication device to leave a voicemail message; and

record a voicemail message from the caller.

14. A first communication device for acknowledging an incoming call comprising:

a display;

a user interface;

a memory configured to store computer readable instructions; and

a processor, the processor configured to retrieve and execute the computer readable instructions operable to;

receive an incoming call request from a second communication device; and

generate an acknowledgment indication that a user of the first communication device has received the incoming call request and will not be answering the incoming call request.

15. The first communication device of claim 14, wherein the display is configured to display the incoming call request to the user.

16. The first communication device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to send the acknowledgment indication to a media server, wherein the media server is configured to send an acknowledgment message to the second communication device in response to receiving the acknowledgement indication.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the acknowledgement message comprises a text message.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the acknowledgement message comprises an audio message.

19. The first communication device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a reminder message if the user of the first communication device has not initiated a return call to the second communication device within a predetermined time period.

20. The first communication device of claim 14, wherein generating the acknowledgment indication includes:

prompting the user of the first communication device to acknowledge the incoming call request;

receiving an input from the user of the first communication device via the user interface; and

sending the acknowledgment indication in response to receiving the user input.