CALL FORWARDING SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING VIRTUAL PHONE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH LANDLINE AND OTHER DISCRETE TELEPHONE UNITS
First Claim
1. A system for forwarding telephone calls to virtual numbers associated with a user cellular telephone comprising:
- a system server, the user cellular telephone being interconnected by a network to the system server so as to send and receive telephone calls through the network;
a forwarding application associated with the system server including information with respect to virtual phone numbers associated with the user cellular telephone, the forwarding application assigning user preferences to each of the virtual telephone numbers based upon at least one of a location of the user cellular telephone and a time-of-day; and
a voicemail database operatively connected with the system server that stores messages from callers to each of the virtual telephone numbers when predetermined location or time-of-day information, in association with the user preferences requires that calls to the virtual number be stored as messages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for forwarding calls to virtual phone numbers, the virtual phone numbers associated with landline and other discrete telephone units. A user cellular telephone can receive the calls for the virtual phone numbers, based on preferences specified by the user for when and/or where particular calls are forwarded to the device. The user cellular telephone can be interconnected by a network to a system server that employs a forwarding application to forwards calls to the user cellular telephone when desired, in accordance with the preferences specified by the user. If the call is not one desired to be received by the user cellular telephone, the call can be forwarded to a voicemail database where a voicemail message may be stored, as a distinct voicemail for the virtual number dialed by the calling party.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for forwarding telephone calls to virtual numbers associated with a user cellular telephone comprising:
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a system server, the user cellular telephone being interconnected by a network to the system server so as to send and receive telephone calls through the network; a forwarding application associated with the system server including information with respect to virtual phone numbers associated with the user cellular telephone, the forwarding application assigning user preferences to each of the virtual telephone numbers based upon at least one of a location of the user cellular telephone and a time-of-day; and a voicemail database operatively connected with the system server that stores messages from callers to each of the virtual telephone numbers when predetermined location or time-of-day information, in association with the user preferences requires that calls to the virtual number be stored as messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for forwarding telephone calls to virtual numbers associated with a user cellular telephone comprising:
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providing the user cellular telephone, the user cellular telephone being interconnected by a network to a system server so as to send and receive telephone calls through the network; assigning user preferences to each of the virtual numbers based upon at least one of a location of the user cellular telephone and a time-of-day, the assigning performed by a forwarding application associated with the system server including information with respect to virtual phone numbers associated with the user cellular telephone; and storing messages from callers to each of the virtual numbers in a voicemail database operatively connected with the system server when predetermined location or time-of-day information requires that calls to the virtual number be stored as messages. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for forwarding calls to a virtual number associated with a plurality of user cellular telephones comprising:
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providing a first user cellular telephone, the first user cellular telephone being interconnected by a network to a system server so as to send and receive telephone calls through the network; providing a second user cellular telephone, the second user cellular telephone being interconnected by the network to the system server so as to send and receive telephone calls through the network; assigning user preferences to the virtual number based upon at least one of a location of the plurality of user cellular telephones and a time-of-day, the assigning performed by a forwarding application associated with the system server including information with respect to the virtual phone number associated with the plurality of user cellular telephones; and storing messages from callers the virtual number in a voicemail database operatively connected with the system server when predetermined location or time-of-day information requires that calls to the virtual number be stored as messages. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification