RICH CALLER ID WITH COMMUNICATION HISTORY

• US 20110026698A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: KUHLKE, Matthew R., Penning, Matthew Malcolm, Gatzke, Alan Darryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs

Abstract

In an example embodiment, there is described a unified communication system that automatically presents a number of communication attempts from a caller since last contact with a caller, along with the caller identification information. Optionally, links may be provided to access detailed information about the past communication attempts.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface;

communication logic operable to receive data representative of a communication request via the interface, the communication request comprising data representative of an initiator of the request;

wherein the communication logic is responsive to the communication request to acquire data representative of a current number of prior unanswered communication attempts; and

wherein the communication logic is configured to forward the data representative of an initiator of the request with the data representative of the number of prior unanswered communication attempts.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current number of prior unanswered communication attempts corresponds to unanswered communication attempts after the last successful communication with the initiator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current number of prior unanswered communication attempts includes all unsuccessful communication attempts responsive to there being no prior successful communication with the initiator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication request is a telephone call and the data representative of the initiator of the request comprises a telephone number of the initiator.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises an unanswered telephone call.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises an unanswered text message.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises an unanswered voice mail message.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises an instant message request.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises an unanswered electronic mail message.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises a video call request.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of prior unanswered communication attempts comprises a conference call request.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an output device coupled to the communication logic, the output device being configured to receive the data representative of the initiator of the request and the data representative of the number of prior unanswered communication attempts from the communication logic and responsive to output the data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output device is further configured to provide an input to receive data representative of a selection to provide additional detailed data for a prior unanswered communication attempt.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the output device is responsive to receiving data representative of a selection to provide additional detailed data to provide a list of prior unanswered communication attempts.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the output device is configured to receive data representative of a selection of a prior unanswered communication attempt from the list and, responsive to receiving the selection, to provide additional detailed data for the selected prior unanswered communication attempt.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the additional detailed data comprises a time of the communication attempt and a type of service employed for the selected prior unanswered communication attempt.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output device further comprises an interface for receiving data representative of a selection of which types of communication are to be included when determining the number of prior unanswered communication attempts.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control logic looks up the data representative of an initiator in a contact list to ascertain one of a group consisting of a telephone number associated with the initiator, an electronic mail address associated with the initiator, a text message address associated with the initiator, an instant messenger address associated with the initiator, and any combination thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display;

wherein the communication logic is further configured to display data representative of the initiator of the request in a color corresponding to the number of prior unanswered communication attempts since the predetermined time.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving a communication request comprising data identifying an initiator of the request;

automatically determining whether there are prior unanswered communications from the initiator since a last successful communication; and

forwarding the data identifying an initiator of the request and data representative of prior unanswered communications from the initiator since a last successful communication.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the prior unanswered communications comprise missed telephone calls, un-listened-to voice mails, and unanswered electronic mail messages and instant messages from the initiator since a last successful communication.

22. Logic encoded in at least one tangible media and when executed operable to:

obtain data representative of a communication request that comprises data identifying an initiator of the request;

automatically determine whether there are prior un-responded communications from the initiator since a last successful communication; and

forward the data identifying an initiator of the request and data representative of a number of prior un-responded communications from the initiator since a last successful communication.

23. The logic according to claim 22, wherein the prior un-responded communications comprise missed telephone calls, un-listened-to voice mails, and unanswered electronic mail messages and instant messages from the initiator since a last successful communication.