METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING CALLS IN AN ARCHITECTURE ALLOWING A TELEPHONY IDENTIFIER TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A GROUP OF IDENTITIES

• US 20110038469A1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Carrefour Alexander-Graham-Bell Tour
• Inventors: Wolf, Eric John, Lessard, Yannick, Nguyen, Luan Cao Tuong, Archer, Nathan Gerald, Rogers, Danica, Clark, David William, Arsenault, Jonathan Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4288 Notifying a called subscriber of an incoming call during an ongoing call, e.g. Call Waiting
• 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 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/541 based on information specified by the calling party

Abstract

A system and a method for processing calls. The system comprises a database including: a plurality of telephony identifiers; and for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of persons that is associated with the telephony identifier, each person of the group of persons being reachable by placing a call to the telephony identifier, the information comprising, for each person of the group of persons, information related to processing of calls involving the person. The system also comprises a processing element having access to the database and being operative for: determining that a given call involves a particular person of the group of persons that is associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers: and processing the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular person. Also provided is a method for associating an additional telephony identifier wish one or more identities of a group of identities that is associated with a telephony identifier, and a method for associating an additional identity with a telephony identifier that is associated with a group of identifies.

Claims

1-67. -67. (canceled)

68. A system for processing calls, said system comprising:

a database including;

a plurality of telephony identifiers; and

for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, each identity of said group of identities designating a party reachable by placing a call to said telephony identifier, said information comprising, for each identity of said group of identities, information related to processing of calls involving said identity; and

a processing element having access to said database and being operative for;

determining that a given call involves a particular identity of the group of identities that is associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers; and

processing the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity.

69. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein, for each telephony identifier, the party designated by a first identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a first person and the party designated by a second identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a second person.

70. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein, for each telephony identifier, the party designated by a first identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier and the party designated by a second identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a common person.

71. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein, for each telephony identifier, the party designated by a first identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a person and the party designated by a second identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a plurality of persons.

72. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein each of the telephony identifiers is a telephone number.

73. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information related to processing of calls involving said identity comprises information identifying a communication device associated with said identity.

74. A system as claimed in claim 73, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information identifying a communication device associated with said identity comprises a bidden identifier identifying said communication device.

75. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information related to processing of calls involving said identity comprises information indicative of at least one operation to perform to process calls intended for or originated by said identity.

76. A system as claimed in claim 75, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information indicative of at least one operation to perform to process calls intended for or originated by said identity defines at least one call processing rule.

77. A system as claimed in claim 75, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information indicative of at least one operation to perform to process calls intended for or originated by said identity relates to at least one telephony feature.

78. A system as claimed in claim 77, wherein the at least one telephony feature includes at least one of:

a call forwarding feature, a selective call forwarding feature, a no-answer call forwarding feature, a find me/follow me call forwarding feature, a distinctive ringing feature, a selective call rejection feature, a selective call acceptance feature, a call waiting feature, a distinctive ringing call waiting feature, a calling line identification displaying feature, a calling line identification blocking feature, a speed calling feature, and an outgoing call barring feature.

79. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein said database includes, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, contact information regarding at least one contact associated with said identity.

80. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is intended for the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises causing routing of the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity.

81. A system as claimed in claim 80, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity comprises information identifying a communication device associated with the particular identify, said causing routing comprising causing routing of the given call to the communication device.

82. A system as claimed in claim 80, wherein said processing element is operative for obtaining information regarding an origin of the given call, said determining comprising determining that the given call is intended for the particular identity based on the information regarding the origin of the given call.

83. A system as claimed in claim 82, wherein the database includes, for each identity of the group of identities that is associated with the given one of the telephony identifiers, contact information regarding at least one contact associated with said identity, wherein the information regarding the origin of the given call comprises at least one of (1) a certain telephony identifier associated with a communication device from which the given call originates and (2) an identifier of a calling party having originated the given call, and wherein said determining comprises concluding that at least one of the certain telephony identifier and the identifier of the calling party is included in the contact information regarding at least one contact associated with the particular identity.

84. A system as claimed in claim 82, wherein the given call is a current call and said determining comprises:

consulting a call history of previous calls; and

concluding from the call history and the information regarding the origin of the current call that the current call is intended for the particular identity.

85. A system as claimed in claim 84, wherein said concluding comprises determining from the call history that the particular identity has been involved in answering at least one previous call placed to the given one of the telephony identifiers and having an origin corresponding to the origin of the current call.

86. A system as claimed in claim 84, wherein said concluding comprises determining from the call history that the particular identity has been involved in placing at least one previous call to a destination corresponding to the origin of the current call.

87. A system as claimed in claim 82, wherein the information regarding the origin of the given call comprises at least one of (1) a certain telephony identifier associated with a communication device from which the given call originates and (2) an identifier of a calling party having originated the given call, said determining comprising:

performing a search on at least one site of a data network on a basis of at least one of the certain telephony identifier and the identifier of the calling party; and

identifying, based on results of the search, a relationship between the particular identity and the origin of the given call.

88. A system as claimed in claim 87, wherein the at least one site comprises at least one of a social networking site and a search engine site.

89. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity comprises information identifying a communication device associated with the particular identity, said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity based on the communication device being used to originate the given call.

90. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity based on a signal produced by a communication device used to originate the given call.

91. A system as claimed in claim 90, wherein the signal conveys at least one dual-tone multi-frequency tone serving to identify the particular identity.

92. A system as claimed in claim 90, wherein the signal conveys at least one utterance spoken by the party designated by the particular identity when originating the given call.

93. A system as claimed in claim 92, wherein the at least one utterance specifies an identifier of the particular identity.

94. A system as claimed in claim 92, wherein the at least one utterance has voice characteristics corresponding to a voiceprint of the party designated by the particular identity.

95. A system as claimed in claim 90, wherein the signal is produced in response to the party designated by the particular identity pressing on at least one button of the communication device dedicated to identification of the particular identity.

96. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises causing presentation of information identifying the particular identity at a communication device receiving the given call.

97. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises enabling the party designated by the particular identity to use contact information regarding at least one contact associated with the particular identity in order to specify a destination of the given call.

98. A system as claimed in claim 68, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity comprises information regarding at least one telephony feature applicable to outgoing calls, and wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises causing application of the at least one telephony feature applicable to outgoing calls.

99. A system as claimed in claim 98, wherein the at least one telephony feature applicable to outgoing calls includes at least one of:

a speed calling feature, a caller line identification blocking feature, and an outgoing call barring feature.

100. A method for processing calls, said method comprising:

maintaining a database including;

a plurality of telephony identifiers; and

for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, each identity of said group of identities designating a party reachable by placing a call to said telephony identifier, said information comprising, for each identity of said group of identities, information related to processing of calls involving said identity;

determining that a given call involves a particular identity of the group of identities that is associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers; and

processing the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity.

101. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein, for each telephony identifier, the party designated by a first identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a first person and the party designated by a second identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a second person.

102. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein, for each telephony identifier, the party designated by a first identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier and the party designated by a second identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a common person.

103. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein, for each telephony identifier, the party designated by a first identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a person and the party designated by a second identity of the group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier is a plurality of persons.

104. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein each of the telephony identifiers is a telephone number.

105. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information related to processing of calls involving said identity comprises information identifying a communication device associated with said identity.

106. A method as claimed in claim 105, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information identifying a communication device associated with said identity comprises a hidden identifier identifying said communication device.

107. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information pertaining to processing of calls involving said identity comprises information indicative of at least one operation to perform to process calls intended for or originated by said identity.

108. A method as claimed in claim 107, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information indicative of at least one operation to perform to process calls intended for or originated by said identity defines at least one call processing rule.

109. A method as claimed in claim 107, wherein, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, the information indicative of at least one operation to perform to process calls intended for or originated by said identity relates to at least one telephony feature.

110. A method as claimed in claim 109, wherein the at least one telephony feature includes at least one of:

a call forwarding feature, a selective call forwarding feature, a no-answer call forwarding feature, a find me/follow me call forwarding feature, a distinctive ringing feature, a selective call rejection feature, a selective call acceptance feature, a call waiting feature, a distinctive ringing call waiting feature, a calling line identification displaying feature, a calling line identification blocking feature, a speed calling feature, and an outgoing call barring feature.

111. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein said database includes, for each telephony identifier and for each identity of said group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, contact information regarding at least one contact associated with said identity.

112. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is intended for the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises causing routing of the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity.

113. A method as claimed in claim 112, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity comprises information identifying a communication device associated with the particular identity, said causing routing comprising causing routing of the given call to the communication device.

114. A method as claimed in claim 112, comprising obtaining information regarding an origin of the given call, said determining comprising determining that the given call is intended for the particular identity based on the information regarding the origin of the given call.

115. A method as claimed in claim 114, wherein the database includes, for each identity of the group of identities that is associated with the given one of the telephony identifiers, contact information regarding at least one contact associated with said identity, wherein the information regarding the origin of the given call comprises at least one of (1) a certain telephony identifier associated with a communication device from which the given call originates and (2) an identifier of a calling party having originated the given call, and wherein said determining comprises concluding that at least one of the certain telephony identifier and the identifier of the calling party is included in the contact information regarding at least one contact associated with the particular identity.

116. A method as claimed in claim 114, wherein the given call is a current call and said determining comprises:

consulting a call history of previous calls; and

concluding from the call history and the information regarding the origin of the current call that the current call is intended for the particular identity.

117. A method as claimed in claim 116, wherein said concluding comprises determining from the call history that the particular identity has been involved in answering at least one previous call placed to the given one of the telephony identifiers and having an origin corresponding to the origin of the current call.

118. A method as claimed in claim 116, wherein said concluding comprises determining from the call history that the particular identity has been involved in placing at least one previous call to a destination corresponding to the origin of the current call.

119. A method as claimed in claim 114, wherein the information regarding the origin of the given call comprises at least one of (1) a certain telephony identifier associated with a communication device from which the given call originates and (2) an identifier of a calling party having originated the given call, said determining comprising:

performing a search on at least one site of a data network on a basis of at least one of the certain telephony identifier and the identifier of the calling party; and

identifying, based on results of the search, a relationship between the particular identity and the origin of the given call.

120. A method as claimed in claim 119, wherein the at least one site comprises at least one of a social networking site and a search engine site.

121. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity comprises information identifying a communication device associated with the particular identity, said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity based on the communication device being used to originate the given call.

122. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity based on a signal produced by a communication device used to originate the given call.

123. A method as claimed in claim 122, wherein the signal conveys at least one dual-tone multi-frequency tone serving to identify the particular identity.

124. A method as claimed in claim 122, wherein the signal conveys at least one utterance spoken by the party designated by the particular identity when originating the given call.

125. A method as claimed in claim 124, wherein the at least one utterance specifies an identifier of the particular identity.

126. A method as claimed in claim 124, wherein the at least one utterance has voice characteristics corresponding to a voiceprint of the party designated by the particular identity.

127. A method as claimed in claim 122, wherein the signal is produced in response to the party designated by the particular identity pressing on at least one button of the communication device dedicated to identification of the particular identity.

128. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises causing presentation of information identifying the particular identity at a communication device receiving the given call.

129. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises enabling the party designated by the particular identity to use contact information regarding at least one contact associated with the particular identity in order to specify a destination of the given call.

130. A method as claimed in claim 100, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity comprises information regarding at least one telephony feature applicable to outgoing calls, and wherein said determining comprises determining that the given call is originated by the particular identity and said processing the given call comprises causing application of the at least one telephony feature applicable to outgoing calls.

131. A method as claimed in claim 130, wherein the at least one telephony feature applicable to outgoing calls includes at least one of:

a speed calling feature, a caller line identification blocking feature, and an outgoing call barring feature.

132. At least one data storage medium storing a database for use in processing calls, said database including:

a plurality of telephony identifiers; and

for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, each identity of said group of identities designating a party reachable by placing a call to said telephony identifier, said information comprising, for each identity of said group of identities, information related to processing of calls involving said identity.

133-143. -143. (canceled)

144. A method for use in call processing, said method comprising:

maintaining a database comprising;

a plurality of telephony identifiers; and

for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, each identity of said group of identities designating a party reachable by placing a call to said telephony identifier, said information comprising, for each identity of said group of identities, information related to processing of calls involving said identity;

determining that an additional identity is to be associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers such that a party designated by the additional identity becomes reachable by placing a call to the given one of the telephony identifiers; and

associating in the database the additional identity with the given one of the telephony identifiers such that the database comprises information related to processing of calls involving the additional identity.

145. A method as claimed in claim 144, wherein each of the telephony identifiers is a telephone number.

146. A method as claimed in claim 144, wherein said determining comprises receiving a request to associate the additional identity with the given one of the telephony identifiers.

147. A method as claimed in claim 146, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the request via a data network in response to a user of a communication device making the request via a data network site accessed by the communication device.

148. A method as claimed in claim 144, wherein said associating comprises:

receiving information provided by a user of a communication device; and

deriving the information related to processing of calls involving the additional identity on a basis of the information provided by the user.

149. A method as claimed in claim 148, wherein the information provided by the user is provided via a data network site accessed by the communication device.

150. A method as claimed in claim 144, wherein the additional identity is a previously-created identity, the database comprises information related to processing of calls involving the previously-created identity, and said associating comprises:

identifying the previously-created identity on a basis of information provided by a user of a communication device; and

causing the previously-created identity to be associated with the given one of the telephony identifiers in the database such that the information related to processing of calls involving the additional identity comprises at least a portion of the information related to processing of calls involving the previously-created identity.

151. A method as claimed in claim 150, wherein the information related to processing of calls involving the additional identity comprises certain information derived on a basis of the information provided by the user of the communication device.

152. A method as claimed in claim 150, wherein the previously-created identity is associated with a certain telephony identifier, said method comprising maintaining in the database an association between the certain telephony identifier and the additional identity such that the party designated by the additional identity is reachable by placing a call to either the given one of the telephony identifiers or the certain telephony identifier.

153. A method for use in call processing, said method comprising:

maintaining a database comprising;

a plurality of telephony identifiers; and

for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of identities that is associated with said telephony identifier, each identity of said group of identities designating a party reachable by placing a call to said telephony identifier, said information comprising, for each identity of said group of identities, information related to processing of calls involving said identity;

determining that an additional telephony identifier is to be associated with a particular identity of the group of identities that is associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers; and

associating in the database the additional telephony identifier with the particular identity such that the party designated by the particular identity is reachable by placing a call to either the additional telephony identifier or the given one of the telephony identifiers.

154. A method as claimed in claim 153, wherein each of the telephony identifiers and the additional telephony identifier is a telephone number.

155. A method as claimed in claim 153, wherein said determining comprises receiving a request to associate the additional telephony identifier with the particular identity.

156. A method as claimed in claim 155, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the request via a data network in response to a user of a communication device making the request via a data network site accessed by the communication device.

157. A method as claimed in claim 153, comprising modifying the information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity so as to cause calls placed to the additional telephony identifier to be handled in a specified manner.

158. A method as claimed in claim 153, comprising adding certain information related to processing of calls involving the particular identity so as to cause calls placed to the additional telephony identifier to be handled in a specified manner.