DISCOVERING AND USING PHONE NUMBER LOCATION INFORMATION
First Claim
1. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for facilitating telephonic communications, the method comprising:
- detecting a telephonic communication transmitted to a first electronic device operated by a called party, the telephonic communication initiated by a second electronic device operated by a calling party, the second electronic device configured for telephonic communication via a telephone number having a format associated with a country, the format including at least a geographic area identifier and a subscriber number;
based on the telephonic communication, prior to the called party receiving the telephonic communication via the first electronic device, automaticallyidentifying the format;
based on the format, identifying the country;
based on the country, identifying the geographic area identifier;
based on the geographic area identifier, identifying one or more possible geographic locations of the calling party; and
via a user interface, informing the called party of the subscriber number and the one or more possible geographic locations of the calling party, the called party deciding whether to receive the telephonic communication via the first electronic device based on the one or more possible locations.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone number identification system (“TNIS”) and techniques for facilitating telephonic communications (including but not limited to audible communications, text messages, video communications, and multimedia communications) between calling parties and called parties operating electronic devices configured for telephonic communication via telephone numbers are described. The TNIS operates in any client-side electronic device associated with or including a phone, identifying the formats of incoming or outgoing telephone numbers, which are associated with particular countries and include geographic area identifiers and subscriber numbers. The geographic area identifiers are used to identify one or more possible geographic locations associated with the calling or called parties, one or more possible time zones, and/or estimate the cost of telephonic communications between calling and called parties. Calling and called parties are informed of identified information via user interfaces, and decide whether to establish the telephonic communications via telephony networks and/or other communication networks.
19 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for facilitating telephonic communications, the method comprising:
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detecting a telephonic communication transmitted to a first electronic device operated by a called party, the telephonic communication initiated by a second electronic device operated by a calling party, the second electronic device configured for telephonic communication via a telephone number having a format associated with a country, the format including at least a geographic area identifier and a subscriber number; based on the telephonic communication, prior to the called party receiving the telephonic communication via the first electronic device, automatically identifying the format; based on the format, identifying the country; based on the country, identifying the geographic area identifier; based on the geographic area identifier, identifying one or more possible geographic locations of the calling party; and via a user interface, informing the called party of the subscriber number and the one or more possible geographic locations of the calling party, the called party deciding whether to receive the telephonic communication via the first electronic device based on the one or more possible locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for facilitating telephonic communications, the method comprising:
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detecting when a calling party desires to initiate a telephonic communication to a first electronic device operated by a called party, the first electronic device configured for telephonic communication via a telephone number having a format associated with a country, the format including at least a geographic area identifier and a subscriber number, the telephonic communication able to be initiated by a second electronic device operated by the calling party; prior to the second electronic device initiating the telephonic communication to the called party via a telephony network, identifying the format; based on the format, identifying the country; based on the country, identifying the geographic area identifier; based on the geographic area identifier, identifying one or more possible time zones in which the called party is located; and via a user interface, informing the calling party of the one or more possible time zones, the calling party deciding whether to initiate the telephonic communication via the telephony network based on the one or more possible time zones. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electronic device operable by a calling party to initiate telephonic communications to a called party, the electronic device comprising:
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a computer-readable storage medium; and a processor responsive to the computer-readable storage medium and to one or more computer programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium, the one or more computer programs, when loaded into the processor, operable to perform a method comprising detecting when the calling party desires to initiate a telephonic communication to a called party via telephone number designated by a telephony network for use by the called party, the telephone number having a format associated with a country, the format including at least a geographic area identifier and a subscriber number, prior to initiating the telephonic communication, identifying the format, based on the format, identifying the country, based on the country, identifying the geographic area identifier, based on either the country or the geographic area identifier or both, estimating a cost associated with the telephonic communication, and via a user interface, informing the calling party of the estimated cost, the calling party deciding whether to initiate the telephonic communication via the telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification