MESSAGE FORWARDING

• US 20110142211A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for handling a communication, for example to provide a forwarding service. According to one embodiment, handling a communication can comprise receiving and storing one or more forwarding instructions, intercepting a message from a first user to a second user at a first address, applying one or more stored forwarding instructions to the message to determine at least one second address, and forwarding the message to the second user at the second address. In some cases, the at least one second address can comprise a plurality of addresses. Additionally or alternatively, the first address can be on a first communication channel and the second address can be on a second communication channel. The message can comprise a voice call, an email, a Short Message Service (SMS) message, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, an Instant Message (IM), or another type of message.

Claims

1. A method of handling a communication, the method comprising:

receiving one or more forwarding instructions;

storing the one or more forwarding instructions;

intercepting a message from a first user to a second user at a first address;

applying one or more stored forwarding instructions to the message to determine at least one second address; and

forwarding the message to the second user at the second address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second address comprises a plurality of addresses.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address is on a first communication channel and the second address is on a second communication channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is selected from a group consisting of a voice call, an email, a Short Message Service (SMS) message, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, and an Instant Message (IM).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more forwarding instructions comprises receiving the one or more forwarding instructions from a service provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more forwarding instructions comprises receiving the one or more forwarding instructions from the first user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the one or more forwarding instructions comprises receiving the one or more forwarding instructions via an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the one or more forwarding instructions comprises receiving the one or more forwarding instructions via a web site.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the one or more forwarding instructions comprises receiving the one or more forwarding instructions from a device of the first user.

10. A system comprising:

a communication network;

a first device communicatively coupled with the communication network and adapted to send a first message to a first address via the communication network;

a second device communicatively coupled with the communication network; and

a service provider system communicatively coupled with the communication network and adapted to receive one or more forwarding instructions, store the one or more forwarding instructions, intercept a message from the first device to the second device at a first address, apply one or more stored forwarding instructions to the message to determine at least one second address, and forward the message to the second device at the second address.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one second address comprises a plurality of addresses.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first address is on a first communication channel and the second address is on a second communication channel.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the message is selected from a group consisting of a voice call, an email, a Short Message Service (SMS) message, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, and an Instant Message (IM).

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the service provider system comprises a messaging enabler communicatively coupled with the communication network and wherein intercepting the message from the first device to the second device and forwarding the message to the second device are performed by the messaging enabler.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the service provider system further comprises an application communicatively coupled with the messaging enabler and wherein applying the one or more stored forwarding instructions to the message to determine at least one second address is performed by the application.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the service provider system comprises an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system and receiving the one or more forwarding instructions comprises receiving the one or more forwarding instructions via the IVR system.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the service provider system receives the one or more forwarding instructions via a web site.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the service provider system receives the one or more forwarding instructions from the first device.

19. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to handle a communication by:

receiving one or more forwarding instructions;

storing the one or more forwarding instructions;

intercepting a message from a first user to a second user at a first address;

applying one or more stored forwarding instructions to the message to determine at least one second address; and

forwarding the message to the second user at the second address.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the forwarding instructions are received from one of a web interface, a device user interface, or messages from an end device.