METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DYNAMIC TREATMENT OF CALLERS

• US 20140113581A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shary Nassimi
• Original Assignee: Shary Nassimi
• Inventors: Nassimi, Shary
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/158 Call-type dependent routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2033 Call handling or answering restrictions, e.g. specified by the calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• 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 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Methods and systems for dynamic treatment of callers are described. Optionally, a communication system may include an application installed on a user communication device. The communication system may be utilized to receive and screen calls, enable a user to specify which calling parties may bypass a low indication mode and/or a non-indication mode, challenge callers, and/or identify urgent calls.

Claims

1. A method of processing communications, the method comprising:

receiving, at at least one processor comprising hardware, an indication that a first call from a communication initiator is being directed to a first recipient;

determining, via at least one processor comprising hardware, if the communication initiator is eligible to modify operation of a silent mode of a mobile communication device associated with the first recipient;

at least partly in response to determining that the communication initiator is eligible to modify operation of the silent mode of the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient, providing an outgoing message to the communication initiator, the message indicating that the communication initiator;

can provide an entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first call is important;

determining whether the communication initiator provided the entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first call is important,

at least partly in response to determining that the communication initiator provided the entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first call is important,

enabling the mobile communication device to provide an audible alert to the first recipient;

at least partly in response to determining that the first recipient failed to answer the first call prior to the first call being terminated, causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first call is terminated;

determining if the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or if first recipient returned the first call to the communication initiator; and

at least partly in response to determining that the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or returned the first call to the communication initiator, causing at least in part the continuous, periodic audible alert to be terminated.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising enabling the communication initiator to record a voice mail on the recipient mobile communication device.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising enabling the first recipient to set a limit with respect to a number of audible alerts to be provided by the recipient mobile communication device for communication designated as important.

4. The method as defined by claim 1, wherein the communication initiator entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first call is important is received via a key press or a voice command.

5. The method as defined by claim 1, the method further comprising enabling a user to download an application to a user mobile communication device, wherein the downloaded application is configured to provide continuous, periodic audible alerts for unanswered communications designated as important.

6. A system, comprising:

at least one processing device;

non-transitory computer readable medium that stores program code that when executed by the at least one processing device cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indication that a first communication from a communication initiator is being directed to a first recipient;

determining if the communication initiator is eligible to modify operation of a notification mode of a mobile communication device associated with the first recipient;

at least partly in response to determining that the communication initiator is eligible to modify operation of the notification mode of the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient, providing an outgoing message to the communication initiator, the message indicating that the communication initiator;

can provide an entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first communication is important;

determining whether the communication initiator provided the entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first communication is important,

at least partly in response to determining that the communication initiator provided the entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first communication is important,

causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated;

determining if the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or if first recipient responded to the first communication;

at least partly in response to determining that the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or responded to the first communication, causing at least in part the continuous, periodic audible alert to be terminated.

7. The system as defined in claim 6, the operations further comprising enabling the communication initiator to record a voice mail on the recipient mobile communication device.

8. The system as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising enabling the first recipient to set a limit with respect to a number of audible alerts to be provided by the recipient mobile communication device for communication designated as important.

9. The system as defined in claim 6, wherein the communication initiator entry to notify the mobile communication device that the first call is important is received via a key press or a voice command.

10. The system as defined in claim 6, the operations further comprising enabling a user to download an application to a user mobile communication device, wherein the downloaded application is configured to provide continuous, periodic audible alerts for unanswered communications designated as important.

11. A system, comprising:

at least one processing device;

non-transitory computer readable medium that stores program code that when executed by the at least one processing device cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indication that a first communication from a communication initiator is being directed to a mobile communication device associated with a first recipient;

determining if the first communication is important;

at least partly in response to determining that the first communication is important,

causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated;

determining if the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or if first recipient responded to the first communication;

at least partly in response to determining that the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or responded to the first communication, causing at least in part the continuous, periodic audible alert to be terminated.

12. The system as defined by claim 11, wherein the notification mode is a silent mode.

13. The system as defined by claim 11, wherein the mobile communication device is a cellular phone.

14. The system as defined by claim 11, the operations further comprising enabling the first recipient to specify a period for continuous, periodic audible alerts that are to be provided for communications designated as important.

15. The system as defined by claim 11, wherein causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated comprises:

causing caller identification signaling information associated with a second communication, provided to the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient by a system remote from the mobile communication device, to include an indication that the first communication is important, wherein the call signaling information associated with the second communication includes caller identification information that is different than caller identification information in call signaling information associated with the first communication.

16. The system as defined by claim 11, wherein causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated comprises:

causing caller identification signaling information associated with a second communication, provided to the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient by a system remote from the mobile communication device, to include an indication that the first communication is important by including at least one character, indicating that the first communication is important, in addition to caller identification information obtained from call signaling information associated with the first communication, in the caller identification signaling information associated with the second communication.

17. The system as defined by claim 11, the operations further comprising enabling the communication initiator to record a voice mail on the recipient mobile communication device.

18. The system as defined by claim 11, the operations further comprising enabling a user to download an application to a user mobile communication device, wherein the downloaded application is configured to provide continuous, periodic audible alerts for unanswered communications designated as important.

19. A method of processing communications, the method comprising:

receiving, at at least one processor comprising hardware, an indication that a first communication from a communication initiator is being directed to a mobile communication device associated with a first recipient;

determining, via at least one processor comprising hardware, if the first communication is important;

at least partly in response to determining that the first communication is important,

causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated;

determining if the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or if first recipient responded to the first communication;

at least partly in response to determining that the first recipient provided an instruction to terminate the continuous, periodic audible alert or responded to the first communication, causing at least in part the continuous, periodic audible alert to be terminated.

20. The method as defined by claim 19, wherein the notification mode is a silent mode.

21. The method as defined by claim 19, wherein the mobile communication device is a cellular phone.

22. The method as defined by claim 19, the method further comprising enabling the first recipient to specify a period for continuous, periodic audible alerts that are to be provided for communications designated as important.

23. The method as defined by claim 19, wherein causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated comprises:

causing caller identification signaling information associated with a second communication, provided to the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient by a system remote from the mobile communication device, to include an indication that the first communication is important, wherein the call signaling information associated with the second communication includes caller identification information that is different than caller identification information in call signaling information associated with the first communication.

24. The method as defined by claim 19, wherein causing the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient to continuously, periodically provide an audible alert to the first recipient after the first communication is terminated comprises:

causing caller identification signaling information associated with a second communication, provided to the mobile communication device associated with the first recipient by a system remote from the mobile communication device, to include an indication that the first communication is important by including at least one character, indicating that the first communication is important, in addition to caller identification information obtained from call signaling information associated with the first communication, in the caller identification signaling information associated with the second communication.

25. The method as defined in claim 19, the method further comprising enabling the communication initiator to record a voice mail on the recipient mobile communication device.

26. The method as defined by claim 19, the method further comprising enabling a user to download an application to a user mobile communication device, wherein the downloaded application is configured to provide continuous, periodic audible alerts for unanswered communications designated as important.