SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A COMMUNICATION ENDPOINT INFORMATION SERVICE

• US 20140376543A1
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Inventors: Malatack, Patrick, To Law, Cheuk
• Granted Patent: US 9,225,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1013 Network architectures, gateways, control or user entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing a telephony endpoint information service at a communication platform includes obtaining information of a first endpoint through a set of information collection processes; storing the obtained information in an endpoint repository; receiving an endpoint query request of a communication event, wherein the endpoint query request specifies at least a first endpoint; accessing endpoint information for the first endpoint; and augmenting the communication event according to the accessed endpoint information.

Claims

1. A method for communicating at a communication platform comprising:

obtaining information of a first telephony endpoint through a set of information collection processes;

in a first information collection process, adding a resource reference in a content field of a communication to a first endpoint, detecting access of the resource reference, and obtaining endpoint information during the access of the resource reference, wherein the endpoint information obtained during the access of the resource reference includes at least device type;

storing the obtained information in an endpoint repository; and

receiving an endpoint query request that is associated with a communication transmission to an outside telephone endpoint;

accessing endpoint information for the outside endpoint; and

augmenting the communication transmission according to the accessed endpoint information.

2. A method for providing a telephony endpoint information service at a communication platform comprising:

obtaining information of a first endpoint through a set of information collection processes;

storing the obtained information in an endpoint repository;

receiving an endpoint query request of a communication event, wherein the endpoint query request specifies at least a first endpoint;

accessing endpoint information for the first endpoint; and

augmenting the communication event according to the accessed endpoint information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication event is a transmission of a communication to the endpoint;

and wherein augmenting the communication event comprises altering the content of the communication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein altering the content of the communication comprises selecting media format used in communication, wherein the media format is selected according to device capabilities specified in the endpoint information of the first endpoint.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication event is transmission of a communication to the endpoint;

and wherein augmenting the communication event comprises selecting a communication medium format, wherein the communication medium format is selected according to device capabilities specified in the endpoint information of the first endpoint.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein augmenting the communication event comprises selecting a communication route according to endpoint information.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in a first information collection process, adding a trackable resource reference in a content field of a communication to a first endpoint, and obtaining device information during access of the trackable resource reference.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting an original resource reference and replacing the original resource reference with the trackable resource link;

and wherein obtaining device information during access of the resource reference comprises inspecting endpoint device information during access of the tracking link and redirecting to the original resource reference.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the original resource reference is an internet URI and the trackable resource reference is a redirection URI.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining endpoint device information during access of the trackable resource reference comprises inspecting the user-agent of an application accessing the trackable resource reference and running a set of capability tests within the application.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising, in a second information collection process, monitoring endpoint usage activity, and generating endpoint usage pattern information as part of the endpoint information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring endpoint usage activity comprises processing content of a communication message;

and wherein generating endpoint usage pattern information comprises generating at least one property of the endpoint information from the content.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring endpoint usage activity comprises processing content of a synchronous communication session;

and wherein generating endpoint usage pattern information comprises generating at least one property of the endpoint information from the content.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising extracting information from a message notification response, detecting device information from incoming media communication, and retrieving endpoint information from an outside data management source.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting an original resource reference;

and wherein monitoring endpoint usage activity comprises processing a target application resource of the original resource reference and determining at least one property of endpoint information implied through the expected access of the resource reference.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the endpoint information includes at least one identified device type associated with the endpoint.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising obtaining device information of an endpoint across multiple devices used with the endpoint.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein collecting device information further comprises determining device preference within the set of devices according to frequency of usage.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the endpoint information includes capability properties;

and wherein capability properties are mapped to a particular device of the endpoint.

20. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a communication endpoint interface to the stored endpoint information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the communication endpoint interfaces comprises receiving an information request for the first endpoint, the request received asynchronous to a communication with the first endpoint, and responding to the request with endpoint information of the first endpoint.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein endpoint information includes endpoint information obtained for endpoints managed by the communication platform;

and wherein endpoint information includes endpoint information obtained for endpoints that are communicated with by endpoints managed by the communication platform.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein the endpoints are telephony phone numbers.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the endpoints are internet protocol communication addresses.