System for invoking in computer application associated with second user connected to the computer and subject to any active conditions associated with the second user

• US 5,819,046 A
• Filed: 05/08/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US08/646,907
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 379/96-97, 379/201, 379/67, 379/88, 379/210, 379/212, 379/266, 379/100, 379/112, 379/202, 379/216, 379/59, 379/92, 379/89, 379/207, 379/230, 379/259, 379/211, 379/219 , 379/269, 379/94, 379/16, 379/198, 379/265, 379/268, 395/200.57, 395/200.58, 395/200.61
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

Communication activated processing is described herein. A connection is established between a first user at a computer and a second user. For example, establishment of this connection may involve the computer initiating an outbound telephone call to the second user, or the computer receiving an inbound telephone call from the second user. The computer determines whether the second user is configured in a condition table. If the second user is configured in the condition table, then an application associated with the second user is automatically, and optionally, invoked in the computer subject to any active conditions associated with the second user. That is, the application associated with the second user may be automatically invoked only if any active conditions associated with the second user are satisfied.

Claims

1. A method of communication activated processing, comprising the steps of:

(1) establishing a connection between a first user at a computer and a second user;

(2) determining whether said second user is configured in a condition table; and

(3) if said second user is configured in said condition table, then invoking in said computer an application associated with said second user subject to at least any active conditions associated with said second user, said at least any active conditions associated with said second user comprising one or more of;

(i) an unanswered COD mail condition;

(ii) a phone mail full condition;

(iii) a user has phone mail condition; and

(iv) a caller/callee has phone mail condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises the step of:

invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user upon receipt of invocation confirmation from said first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(4) enabling said first user to modify said condition table.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (4) comprises the steps of:

enabling said first user to create a new entry in said condition table;

enabling said first user to store in said new entry an indication of whether the new entry is an inbound configuration, an outbound configuration, or an inbound/outbound configuration;

enabling said first user to store in said new entry information identifying a party;

enabling said first user to store in said new entry information identifying an application to be associated with said party; and

enabling said first user to store in said new entry information to activate one or more conditions to be associated with said party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of receiving at said computer an inbound telephone call initiated by said second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of initiating an outbound telephone call from said computer to said second user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of connecting said first user to said second user via a computer network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said application corresponds to one of a compiled and linked file, a batch file, and a macro file.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein definition of said macro file includes one or more previously defined macro files.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3)(i) comprises the steps of:

(a) determining if said unanswered COD mail condition is active;

(b) if said unanswered COD mail condition is active, then determining whether said first user has unanswered COD mail sent to said second user; and

(c) if said first user has unanswered COD mail sent to said second user, then conditionally invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3)(ii) comprises the steps of:

(a) determining if said phone mail full condition is active;

(b) if said phone mail full condition is active, then determining whether phone mail of said second user is full; and

(c) if phone mail of said second user is full, then conditionally invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3)(iii) comprises the steps of:

(a) determining if said user has phone mail condition is active;

(b) if said first user has phone mail condition is active, then determining whether said first user has phone mail sent from said second user; and

(c) if said first user has phone mail sent from said second user, then conditionally invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3)(iv) comprises the steps of:

(a) determining if said caller/callee has phone mail condition is active;

(b) if said caller/callee has phone mail condition is active, then determining whether said second user has phone mail sent from said first user; and

(c) if said second user has phone mail sent from said first user, then conditionally invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises the steps of:

enabling said first user to enter an automatic invocation confirmation command; and

invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user if said first user enters said automatic invocation confirmation command.

15. A method of communication activated processing, comprising the steps of:

(1) establishing a connection between a first user at a computer and a second user;

(2) determining whether said second user is configured in a condition table;

(3) if said second user is configured in said condition table, then determining whether any active conditions associated with said second user are satisfied, said any active conditions associated with said second user comprising one or more of;

(i) an unanswered COD mail condition;

(ii) a phone mail full condition;

(iii) a user has phone mail condition; and

(iv) a caller/callee has phone mail condition;

(4) if said any active conditions associated with said second user are satisfied, then determining whether an application associated with said second user is active in said computer;

(5) if said application associated with said second user is active in said computer, then enabling said first user to enter a command to;

(a) confirm automatic invocation of a new instance of said application;

(b) reject automatic invocation of a new instance of said application;

or (c) automatically focus said active application; and

(6) processing said first user'"'"'s command.

16. A computer, comprising:

a storage device;

a condition table stored in said storage device;

a communication device to establish a connection between a first user at said computer and a second user;

a condition table module to determine whether said second user is configured in said condition table; and

an application invocation module to invoke, if said second user is configured in said condition table, in said computer an application associated with said second user subject to at least any active conditions associated with said second user, said at least any active conditions associated with said second user comprising one or more of;

(i) an unanswered COD mail condition;

(ii) a phone mail full condition;

(iii) a user has phone mail condition; and

(iv) a caller/callee has phone mail condition.

17. The computer of claim 16, wherein said application invocation module comprises:

means for invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user upon receipt of invocation confirmation from said first user.

18. The computer of claim 16, wherein said communication device receives at said computer an inbound telephone call initiated by said second user, initiates an outbound telephone call from said computer to said second user, or connects said first user to said second user via a computer network.

19. The computer of claim 18, wherein said application corresponds to one of a compiled and linked file, a batch file, and a macro file, and wherein definition of said macro file includes zero or more previously defined macro files.

20. The computer of claim 16, wherein said application invocation module comprises:

means for enabling said first user to enter an automatic invocation confirmation command; and

means for invoking in said computer said application associated with said second user if said first user enters said automatic invocation confirmation command.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer to conditionally invoke applications in the computer, said computer program logic comprising:

connection establishing means for enabling the processor to establish a connection between a first user at the computer and a second user;

determining means for enabling the processor to determine whether said second user is configured in a condition table; and

invocation means for enabling the processor to, if said second user is configured in said condition table, invoke in said computer an application associated with said second user subject to at least any active conditions associated with said second user, said at least any active conditions associated with said second user comprising one or more of;

(i) an unanswered COD mail condition;

(ii) a phone mail full condition;

(iii) a user has phone mail condition; and

(iv) a caller/callee has phone mail condition.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said invocation means comprises:

means for enabling the processor to invoke in said computer said application associated with said second user upon receipt of invocation confirmation from said first user.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said connection establishing means comprises:

means for enabling the processor to receive at said computer an inbound telephone call initiated by said second user, initiate an outbound telephone call from said computer to said second user, or connect said first user to said second user via a computer network.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said application corresponds to one of a compiled and linked file, a batch file, and a macro file, and wherein definition of said macro file includes zero or more previously defined macro files.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said invocation means comprises:

means for enabling the processor to enable said first user to enter an automatic invocation confirmation command; and

means for enabling the processor to invoke in said computer said application associated with said second user if said first user enters said automatic invocation confirmation command.