Pre-scheduled callback service

• US 6,212,268 B1
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Jakob
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q.
• Application Number:
  US08/978,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 379/209, 379/202, 379/204, 379/205, 379/265, 379/93.24, 379/90.01, 379/88.11, 370/352, 370/356
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

Techniques for establishing a pre-scheduled international telephone call using a callback service to take advantage of the arbitrage which exists when there is a rate difference between calls originating in the source and destination countries. In one approach the customer sends the call information to the callback service by completing an Internet based form. The callback service automatically places calls as pre-scheduled dates and times arrive. In one implementation, the callback service automatically sends reminder E-mail messages to call participants at some pre-determined time before the call is to occur. Another extension would allow call participants to respond to the reminder E-mail with information permitting their call to be forwarded or cancelled.

Claims

1. A callback service, comprising:

a. a telephone network providing access to a plurality of users;

b. a data network providing access to at least one of the plurality of users; and

c. a computer having access to said telephone network and said data network and configured to store call related information with respect to at least one pre-scheduled call specified in information received over said data network, to originate a call to said at least one user over said telephone network in response to said call related information and to provide a dial tone to said at least one user in response to said at least one user answering said call.

2. The callback service of claim 1 in which said call related information includes at least one of a requesting user, a telephone number for said requesting user, a date and time for one or more pre-scheduled calls, payment information, and an e-mail address of at least one participant in a pre-scheduled call.

3. The callback service of claim 1 in which said call related information is stored in a database.

4. The callback service of claim 3 in which said call related information stored in said database is ordered chronologically based on date and time.

5. The callback service of claim 3 in which said call related information comprises entries for callbacks to be placed and entries for reminders.

6. The callback service of claim 3 in which said reminders comprise an entry for generating a reminder e-mail to call participants prior to the scheduled time of a callback.

7. The callback service of claim 6 in which said reminder e-mail is generated by merging call related information with an e-mail template.

8. The callback service of claim 6 in which said computer is configured to parse an e-mail responding to a reminder e-mail and to change call related information based on the contents of said e-mail responding to a reminder.

9. The callback service of claim 6 in which said e-mail responding to a reminder comprises a command which causes the number associated with a participant in a pre-scheduled call to change.

10. The callback service of claim 1 in which the information received over said data network is received as information from a server generated form filled out by a user.

11. The callback service of claim 1 in which the information received over said data network is received as information from an e-mail sent by a user.

12. A method of implementing a callback service, comprising the steps of:

a. connecting a computer to a data network and to a telephone network;

b. receiving orders for pre-scheduled callback service over said data network;

c. causing said computer to originate a call to a user of said callback service over said telephone network at a scheduled time based on information in said orders; and

d. providing a dial tone to said user in response to said user answering said call.

13. A method of ordering callback service, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting data relating to one or more pre-scheduled calls to a computer providing service to said callback service over a data network;

b. storing said data;

c. causing said computer to at least initiate a telephone call to a telephone subscriber over a telephone network based on said data; and

d. providing a dial tone to said telephone subscriber in response to said telephone subscriber answering said call.

14. A method of pre-scheduling callback service, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving pre-scheduling information from a user over a data network;

b. initiating a telephone call to said user over a telephone network at the data and time specified in said pre-scheduling information; and

c. providing a dial tone to said user in response to said user answering said call.

15. A computer program product, comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program, stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for permitting a computer to engage in communications with a data network and a telephone network, for receiving orders for pre-scheduled callback service over said data network, for initiating a telephone call to said user over a telephone network at the data and time specified in one of said orders, and providing a dial tone to said user in response to said user answering said call.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program, stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for transmitting data relating to one or more pre-scheduled calls to a computer providing a callback service over a data network, for storing said data and for causing said computer to at least initiate a telephone call to a telephone subscriber over a telephone network based on said data and providing a dial tone to said telephone subscriber in response to said telephone subscriber answering said call.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program, stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for receiving pre-scheduling information for a callback service from a user over a data network, and initiating a telephone call to said user over a telephone network at the data and time specified in said pre-scheduling information and providing a dial tone to said user in response to said user answering said call.