Apparatus, method and system for personal telecommunication speed calling utilizing an affinity database

• US 6,249,579 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bushnell, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITS, TALIVALDIS IVARS
• Application Number:
  US09/087,412
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 379/216, 379/356, 379/355
• US Class Current: 379/356.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system are provided for personal telecommunication speed calling. The system includes a line unit couplable to customer premise equipment; a network signaling interface for receiving network signaling information; a network trunk interface for receiving corresponding network communications; a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, to the line unit, to the network signaling interface, and to the network trunk interface. The processor includes instructions for generating a user specific affinity database, which contains names and corresponding telephone numbers of those people with whom the user has an affinity and therefore is likely to want to speed call. The affinity database is generated based upon affinity information derived from the user'"'"'s outgoing calls and the user'"'"'s incoming calls which have been answered and which have a minimum duration. The affinity database is ordered and displayed for the user, who may then select an affinity name for automatic speed calling of the corresponding affinity telephone number.

Claims

1. A method for personal telecommunication speed calling, the method comprising:

(a) selecting an affinity name from an affinity database, the affinity database having a plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, the plurality of corresponding affinity numbers having been determined by including telephone numbers corresponding to outgoing telecommunication calls, and by including telephone numbers from received incoming calls having a selected, predetermined non-zero minimum off-hook duration; and

(b) automatically dialing an affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a network server;

requesting an affinity name corresponding to an affinity number; and

adding the affinity name corresponding to the affinity number to the affinity database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a network database;

requesting an affinity name corresponding to an affinity number; and

adding the affinity name corresponding to the affinity number to the affinity database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the affinity database is maintained as an affinity stack.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein any affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher frequency of use are clustered in an upper portion of the affinity stack.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein any affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher duration of use are clustered in an upper portion of the affinity stack.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

ordering the affinity stack for user display.

8. An apparatus for personal telecommunication speed calling, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for transmitting an outgoing telecommunication call and for receiving an incoming telecommunication call;

a receiver coupled to the network interface, the receiver for decoding caller identification information from a received incoming telecommunication call;

a memory, the memory storing an affinity database having a plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers;

a user output interface for display of the affinity database;

a user input interface for entering a telephone number corresponding to the outgoing telecommunication call, and for selection of an affinity name, of the plurality of affinity names, from the affinity database; and

a processor coupled to the network interface, to the receiver, to the memory, to the user input interface and to the user output interface, wherein the processor includes instructions for obtaining from the memory an affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name, and through the network interface, automatically dialing the affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name; and

wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers by including in the affinity database a plurality of telephone numbers corresponding to a plurality of outgoing telecommunication calls and by including in the affinity database a plurality of telephone numbers corresponding to a plurality of received incoming telecommunication calls having a selected, predetermined non-zero minimum off-hook duration.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor includes further instructions for accessing a network server through the network interface;

for requesting from the network server an affinity name corresponding to an affinity number; and

for adding to the affinity database an affinity name corresponding to the affinity number received from the network server.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor includes further instructions for maintaining the affinity database as an affinity stack.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor includes further instructions for clustering, in an upper portion of the affinity stack, any affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher frequency of use.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor includes further instructions for clustering, in an upper portion of the affinity stack, any affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher duration of use.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor includes further instructions for ordering the affinity stack for display on the user output interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is embodied within customer premise equipment.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is embodied within a telephone.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the user output interface is an LCD display.

17. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the user output interface is a video display.

18. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the user input interface is a keypad.

19. A system for personal telecommunication speed calling, the system comprising:

a line unit couplable to customer premise equipment for transmission of an affinity database to the customer premise equipment, for reception of a selected affinity name, and for reception of a telephone number corresponding to an outgoing telecommunication call;

a network signaling interface for receiving network signaling information;

a network trunk interface for receiving corresponding network communications;

a memory storing the affinity database, the affinity database having a plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers; and

a processor coupled to the memory, to the line unit, to the network signaling interface, and to the network trunk interface, wherein the processor includes instructions for obtaining from the memory an affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name, and through the network signaling interface, automatically dialing the affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name;

wherein the processor includes further instructions for including in the affinity database the telephone number corresponding to the outgoing telecommunication call; and

wherein the processor includes further instructions for including in the affinity database a name and corresponding telephone number from a user received incoming telecommunication call having a selected, predetermined non-zero minimum off-hook duration.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor includes further instructions for accessing a network database through the network interface;

for requesting from the network database an affinity name corresponding to an affinity number; and

for adding to the affinity database an affinity name corresponding to the affinity number received from the network database.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor includes further instructions for maintaining the affinity database as an affinity stack.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor includes further instructions for clustering, in an upper portion of the affinity stack, any affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher frequency of use.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor includes further instructions for clustering, in an upper portion of the affinity stack, any affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher duration of use.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the system is embodied in a network switch.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the system is embodied in a central office.

26. A system for personal telecommunication speed calling, the system comprising:

a line unit couplable to customer premise equipment for transmission of an affinity database to the customer premise equipment, for reception of a selected affinity name, and for reception of a telephone number corresponding to an outgoing telecommunication call;

a memory storing the affinity database, the affinity database having a plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers; and

processor coupled to the memory and to the line unit, wherein the processor includes instructions for obtaining from the memory an affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name, and through the line unit, for automatically dialing the affinity number corresponding to the selected affinity name;

wherein the processor includes further instructions for including in the affinity database the telephone number corresponding to the outgoing telecommunication call and a telephone number from a user received incoming telecommunication call having a selected, predetermined non-zero minimum off-hook duration.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor includes further instructions for accessing a network database;

for requesting from the network database an affinity name corresponding to an affinity number; and

for adding to the affinity database an affinity name corresponding to the affinity number received from the network database.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor includes further instructions for maintaining the affinity database as an affinity stack.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor includes further instructions for clustering, in an upper portion of the affinity stack, any affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher frequency of use.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor includes further instructions for clustering, in an upper portion of the affinity stack, any affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, of the plurality of affinity names and corresponding affinity numbers, having a comparatively higher duration of use.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the system is embodied in a network switch.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the system is embodied in a central office.