Call initiation via calendar

• US 6,760,423 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Todd, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/833,225
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.21, 379/93.23, 379/93.24, 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01, 379/205.01, 379/206.01, 379/207.03, 379/210.01
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. conference server dials participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects

Abstract

A system and method for initiating calls via electronic calendar is disclosed. A call list is associated by a user to a particular time and day within the electronic calendar. When the particular day and time arrives, the call list is forwarded to a service which executes the call list, and subsequently contacts the members of the call list through a telephone network. Once a connection is established, the user and the members of the list are linked to a conference bridge.

Claims

1. A system for initiating a host client call, comprising:

a) at least one computer storage medium;

b) at least one processing apparatus, communicatively coupled to the at least one computer storage medium;

c) an interface, communicatively coupled to the processing apparatus;

d) a calendar means, stored in said at least one computer storage medium and communicatively coupled to the interface;

e) an executable call list, containing a containing a plurality of telephone numbers corresponding to remote telephonic devices, said call list stored in said at least one computer storage medium and communicatively coupled to the interface;

f) communication means, for establishing communication on a network, wherein communication means executes the call list via the calendar means through a network, by transmitting over the network to said remote telephonic devices, and linking at least one of the remote telephonic devices to at least one conference bridge; and

g) an automated dialer configured to retry unanswered calls in a background mode after the at least one telephonic device is linked.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the interface includes an input and an output.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the input of said interface is communicatively coupled to the host client.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the output of said interface is communicatively coupled to an analog telephone network.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the output of said interface is communicatively coupled to a digital telephone network.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein the output of said interface is communicatively coupled to a wireless telephone network.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the call list is linked to the calendar means.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the calendar means is configured to activate the call list at a specified time and date.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the background mode comprises executing a pre-programmed number of queries before terminating an unanswered call.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the queries are text messages.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the queries are recorded voice messages.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the executable call list is further communicatively coupled to a maintained telephone number database for automatic updating of the call list.

13. A method for initiating a host client call comprising:

a) establishing a call execution for a device with a date and time on an electronic calendar;

b) associating at least one call list with the call execution;

c) communicating the call list to a computing device upon call execution, by transmitting over a data line;

d) establishing a network connection with at least one remote device in accordance with the call list, by transmitting over a telephone line and delaying the linking of the at least one remote device to the at least one conference bridge unless the remote device is present; and

e) linking the device and the at least one remote device to at least one conference bridge;

wherein establishing the network connection includes terminating and re-establishing the network connection a predetermined amount of times in a background mode to the at least one remote device if the remote device is not present.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein establishing the network connection further includes terminating the network connection to the at least one remote device if the remote device remains not present after the predetermined amount of times expire.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein associating the at least one call list includes a user-defined list of callees.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein associating the at least one call list includes a predetermined list of callees.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein linking the device and the at least one remote device occurs through a telephone network.

18. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

automatically updating the call list using information from a maintained database.

19. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

automatically updating the call list using information from numbers dialed by the host client for a particular project.