Method for adding context to communications

• US 6,853,711 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mahan, Laura, St-George, Marilyn F., Brisebois, Michel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Application Number:
  US09/948,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20020012425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.23, 379/93.17, 379/142.07, 379/207.12, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/245, 379/354, 379/142.15, 379/142.17, 379/93.35, 379/142.01, 379/127.01, 379 8819- 8821, 379/142.06, 455/38.4, 455/550, 455566-567, 455/575
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• 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 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53341 Message reply

Abstract

A method for augmenting communications between called and calling parties with context information helps either or both parties decide whether and how to accept or initiate a communications event.

Claims

1. A method for augmenting communications over a communications network comprising the steps performed by the network of:

receiving a request from a calling party to establish a communications link with a called party;

gathering context information known to the communications network;

gathering context information indicating a mutual context of the calling party and the called party;

determining a medium for establishing the communications link with the called party based on the gathered mutual context information of the calling party and the called party;

automatically providing information indicating the determined medium and the gathered context information directly to the calling party;

receiving an indication from the calling party as to whether to establish the communications link; and

establishing the communications link between the calling party and the called party or not based on the indication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of gathering context information known to the communications network includes the step of

gathering information indicating the location and local time of the called party.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of gathering context information known to the communications network includes the step of

gathering information indicating the type of media available to the called party.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of gathering context information known to the communications network includes the step of

gathering context information from a selection of pre-determined options supplied by the called party.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of gathering context information from a selection of pre-determined options includes the step of

gathering information indicating when the called party does not wish to be contacted.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of gathering context information known to the communications network includes the step of

gathering specific context information supplied by the called party.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of gathering specific context information known to the network includes the step of

gathering disposition options based on the identity of the calling party.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of gathering context information known to the network includes the step of

gathering specific information supplied by the called party associated with the calling party;

and

wherein the step of providing the gathered context information includes the step of presenting to the calling party disposition options based on the specific context information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of gathering context information known to the network includes the step of gathering information supplied by the called party.