Method and system for integration of voice mail and call processing systems with computer-based electronic calendar applications

• US 7,054,918 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Polcyn, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US10/641,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 379/209, 455/414, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/238, 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• 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 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 : for connecting to private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 : Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

A system and method for providing data communication between an information system, such as a LAN, and a communication system, such as a PBX operating under control of an automatic call routing system, is disclosed. According to a preferred embodiment, data as to a particular LAN user'"'"'s schedule, as reflected in an electronic calendar application, is used to properly route calls via the automatic call routing system. Alternative embodiments providing for the scheduling of events in the electronic calendar as well as the dissemination of information through the communication system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for telephonically updating calendaring information with respect to a particular called party, said method comprising:

executing a calendaring program on a called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system;

storing existing calendaring information with respect to said called party on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system, said existing calendaring information operable with said calendaring program executing on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system;

receiving, on a separate telephony system, an incoming call from a calling party directed toward said called party;

querying said calling party, using said separate telephony system, for additional calendaring information directed toward said called party;

transferring at least a portion of any received additional calendaring information from said separate telephony system to said calendaring program running on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system; and

integrating select portions of any transferred calendaring information into said existing calendaring information stored on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system, making said additional calendaring information accessible by said calendaring program executing on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said querying comprises:

eliciting a particular calendaring preference from said calling party; and

determining if a conflict exists between said preference and said existing calendaring information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said querying further comprises:

offering at least one calendaring alternative to said calling party if a conflict exists between said preference and said existing calendaring information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said calendaring alternative is a nearest available scheduling choice of said existing calendaring information to said preference.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said querying is carried out by a voice response unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said integrating comprises:

storing said additional calendaring information discrete from said existing calendaring information on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system; and

allowing said called party to selectively integrate portions of said additional calendaring information into said existing calendaring information stored on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively disseminating at least a portion of said existing calendaring information through said separate telephony system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said disseminating comprises:

presenting to said calling party a humanly perceptible reproduction of said at least a portion of said existing calendaring information.

9. A system for telephonically updating calendaring information with respect to a particular called party, said system comprising:

means operable within a telephony system for querying a calling party to elicit calendaring information directed toward said called party;

a called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system, separate from said telephony system, said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system operable for running thereon any number of information applications, including a calendaring program, selected by said called party;

means for storing existing calendaring information with respect to said called party on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system, said existing calendaring information operable with said calendaring program;

means for transferring at least a portion of any received elicited calendaring information from said separate telephony system to said calendaring program running on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system; and

means for integrating select portions of said elicited calendaring information into said existing calendaring information stored on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system, said integrated elicited calendaring information accessible by said calendaring program executing on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said querying means comprises:

means for eliciting a particular calendaring preference from said calling party; and

means for determining if a conflict exists between said preference and said existing calendaring information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said querying means further comprises:

means for offering at least one calendaring alternative to said calling party if a conflict exists between said preference and said existing calendaring information.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said querying means comprises a voice response unit.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said integrating means comprises:

means for storing said elicited calendaring information discrete from said existing calendaring information on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system; and

means for allowing said called party to selectively integrate portions of said elicited calendaring information within said existing calendaring information stored on said called party'"'"'s individual general purpose processor-based system.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for selectively disseminating at least a portion of said existing calendaring information stored on said general purpose processor-based system through said telephony system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said disseminated existing calendaring information results in a humanly perceptible reproduction, presented to said calling party, of said at least a portion of said existing calendaring information.

16. A system for providing data intercommunication between a telephony apparatus and a separate general purpose processor-based device, said system comprising:

said separate general purpose processor-based device, controlled by a called party located independent from said telephony apparatus, executing a calendaring program, wherein said calendaring program is unrelated to said telephony apparatus, and wherein data stored by said calendaring program on said separate general purpose processor-based device is undated to include supplemental information accepted from a caller using said telephony apparatus;

querying logic operable to elicit said supplemental information from said caller, said supplemental information including a preferred calendaring choice made by said caller;

translator logic operable to identify portions of said stored data relevant to said supplemental information, said translator logic further operable to obtain at least a subset of said identified portions of said stored data from said separate general purpose processor-based device for use by said system; and

database management logic operable to compare said supplemental information with said obtained data, said database management logic operable to determine if a conflict exists between said supplemental information and said obtained data, and if no conflict is determined to exist said database management logic and said translator logic operable to integrate said supplemental information into said stored data on said separate general purpose processor-based device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said querying logic includes a call script operable on a voice response unit.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein if a conflict is determined to exist, said querying logic is operable in conjunction with said database management logic to offer said caller a nearest calendaring choice to said preferred calendaring choice.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said database management logic is operable to selectively update said stored calendaring information with said supplemental information under control of a user of said calendaring program.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said integrated information is displayed, under control of said calendaring program, on a display device associated with said separate general purpose processor-based device.