Electronic call assistants with shared database

• US 7,212,619 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Gerritse-Van Bavel, Cornelia Johanna, Arendsen, Jeroen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu; Benny Quoc
• Application Number:
  US10/168,370
• Time in Patent Office: 2,680 Days
• Field of Search: 37921801-21802, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379 8813- 8822, 379/88.25, 37920101- 20, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/422.1, 707/10, 707/200, 707/205
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• 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

Abstract

A telephone exchange (1) arranged to communicate with communication units (2, 3, 4, 5, 7) and to provide a plurality of electronic call assistants to the communication units, a first electronic call assistant (12) being provided to a first communication unit (2) and a second electronic call assistant (14) to a second communication unit (4), the first electronic call assistant (12) having access to a distinct first database (36), the second electronic call assistant (14) having access to a distinct second database (38), wherein the first (12) and second (14) electronic call assistants share a common database (40).

Claims

1. A telephone exchange (1) arranged to communicate with a plurality of communication units (2, 3, 4, 5, 7) comprising

at least one set of communication units associated with one or more subscribers, and to provide an electronic call assistant platform to said at least one set of communication unites,

said electronic call assistant platform comprising at least a first electronic call assistant (12) associated with one subscriber and a second electronic call assistant (14) associated with said one subscriber,

the first electronic call assistant (12) having access to a distinct first database (36),

the second electronic call assistant (14) having access to a distinct second database (38), wherein the first (12) and second (14) electronic call assistants share a common database.

2. A telephone exchange according to claim 1, wherein said common data base (40) comprises at least a common voice mail box (24) and setting (28) related to said common voice mail box (24).

3. A telephone exchange according to claim 1, wherein said common data base (4) comprises at least a common address book (26) and settings (26) related to said common address book (26).

4. A telephone exchange according to claim 1, wherein said common data base (40) comprises data as to at least one of the following groups of items:

a setting related to user level, a PIN code, and other personal settings related to said one subscriber and not to one of said communication units specifically.

5. A telephone exchange according to claim 1, wherein each of said communication units have a distinct calling line identification, and each of the electronic call assistants has a fixed relation to one of said communication units through its calling line identification.

6. A telephone exchange according to claim 5, wherein access to said first electronic call assistant is only allowed through using a first personal identification code.

7. A telephone exchange according to claim 6, being arranged to allow access to said first electronic call assistant to a user of a third communication unit (3, 5, 7) after said user has inputted both said first personal identification code and said first calling line identification by means of said third communication unit (3, 5, 7).

8. A telephone exchange according to claim 1, wherein the first (12) and second (14) electronic call assistants are arranged to communicate with one another.