System and method for managing communications

• US 7,324,638 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hogans Simpson, Anita, Mullis, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US10/183,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20040247106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/201.12, 379/210.02, 379/208.01, 379/207.13, 379/207.15, 379/201.15
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• 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 communications network-based system and service is disclosed. The service permits subscribers to control and manage incoming telephone calls. Subscribers can establish preferences for how calls will be handled by a communications network if the calls are received by while the subscriber in connected to an information network. The service also notifies a subscriber of a calling party'"'"'s call based on whether preselected or predesignated preferences of the called party correspond to identifier(s) of the calling party.

Claims

1. A method of notifying a called party of a call from a calling party, comprising:

receiving the call from a calling party;

communicating an announcement to the calling party'"'"'s calling telephone number;

communicating the calling telephone number to the called party'"'"'s called telephone number;

after communicating the calling telephone number to the called telephone number, then using out-of-band signaling to query a database for a call reception status that determines whether to connect the calling telephone number to the called telephone number;

receiving the call reception status;

when the called party'"'"'s call reception status is restricted, then, after the call has been placed, receiving a third party'"'"'s forwarding number from the called party, connecting the calling telephone number to the forwarding number of the third party, and indefinitely continuing to play an announcement to the calling party;

when the call reception status permits connection;

then querying to determine whether the called telephone number is encumbered;

when the called telephone number is encumbered, then querying for an encumbered line bypass feature that describes calling telephone numbers, dates, and times for which calls are connected;

when the calling telephone number corresponds to an encumbered line bypass feature, then connecting the calling telephone number to the called telephone number;

when the calling telephone number fails to correspond to the encumbered line bypass feature, then waiting for an assent from the called party;

if an assent is received, then connecting the calling telephone number to the called telephone number;

if an assent is not received, then connecting the calling telephone number to the third party'"'"'s forwarding number;

determining that the called party is connected to an information network by comparing a telephone number to which the called party is connected to a list of telephone numbers associated with the information network;

comparing the calling telephone number and a call date and time to encumbrances, wherein the call date and time is compared to a range of disconnect times for disconnecting from the information network;

notifying the called party of the calling party'"'"'s arriving call;

notifying the called party that the information network will be disconnected and how long in time before the disconnection is made; and

disconnecting the called party from the information network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the called party comprises paging a pager associated with the called party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the called party comprises calling a cell phone associated with the called party.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a pass code and comparing the pass code to a stored pass code in the database, and when the pass code matches the stored pass code associated with the calling party then disconnecting the called party from the information network regardless of the call date and time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with an Internet service provider when making the determination.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein notifying the called party of the calling party'"'"'s call includes a pop-up window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information in the database includes an information network bypass list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information network bypass list includes one or more telephone numbers, time periods, and pass-codes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a command from the called party to not disconnect from the information network.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving the called party'"'"'s preference for times at which the called party will be notified to the call.

11. A system for notifying a called party of a call from a calling party, the system operative to:

receive the call from a calling party;

communicate an announcement to the calling party'"'"'s calling telephone number;

communicate the calling telephone number to the called party'"'"'s called telephone number;

after communicating the calling telephone number to the called telephone number, then use out-of-band signaling to query a database for a call reception status that determines whether to connect the calling telephone number to the called telephone number;

receive the call reception status;

when the called party'"'"'s call reception status is restricted, then, after the call has been placed, receive a third party'"'"'s forwarding number from the called party, connect the calling telephone number to the forwarding number of the third party, and indefinitely continuing to play an announcement to the calling party;

when the call reception status permits connection, then query the database to determine whether the called telephone number is encumbered;

when the called telephone number is encumbered, then query the database for an encumbered line bypass feature that describes calling telephone numbers, dates, and times for which calls are connected;

when the calling telephone number corresponds to an encumbered line bypass feature, then connect the calling telephone number to the called telephone number;

when the calling telephone number fails to correspond to the encumbered line bypass feature, then wait for an assent from the called party;

if an assent is received, then connect the calling telephone number to the called telephone number;

if an assent is not received, then connect the calling telephone number to the third party'"'"'s forwarding number;

determine that the called party is connected to an information network by comparing a telephone number to which the called party is connected to a list of telephone numbers associated with the information network;

compare the calling telephone number and a call date and time to encumbrances, wherein the call date and time is compared to a range of disconnect times for disconnecting from the information network;

notify the called party of the calling party'"'"'s arriving call;

notify the called party that the information network will be disconnected and how long in time before the disconnection is made; and

disconnect the called party from the information network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the third party'"'"'s forwarding number is a voice mail number.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the third party'"'"'s forwarding number is a cell phone number.

14. The system of claim 11, further operative to transfer the call from the calling party to an intelligent peripheral.

15. The system of claim 11, further operative to receive a command from the called party to not disconnect from the information network.

16. The system of claim 11, further operative to receive a pass code and comparing the pass code to a stored pass code in the database, and when the pass code matches the stored pass code associated with the calling party then disconnecting the called party from the information network regardless of the call date and time.

17. The system of claim 11, further operative to retrieve the called party'"'"'s preference for times at which the called party will be notified to the call.

18. The system of claim 11, further operative to permit the called party to change the information in the database by communicating with a communications network using an interface system to modify the information in the database.

19. The system of claim 11, fixer operative to notify the called party of the calling party'"'"'s call and a disposition preference.

20. The system of claim 19, further operative to notify via a pop-up window.