Call programming apparatus and method

• US 7,372,951 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Marcus, Gisele Arlette, Ekstrom, Gayle Roberta, Schwab, Eileen Cecilia, Ossello, Edward Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US11/823,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20070253546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/207.02, 37921101-21104, 379/216.01, 379/221.01, 379/913, 455/461
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• 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 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• 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 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• 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 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• 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: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

A method of routing incoming telephone calls and programming routing options and apparatus that allows incoming calls to be routed according to various criteria programmed by a subscriber.

Claims

1. A call programming method for establishing a customer profile for processing subsequently received calls to a subscriber, the method comprising:

in response to a received subscriber data entry;

entering one of

a one number programming routine,

a sequential number programming routine, and

a simultaneous number programming routine;

entering a subscriber data collection routine;

receiving subscriber entries defining the processing of subsequently received calls to the subscriber to establish the customer profile; and

storing the customer profile for subsequent access when processing calls for the subscriber.

2. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering the subscriber data collection routine comprises entering a web-based subscriber interaction process.

3. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering the subscriber data collection routine comprises entering a graphical user interface-based subscriber interaction process.

4. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering a one number programming routine comprises:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber to enter a call forwarding number;

receiving a web page from the subscriber including the call forwarding number; and

storing the call forwarding number for subsequent access when processing calls for the subscriber.

5. The call programming method of claim 4 further comprising:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber for one or more time periods when subscriber calls should be forwarded to the call forwarding number; and

receiving in a web page from the subscriber including information defining the one or more time periods.

6. The call programming method of claim 5 wherein receiving a web page including information defining the one or more time periods comprises:

providing in the web page sent to the subscriber a default period start time for each period;

receiving in the web page from the subscriber information defining a period start time for each time period; and

receiving in the web page from the subscriber information defining a period end time for each period.

7. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering a one number programming routine comprises:

in a web page, prompting the subscriber to enter a call forwarding number;

receiving a web page from the subscriber including the call forwarding number; and

storing the call forwarding number for subsequent access when processing calls for the subscriber.

8. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering a one number programming routine comprises:

in a graphical user interface with the subscriber, prompting the subscriber to enter a call forwarding number;

over the graphical user interface with the subscriber, receiving information from the subscriber including the call forwarding number; and

storing the call forwarding number for subsequent access when processing calls for the subscriber.

9. The call programming method of claim 8 further comprising:

in a graphical user interface with the subscriber, prompting the subscriber for one or more time periods when subscriber calls should be forwarded to the call forwarding number; and

receiving over the graphical user interface with the subscriber information defining the one or more time periods.

10. The call programming method of claim 9 wherein receiving over the graphical user interface information defining the one or more time periods comprises:

providing over the graphical user interface a default period start time for each period;

receiving over the graphical user interface from the subscriber information defining a period start time for each time period; and

receiving over the graphical user interface from the subscriber information defining a period end time for each period.

11. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering a sequential number programming routine comprises:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting for a first sequential call forwarding number for a time period;

receiving a web page from the subscriber including information defining the first sequential call forwarding number;

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber to enter another sequential call forwarding number; and

prompting the subscriber to enter additional sequential call forwarding numbers until all sequential call forwarding numbers have been entered.

12. The call programming method of claim 11 wherein entering the sequential number programming routine further comprises:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting for information defining one or more time periods when subscriber calls should be forwarded according to the sequential number programming routine; and

receiving a web page from the subscriber including the information defining the one or more time periods.

13. The call programming method of claim 1 wherein entering a sequential number programming routine comprises:

over a graphical user interface to the subscriber, prompting for a first sequential call forwarding number for a time period;

receiving over the graphical user interface from the subscriber information defining the first sequential call forwarding number;

over the graphical user interface, prompting the subscriber to enter another sequential call forwarding number; and

prompting the subscriber to enter additional sequential call forwarding numbers until all sequential call forwarding numbers have been entered.

14. The call programming method of claim 13 wherein entering the sequential number programming routine further comprises:

over the graphical user interface, prompting for information defining one or more time periods when subscriber calls should be forwarded according to the sequential number programming routine; and

receiving over the graphical user interface from the subscriber the information defining the one or more time periods.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein entering a simultaneous number programming routine comprises:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber for a first simultaneous call forwarding number for a time period;

receiving a web page from the subscriber including information defining the first simultaneous call forwarding number;

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber to enter another simultaneous call forwarding number; and

prompting the subscriber to enter additional simultaneous call forwarding numbers until all simultaneous call forwarding numbers have been entered.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein entering the simultaneous number programming routine further comprises:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting for information defining one or more time periods when subscriber calls should be forwarded according to the simultaneous number programming routine; and

receiving a web page from the subscriber including the information defining the one or more time periods.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein entering a simultaneous number programming routine comprises:

over a graphical user interface, prompting the subscriber for a first simultaneous call forwarding number for a time period;

receiving over the graphical user interface from the subscriber information defining the first simultaneous call forwarding number;

over the graphical user interface, prompting the subscriber to enter another simultaneous call forwarding number; and

prompting the subscriber to enter additional simultaneous call forwarding numbers until all simultaneous call forwarding numbers have been entered.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein entering the simultaneous number programming routine further comprises:

over the graphical user interface, prompting the subscriber for information defining one or more time periods when subscriber calls should be forwarded according to the simultaneous number programming routine; and

receiving over the graphical user interface from the subscriber including the information defining the one or more time periods.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber to enter a schedule override routine; and

receiving a web page from the subscriber including information selecting the schedule override routine.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

if the schedule override routine is selected, in a web page sent to the subscriber, prompting the subscriber to enter an override call forwarding number; and

receiving a web page from the subscriber including information defining the override call forwarding number.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

in a web page sent to the subscriber, repeating the override call forwarding number to the subscriber; and

receiving a web page from the subscriber including verification information for the override call forwarding number.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

over a graphical user interface, prompting the subscriber to enter a schedule override routine; and

receiving over the graphical user interface information selecting the schedule override routine.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

if the schedule override routine is selected, prompting the subscriber over the graphical user interface to enter an override call forwarding number; and

receiving over the graphical user interface information defining the override call forwarding number.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

repeating the override call forwarding number over the graphical user interface to the subscriber; and

receiving over the graphical user interface verification information for the override call forwarding number.

25. A computer readable data storage medium storing call programming code for establishing a customer profile for processing subsequently received calls to a subscriber, the code comprising:

code to form a web page including a prompt to the subscriber to establish the customer profile;

code to process web information from the subscriber;

in response to a received subscriber data entry;

code to enter one of

a one number programming routine,

a sequential number programming routine, and

a simultaneous number programming routine;

code to enter a subscriber data collection routine;

code to receive web information including subscriber entries defining the processing of subsequently received calls to the subscriber to establish the customer profile; and

code to store the customer profile for subsequent access when processing calls for the subscriber.

26. A computer readable data storage medium storing call programming code for establishing a customer profile for processing subsequently received calls to a subscriber, the code comprising:

code to prompt the subscriber, over a graphical user interface, to establish the customer profile;

in response to subscriber data entry received over the graphical user interface;

code to enter one of

a one number programming routine,

a sequential number programming routine, and

a simultaneous number programming routine;

code to enter a subscriber data collection routine;

code to receive over the graphical user interface subscriber entries defining the processing of subsequently received calls to the subscriber to establish the customer profile; and

code to store the customer profile for subsequent access when processing calls for the subscriber.