Methods and apparatus for returning a call over a telephony system
First Claim
1. A method of performing a call operation for a call associated with a caller private phone number, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a call processing system, from a caller a call intended for a user;
receiving, at the call processing system, signaling information, including a private phone number associated with the caller;
storing the private phone number in encrypted form in computer readable memory, wherein the user is prevented from viewing the private phone number;
notifying the user of the call, via the call processing system, wherein the notification does not include the private phone number;
enabling the user to call the private phone number without revealing the private phone number to the user, via an interface accessible via at least one user terminal,wherein the caller'"'"'s private phone number does not appear on a telephone bill of the user as a result of the call to the caller'"'"'s private phone number;
receiving at the call processing system a caller identifier for the caller provided by the user;
causing, at least in part, the caller identifier to be stored in computer readable memory with an association with the private caller phone number without revealing the private caller phone number to the user; and
at least partly in response to a second call from the caller, providing via at least one terminal the user with a notification of the second call without revealing the private caller phone number to the user, the second call notification including the user provided caller identifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a call-return process and system, wherein a called party can return a missed call to a caller'"'"'s private number. A forwarded call is received by a call management system, wherein the forwarded call was originally directed by a caller to a first telephone line associated with a user. The call management system receives call signaling information, including a phone number, associated with the caller. The call management system then determines whether the phone number is a private phone number or a public phone number. If the phone number is private, the call management system notifies the user of the call, and without revealing the caller'"'"'s phone number to the user, enables the user to return the caller'"'"'s call.
144 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of performing a call operation for a call associated with a caller private phone number, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a call processing system, from a caller a call intended for a user; receiving, at the call processing system, signaling information, including a private phone number associated with the caller; storing the private phone number in encrypted form in computer readable memory, wherein the user is prevented from viewing the private phone number; notifying the user of the call, via the call processing system, wherein the notification does not include the private phone number; enabling the user to call the private phone number without revealing the private phone number to the user, via an interface accessible via at least one user terminal, wherein the caller'"'"'s private phone number does not appear on a telephone bill of the user as a result of the call to the caller'"'"'s private phone number; receiving at the call processing system a caller identifier for the caller provided by the user; causing, at least in part, the caller identifier to be stored in computer readable memory with an association with the private caller phone number without revealing the private caller phone number to the user; and at least partly in response to a second call from the caller, providing via at least one terminal the user with a notification of the second call without revealing the private caller phone number to the user, the second call notification including the user provided caller identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of performing a call operation with respect to a private phone number, the method comprising:
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receiving signaling information, at a call processing system, for a call from a caller intended for a user, the signaling information including a private phone number associated with the caller; storing the private phone number in computer readable memory using encryption; recording a voice message from the caller via a recording system; automatically notifying the user of the call via the call processing system, wherein the notification does not include the private phone number, wherein the notification is transmitted to a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, and/or an interactive television associated with the user; enabling, via at least one user interface accessible via at least one terminal, the user to access the voice message from a terminal; enabling, via at least one user interface accessible via at least one terminal, the user to place a call to the private phone number without revealing the private phone number to the user; and storing the private phone number in computer readable memory, wherein the user is prevented from viewing the private phone number, and the caller'"'"'s private phone number does not appear on a telephone bill of the user as a result of the call placed to the private phone number; receiving at the call processing system a caller identifier for the caller provided by the user; causing, at least in part, the caller identifier to be stored in computer readable memory with an association with the private caller phone number without revealing the private caller phone number to the user; and at least partly in response to a second call from the caller, providing via at least one terminal the user with a notification of the second call without revealing the private caller phone number to the user, the second call notification including the user provided caller identifier. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of processing a call from a caller with a private number to a first user without revealing the private number to the first user, the method comprising:
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receiving at a first communications system a first call from a caller and an associated private phone number, wherein the first call is intended for a first user; storing the private phone number using encryption in computer readable memory, wherein the first user is prevented from viewing the private phone number; initiating, via the first communications system, the transmission of a message over a data network to a computer terminal used by the first user, the message configured to provide a notification related to the call without displaying the private phone number to the first user; enabling, via a user interface accessible via at least one terminal, the first user to return the call to the private phone number without revealing the private phone number to the first user and without the private phone number appearing on the first user'"'"'s phone bill; and receiving at the first communications system a caller identifier for the caller provided by the user; causing, at least in part, the caller identifier to be stored in computer readable memory with an association with the private caller phone number without revealing the private caller phone number to the user; and at least partly in response to a second call from the caller, providing via at least one terminal the user with a notification of the second call without revealing the private caller phone number to the user, the second call notification including the user provided caller identifier. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification