Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing calendar based routings of communications

• US 7,916,853 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Marty, Daniell, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG HOANG JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/313,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20070140458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/223, 455/567, 455/446, 379/221.01, 379/142.01, 379/373.02, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing calendar based routing of communications. Methods include receiving a communication from a sending party to a receiving party, the communication including a communication type. A current calendar entry type for the receiving party is retrieved in response to receiving the communication. A destination for the communication is determined. The destination is responsive to the communication type and to the current calendar entry type. The communication is transmitted to the destination.

Claims

1. A method for providing calendar based routing of communications, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from a sending party to a receiving party, the communication including a communication type;

retrieving a current calendar entry for the receiving party in response to receiving the communication, the current calendar entry including a calendar entry type, the calendar entry type associated to the calendar entry by a calendaring system;

retrieving a list of destinations in response to retrieving a current calendar entry type for the receiving party, the destinations associated to the calendar entry type and the communication type;

determining a destination for the communication, the determining responsive to the list of destinations, the communication type and the current calendar entry type; and

transmitting the communication to the destination;

where in determining a destination includes;

accessing a storage device containing information about the receiving party, the storage device including calendar entry types and communication types with corresponding target destinations;

looking up the current calendar entry type and the communication type in the storage device; and

assigning the corresponding target destination to the destination.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if there is an overriding rule associated with the receiving party and the sending party, wherein if it is determined that there is an overriding rule associated with the receiving party and the sending party, then the determining a destination for the communication is responsive to the overriding rule.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the overriding rule specifies the destination.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the overriding rules specifies the destination based on the communication type and the sending party.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type is text.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type is voice.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination is one or more of a pager, a mobile telephone, a voice mailbox, a land based telephone, an electronic-mailbox, and a user interface screen on a user device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a notification mode associated with the current calendar entry type and the communication type, wherein the transmitting is responsive to the notification mode.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the notification mode includes one or more of an audio alert, a haptic alert and a visual alert.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the retrieving a current calendar entry type includes:

transmitting a request to a calendaring system, the request including an identifier of the receiving party; and

receiving the current calendar entry type of the receiving party from the calendaring system in response to the request.

11. A system for providing calendar based routing of communications, the system comprising:

a processor in communication with a network; and

computer-readable instructions executing on the processor for facilitating;

receiving a communication via the network from a sending party to a receiving party, the communication including a communication type;

retrieving a current calendar entry type for the receiving party in response to receiving the communication;

retrieving a list of destinations in response to retrieving a current calendar entry type for the receiving party, the destinations associated to the calendar entry type and the communication type;

determining a destination for the communication, the determining responsive to the list of destinations, the communication type and the current calendar entry type; and

transmitting the communication to the destination via the network;

wherein the determining a destination includes;

accessing a storage device containing information about the receiving party, the storage device including calendar entry types and communication types with corresponding target destinations;

looking up the current calendar entry type and the communication type in the storage device; and

assigning the corresponding target destination to the destination.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is located on a user device.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the network is the Internet.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the instructions further facilitate determining if there is an overriding rule associated with one or more of the receiving party and the sending party, wherein if it is determined that there is an overriding rule associated with the receiving party and the sending party, then the determining a destination for the communication is responsive to the overriding rule.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the destination is one or more of a pager, a mobile telephone, a voice mailbox, a land based telephone, an electronic-mailbox, and a user interface screen on a user device.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the instructions further facilitate determining a notification mode associated with the current calendar entry type and the communication type, wherein the transmitting is responsive to the notification mode.

17. A computer program product for providing calendar based routing of communications, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

receiving a communication from a sending party to a receiving party, the communication including a communication type;

retrieving a current calendar entry for the receiving party in response to receiving the communication, the current calendar entry including a calendar entry type, the calendar entry type associated to the calendar entry by a calendaring system;

determining a destination for the communication, the determining responsive to the communication type and to the current calendar entry type; and

transmitting the communication to the destination;

wherein the determining a destination includes;

accessing a storage device containing information about the receiving party, the storage device including calendar entry types and communication types with corresponding target destinations;

looking up the current calendar entry type and the communication type in the storage device; and

assigning the corresponding target destination to the destination.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the instructions further facilitate determining if there is an overriding rule associated with one or more of the receiving party and the sending party, wherein if it is determined that there is an overriding rule associated with the receiving party and the sending party, then the determining a destination for the communication is responsive to the overriding rule.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the instructions further facilitate determining a notification mode associated with the current calendar entry type and the communication type, wherein the transmitting is responsive to the notification mode.