System and method for associating due dates with messages

• US 8,077,842 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Labhesh, Lee, Johnny H., Jabbour, Fadi R., Lee, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US11/137,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,393 Days
• Field of Search: 37920101-20703, 379/209.01, 37921001-21003, 379/211.01, 379 671- 8828, 379/142.06, 379/142.08, 379/214.01, 37920801-21501, 37926501-2661, 370259-271, 370351-356, 4554121-417, 709201-203, 709226-229, 704/270, 704/270.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Abstract

A method for providing communication service includes determining that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call and determining a due date associated with the call. The method also includes communicating the due date to the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication service, comprising:

determining that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call;

determining a priority level associated with the call, the priority level associated with the call determined irrespective of any due date associated with the call;

after determining the priority level associated with the call, determining the due date associated with the call based on the priority level associated with the call, the due date indicating a deadline before which the intended recipient is to respond to the call; and

communicating the due date to the intended recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a caller of the call to provide the priority level associated with the call; and

receiving the priority level from the caller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

receiving a caller identifier that identifies a caller of the call; and

determining the due date based on the caller identifier and the priority level associated with the call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises:

receiving a device identifier that identifies a device used by a caller to place the call; and

determining the due date based on at least a portion of the device identifier and the priority level associated with the call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the due date comprises determining the due date based on a destination device associated with the call and the priority level associated with the call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the due date has expired; and

in response to determining that the due date has expired, forwarding to another recipient a recorded voicemail message associated with the call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically scheduling a task for the intended recipient based on the due date.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the due date to the intended recipient comprises communicating the due date to the intended recipient without communicating the entire contents of a message associated with the unanswered call to the intended participant.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the due date associated with the call comprises a due date for responding to call.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the due date associated with the call comprises a due date for performing a task associated with the call.

8. A device for providing communication service comprising:

a memory operable to store processor instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to;

determine that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call;

determine a priority level associated with the call, the priority level associated with the call determined irrespective of any due date associated with the call;

after determining the priority level associated with the call, determine the due date associated with the call based on the priority level associated with the call, the due date indicating a deadline before which the intended recipient is to respond to the call; and

communicate the due date to the intended recipient.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to:

prompt a caller of the call to provide the priority level associated with the call; and

receive the priority level from the caller.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving a caller identifier that identifies a caller of the call; and

determining the due date based on the caller identifier and the priority level associated with the call.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving a device identifier that identifies a device used by a caller to place the call; and

determining the due date based on at least a portion of the device identifier and the priority level associated with the call.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is operable to determine the due date by determining the due date based on a destination device associated with the call and the priority level associated with the call.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine that the due date has expired; and

forward a recorded voicemail message associated with the call to another recipient, in response to determining that the due date has expired.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein processor is further operable to automatically schedule a task for the intended recipient based on the due date.

15. A system for providing communication service comprising:

a first communication device operable to initiate a call to a second communication device;

the second communication device;

a call manager operable to forward the call to a messaging server if a recipient associated with the second communication device does not answer the call;

a messaging server operable to;

determine that the call was not answered by the recipient associated with the second communication device;

determine a priority level associated with the call, the priority level associated with the call determined irrespective of any due date associated with the call;

after determining the priority level associated with the call, determine the due date associated with the call based on the priority level associated with the call, the due date indicating a deadline before which the intended recipient is to respond to the call; and

communicate the due date to the intended recipient; and

a scheduling device operable to communicate the due date to the intended recipient.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging server is further operable to:

prompt a caller of the call to provide the priority level associated with the call; and

receive the priority level from the caller.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date associated with the call by:

receiving a caller identifier that identifies a caller of the call; and

determining the due date based on the caller identifier and the priority level associated with the call.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date based on a destination device associated with the call and the priority level associated with the call.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging server is operable to determine the due date by:

receiving a device identifier that identifies a device used by a caller to place the call; and

determining the due date based on at least a portion of the device identifier and the priority level associated with the call.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging server is further operable to:

determine that the due date has expired; and

forward a recorded voicemail message associated with the call to another recipient, in response to determining that the due date has expired.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging server is further operable to automatically schedule a task for the intended recipient based on the due date.

22. A system for providing communication service comprising:

means for determining that a call was not answered by an intended recipient of the call;

means for determining a priority level associated with the call, the priority level associated with the call determined irrespective of any due date associated with the call;

means for, after determining the priority level associated with the call, determining the due date associated with the call based on the priority level associated with the call, the due date indicating a deadline before which the intended recipient is to respond to the call; and

means for communicating the due date to the intended recipient.