Active user registry

• US 8,130,751 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkley, David Arthur, Rabiner, Lawrence Richard, Sumner, Eric E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US12/077,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/356, 370/475, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 709/206, 358/1.15, 358/402
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

An Active User Registry system includes a database which is integrated with the POTS network and a packet network to exploit the outstanding strengths of both of its constituents. The Active User Registry database is a dynamic data structure of all the ways in which one or more users can be reached via some type of communication network. A key feature of the Active User Registry is the ability to broker between a subscriber'"'"'s request for communications contact information corresponding to a user and the user'"'"'s preferences of being reached by various communications alternatives.

Claims

1. A method for use by a system that stores for a user in association with at least one communications option, one or more preferences that are all to be met by a communication that uses the associated option in order for the system to transmit the communication to the user, the method comprising

receiving a request from a subscriber for a communications address to which communications using a first communications option specified by the subscriber can be transmitted to the user, and

if said first specified communications option does not meet all or any of said preferences for said specified communications option, identifying at least one communications address to which communications can be sent using a second communications option for which any of said preferences for that second communications option are all met while not providing the requested communications address to the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one communications option is one of landline telephony, cellular telephony, video telephony, voice messaging, e-mail, video mail, facsimile, beeper, and real-time IP.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the identified communications address to the subscriber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second communications option is a non-text-based communications option and the message is accepted from the subscriber in text form and converted to non-text form.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising

providing the requested communications address to the subscriber if said first specified communications option does meet all of said preferences for that communications option.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising

prompting the subscriber to provide one of a) a message that is be transmitted to the user using the first communications option, and b) information identifying a location of such a message,

said identified communications address not being provided to the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said first and second communications options is a voice communications option and the other is a text communications option.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said preferences is established by the system learning how the user reacts to communications from different subscribers.

9. The method of 2 further comprising

prompting the subscriber to provide one of a) a message that is be transmitted to the user using the second communications option, and b) information identifying a location of such a message, and

initiating transmission of the message to the user, while not providing the identified communications address to the subscriber.

10. The method of 2 wherein said second communications option is a text-based communications option and the message is accepted from the subscriber in non-text form and converted to text form.

11. The method of 2 wherein said second communications option is selected based on its having at least one communications property in common with the first communications option.

12. The method of 2 wherein at least one of said preferences is changed by the system automatically.

13. A method for use by a system that stores for a user in association with at least one communications option, one or more preferences that are all to be met by a communication that uses that option in order for the system to transmit the communication to the user, the method comprising

receiving a first communication from a subscriber, said first communication using a first communications option which is not a communications option for which all stored preferences are met, and

transmitting to a communications address associated with the user at least a portion of the information content of said first communication, said information content being transmitted in a second communication using a second communications option, said second communication being a communication for which any preferences stored by the system for said second communications option are all met.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein one of said first and second communications is a voice communication and the other is a text communication.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of said preferences is changed by the system automatically.

14. The method of 13 wherein said at least one communications option is one of landline telephony, cellular telephony, video telephony, voice messaging, e-mail, video mail, facsimile, beeper, and real-time IP.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said second communications option is selected based on its having at least one communications property in common with the first communications option.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of said preferences is established by the system learning how the user reacts to communications from different subscribers.

19. A method for use by a system that stores for a user in association with at least one communications option, one or more preferences that are all to be met by a communication that uses that option in order for the system to transmit the communication to the user, the method comprising

receiving a request from a subscriber for a communications address to which communications using a communications option specified by the subscriber can be transmitted to the user, and

if said specified communications option meets all of any said preferences for said specific communications option, prompting the subscriber for one of a) a message that is be transmitted to the user using the first communications option, and b) information identifying a location of such a message, and

initiating transmission of the message to the user, while not providing the requested communications address to the subscriber.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one communications option is one of landline telephony, cellular telephony, video telephony, voice messaging, e-mail, video mail, facsimile, beeper, and real-time IP.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of said preferences is changed by the system automatically.

22. The method of 19 further comprising

if said specified communications option does not meet all of any preferences stored for said specified communications option, identifying at least one communications address to which communications for the user can be transmitted using a second communications option for which any said preferences are all met.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising providing the identified communications address to the subscriber.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising

prompting the subscriber to provide one of a) a message that is be transmitted to the user using the second communications option, and b) information identifying a location of such a message,

said identified communications address not being provided to the subscriber.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said second communications option is a non-text-based communications option, wherein the message is accepted from the subscriber in text form, and wherein the method further comprises converting the message from text form to non-text-form.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein said second communications option is a text-based communications option, wherein the message is accepted from the subscriber in non-text form, and wherein the method further comprises converting the message from non-text form to text-form.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein one of said first and second communications options is a voice communications option and the other is a text communications option.

27. The method of 22 wherein said second communications option is selected based on its having at least one communications property in common with the first communications option.

29. The method of 20 wherein at least one of said preferences is established by the system learning how the user reacts to communications from different subscribers.