Managing voicemail messages based on location of caller's wireless communication device

• US 8,160,551 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hadinata, Martinianus B., Moore, John E., O'Connell, Brian M., Walker, Keith R., Lingafelt, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US12/186,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20100035585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455417-420, 455/432.1, 455/433, 379/88.18, 379/70, 379/88.22, 379/374.02
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party

Abstract

Disclosed are a method, system and computer program product for processing voicemail messages to a user'"'"'s wireless communication device based on a location of a caller'"'"'s wireless communication device. Call answering protocols are assigned for implementation based on the location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device at a time a call is received from the caller'"'"'s device. Call answering protocol entries are received via a wireless communication device. When a call is received, a location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device is detected. Location information regarding the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device is received at a call switching component. The call is processed at the call switching component based on the call answering protocol for handling a caller'"'"'s call received from the location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A system for managing voicemail greetings of a callee'"'"'s wireless communication device based on a location of a caller'"'"'s wireless communication device, said system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable tangible storage device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to assign a call answering protocol for implementation based on a specific location from among one or more pre-specified locations at which the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device can be located;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to receive an entry of one or more call answering protocols via the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to record location-specific voicemail greetings for the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to associate the location-specific voicemail greetings with specific locations;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to, in response to receiving a call from the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device, detect a current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device by receiving location information regarding the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device at a call switching component, wherein the program instructions to detect the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device detect one or more of GPS location, closest tower location, signal triangulation, and known location of a wireless access point detectable by the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to determine whether a caller using the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device is authorized to receive one of the location-specific voicemail greetings by comparing an identifier (ID) of the caller with a list of IDs of authorized callers corresponding to a location of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the caller is authorized determine the ID of the caller through at least one of;

Caller ID, voice pattern recognition, spoken password or passphrase converted via a speech-to-text module, a dialed code, and interacting with a service provider;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to, in response to the current location being one of the specific locations and the caller being authorized to receive one of the location-specific voicemail greetings, present the location-specific voicemail greeting associated with the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device to the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device; and

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to process the call at the call switching component by implementing a call answering protocol that is associated with the current location, wherein the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location establishes a protocol for handling calls received from the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to detect a date and time that the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device entered a location;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to calculate an amount of time that the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device has been at the location;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to automatically insert date and time information into the location-specific voicemail greeting associated with the current location; and

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to present the date and time information with the location-specific voicemail greeting associated with the current location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location re-route a voicemail message left by the caller to a voicemail mailbox other than a voicemail mailbox of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location convert a voicemail message left by the caller to text and send the text to one or more parties.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location transfer a voicemail message left by the caller to more than one phone system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location change a priority of a voicemail message left by the caller to a priority that is higher than a priority of existing voicemail messages in a voicemail mailbox of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device.

7. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable tangible storage device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to store a location-specific voicemail greeting in the wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to detect receipt of a call from a second communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor via a memory, to, in response to the received call not being answered within a pre-specified time period, automatically detect a current location of the second communication device, wherein the program instructions to automatically detect the current location of the second communication device detect one or more of GPS location, closest tower location, signal triangulation, and known location of a wireless access point detectable by the second communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to determine whether the wireless communication device has been stationary for at least a predefined period of time;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to determine whether a caller using the second communication device is authorized to receive the location-specific voicemail greeting by comparing an identifier (ID) of the caller with a list of IDs of authorized callers corresponding to a location of the wireless communication device, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the caller using the second communication device is authorized to receive the location-specific voicemail greeting determine the ID of the caller through at least one of;

Caller ID, voice pattern recognition, spoken password or passphrase converted via a speech-to-text module, a dialed code, and interacting with a service provider;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to play the location-specific voicemail greeting for the second communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to assign a call answering protocol for implementation based on a specific location from among one or more pre-specified locations at which the second communication device can be located;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to receive an entry of one or more call answering protocols;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to record location-specific voicemail greetings for the wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to associate the location-specific voicemail greetings with specific locations; and

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the processor, to process the received call at a call switching component by implementing a call answering protocol associated with the current location, wherein the call switching component establishes a protocol for handling calls that are received from the current location of the second communication device.

8. A method for processing voicemail messages to a callee'"'"'s wireless communication device based on a location of a caller'"'"'s wireless communication device, said method comprising:

a computer assigning a call answering protocol for implementation based on a specific location from among one or more pre-specified locations at which the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device can be located;

the computer receiving an entry of one or more call answering protocols via the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device;

the computer recording location-specific voicemail greetings for the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device;

the computer associating the location-specific voicemail greetings with specific locations;

the computer, in response to receiving a call from the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device, detecting a current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device by receiving location information regarding the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device at a call switching component, wherein the computer detecting the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communications device comprises the computer detecting one or more of GPS location, closest tower location, signal triangulation, and known location of a wireless access point detectable by the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device;

the computer determining whether a caller using the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device is authorized to receive one of the location-specific voicemail greetings by comparing an identifier (ID) of the caller with a list of IDs of authorized callers corresponding to a location of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device, wherein the computer determining whether the caller is authorized comprises the computer determining the ID of the caller through at least one of;

Caller ID, voice pattern recognition, spoken password or passphrase converted via a speech-to-text module, a dialed code, and interacting with a service provider;

the computer, in response to the current location being one of the pre-specified locations and the caller being authorized to receive one of the location-specific voicemail greetings, presenting the location-specific voicemail greeting associated with the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device to the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device; and

the computer processing the call at the call switching component by implementing a call answering protocol that is associated with the current location, wherein the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location establishes a protocol for handling calls that are received from the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the computer processing the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location comprises the computer re-routing a voicemail message left by the caller to a voicemail mailbox other than a voicemail mailbox of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the computer processing the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location comprises the computer converting a voicemail message left by the caller to text and the computer sending the text to one or more parties.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the computer processing the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location comprises the computer transferring a voicemail message left by the caller to more than one phone system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the computer processing the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location comprises the computer changing a priority of a voicemail message left by the caller to a priority that is higher than a priority of existing voicemail messages in a voicemail mailbox of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device.

13. A computer program product for processing voicemail messages to a callee'"'"'s wireless communication device based on a location of a caller'"'"'s wireless communication device, said computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable tangible storage device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to assign a call answering protocol for implementation based on a specific location from among one or more pre-specified locations at which the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device can be located;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to receive an entry of one or more call answering protocols via the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to record location-specific voicemail greetings for the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to associate the location-specific voicemail greetings with specific locations;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to, in response to receiving a call from the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device, detect a current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device by receiving location information regarding the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device at a call switching component, wherein the program instructions to detect the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device detect one or more of GPS location, closest tower location, signal triangulation, and known location of a wireless access point detectable by the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to determine whether a caller using the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device is authorized to receive one of the location-specific voicemail greetings by comparing an identifier (ID) of the caller with a list of IDs of authorized callers corresponding to a location of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the caller is authorized determine the ID of the caller through at least one of;

Caller ID, voice pattern recognition, spoken password or passphrase converted via a speech-to-text module, a dialed code, and interacting with a service provider;

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to, in response to the current location being one of the pre-specified locations and the caller being authorized to receive one of the location-specific voicemail greetings, present the location-specific voicemail greeting associated with the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device to the caller'"'"'s communication device; and

program instructions, stored on the storage device, to process the call at the call switching component by implementing a call answering protocol associated with the current location, wherein the call switching component that is associated with the current location establishes a protocol for handling calls that are received from the current location of the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location re-route a voicemail message left by the caller to a voicemail mailbox other than a voicemail mailbox of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location convert a voicemail message left by the caller to text and send the text to one or more parties.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location transfer a voicemail message left by the caller to more than one phone system.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to process the call at the call switching component by implementing the call answering protocol that is associated with the current location change a priority of a voicemail message left by the caller to a priority that is higher than a priority of existing voicemail messages in a voicemail mailbox of the callee'"'"'s wireless communication device.