Method and apparatus for processing voice calls

• US 8,184,782 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Best Buy Health Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Healthsense, Inc. (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Vatland, Danny James, Anderson, Dean S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US10/666,537
• Time in Patent Office: 3,170 Days
• Field of Search: 379/68, 379/70, 379/88.13, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for processing voice calls. One exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a call recording method for allowing a subscriber to selectively record a call made to the subscriber from callers. The method includes receiving a call at an enhanced service platform from a caller using a telephone number associated with the subscriber. Included is accessing a database associated with the subscriber to determine recording preference and call destination preference. Also included is routing the call based on the call destination preference wherein the enhanced service platform records call voice content in the subscriber data storage area.

Claims

1. A call recording method for allowing a subscriber to selectively record calls made to the subscriber from callers, the method comprising:

receiving a call at an enhanced service platform from a caller using a telephone number associated with the subscriber;

announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in on the telephone number associated with the subscriber;

accessing a database associated with the subscriber to determine recording preference and call destination preference, wherein the database further includes a recording delivery preference for specifying a delivery target for the recorded call and the recording delivery preference is one of delivery by email, storage for access by telephone, or storage for access through a web browser;

routing the call based on the call destination preference; and

recording, with the enhanced service platform, call voice content between the subscriber and the caller in a subscriber data storage area of the database based on the subscriber recording preference stored in the database, wherein the recording is responsive to the announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in.

2. The method for call recording of claim 1 wherein the telephone number associated with the subscriber is one of a plurality of telephone numbers associated with the subscriber.

3. The method for call recording of claim 1 wherein the recording preference is based on one of the telephone numbers dialed, the subscriber identity and caller input to the enhanced service platform.

4. The method for call recording of claim 1 wherein prior to receiving a call the step of configuring a recording preference and a delivery preference that is associated with the subscriber.

5. The method for call recording of claim 1 wherein the call destination preference is a plurality of call destinations specified by one of the telephone numbers dialed, the subscriber identity, time of call and caller input to the enhanced service platform.

6. The method for call recording of claim 1 wherein the enhanced service platform has a plurality of subscribers associated therewith and wherein each subscriber has a recording preference and a call destination preference stored in the database.

7. The method for call recording of claim 1 wherein the call is answered by the enhanced service station and wherein the caller makes a selection from a plurality of choices and whereby the selection is associated with the subscriber.

8. A call recording method for allowing a subscriber to selectively record calls made to the selected subscriber from callers, the method comprising:

receiving a call at an enhanced service platform from a caller using a telephone number associated with the subscriber;

announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in on the telephone number associated with the subscriber;

accessing a database associated with the subscriber to determine recording preference and call destination preference, wherein the database further includes a recording delivery preference for specifying a delivery target for the recorded call and the recording delivery preference is one of delivery by email, storage for access by telephone, or storage for access through a web browser;

routing the call based on the call destination preference;

recording, with the enhanced service platform, call voice content between the subscriber and the caller in a subscriber data storage area of the database based on the subscriber recording preference stored in the database, wherein the recording is responsive to the announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in; and

delivering the recorded call voice content to a data storage area.

9. The call recording method of claim 8 wherein the destination preference is a plurality of destinations each selected by the subscriber and wherein the destination of the call is a destination selected from the plurality of destinations based on input from the caller.

10. A call recording method for allowing a subscriber to selectively record calls made to the subscriber from callers, the method comprising:

receiving a call at an enhanced service platform from a caller using a telephone number associated with the subscriber;

selecting the subscriber from the plurality of subscribers based on caller input;

announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in on the telephone number associated with the subscriber;

accessing a database associated with the subscriber to determine recording preference and call destination preference, wherein the database further includes a recording delivery preference for specifying a delivery target for the recorded call and the recording delivery preference is one of delivery by email, storage for access by telephone, or storage for access through a web browser;

routing the call based on the call destination preference;

recording, with the enhanced service platform, call voice content between the subscriber and the caller in a subscriber data storage area of the database based on the subscriber recording preference stored in the database, wherein recording is responsive to the announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in; and

delivering the recorded call voice content based on the call delivery preference.

11. A call recording method for allowing a subscriber to selectively record calls made to the subscriber from callers, the method comprising:

receiving a call at an enhanced service platform from a caller using a telephone number associated with the subscriber, wherein the telephone number is a selected telephone number of a plurality of telephone numbers;

announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in on the selected telephone number associated with the subscriber;

accessing a database associated with the subscriber to determine recording preference and call destination preference, wherein the database further includes a recording delivery preference for specifying a delivery target for the recorded call and the recording delivery preference is one of delivery by email, storage for access by telephone, or storage for access through a web browser;

routing the call based on the call destination preference;

recording, with the enhanced service platform, call voice content between the subscriber and the caller in a subscriber data storage are of the database based on the subscriber recording preference stored in the database, wherein recording is responsive to the announcing to the subscriber that the call is coming in; and

delivering the recorded call voice content based on the call delivery preference.