Predictive communication routing scheme using instant messaging preferences and/or settings for routing packet traffic for voice, video and other multimedia communications
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, at an instant message IM server, a voice call for a telephone number from a PSTN telecommunications device;
determining, via the IM server, routing preferences for the telephone number, the routing preferences indicating if the voice call should be routed to one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number based upon a status of the one or more IM usernames;
determining, via the IM server, if any of the one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number that satisfy the routing preferences are on-line;
causing, via the IM server for each of the one or more IM usernames that are online and satisfy the routing preferences, an IM client on a user device associated with the respective IM username to ring the respective on-line IM username for the voice call;
routing, via the IM server, the voice call to one of the IM clients that answers the ring for the voice call;
determining, via the IM server, if the IM client answers the call using an IM username; and
causing, via the IM server, a change of the status of the IM username associated with the IM client that answered the ringing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for using instant messaging preferences and settings are used for predictive communications, including routing of data traffic, are provided. A voice call can be routed over a packet-based network if a voice network is not available, or for other reasons. In addition to voice calls, embodiments of the invention can route video calls, multimedia communications and other communications. In some implementations, an instant message presence can be queried for in determining how to route a voice-over-IP or PSTN telephone call. Thus, a call might be routed to a computer or computing device unrelated to the location of the PSTN telephone line being called, if an associated instant messenger presence is detected on that computer or computing device.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, at an instant message IM server, a voice call for a telephone number from a PSTN telecommunications device; determining, via the IM server, routing preferences for the telephone number, the routing preferences indicating if the voice call should be routed to one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number based upon a status of the one or more IM usernames; determining, via the IM server, if any of the one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number that satisfy the routing preferences are on-line; causing, via the IM server for each of the one or more IM usernames that are online and satisfy the routing preferences, an IM client on a user device associated with the respective IM username to ring the respective on-line IM username for the voice call; routing, via the IM server, the voice call to one of the IM clients that answers the ring for the voice call; determining, via the IM server, if the IM client answers the call using an IM username; and causing, via the IM server, a change of the status of the IM username associated with the IM client that answered the ringing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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receiving a voice call for a telephone number; determining routing preferences for the telephone number, the routing preferences indicating if the voice call should be routed to one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number based upon a status of the one or more IM usemames; if the preferences indicate the voice call should be routed to the one or more IM usemames, routing the voice call for the telephone number to an IM server, wherein the IM server is configured to determine if any of the one or more IM usemames associated with the telephone number are on-line and satisfy the routing preferences and if so, causing, for each of the IM usernames that are online, an IM client on a user device associated with the respective IM username to ring the on-line IM username for the voice call, and wherein the IM server is further configured to route the voice call to one of the IM clients that answers the ring for the voice calls; determining if the IM client answers the call using an IM username; and causing a change of the status of the IM username associated with the IM client that answered the ringing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a telecommunications device configured to receive a PSTN voice call; and an IM server comprising logic configured to; determine routing preferences for a telephone number, the routing preferences indicating if the voice call should be routed to one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number based upon a status of the one or more IM usernames; determine if any of the one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number are on-line and satisfy the routing preferences; cause, for each of the one or more IM usernames that are online and satisfy the routing preferences, an IM client on a user device associated with the respective IM username to ring the respective on-line IM username for the voice call; route the voice call to one of the IM clients that answers the ring for the voice call; determine if the IM client answers the call using an IM username; and cause a change of the status of the IM username associated with the IM client that answered the ringing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Computer readable storage medium tangibly comprising program code for routing voice calls for a telephone number using an instant message (IM) server, the program code for:
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receiving a voice call for the telephone number from a PSTN telecommunications device; determining routing preferences for the telephone number, the routing preferences indicating if the voice call should be routed to one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number based upon a status of the one or more IM usernames; determining if any of the one or more IM usernames associated with the telephone number are on-line; causing, for each of the one or more IM usernames that are online, an IM client on a user device associated with the respective IM username to ring the respective on-line IM username for the voice call; routing the voice call to one of the IM clients that answers the ring for the voice call; determining if the IM client answers the call using an IM username; and causing a change of the status of the IM username associated with the IM client that answered the ringing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification