Methods and systems for routing calls
First Claim
1. A method of processing a call from a caller, the method comprising:
- receiving from a telecommunication system at a call processing system a first communication indicating that a first call directed to a first telephonic device address is in progress, wherein the first call is received at the telecommunication system via the Public Switched Telephone Network and the first telephonic device address is associated with a user;
accessing from computer readable memory associated with the call processing system a call routing instruction associated with the first telephonic device address;
based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the second call and the third call are placed at substantially the same time;
causing at least in part the first and second telephonic devices to ring with a first ring type in association with the second call and the third call, respectively;
if the second call and the third call are not timely answered;
terminating the second call and the third call;
causing at least in part the first call to be routed to the call processing system;
causing at least in part a fourth call to be placed to the first telephonic device and a fifth call to be placed to the second telephonic device, wherein the fourth call and the fifth call are placed at substantially the same time;
causing at least in part the first and second telephonic devices to ring with respect to the fourth call and the fifth call,wherein the first and second telephonic devices alert with a distinctive ring as compared to the first ring type associated with the second call and the third call, andwherein the distinctive ring provides an indication to the user that if the user answers the first and/or the second telephonic devices, the call will be in a screening mode of operation;
causing at least in part a message to be played to the caller asking the caller to leave a message;
if the user timely answers the first and/or the second telephonic devices while the caller is listening to the call processing system or leaving a message, causing a one-way talk path between the caller and the user to be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for processing and routing calls are described. A call processing system receives from a telecommunications system a communication indicating that a first call to a user is in progress. A call routing instruction associated with the user is accessed. Based at least in part on the call routing instruction, a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the second call and the third call are placed at substantially the same time or a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the third call is placed if the second call is not timely answered.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method of processing a call from a caller, the method comprising:
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receiving from a telecommunication system at a call processing system a first communication indicating that a first call directed to a first telephonic device address is in progress, wherein the first call is received at the telecommunication system via the Public Switched Telephone Network and the first telephonic device address is associated with a user; accessing from computer readable memory associated with the call processing system a call routing instruction associated with the first telephonic device address; based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the second call and the third call are placed at substantially the same time; causing at least in part the first and second telephonic devices to ring with a first ring type in association with the second call and the third call, respectively; if the second call and the third call are not timely answered; terminating the second call and the third call; causing at least in part the first call to be routed to the call processing system; causing at least in part a fourth call to be placed to the first telephonic device and a fifth call to be placed to the second telephonic device, wherein the fourth call and the fifth call are placed at substantially the same time; causing at least in part the first and second telephonic devices to ring with respect to the fourth call and the fifth call, wherein the first and second telephonic devices alert with a distinctive ring as compared to the first ring type associated with the second call and the third call, and wherein the distinctive ring provides an indication to the user that if the user answers the first and/or the second telephonic devices, the call will be in a screening mode of operation; causing at least in part a message to be played to the caller asking the caller to leave a message; if the user timely answers the first and/or the second telephonic devices while the caller is listening to the call processing system or leaving a message, causing a one-way talk path between the caller and the user to be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of processing a call from a caller, the method comprising:
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receiving over a network at a call processing system a first call directed to a first telephonic device address, wherein the first telephonic device address is associated with a user; accessing from computer readable memory associated with the call processing system a call routing instruction associated with the first telephonic device address; based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part a first connection to a first telephonic device to provide a first incoming call indication; if the first telephonic device is not timely answered, causing at least in part the first call to be routed to the call processing system; causing at least in part a second connection to be initiated to the first telephonic device and a third connection to be initiated to a second telephonic device, wherein the second connection and the third connection are initiated at substantially the same time; and causing, at least in part, one or more incoming call indications to be used with respect to the second connection and the third connection, wherein the one or more incoming call indications are distinctive with respect to the first incoming call indication provided with respect to the first connection, and wherein the one or more distinctive incoming call indications indicate to the user that if the user answers the second telephonic device, the first call will be in a screening mode of operation wherein a one-way talk path between the caller and the user will be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of processing a first call from a caller to a first user phone address, the method comprising:
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receiving from a telecommunication system at a call processing system a first communication indicating that the first call is in progress; accessing from computer readable memory a call routing instruction associated with the user; based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part; a first connection to be initiated to a first telephonic device and a second connection to be initiated to a second telephonic device, wherein the first connection and the second connection are initiated at substantially the same time or a first connection to be initiated to a first telephonic device causing at least in part a first audible call alert of a first type to be played to the user and, if the first connection is not timely answered; causing at least in part a second connection to be initiated to a second telephonic device; and causing at least in part a second audible call alert of a second type to be played to the user indicating that the first call will be in a screening mode of operation if the user answers the second telephonic device, wherein the first audible call alert is of a different type and distinct from the second call alert, and wherein if the user answers the second telephonic device, a one-way talk path between the caller and the user will be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification