System and method for electronic message notification

• US 8,320,528 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diroo, Yolius, Walter, Edward, McLaughlin, Paul R., White, Russell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARIFZADEH, IBRAHAM KALEL
• Application Number:
  US11/115,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20050277406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 37921101-21102, 379 3201- 35
• US Class Current: 379/32.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for facilitating enhanced call awareness. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include an interface that receives a signal associated with a call to a telephone number. A call information engine may be coupled to the interface and may recognize that a party to the call subscribes to an enhanced call activity service. In some cases, the party may be a called party or a calling party, and the activity may include an incoming call to the telephone number, an outgoing call, a missed call, or a waiting voicemail message. A memory may maintain a data network address for the party, and a messaging engine may initiate sending of a message containing call information to the data network address. The message may be sent in response to a trigger signal output by a notification engine without consideration for whether or not a telephone line associated with the telephone number is busy.

Claims

1. A call information system, comprising:

an interface to receive a signal, wherein the signal is associated with a call from a first communication device to a second communication device;

a call information engine to determine that the first communication device is associated with a subscriber of a call activity information service;

a call suspension mechanism to suspend the call; and

a call disposition engine to;

send a call disposition query associated with the suspended call to a stored data network address of the subscriber, wherein the stored data network address is associated with a third communication device associated with the subscriber and wherein the call disposition query comprises an electronic mail message; and

receive a call disposition command from the third communication device associated with the subscriber, wherein the call disposition command indicates a call disposition for the suspended call.

2. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the third communication device is a telephone.

3. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the third communication device is a network-connected computing device.

4. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the call comprises an outgoing international call.

5. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the call comprises a toll service call.

6. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the call information engine further determines that the call comprises a call to an emergency services system that originated from a particular telephone number.

7. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the third communication device is coupled to a wireless keyboard operable to compose electronic mail messages, instant messages, short message service messages, enhanced messaging serviced messages, multi-media messaging service messages, or any combination thereof.

8. The call information system of claim 1, wherein the third communication device is a set-top box.

9. The call information system of claim 8, wherein the set-top box is configured to:

generate an interface that includes the call disposition query at least partially overlaid on a video stream,

send the interface to a display device,

generate a second interface that includes a received instant message, a short message service message, a multi-media messaging service message, or any combination thereof at least partially overlaid on the video stream,

send the second interface to the display device, and

provide wireless Internet connectivity to the display device via a wireless local area network hub internal to the set-top box.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a network communication device, an electronic message sent from an address associated with a subscriber of a communication system, wherein the electronic message includes a subscriber identifier including an address of a first device to which the electronic message is addressed;

suspending the electronic message at the network communication device;

communicating an activity message associated with the suspended electronic message from the network communication device to a messaging address of a second device associated with the subscriber to notify the subscriber of the suspended electronic message to the first device, wherein the second device comprises a cellular telephone and wherein the second device produces a ring associated with the activity message; and

receiving a disposition command at the network communication device from the second device associated with the subscriber in response to the activity message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic message is an instant messaging message.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the activity message includes a disposition query to be presented to the subscriber at the second device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the activity message includes a graphical user interface element to present information about the electronic message and to prompt the subscriber for a disposition request.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising routing the electronic message to the first device in response to the disposition command.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising routing the electronic message to a voicemail mailbox in response to the disposition command.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic message is a telephone call.

18. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium, comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, at a network communication device, a call from a first communication device to a second communication device;

determine that the first communication device is associated with a subscriber to a call activity information service;

suspend the call at the network communication device;

send a call disposition query to a stored data network address of the subscriber, wherein the stored data network address is associated with a third communication device associated with the subscriber;

when a call disposition command is received from the third communication device in response to the call disposition query within a particular period of time, enact the call disposition command; and

when the call disposition command is not received in response to the call disposition query within the particular period of time, send the call to the second communication device.

19. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 18, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether the call is a particular type of call, wherein the call disposition query is sent when the call is the particular type of call.

20. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 19, wherein the particular type of call is at least one of an international call, a toll service call, and a call to an emergency services system.

21. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 18, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send the call to a different destination than the second communication device.