Customer controlled hotline

• US 8,335,306 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Piercy, Larry H., Hilyard, Trey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Kharye
• Application Number:
  US11/538,161
• Time in Patent Office: 2,268 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.08, 348/14.13, 348/14.02, 379/45, 379/46, 379/47, 379/211.02, 379/38, 379/39, 379/40, 379/216.01, 379/42, 379/43, 379/44, 379/49, 379/51, 379/211, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 455/417, 455/414, 455/418, 455/433, 455/404.1, 455/406, 455/407, 455/410, 455/419, 455/460, 455/461, 455/459, 455/556
• US Class Current: 379/216.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services

Abstract

A call processing system for handling calls in a communication network operated by a communication carrier comprising and interface and a processing system. The interface is configured to receive a hotline instruction from a customer of the communication carrier to enable a plurality of hotline features for a plurality of devices associated with the customer to route a plurality of calls from the plurality of devices to a plurality of hotline destinations, and receiving a first call request for a first call to a first intended destination from a first device of the plurality of devices. The processing system is configured to process the first call request to determine if a first hotline feature for the first device is enabled, and process the first call request to route the first call to a first hotline destination of the plurality of hotline destinations if the first hotline feature is enabled.

Claims

1. A method of operating a call processing system to handle calls in a communication network operated by a communication carrier, the method comprising:

receiving a hotline instruction from a customer associated with a plurality of hotline destinations to enable a plurality of hotline features for a plurality of devices to route a plurality of calls from the plurality of devices to the plurality of hotline destinations, wherein the hotline instruction enables the plurality of hotline features for a predetermined number of calls and disables the plurality of hotline features after receiving the predetermined number of calls from each of the plurality of devices;

receiving a first call request for a first call to a first intended destination from a first device of the plurality of devices;

processing the first call request to determine if a first hotline feature for the first device is enabled; and

processing the first call request to route the first call to a first hotline destination of the plurality of hotline destinations instead of the first intended destination if the first hotline feature is enabled.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the first call request to route the first call to the first intended destination if the first hotline feature is not enabled.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second call request for a second call to a second intended destination from a second device of the plurality of devices;

processing the second call request to determine if a second hotline feature for the second device is enabled; and

processing the second call request to route the second call to the first hotline destination instead of the second intended destination if the second hotline feature is enabled.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the hotline instruction comprises a single hotline instruction and wherein the single hotline instruction enables the first hotline feature and the second hotline feature.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the hotline instruction indicates a phone number for the first hotline destination.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the hotline instruction enables the plurality of hotline features for a predetermined time of day.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the call processing system comprises a mobile switching center.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device comprises a first mobile phone, and wherein the first hotline destination comprises a second mobile phone.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the hotline instruction is received from the customer over a website interface provided by the communication carrier.

10. A call processing system for handling calls in a communication network operated by a communication carrier, the call processing system comprising:

an interface configured to receive a hotline instruction from a customer associated with a plurality of hotline destinations to enable a plurality of hotline features for a plurality of devices to route a plurality of calls from the plurality of devices to the plurality of hotline destinations, wherein the hotline instruction enables the plurality of hotline features for a predetermined number of calls and disables the plurality of hotline features after receiving the predetermined number of calls from each of the plurality of devices;

the interface configured to receive a first call request for a first call to a first intended destination from a first device of the plurality of devices; and

a processing system configured to process the first call request to determine if a first hotline feature for the first device is enabled, and process the first call request to route the first call to a first hotline destination of the plurality of hotline destinations instead of the first intended destination if the first hotline feature is enabled.

11. The call processing system of claim 10 wherein the processing system is further configured to process the first call request to route the first call to the first intended destination if the first hotline feature is not enabled.

12. The call processing system of claim 10 wherein the interface is further configured to receive a second call request for a second call to a second intended destination from a second device of the plurality of devices, and wherein the processing system is configured to process the second call request to determine if a second hotline feature for the second device is enabled and process the second call request to route the second call to the first hotline destination instead of the second intended destination if the second hotline feature is enabled.

13. The call processing system of claim 12 wherein the hotline instruction comprises a single hotline instruction and wherein the single hotline instruction enables the first hotline feature and the second hotline feature.

14. The call processing system of claim 10 wherein the hotline instruction indicates a phone number for the first hotline destination.

15. The call processing system of claim 10 wherein the hotline instruction enables the plurality of hotline features for a predetermined time of day.

16. The call processing system of claim 10 wherein wherein the call processing system comprises a mobile switching center.

17. The call processing system of claim 10 wherein the first device comprises a first mobile phone, and wherein the first hotline destination comprises a second mobile phone.

18. The call processing system of claim 17 wherein the hotline instruction is received from the customer over a website interface provided by the communication carrier.

19. A communication network operated by a communication carrier, the communication network comprising:

an interface system provided by the communication carrier and configured to receive a hotline instruction from a customer associated with a plurality of hotline destinations to enable a plurality of hotline features for a plurality of devices to route a plurality of calls from the plurality of devices to the plurality of hotline destinations, and transfer the hotline instruction, wherein the hotline instruction enables the plurality of hotline features for a predetermined number of calls and disables the plurality of hotline features after receiving the predetermined number of calls from each of the plurality of devices; and

a call processing system coupled to the interface system and configured to receive the hotline instruction, receiving a first call request for a first call to a first intended destination from a first device of the plurality of devices, process the first call request to determine if a first hotline feature for the first device is enabled, and process the first call request to route the first call to a first hotline destination of the plurality of hotline destinations instead of the first intended destination if the first hotline feature is enabled.