Displaying business directory information on a mobile handset

• US 8,335,495 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Haleem, Ambreen, Wick, Ryan A., Reeves, Raymond E., Smith, Nathan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trandai, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/412,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 4554141-4144, 455/41, 455/406, 455/416, 455/422.1, 455/456, 4554561-4563, 455/461, 455/466, 455/550, 455/557, 455/564, 4555691-5692, 455/575.1, 455/575.9, 379/142.13, 379/67.1, 379/142.15, 379/201.03, 379/221.02, 379/265.01, 379/265.09, 379/265.12, 379/266.04, 379/266.07, 379/88.13, 379/900, 379/93.12
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

The graphical display capability and the digital data communication capability of wireless mobile handsets are used to present a customized directory of a called enterprise on the display screen of the mobile handset to allow the caller to identify their desired call destination by name. A directory database stores directory information for each call destination of the enterprise. An incoming call to an enterprise IVR unit causes a directory manager to generate a request for user data which is forwarded to the mobile handset via a gateway. The mobile handset opens a data connection and forwards the user data to the directory manager. The directory manager evaluates at least one access rule in response to the user data to select relevant directory information from the directory database, and the directory manager forwards the relevant directory information to the mobile handset for display. Then the user of the mobile handset selects a call destination based on the displayed directory information.

Claims

1. A system for displaying directory information on a mobile handset of a user, comprising:

a carrier network for carrying telecommunication calls to and from the mobile handset;

an enterprise unit coupled to the carrier network and serving an enterprise having a plurality of call destinations;

a directory database storing directory information for each call destination including a respective destination identifier and a respective access rule; and

a directory manager coupled to the directory database and the enterprise unit, wherein the directory manager generates a request for user data in response to a call from the mobile handset to the enterprise unit;

wherein the carrier network includes a push proxy gateway for forwarding the request from the directory manager to the mobile handset;

wherein the mobile handset forwards the user data to the directory manager;

wherein the directory manager evaluates at least one access rule in response to the user data to select relevant directory information from the directory database;

wherein the directory manager forwards the relevant directory information to the mobile handset for display via the push proxy gateway as a packet-based message; and

wherein the mobile handset selects a call destination based on the displayed directory information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the enterprise unit comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) unit, and wherein the call destinations are comprised of phone extensions of an enterprise.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the IVR redirects the call from the mobile handset to the selected call destination.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the directory manager provides call set-up information to the mobile handset corresponding to the selected call destination, and wherein the mobile handset ends the call to the enterprise unit and initiates a new call based on the set-up information.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the call destinations are comprised of phone extensions of an enterprise, and wherein the destination identifiers for the call destinations include names of respective individuals of the enterprise.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the call destinations are comprised of phone extensions of an enterprise, and wherein the destination identifiers for the call destinations include names of respective functional areas of the enterprise.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user data includes a location identifier, and wherein the respective access rules include at least one access rule comparing the location identifier with a predetermined location.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the user data includes a person identifier, and wherein the respective access rules include at least one access rule comparing the person identifier with a list of predetermined identifiers.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the user data is forwarded from the mobile handset to the directory manager via the push proxy gateway.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the user data is forwarded from the mobile handset to the directory manager via a packet-based message.

11. A method of providing directory information for display on a mobile handset coupled to a carrier network, the method comprising the steps of:

a user placing a call from the mobile handset via the carrier network to an enterprise unit, wherein the enterprise unit serves an enterprise having a plurality of call destinations;

the enterprise unit notifying a directory manager of the call;

the directory manager initiating a data connection with the mobile handset via a push proxy gateway whereby the directory manager requests caller data from the mobile handset;

the mobile handset returning the caller data to the directory manager;

the directory manager querying a directory database using at least a portion of the caller data, wherein the directory database stores directory information for each call destination including a respective destination identifier and a respective access rule, and wherein the query includes comparing the caller data to at least one access rule contained in the directory database to select relevant directory information relating to the call destinations;

forwarding the relevant directory information to the mobile handset via the push proxy gateway as a packet-based message;

displaying the relevant directory information to the user of the mobile handset; and

the user selecting a call destination in response to the relevant directory information being displayed.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of redirecting the call to the selected call destination.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the relevant directory information includes a destination address for the selected call destination, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

terminating the call to the enterprise unit; and

initiating a new call from the mobile handset to the selected call destination using the respective destination address.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the call destinations are comprised of phone extensions of an enterprise, and wherein at least some destination identifiers include names of respective individuals of the enterprise.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the call destinations are comprised of phone extensions of an enterprise, and wherein at least some destination identifiers include names of respective functional areas of the enterprise.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the user data includes a location identifier, and wherein the access rules include at least one access rule for comparing the location identifier with a predetermined location.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the user data includes a person identifier, and wherein the respective access rules include at least one access rule comparing the person identifier with a list of predetermined identifiers.

18. A mobile handset operative with a carrier network for displaying directory information of a called enterprise, wherein the called enterprise has an enterprise unit coupled to the carrier network and serving a plurality of call destinations within the enterprise, a directory database storing directory information for each call destination including a respective access rule, and a directory manager coupled to the directory database and the enterprise unit, wherein the directory manager generates a request for user data in response to a call from the mobile handset to the enterprise unit and forwards the request to the mobile handset via a push proxy gateway, the mobile handset comprising:

a display for displaying the directory information to a user;

a client application responsive to a data connection initiated from the carrier network to the mobile handset containing the request for user data by sending predetermined user data to the directory manager, the client application further responsive to relevant directory information received from the directory manager as a packet-based message via the push proxy gateway for presenting the relevant directory information on the display; and

a manual input element for being manually actuated by the user to select a call destination identified in the relevant directory information being displayed.

19. The mobile handset of claim 18 wherein the client application responds to selection of the call destination by sending a request for a redirection of the call with the enterprise unit.

20. The mobile handset of claim 18 wherein the client application responds to selection of the call destination by terminating the call with the enterprise unit and initiating a new call based on the relevant directory information.

21. The mobile handset of claim 18 wherein the relevant directory information is deleted from the client application after the selection.