Methods and apparatus for providing expanded telecommunications service

• US 8,351,591 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Robert F., Hofstatter, David Frank, Dolan, Robert A., Kirchhoff, Leland W., Trandal, David S., Kelley, Colin, Brahm, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US12/902,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.11, 379/88.25, 379/93.23, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 379/212.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• 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 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 Call deflection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

The present invention provides flexible call processing. For example, a call processor system can receive an inbound call intended for a called party and place an outbound call to the called party. The call processing system can provide the called party with a call transfer option.

Claims

1. A method of processing calls, the method comprising:

storing in computer readable memory associated with a call processing system a first phone address associated with a first subscriber;

storing in computer readable memory a plurality of phone addresses for the first subscriber;

participating at the call processing system in a first call associated with the first subscriber, the first call associated with a second phone address different than the first phone address;

placing a first outcall from the call processing system to a first called party, wherein the call processing system inserts at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerlD field associated with signaling information associated with the first outcall;

causing the first call and the first outcall to be bridged;

participating at the call processing system in a second call associated with the first subscriber, the second call involving a subscriber communication device associated with a third phone address different than the first phone address;

placing a second outcall from the call processing system to a second called party, wherein the call processing system inserts at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerlD field associated with signaling information associated with the second outcall; and

causing the second call and the second outcall to be bridged.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the signaling information associated with the first outcall is SIP signaling.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first outcall is placed using an Internet Protocol network.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first outcall is placed over a wireless network.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first outcall is placed over a switched circuit telephone network.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising providing the first subscriber with software configured to enable a firewall to be penetrated by a call-related communication.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of phone addresses includes a work phone address, a home phone address, and a mobile phone address.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first phone address is a virtual telephone address that is not assigned by a carrier to the first subscriber.

9. A system comprising:

at least one computer processor; and

a non-transitory memory embodied with a computer program comprising instructions which when executed by the at least one computer processor performs operations comprising;

storing a first phone address associated with a first subscriber;

storing a plurality of phone addresses for the first subscriber;

participating in a first call associated with the first subscriber, the first call associated with a second phone address different than the first phone address;

placing a first outcall to a first called party;

inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the first outcall;

causing the first call and the first outcall to be bridged;

participating in a second call associated with the first subscriber, the second call involving a subscriber communication device associated with a third phone address different than the first phone address;

placing a second outcall to a second called party;

inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the second outcall; and

causing the second call and the second outcall to be bridged.

10. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the signaling information associated with the first outcall is SIP signaling.

11. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the first outcall is placed using an Internet Protocol network.

12. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the first outcall is placed over a wireless network.

13. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the first outcall is placed over a switched circuit telephone network.

14. The system as defined in claim 9, the operations further comprising providing the first subscriber with software configured to enable a firewall to be penetrated by a call-related communication.

15. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the plurality of phone addresses includes a work phone address, a home phone address, and a mobile phone address.

16. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the first phone address is a virtual telephone address that is not assigned by a carrier to the first subscriber.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodied with a computer program comprising instructions when executed perform the steps of:

storing a first phone address associated with a first subscriber;

storing a plurality of phone addresses for the first subscriber;

participating in a first call associated with the first subscriber, the first call associated with a second phone address different than the first phone address;

placing a first outcall to a first called party;

inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the first outcall;

causing the first call and the first outcall to be bridged;

participating in a second call associated with the first subscriber, the second call involving a subscriber communication device associated with a third phone address different than the first phone address;

placing a second outcall to a second called party;

inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the second outcall; and

causing the second call and the second outcall to be bridged.