Methods and systems for providing telephony services to fixed and mobile telephonic devices
First Claim
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1. A method of processing calls, the method comprising:
- receiving over a network at a call processing system a first call from a calling party directed to a called party'"'"'s phone address, wherein signaling information associated with the first call includes the calling party'"'"'s phone address;
originating a second call from the call processing system to a telephonic device associated with the called party, wherein the telephonic device is coupled to a broadband data connection;
transmitting, while the first call is in progress, a call alert notification regarding the first call, including at least a portion of the signaling information, to a networked computer associated with the called party via a communication channel;
bridging the first call with the second call and the communication channel associated with the networked computer;
providing a greeting to the calling party via the call processing system;
receiving a voice communication from the calling party at the processing system;
streaming at least a first portion of the voice communication via the call processing system in substantially real time to the telephonic device and/or the networked computer while ensuring that sound does not travel back to the calling party from the telephonic device or networked computer associated with the called party to thereby allow the called party to screen the caller call from the telephonic device or networked computer while the calling party is unaware that the call screening is being performed;
providing a first user interface via the telephonic device or networked computer that when a first input is provided by the called party, causes duplex communication to be provided to the telephonic device or networked computer so that the called party can converse with the calling party, wherein the first user interface is provided during the first call enabling the called party to indicate, during that first call, that the duplex communication is to be provided to the telephonic device or networked computer;
determining a current physical location of the called party based at least in part on GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location information and/or latitude and longitudinal information indicating the called party'"'"'s current geographic location;
identifying an alternate telephonic device and/or an alternate networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party based at least in part on the determined physical location of the called party and a record of phone address destinations associated with the called party; and
providing, during the first call, a second user interface via the telephonic device or networked computer, the second user interface enabling the called party to indicate that the first call is to be transferred to a device different than the telephonic device or the networked computer, andat least partly in response to receiving an indication from the called party during the first call via the second user interface that the called party wants the first call to be transferred, providing, during the first call, a third user interface enabling the called party to select a call transfer destination from a set of destinations, andat least partly in response to receiving a selection by the called party of a destination from the set of destinations within a first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, transferring the first call to the destination selected by the called party, andif the called party does not select the call transfer destination during the first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, causingat least in part a third call to be originated during the first call to the identified alternate telephonic device and/or the identified alternate networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party.
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications and in particular to systems and methods for routing telephone calls. A first address, such as a first phone number, can be associated with a telephonic terminal, such as a fixed or mobile phone. Incoming calls to the first address can be routed using an Internet Protocol, such as SIP, or other protocol to the telephonic terminal or to other destinations based on telephonic terminal status and/or based on a user instruction.
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Citations
103 Claims
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1. A method of processing calls, the method comprising:
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receiving over a network at a call processing system a first call from a calling party directed to a called party'"'"'s phone address, wherein signaling information associated with the first call includes the calling party'"'"'s phone address; originating a second call from the call processing system to a telephonic device associated with the called party, wherein the telephonic device is coupled to a broadband data connection; transmitting, while the first call is in progress, a call alert notification regarding the first call, including at least a portion of the signaling information, to a networked computer associated with the called party via a communication channel; bridging the first call with the second call and the communication channel associated with the networked computer; providing a greeting to the calling party via the call processing system; receiving a voice communication from the calling party at the processing system; streaming at least a first portion of the voice communication via the call processing system in substantially real time to the telephonic device and/or the networked computer while ensuring that sound does not travel back to the calling party from the telephonic device or networked computer associated with the called party to thereby allow the called party to screen the caller call from the telephonic device or networked computer while the calling party is unaware that the call screening is being performed; providing a first user interface via the telephonic device or networked computer that when a first input is provided by the called party, causes duplex communication to be provided to the telephonic device or networked computer so that the called party can converse with the calling party, wherein the first user interface is provided during the first call enabling the called party to indicate, during that first call, that the duplex communication is to be provided to the telephonic device or networked computer; determining a current physical location of the called party based at least in part on GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location information and/or latitude and longitudinal information indicating the called party'"'"'s current geographic location; identifying an alternate telephonic device and/or an alternate networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party based at least in part on the determined physical location of the called party and a record of phone address destinations associated with the called party; and providing, during the first call, a second user interface via the telephonic device or networked computer, the second user interface enabling the called party to indicate that the first call is to be transferred to a device different than the telephonic device or the networked computer, and at least partly in response to receiving an indication from the called party during the first call via the second user interface that the called party wants the first call to be transferred, providing, during the first call, a third user interface enabling the called party to select a call transfer destination from a set of destinations, and at least partly in response to receiving a selection by the called party of a destination from the set of destinations within a first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, transferring the first call to the destination selected by the called party, and if the called party does not select the call transfer destination during the first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, causing at least in part a third call to be originated during the first call to the identified alternate telephonic device and/or the identified alternate networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 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)
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51. A method of processing calls, the method comprising:
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receiving over a network at a call processing system a first call from a caller directed to a first phone address of a called party, wherein signaling information associated with the first call includes a phone address of the caller; originating a second call to a first telephonic destination coupled to a data network and associated with the called party, wherein signaling information associated with the second call includes an identifier associated with the caller; providing a first user interface via a first telephonic device associated with the first telephonic destination; enabling the called party to screen the caller via the first telephonic destination prior to receiving a first input by the called party via the first user interface, the first input causing at least in part full duplex communication between the caller and the called party; determining a current physical location of the called party based at least in part on GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location information and/or latitude and longitudinal information indicating the called party'"'"'s current geographic location; identifying a second telephonic device and/or a networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party based at least in part on the determined physical location of the called party and a record of phone address destinations associated with the called party; and providing, during the first call, a second user interface via the first telephonic destination, the second user interface enabling the called party to indicate that the first call is to be transferred to a device different than the first telephonic device, and at least partly in response to receiving an indication from the called party during the first call via the second user interface indicating that the called party wants the first call to be transferred, providing, during the first call, a third user interface enabling the called party to select a call transfer destination from a set of destinations, and at least partly in response to receiving a selection by the called party of a destination from the set of destinations within a first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, transferring the first call to the destination selected by the called party, and if the called party does not select the call transfer destination during the first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, using an Internet protocol, at least in part, to cause the caller and the identified second telephonic device and/or the networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party to be connected with full duplex communication. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A method of processing calls, the method comprising:
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receiving over a network at a call processing system a first call from a caller directed to a called party; providing a greeting to the caller via the call processing system; receiving a voice communication from the caller at the processing system; streaming at least a first portion of the voice communication via the call processing system in substantially real time to a first telephonic device having a broadband connection and associated with the called party while ensuring that sound does not travel back to the caller from the first telephonic device to thereby allow the called party to screen the call from the first telephonic device while the caller is unaware that their call is being screened; determining a current physical location of the called party based at least in part on GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location information and/or latitude and longitudinal information indicating the called party'"'"'s current geographic location; identifying a second telephonic device and/or a networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party based at least in part on the determined physical location of the called party and a record of phone address destinations associated with the called party; and providing, during the first call, a first user interface via the first telephonic device, wherein if the called party provides a first user interface input, the first input is then received at the call processing system using an Internet protocol and indicates that the called party wants to transfer the first call to a device other than the first telephonic device, and at least partly in response to receiving an indication from the called party during the first call via the first user interface that the called party wants the first call to be transferred, providing, during the first call, a second user interface enabling the called party to select a call transfer destination from a set of destinations, and at least partly in response to receiving a selection by the called party of a destination from the set of destinations during a first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, transferring the first call to the destination selected by the called party, and if the called party does not select the call transfer destination from the set of destinations during the first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, causing, at least in part, full duplex communication between the caller and the identified second telephonic device or the networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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101. A system, comprising:
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at least one computing device; program instructions stored in non-transitory memory, that when executed by the at least one computing device, are configured to cause the at system to perform operations comprising; receiving over a network a first call from a caller directed to a first phone address of a called party, wherein signaling information associated with the first call includes a phone address of the caller; originating a second call from the call processing system to a first telephonic destination coupled to a data network and associated with the called party, wherein signaling information associated with the second call includes an identifier associated with the caller; providing a first user interface via a first telephonic device associated with the first telephonic destination; enabling the called party to screen the caller via the first telephonic destination prior to receiving a first input by the called party via the first user interface, the first input causing at least in part full duplex communication between the caller and the called party; determining a current physical location of the called party based at least in part on; GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location information, and/or latitude and longitudinal information indicating the called party'"'"'s current geographic location; identifying a second telephonic device and/or a networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party based at least in part on the determined physical location of the called party and a record of phone address destinations associated with the called party; and providing, during the first call, a second user interface via the first telephonic device, the second user interface enabling the called party to indicate that the first call is to be transferred to a device different than the first telephonic device, and at least partly in response to receiving an indication from the called party during the first call via the second user interface indicating that the called party wants the first call to be transferred, providing, during the first call, a third user interface enabling the called party to select a call transfer destination from a set of destinations, and at least partly in response to receiving a selection by the called party of a destination from the set of destinations within a first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, transferring the first call to the destination selected by the called party, and if the called party does not select the call transfer destination during the first period of time, the first period of time occurring during the first call, and causing, at least in part, the caller and the identified second telephonic device and/or the networked computer in geographic proximity with the called party to be connected with full duplex communication. - View Dependent Claims (102, 103)
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Specification