Communication management features

• US 8,526,926 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TIP Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TIP Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Selph, Douglas Scott, Dyer, Mark, Wong, Enrique J., Wolfinger, Kenneth F., Kellerhals, Charles M., Kranz, Bradley T., Braun, John T., Sorensen, Lars S., Shah, Jason D., Guigley, Daniel Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US13/629,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20130039482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/414.1, 455/550.1, 379/210, 379/201.02, 379/67.1
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/645 with speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method for answering a communication includes the steps of receiving an incoming communication sent by a sender and intended for a communication device of a recipient and answering the communication with an injected audio, video, text, and/or graphic message. The injected message indicates to the sender, in effect, that the recipient is presently unable to respond to the communication but is or will be made aware of the communication. The method further includes the step of providing a promise fulfillment feature that alerts the recipient to the communication and any promise to follow-up with the sender made in the injected message.

Claims

1. A communication answering device having a processor and a memory, the processor executing a program for answering a communication, the program performing the steps of:

receiving an incoming communication request sent by a sender;

answering the communication;

placing the communication on hold;

displaying identification information of the sender and displaying options to respond to the communication, wherein the options include a received communication option and a hold communication option; and

injecting an audio, video, text, and/or graphic message into a communication channel between the device and the sender, wherein the message indicates to the sender, in effect, that the recipient is presently unable to respond to the communication but is or will be made aware of the communication, wherein the step of answering the communication injects a first message if the received communication option is selected and injects a second message if the hold communication option is selected.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the received communication option includes the steps of answering the communication with an injected message that indicates, in effect, that the recipient will follow-up with the sender at a later time, and ending the communication, further wherein the received communication option optionally includes the step of providing an opportunity for the sender to leave a voicemail message before ending the communication.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the hold communication option includes the steps of placing the communication on hold, answering the communication with an injected message that indicates, in effect, that the sender is being placed on hold until the recipient can answer the communication, releasing the communication from being on hold, and answering the communication.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the steps of receiving an incoming communication and answering the communication are performed by an application server.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the steps of receiving an incoming communication and answering the communication are performed by the communication device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the injected message can be customized for specific senders.

7. The device of claim 1, including the step of terminating the call.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying the sender and matching the sender with stored sender information in order to identify the injected message.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising the step of providing an option for the sender to provide the sender'"'"'s name for the step of identifying.

10. A communication answering device having a processor and a memory, the processor executing a program for answering a communication, the program performing the steps of:

receiving an incoming communication request sent by a sender;

answering the communication;

placing the communication on hold; and

injecting an audio, video, text, and/or graphic message into a communication channel between the device and the sender, wherein the message indicates to the sender, in effect, that the recipient is presently unable to respond to the communication but is or will be made aware of the communication;

providing a screening feature that performs the steps of identifying a sender of the communication, identifying screening settings based on the sender, determining whether the communication is allowed in accordance with the identified settings, notifying a recipient of the communication, if the communication is allowed, and processing the communication without notifying a recipient, if the communication is not allowed.

11. A computer-readable tangible medium that stores a computer program for answering communications, comprising:

a first routine that receives an incoming communication sent by a sender and intended for a communication device of a recipient;

a second routine that answers the communication and places the communication on hold;

a third routine that injects an audio, video, text, and/or graphic message into a communication channel between the recipient and the sender, wherein the message indicates to the sender, in effect, that the recipient is presently unable to respond to the communication but is or will be made aware of the communication;

a fourth routine that displays identification information of the sender; and

a fifth routine that displays options to respond to the communication, wherein the options include a received communication option and a hold communication option, and wherein the second routine injects a first message if the received communication option is selected and injects a second message if the hold communication option is selected.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising a sixth routine that provides a screening feature, which identities the sender of the communication, identifies screening settings based on the sender, determines whether the communication is allowed in accordance with the identified settings, notifies a recipient of the communication, if the communication is allowed, and processes the communication without notifying a recipient, if the communication is not allowed.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising a sixth routine that terminates the call.

14. A communication device for answering communications including a memory and a processor, the device comprising:

means for receiving an incoming communication sent by a sender and intended for a communication device of a recipient;

means for answering the communication, and placing the communication on hold;

means for displaying identification information of the sender and means for displaying options to respond to the communication, wherein the options include a received communication option and a hold communication option; and

means for injecting an audio, video, text, and/or graphic message, wherein the message indicates to the sender, in effect, that the recipient is presently unable to respond to the communication but is or will be made aware of the communication,

wherein the means for answering injects a first message if the received communication option is selected and injects a second message if the hold communication option is selected.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising means for providing a screening feature, which identifies a sender of the communication, identifies screening settings based on the sender, determines whether the communication is allowed in accordance with the identified settings, notifies a recipient of the communication, if the communication is allowed, and processes the communication without notifying a recipient, if the communication is not allowed.

16. The device of claim 14, further including means terminating the call.