Appointment methods and apparatuses
First Claim
1. A method for scheduling a call between parties, comprising the steps of:
- providing a system for enabling a first party in a plurality of first parties to schedule a call with a second party in a plurality of second parties at a scheduled time period, the system including a database having stored therein an availability of at least one first party in the plurality of first parties for calls for a plurality of time periods;
accessing the system by the second party;
determining, using the system, an availability of a specific first party in the plurality of first parties for a call at a scheduled time period based on the plurality of time periods;
selecting the scheduled time period by the second party for the call with the specific first party;
selecting, by the second party, a mode of the call between the second party and the specific first party at the scheduled time period, wherein;
in a first mode, the system establishes communications with the second party and the system enables communications between the second party and the specific first party; and
in a second mode, the second party calls the specific first party directly, the system, in the second mode, determines whether the second party called the specific first party within a predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, whereinif the second party called the specific first party earlier than the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system does not connect the second party to the specific first party, provides an indication to the second party that the second party called the specific first party earlier than the scheduled time period, and provides the second party with at least one early call option;
if the second party called the specific first party later than the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system does not connect the second party to the specific first party, provides an indication to the second party that the second party called the specific first party later than the scheduled time period, and provides the second party with at least one late call optionif the second party called the specific first party within the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system connects the second party to the specific first party;
requesting payment from the second party for communicating with the specific first party, wherein the requested payment is determined based on a combination of at least one of the following;
specific first party, the scheduled time period, a length of communication between the specific first party and the second party, a frequency of communication between the second party and at least one first party in the plurality of first parties, and a popularity of the specific first party.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for scheduling a call between parties are disclosed. A system enables a first party to schedule a call with a second party at a scheduled time period. The system includes a database having stored therein an availability of at least one first party for calls for a plurality of time periods. The system can be accessed by a second party. The availability of a specific first party for a call at a scheduled time period based on the plurality of time periods is determined. The scheduled time period is selected by the second party for the call with the first party. The second party selects a mode of the call between the second party and the first party at the scheduled time period. In a first mode, the system establishes communications with the second party and the system enables communications between the second party and the first party. In a second mode, the second party calls the first party directly.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for scheduling a call between parties, comprising the steps of:
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providing a system for enabling a first party in a plurality of first parties to schedule a call with a second party in a plurality of second parties at a scheduled time period, the system including a database having stored therein an availability of at least one first party in the plurality of first parties for calls for a plurality of time periods; accessing the system by the second party; determining, using the system, an availability of a specific first party in the plurality of first parties for a call at a scheduled time period based on the plurality of time periods; selecting the scheduled time period by the second party for the call with the specific first party; selecting, by the second party, a mode of the call between the second party and the specific first party at the scheduled time period, wherein; in a first mode, the system establishes communications with the second party and the system enables communications between the second party and the specific first party; and in a second mode, the second party calls the specific first party directly, the system, in the second mode, determines whether the second party called the specific first party within a predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, wherein if the second party called the specific first party earlier than the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system does not connect the second party to the specific first party, provides an indication to the second party that the second party called the specific first party earlier than the scheduled time period, and provides the second party with at least one early call option; if the second party called the specific first party later than the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system does not connect the second party to the specific first party, provides an indication to the second party that the second party called the specific first party later than the scheduled time period, and provides the second party with at least one late call option if the second party called the specific first party within the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system connects the second party to the specific first party; requesting payment from the second party for communicating with the specific first party, wherein the requested payment is determined based on a combination of at least one of the following;
specific first party, the scheduled time period, a length of communication between the specific first party and the second party, a frequency of communication between the second party and at least one first party in the plurality of first parties, and a popularity of the specific first 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)
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31. A system for scheduling a call between parties, comprising:
a call center system configured to; enable a first party in a plurality of first parties to schedule a call with a second party in a plurality of second parties at a scheduled time period, the call center including a database having stored therein an availability of at least one first party in the plurality of first parties for calls for a plurality of time periods; allow access the call center by the second party; determine an availability of a specific first party in the plurality of first parties for a call at a scheduled time period based on the plurality of time periods; select the scheduled time period by the second party for the call with the specific first party; select, by the second party, a mode of the call between the second party and the specific first party at the scheduled time period, wherein; in a first mode, the call center establishes communications with the second party and the call center enables communications between the second party and the specific first party; and in a second mode, the second party calls the specific first party directly, the system, in the second mode, determines whether the second party called the specific first party within a predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, wherein if the second party called the specific first party earlier than the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system does not connect the second party to the specific first party, provides an indication to the second party that the second party called the specific first party earlier than the scheduled time period, and provides the second party with at least one early call option; if the second party called the specific first party later than the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system does not connect the second party to the specific first party, provides an indication to the second party that the second party called the specific first party later than the scheduled time period, and provides the second party with at least one late call option if the second party called the specific first party within the predetermined time frame of the scheduled time period, the system connects the second party to the specific first party; request payment from the second party for communicating with the specific first party, wherein the requested payment is determined based on a combination of at least one of the following;
specific first party, the scheduled time period, a length of communication between the specific first party and the second party, a frequency of communication between the second party and at least one first party in the plurality of first parties, and a popularity of the specific first party.- View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
Specification