Intelligent interactive call handling

• US 8,681,971 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kent, Larry G. Jr., Daniell, W. Todd, Arnoff, Mary S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/688,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/93.24, 379/142.01, 379/142.08, 379/211.01, 379/215.01, 379/221.08, 379/230, 370/352, 370/354, 455/445, 455/458, 455/459
• US Class Current: 379/265.09
• 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 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

An intelligent interactive call handling system is provided that typically includes a central office, a call-handling device, and an internet call routing system. The central office typically triggers a query responsive to receiving a call request. The call-handling device is coupled to the central office, receives the query, and triggers an internet call routing query. The internet call routing system, which is coupled to the call-handling device, typically receives the internet call routing query, determines presence of the called party with respect to at least one registered communication device, sends a prompt to the called party at said at least one registered communication device responsive to the presence determination, receives a reply from said at least one registered communication device, and routes the call responsive to the reply. Methods and other systems are also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for interactive call handling, the apparatus comprising:

memory comprising computer-executable instructions for call routing; and

a processor executing the computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving from a call handling device an internet call routing query indicative of a call request to a called party;

providing a presence determination indicative of presence of the called party with respect to a plurality of registered communication devices;

initiating sending a prompt to the called party at the communication devices that the called party is detected to be present at responsive to the presence determination;

receiving a reply from the communication device; and

forwarding the reply to the call-handling device to initiate routing of the call responsive to the reply.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor performs further operations comprising:

communicating with a certificate authority, the certificate authority configured to authenticate the called party by searching a customer database for current subscription and payment information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor performs further operations comprising:

providing a presence engine, the presence engine configured to determine the presence of the communication device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internet call routing query comprises an account number associated with the called party.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gateway configured to translate protocols from the call handling device between a first protocol and a second protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a message server forwarding the prompt to the communication device.

7. An apparatus for interactive call handling, the apparatus comprising:

memory comprising computer-executable instructions for call routing; and

a processor executing the computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a call query from a call-handling device;

providing a presence determination indicating whether a called party associated with the call query is present with respect to a plurality of registered communication devices associated with the called party;

sending a prompt to the called party via the communication devices that the called party is detected to be present at responsive to the presence determination;

receiving a reply from the called party; and

forwarding the reply to the call-handling device to initiate routing the call responsive to the reply.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a database operable to store a profile associated with the called party including a list comprising the communication device, the database being configured to provide the list associated with the called party for presence determination.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a message server sending the prompt.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the call query comprises a certificate associated with the called party.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor performs further operations comprising:

communicating with a certificate authority to authenticate the called party in response to the certificate associated with the called party.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein communicating with the certificate authority determines that the called party is a subscriber to a call routing service.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor performs further operations comprising:

providing a rules engine, the rules engine configured to parse a rule associated with the called party,

the processor performing sending a prompt to the called party via the communication device responsive to the presence determination and rules engine, and receive a reply from the called party.

14. A method of providing interactive call handling, comprising:

receiving a call query from a call-handling device;

providing a presence determination indicative of whether a called party associated with the call query is present with respect to a plurality of registered communication devices associated with the called party;

sending a prompt to the called party via the communication devices that the called party is detected to be present at responsive to the presence determination;

receiving at an internet call routing system a reply from the called party via the communication device; and

forwarding the reply to the call-handling device for forwarding the reply to a central office for routing a call responsive to the reply.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

storing in a database a profile associated with the called party including a list comprising the communication device, the database being operable to provide the list associated with the called party to the presence logic.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

storing a profile associated with the called party, the profile also including a rule for sending the prompt to the called party.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

parsing the rule prior to sending the prompt to the called party; and

sending a message to the called party via the communication device responsive to the parsing and the presence determination.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using a message server to send the message to the called party via the communication device responsive to the presence determination.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the call query comprises an account number associated with the called party, a phone number associated with the called party, a registration identification associated with the called party, and a certificate associated with the called party.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising using the certificate associated with the called party to authenticate the called party.