Identifying callers

• US 8,731,163 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bates, Peter Charles, Ingudam, Monica, Cimmet, Carolyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEZUAYEHU, SOLOMON G
• Application Number:
  US11/746,243
• Time in Patent Office: 2,568 Days
• Field of Search: 379/33, 379/45, 379/46, 379/142.07, 379/221.014, 370351-356
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Identifying a caller includes establishing, by a service provider, a connection over a computer network with a user device and accessing information enabling determination of a location of the user. A request to place a call to a call recipient is received from the user and a pool of temporary telephone numbers is accessed. Based on the location of the user, a temporary telephone number from the pool of temporary telephone numbers is selected. The temporary telephone number is associated with the call, the call is initiated to the call recipient, and information sufficient to identify the temporary telephone number is provided in call information sent to the call recipient.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a caller, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

establishing, by a service provider, a connection over a computer network with a user device of a user;

determining a current location of the user;

receiving, from the user, a request to place an emergency services call;

accessing a pool of temporary telephone numbers;

selecting, in response to receiving the request to place the emergency services call, a temporary, geographically-correct telephone number from among the pool of temporary telephone numbers based on the current location of the user;

associating the temporary telephone number with the user;

sending a location key and call back information for the call for storage in an automatic location identification database; and

initiating the call to a public service answering point using the temporary telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second call from the public service answering point placed to the temporary telephone number;

accessing information associated with the temporary telephone number, the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number;

identifying the user based on the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number; and

connecting the second call to the identified user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the information associated with the temporary telephone number enables determination of a method of connecting the second call to the identified user, and

connecting the second call to the identified user comprises;

determining a method of connecting the second call to the identified user based on the information enabling determination of the method of connecting the second call to the identified user, and

connecting the second call to the identified user using the determined method.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the current location of the user is remote from a location where the user typically connects to the service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

associating the temporary telephone number with the user during the connection to the service provider.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

maintaining association of the temporary telephone number with the user until the user disconnects from the service provider.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the user comprises a first user, further comprising:

receiving, from a second user, a request to place a second call to a second call recipient, the second user being different than the first user;

determining a location of the second user;

selecting, based on the location of the second user, the temporary telephone number from among the pool of temporary telephone numbers;

associating the temporary telephone number with the second user; and

initiating the second call to the second call recipient and providing the temporary telephone number in call information sent to the second call recipient.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the location of the second user is associated with the same geographic region as the location of the first user.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a third call from the second call recipient placed to the temporary telephone number;

accessing information associated with the temporary telephone number, the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number;

identifying the second user based on the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number; and

connecting the third call to the second user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the information associated with the temporary telephone number enables determination of a method of connecting the third call to the second user, and

connecting the third call to the second user comprises;

determining a method of connecting the third call to the identified user based on the information enabling determination of the method of connecting the third call to the second user, and

connecting the third call to the second user using the determined method.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the temporary telephone number is a telephone number in a public switched telephone network.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the pool of temporary telephone numbers includes at least one telephone number for each geographic region serviced by the service provider.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the current location of the user comprises receiving user input from the user indicating the location of the user.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the current location of the user comprises receiving a communication, from the user, that includes the location key identifying the location of the user.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the service provider is a voice over internet protocol service provider.

16. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more computer programs, the one or more computer programs comprising instructions for causing at least one processor to perform the following operations:

establishing, by a service provider, a connection over a computer network with a user device of a user;

determining a current location of the user;

receiving, from the user, a request to place an emergency services call;

accessing a pool of temporary telephone numbers;

selecting, in response to receiving the request to place the emergency services call, a temporary, geographically-correct telephone number from among the pool of temporary telephone numbers based on the current location of the user;

associating the temporary telephone number with the user;

sending a location key and call back information for the call for storage in an automatic location identification database; and

initiating the call to a public service answering point using the temporary telephone number.

17. The at least one medium of claim 16 wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second call from the public service answering point placed to the temporary telephone number;

accessing information associated with the temporary telephone number, the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number;

identifying the user based on the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number; and

connecting the second call to the identified user.

18. The at least one medium of claim 17 wherein:

the information associated with the temporary telephone number enables determination of a method of connecting the second call to the identified user, and

instructions for connecting the second call to the identified user comprise;

instructions for determining a method of connecting the second call to the identified user based on the information enabling determination of the method of connecting the second call to the identified user, and

instructions for connecting the second call to the identified user using the determined method.

19. The at least one medium of claim 16 wherein the current location of the user is remote from a location where the user typically connects to the service provider.

20. The at least one medium of claim 16 wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:

associating the temporary telephone number with the user during the connection to the service provider;

maintaining association of the temporary telephone number with the user until the user disconnects from the service provider.

21. The at least one medium of claim 20 wherein the user comprises a first user and the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving, from a second user, a request to place a second call to a second call recipient, the second user being different than the first user;

determining a location of the second user;

selecting, based on the location of the second user, the temporary telephone number from among the pool of temporary telephone numbers;

associating the temporary telephone number with the second user; and

initiating the second call to the second call recipient and providing the temporary telephone number in call information sent to the second call recipient.

22. The at least one medium of claim 21 wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a third call from the second call recipient placed to the temporary telephone number;

accessing information associated with the temporary telephone number, the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number;

identifying the second user based on the information enabling determination of a temporary user associated with the temporary telephone number; and

connecting the third call to the second user.

23. The at least one medium of claim 22 wherein:

the information associated with the temporary telephone number enables determination of a method of connecting the third call to the second user, and

the instructions for connecting the third call to the second user comprise;

instructions for determining a method of connecting the third call to the identified user based on the information enabling determination of the method of connecting the third call to the second user, and

instructions for connecting the third call to the second user using the determined method.

24. The at least one medium of claim 16 wherein the pool of temporary telephone numbers includes at least one telephone number for each geographic region serviced by the service provider.

25. A system comprising:

a connection unit configured to establish, by a service provider, a connection over a computer network with a user device of a user;

a call request unit configured to receive, from the user, an emergency services call;

a pool access unit configured to access a pool of temporary telephone numbers;

a number selection unit configured to select, in response to receiving the request to place the emergency services call, a temporary, geographically-correct telephone number from among the pool of temporary telephone numbers based on the current location of the user;

a number association unit configured to associate the temporary telephone number with the user;

a communication unit configured to send a location key and call back information for the call for storage in an automatic location identification database; and

a call initiation unit configured to initiate the call to a public service answering point using the temporary telephone number.