Methods and systems for notification of call to device

• US 8,761,355 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telesector Resources Group Incorporated, Verizon Data Services LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Reding, Craig L., Majid, Ziauddin, Neelakantan, Shashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US10/720,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,865 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/211.01, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 709/201
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• 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 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• 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: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13224 : Off-net subscriber, dial in to/out from network, teleworking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a call notification, voice mail message notification, or SMS message for a wireless device to a user'"'"'s preferred device. When a wireless device receives an incoming call, a voice mail message, or a SMS message, the wireless device connects to a network and sends a notification to the user'"'"'s preferred device. If the preferred device is not available, the notification is stored in a database.

Claims

1. A method for providing a notification to a preferred communication device of a plurality of communication devices associated with a user, where each of the communication devices can be designated as the preferred communication device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a notification from one of the communication devices indicating that incoming data has been received at the one communication device, where the incoming data includes an incoming call, a voice mail, or a short message service (SMS) message; and

transmitting the received notification to the preferred communication device, where transmitting the received notification includes;

transmitting a first text message to the preferred communication device when the incoming data includes the incoming call,

transmitting a second text message to the preferred communication device when the incoming data includes the voice mail, the second text message providing a function to play back the voice mail and

transmitting a third text message to the preferred communication device when the incoming data includes the SMS message, the third text message providing an ability to view the SMS message.

2. The method of claim 1, where transmitting the notification to the preferred communication device comprises storing the notification in a database if the preferred communication device cannot receive the notification.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the preferred communication device from among the plurality of communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, a selection, made by the user, of a time period during which notifications are to be transmitted to the preferred communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, a selection, made by the user, of one or more calling parties from which notifications are to be transmitted to the preferred communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein where receiving the selection is based on a calendar function for providing date specific notifications.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, a selection, made by the user, of the preferred communication device for receiving notifications based on the time of day or a calling party.

8. An apparatus for providing a notification to a preferred communication device of a plurality of communication devices which may be used by a user to initiate and receive communications, the apparatus comprising:

a server to;

receive a notification from one of the communication devices indicating that incoming data has been received at the one communication device, where the incoming data includes an incoming call, a voice mail, or a short message service (SMS) message; and

transmit the notification to the preferred communication device, the notification including an identification of the type of the incoming data, where, when transmitting the notification, the server is further to;

transmit a first text message to the preferred communication device when the incoming data includes the incoming call;

transmit a second text message to the preferred communication device when the incoming data includes the voice mail, the second text message providing a function to play back the voice mail, and

transmit a third text message to the preferred communication device when the incoming data includes the SMS message, the third text message providing an ability to view the SMS message.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a database to select calling parties from which notifications are to transmitted to the preferred communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, where the database indicates times during which notifications are to be transmitted to the preferred communication device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, where the server is further to:

determine if the preferred communication device is available; and

transmit the notification when the preferred communication device is available.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, where the database indicates includes information about services to which the user subscribes.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, where the server is further to:

receive a selection, made by the user, of the preferred communication device for receiving notifications based on the time of day or a calling party.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, where the database is further to:

store the notification when the preferred communication device is unavailable.