Methods and systems for creating a dynamic call log and contact records

• US 8,861,694 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Kirchhoff, Leland W., Trandal, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US13/957,167
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142, 379/142.06, 379/210.014, 379/210.142
• US Class Current: 379/142.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• 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: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular, to methods and systems for processing call signaling data. In an embodiment, a call processing system receives a first message from a switch while the switch is processing a call for a calling party, wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a firing of a call event trigger configured within a switch. The first message includes call signaling information, including the calling party'"'"'s phone number. The calling party'"'"'s phone number is stored in the call processing system. A communication channel is established over a network between the call processing system and a computer associated with the called party. A message is transmitted to the networked computer, the message including the calling party'"'"'s phone number, wherein the calling party'"'"'s phone number is intended to be displayed on the networked computer associated with the called party.

Claims

1. A method of processing call information, the method comprising:

providing an application software program configured to be installed on a mobile computing device of a user;

receiving a first message at a processor device wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a call from a calling party to the user,

the first message including call related information, the call related information including at least an identifier associated with the calling party and an identifier associated with the user;

automatically determining, by the processor device, if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in a user contact data store,

wherein the contact record in the user contact data store is accessible and editable by the user via a user interface of the application software program;

wherein at least a portion of the editable contact records are used in the call presentation to the user on subsequent calls;

if a determination is made that the calling party is not associated with an existing contact record in the user contact data store, automatically querying, during the call, one or more data sources for data related to the calling party, and

automatically populating at least a portion of a contact record with at least a portion of query response data related to the calling party;

enabling an application software program to be provided to a mobile computing device of a third party associated with the called party; and

transmitting from a computing system over a network to the application software program a second message during the call, the second message including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the calling party is a phone number or an account number.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the query response data is stored in association with a call event in a call log of the user.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the query response data includes two or more of:

a city associated with the calling party, a state associated with the calling party, a name associated with the calling party, a type of calling device associated with the call, a locator corresponding to a web page associated with the calling party, an email address associated with the calling party, a SIP address associated with the calling party, a wireless phone number associated with the calling party, a street address associated with the calling party.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing, via the user interface of the application software program, an originate call control in association with the contact record.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting over a network a second message during the call, the second message including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party from the computing system to one or more networked applications, wherein at least a first of the networked applications is the application software program.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting over a network a second message during the call, the second message including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party from the computing system to one or more networked applications wherein the second message is transmitted as a short message service message or email message to the user.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising causing at least a portion of the call related information to be stored in the user contact data store by the application software program.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein contact information of the contact record is editable by the user via a Web browser.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the computing system further comprises a switch having interfaces to one or more public switched telephone networks (PSTNs).

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the computing system or the mobile computing device further comprises the processor device, and automatically determining, by the processor device, if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in the user contact data store, is performed by the computing system or the mobile computing device.

12. A method of processing call information, the method comprising:

receiving a first message at a processor device, wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a call from a calling party to a called party,

the first message including call related information, the call related information including at least an identifier associated with the calling party and an identifier associated with a called party;

determining, by the processor device, if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in a user contact data store, wherein the contact record in the user contact data store is accessible and editable by the called party via a web browser and wherein at least a portion of the editable contact records are used in the call presentation to the user on subsequent calls;

if a determination is made that the calling party is not associated with an existing contact record in the user contact data store, automatically querying, during the call, one or more data sources for data related to the calling party, and

automatically populating at least a portion of a contact record with at least a portion of query response data related to the calling party;

enabling an application software program to be provided to a mobile computing device of a third party associated with the called party; and

transmitting from a computing system over a network to the application software program a second message during the call, the second message including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the identifier associated with the calling party is a phone number or an account number.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the called party is a registered subscriber of at least a first service offered by the computing system.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the query response data is stored in association with a call event in a call log of the called party.

16. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising causing at least a portion of the call related information to be stored in the user contact data store by the computing system.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising:

enabling, via a web browser, the called party to edit a caller name of the contact record.

18. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the query response data includes two or more of:

a city associated with the calling party, a state associated with the calling party, a name associated with the calling party, a type of calling device associated with the call, a locator corresponding to a web page associated with the calling party, an email address associated with the calling party, a SIP address associated with the calling party, a wireless phone number associated with the calling party, a street address associated with the calling party.

19. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein a parameter of the query is the calling party'"'"'s phone number.

20. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising:

enabling an application software program to be provided to a mobile computing device of the called party, wherein contact information associated with the contact record can be edited via a user interface of the application software program.

21. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the computing system further comprises a switch having interfaces to one or more public switched telephone networks.

22. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the computing system or the mobile computing device further comprises the processor device, and automatically determining, by the processor device, if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in the user contact data store is performed by the computing system or the mobile computing device.

23. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware;

non-transitory memory coupled to the at least one computing device that stores instructions that when executed by the at least one computing device cause, at least in part, the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first message wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a call from a calling party to a called party,

the first message including call related information, the call related information including at least an identifier associated with the calling party, if available, and an identifier associated with a called party;

determining if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in a user contact data store, wherein the contact record in the user contact data store is accessible and editable by the called party via a web browser and wherein at least a portion of the editable contact records are used in the call presentation to the user on subsequent calls;

if a determination is made that the calling party is not associated with an existing contact record in the user contact data store, querying, during the call, one or more data sources for data related to the calling party, and

automatically populating at least a portion of a contact record with at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party;

enabling an application software program to be provided to a mobile computing device of a third party associated with the called party; and

transmitting over a network to the application software program a second message during the call, the second message including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party.

24. The system as defined in claim 23, the system further comprising a switch having interfaces to one or more public switched telephone networks.

25. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware;

non-transitory memory coupled to the at least one computing device that stores instructions that when executed by the at least one computing device cause, at least in part, the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first message wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a call from a calling party to a called party,

the first message including call related information, the call related information including at least an identifier associated with the calling party, if available, and an identifier associated with the called party;

determining if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in a user contact data store,

wherein the contact record in the user contact data store is accessible and editable by the called party via a user interface of an application software program installed on a mobile computing device of the called party, and

wherein at least a portion of the editable contact records are used in the call presentation to the user on subsequent calls;

if a determination is made that the calling party is not associated with an existing contact record in the user contact data store, querying, during the call, one or more data sources for data related to the calling party, and

automatically populating at least a portion of a contact record with at least a portion of query response data related to the calling party;

enabling an application software program to be provided to a mobile computing device of a third party associated with the called party; and

transmitting over a network to the application software program a second message during the call, the second message including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the query response data related to the calling party.

26. The system as defined in claim 25, the system further comprising a switch having interfaces to one or more public switched telephone networks.