Call completion via instant communications client

• US 8,892,662 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Richard G., Mumford, Gregory L., Gunasekar, Duraisamy
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US13/026,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20110135084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 379/88.13, 379/201.04, 379/202.01, 379/207.01, 379/201.01, 379/114.01, 379/265.02, 455/412.2, 707/10, 705/36, 704/260, 704/235, 715/753
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/07 : Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 : Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 : Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 : for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 : shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 : involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 : per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 : Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 : Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 : Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 : Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 : Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 : Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 : IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 : Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 : Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• 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 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 : Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 : Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• 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 3/46 : Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 : for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 : Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0003 : Interconnection between telephone networks and data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 : where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 : where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 : Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

A system is disclosed for achieving completion of a telephone call by way of an instant communications client.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a voice call from a calling party;

prompting the calling party to specify an input associated with a called party in response to the received voice call;

determining, in response to the input, that the called party is available via an instant communication session; and

selectively prompting the calling party to determine whether to communicate with the called party via the instant communication session;

wherein the calling party receives audio information corresponding to textual information from the called party, the audio information being based on preference information that includes either a language-related preference for the calling party, a language and a dialect used by the called party, voice characteristic imparted to synthesized speech in the audio information, sound based upon occurrence of an emoticon provided in the textual information, an identifier to be presented in textual information to the called party as a screen name identity representing the calling party, or spelling of words used in the textual information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving billing information relating to payment for the communication with the called party over the instant communication session; and

initiating establishment of the communication between the calling party and the called party based on the billing information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving capabilities information for the called party, wherein the capabilities information includes information relating to speech rendering in support of the communications between the calling party and the called party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the called party utilizes textual information to conduct the instant communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a telephone number associated the voice call; and

determining that the telephone number is pre-assigned to indicate that the calling party accepts communication with the called party via an instant communication session that include textual information, wherein the calling party is not prompted for the determination whether to communicate with the called party via the instant communication session.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the calling party that the called party is reachable via voice communications.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the calling party a language indicator specifying a language of communication to be used in the communication with the called party.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a voice call from a calling party,

prompt the calling party to specify an input associated with a called party in response to the received voice call,

determine, in response to the input, that the called party is available via an instant communication session, and

selectively prompt the calling party to determine whether to communicate with the called party via the instant communication session;

wherein the calling party receives audio information corresponding to textual information from the called party, the audio information being based on preference information that includes either a language-related preference for the calling party, a language and a dialect used by the called party, voice characteristic imparted to synthesized speech in the audio information, sound based upon occurrence of an emoticon provided in the textual information, an identifier to be presented in textual information to the called party as a screen name identity representing the calling party, or spelling of words used in the textual information.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive billing information relating to payment for the communication with the called party over the instant communication session; and

initiate establishment of the communication between the calling party and the called party based on the billing information.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

retrieve capabilities information for the called party, wherein the capabilities information includes information relating to speech rendering in support of the communications between the calling party and the called party.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the called party utilizes textual information to conduct the instant communication session.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a telephone number associated the voice call; and

determine that the telephone number is pre-assigned to indicate that the calling party accepts communication with the called party via an instant communication session that include textual information, wherein the calling party is not prompted for the determination whether to communicate with the called party via the instant communication session.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

notify the calling party that the called party is reachable via voice communications.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

provide to the calling party a language indicator specifying a language of communication to be used in the communication with the called party.

15. A system comprising:

a voice processing system configured to receive a voice call from a calling party, to prompt the calling party to specify an input associated with a called party in response to the received voice call, to determine, in response to the input, that the called party is available via an instant communication session, and selectively prompt the calling party to determine whether to communicate with the called party via the instant communication session; and

a billing system configured to communicate with the voice processing system, and to receive billing information relating to payment for the communication with the called party over the instant communication session,

wherein the voice processing system is further configured to initiate establishment of the communication between the calling party and the called party based on the billing information;

wherein the calling party receives audio information corresponding to textual information from the called party, the audio information being based on preference information that includes either a language-related preference for the calling party, a language and a dialect used by the called party, voice characteristic imparted to synthesized speech in the audio information, sound based upon occurrence of an emoticon provided in the textual information, an identifier to be presented in textual information to the called party as a screen name identity representing the calling party, or spelling of words used in the textual information.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a database configured to store capabilities information for the called party, wherein the capabilities information includes information relating to speech rendering in support of the communications between the calling party and the called party.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the called party utilizes textual information to conduct the instant communication session.