Enhanced service levels for call-processing services

• US 8,929,258 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Trandal, David S., Brahm, David J., Hofstatter, David F., Smith, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jianye
• Application Number:
  US14/180,190
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

Service levels for call-processing are enhanced based on the subscriber status of at least one of the calling party and the called party. In one example, a calling party (caller) places a call to a called party (recipient). At least one of the parties subscribes to a call-processing service and the call normally would be processed according to a predetermined service level. However, the service level is enhanced in response to a subscriber status for at least one of the parties, and the call is processed according to the enhanced service level.

Claims

1. A method of providing call processing services, comprising:

providing a first software program to a first computing device associated with a first user, the first user associated with an account of a communication service and entitled to a first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

providing a second software program to a second computing device associated with a second user, the second user associated with an account of the communication service and entitled to the first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

receiving, at a computing system, a first call for the first user, wherein the first call is associated with call signaling information indicating that the first call is originated from the second software program;

based at least in part on a determination that the first user and the second user are associated with respective accounts of the communication service, enabling a call connection between the first software program and the second software program at an enhanced level of service features;

receiving a second call for the first user wherein the second call is placed from a telecommunication device associated with a third user; and

based at least in part on a determination that the third user is not associated with an account of the communication service, not providing the enhanced level of service features to the first user, the third user, or the first user and the third user with respect to the second call.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising monitoring an online presence of the first software program, the second software program, or the first software program and the second software program.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first computing device associated with the first user or the second computing device associated with the second user comprises an Internet protocol device.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first computing device associated with the first user or the second computing device associated with the second user comprises a mobile computing device.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising providing via the first software program a user interface to manage communication service account features.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first call is a Voice over Internet Protocol call.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein an enhanced level of service feature is a three-way calling feature.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call signaling associated with the first call includes a first address of the second user and a second address of the first user.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second call is originated from a telephone associated with the third user.

10. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware; and

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;

providing a first software program to a first computing device associated with a first user, the first user associated with an account of a communication service and a first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

providing a second software program to a second computing device associated with a second user, the second user associated an account of the communication service and the first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

receiving a first call for the first user, wherein the first call is associated with call signaling information indicating that the first call is originated from the second software program;

based at least in part on a determination that the first user and the second user are associated with respective accounts of the communication service, enabling a call connection between the first software program and the second software program at an enhanced level of service features;

originating a second call from the first user for a third user wherein the second call is placed to a telecommunication device associated with a third user;

based at least in part on a determination that the third user is not associated with an account of the communication service, not providing the enhanced level of service features to the first user, the third user, or the first user and the third user with respect to the second call.

11. The system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising monitoring an online presence of the first software program, the second software program, or the first software program and the second software program.

12. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the first computing device associated with the first user or the second user comprises an Internet protocol device.

13. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the first computing device associated with the first user or the second computing device associated with the second user comprises a mobile computing device.

14. The system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising providing via the first software program a user interface to manage communication service account features.

15. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the first call is a Voice over Internet Protocol call.

16. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein an enhanced level of service feature is a three-way calling feature.

17. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the call signaling associated with the first call includes a first address of the second user and a second address of the first user.

18. The system as defined in claim 17, the operations further comprising storing the first address in an address book of the first user.

19. The system as defined in claim 17, wherein the first software program and the second software program respectively correspond to a first instantiation of a client application and a second instantiation of the client application.

20. A method of providing call processing services, comprising:

providing a first software program to reside on a computing device associated with a first user, the first user associated with an account of a communication service and a first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

providing a second software program to reside on a computing device associated with a second user, the second user associated an account of the communication service and the first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

receiving, at a computing system, a first call for the first user, wherein the first call is associated with call signaling information indicating that the first call is originated from the second software program;

based at least in part on a determination that the first user and the second user are associated with respective accounts of the communication service, enabling, by the computer system, a call connection between the first software program and the second software program at an enhanced level of service features;

originating, by the computer system, a second call from the first user for a third user wherein the second call is placed to a telecommunication device associated with a third user; and

based at least in part on a determination that the third user is not associated with an account of the communication service, not providing the enhanced level of service features to the first user, the third user, or the first user and the third user with respect to the second call.

21. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware; and

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;

providing a first software program to reside on a first computing device associated with a first user, the first user associated with a first account of a communication service and entitled to a first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

providing a second software program to reside on a second computing device associated with a second user, the second user associated with a second account of the communication service and entitled to the first level of service features with respect to the communication service;

based at least in part on the first user being associated with an account of the communication service and the second user being associated with an account of the communication service, enabling an enhanced level of service features to be provided for a first call for the first user, wherein the first call is associated with call signaling information indicating that the first call is originated from the second software program;

with respect to a second call for the first user, from a telecommunication device associated with a third user and based at least in part on the third user not being associated with an account of the communication service, not enabling the enhanced level of service features to be provided to the first user, the third user, or the first user and the third user with respect to the second call.

22. The system as defined in claim 21, the operations further comprising monitoring an online presence of the first software program, the second software program, or the first software program and the second software program.

23. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein the first computing device associated with the first user or the second computing device associated with the second user comprises an Internet protocol device.

24. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein the first computing device associated with the first user or the second computing device associated with the second user comprises a mobile computing device.

25. The system as defined in claim 21, the operations further comprising providing via the first software program a user interface to manage communication service account features.

26. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein the first call is a Voice over Internet Protocol call.

27. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein an enhanced level of service feature is a three-way calling feature.