Systems and methods for providing selectable options to a calling party on-hold

• US 9,014,360 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hong Thi, Roberts, Linda Ann, Silver, Edward Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US14/162,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20140140490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215.01, 379/201.01, 379/88.05, 379/88.06
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• 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 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4283 Call holding circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A method for handling an initiated communication includes receiving, from an initiating party, an initiated communication directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party. Before the initiating party is provided access to the communication destination address, the initiating party is provided with a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the initiated communication. A selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location is received from the initiating party. The information particular to the physical geographical location is provided, and after providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, the initiating party is provided with access to the communication destination address.

Claims

1. A method for handling an initiated communication, the method comprising:

receiving, from an initiating party, an initiated communication directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party;

before the initiating party is provided access to a final communication destination for the communication, providing to the initiating party a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the initiated communication;

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, receiving from the initiating party a selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location; and

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, and

after providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, providing the initiating party with access to the final communication destination.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the information particular to the physical geographical location comprises weather information for the physical geographical location.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the physical geographic location is identified by information provided by the initiating party during the initiated communication.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to communicate with an agent.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to leave a message.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to play an audio file.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein an internet website is contacted during the initiated communication.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to retrieve an audio file.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the audio file comprises a particular song.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, providing to the initiating party a second menu of selectable options;

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, receiving from the initiating party a selected option that corresponds to one of the second menu of selectable options; and

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, performing a predefined operation associated with the selected option that corresponds to one of the second menu of selectable options.

11. An apparatus in a communication network for handling an initiated communication, the apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions,

wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from an initiating party, an initiated communication directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party;

before the initiating party is provided access to a final communication destination for the communication, providing to the initiating party a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the initiated communication,

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, receiving from the initiating party a selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location;

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, providing the information particular to the physical geographic location, and

after providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, providing the initiating party with access to the final communication destination for the communication.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a data store for storing the first menu of selectable options.

13. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the data store contains at least one audio file comprising music.

14. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the data store contains at least one audio file comprising current event information.

15. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the data store contains at least one audio file comprising weather information.

16. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the selectable options include an option to communicate with an agent.

17. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the selectable options include an option to leave a message.

18. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the selectable options include an option to retrieve content from an internet website, and selection of the option to retrieve content from an internet website causes the apparatus to connect to the internet website and retrieve content from the internet website.

19. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer, handle an initiated communication, the instructions causing the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from an initiating party, an initiated communication directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party;

before the initiating party is provided access to a final communication destination for the communication, providing to the initiating party a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the initiated communication;

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, receiving from the initiating party a selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location;

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, and

after providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, providing the initiating party with access to the final communication destination for the communication.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, the instructions further causing the computer to perform operations comprising:

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, providing to the initiating party a second menu of selectable options;

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, receiving from the initiating party a selected option that corresponds to one of the second menu of selectable options; and

before the initiating party is provided access to the final communication destination for the communication, performing a predefined operation associated with the request corresponding to one of the second menu of selectable options.