Automatic contact population

• US 9,137,342 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Armstrong, Kenneth, Hillier, Peter M
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US13/591,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20140057608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/415, 455/416, 455/417, 455/566, 455/567, 379/218.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods for populating a contacts directory are disclosed. A method of populating a contacts directory associated with a telephonic device includes placing a call from a first telephonic device to a second telephonic device. Called party contact information associated with the second telephonic device can be received and stored automatically in the contacts directory as a contact.

Claims

1. A method of populating a contacts directory associated with a telephonic device, comprising:

placing a call from a first telephonic device to a second telephonic device;

receiving called party contact information associated with the second telephonic device; and

storing the called party contact information automatically in the contacts directory as a contact, wherein receiving the called party contact information associated with the second telephonic device comprises receiving the called party contact information at a third telephonic device inactively engaged in the call and different from the first and second telephonic devices, and storing the called party contact information comprises automatically storing the called party contact information as a contact on the third telephonic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein placing the call comprises placing the call over a private branch exchange (PBX) network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the called party contact information as a contact comprises:

storing the called party contact information as a new contact when a contact for a called party at the second telephonic device does not already exist;

or

storing the called party contact information to an existing contact when a contact for the called party at the second telephonic device already exists and the called party contact information is more than cumulative of information stored for the contact.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging the contact with a label associated with a network over which the call is placed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the call from the first telephonic device to the second telephonic device is placed through the third telephonic device, the method further comprising transferring the call from the third device to the second device to receive the called party contact information associated with the second telephonic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the call from the first telephonic device to the second telephonic device is placed over a private branch exchange (PBX) network and the called party contact information includes a public switched telephone network (PSTN) phone number associated with a PBX phone number in a ring group used to place the call.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the called party contact information includes contact information for multiple different contact methods.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein availability of the contact for placing a second call is dependent on a network to which the first telephonic device is connected.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the contact among other contacts based on frequency of calls to the contact.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding additional profile information to the called party contact information when creating the contact based on a rule stored in the first telephonic device to enable use of the contact across multiple different types of telephone networks.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the called party contact information includes other information in addition to a name and phone number of a called party.

12. A system for populating a contacts directory associated with a telephonic device, comprising:

a telephonic device configured to connect to a telephone network;

a contacts directory associated with the telephonic device;

a contact generation module associated with the telephonic device, and being configured to receive party contact information associated with a party through the telephone network, and store the party contact information automatically in the contacts directory as a contact;

a network identification module operable to identify the type of said telephone network;

a tagging module configured to tag the contact based on the identified telephone network to enable selective availability of the contact information depending on the availability of the telephone network; and

a graphical user interface to enable selective availability of the contact information depending on the availability of the telephone network by visually differentiating numbers on networks not currently accessible to the telephonic device.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a second telephonic device configured to connect to the telephone network and to receive a call placed over the telephone network when transferred from the telephonic device, the contact generation module being on the second telephonic device and operable to store the party contact information as the contact in the contacts directory on the second telephonic device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the network identification module operable to add additional profile information to the party contact information when creating the contact based on a rule stored in the telephonic device to enable use of the contact across multiple different types of telephone networks when identification of the telephone network triggers the rule.

15. A method of populating a contacts directory associated with a telephonic device, comprising:

receiving a phone call at the telephonic device;

identifying calling party contact information received in connection with the phone call;

storing the calling party contact information automatically in the contacts directory as a contact;

tagging the contact with a label associated with a network over which the call was received, wherein the availability of the calling party for placing a call is dependent on a network to which the telephonic device is connected; and

using a graphical user interface of the telephonic device to enable selective availability of the calling party contact information depending on the availability of the network over which the call was received by visually differentiating numbers on networks not currently accessible to the telephonic device.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein the phone call is received over a private branch exchange (PBX) network.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the phone call is received over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the calling party contact information includes other information in addition to a name and phone number of the calling party.