Systems including and methods of operating communication devices assigned individual and group identities

• US 9,204,088 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sorenson Ip Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sorenson Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Parent, Jesse, Shields, Richard, Brooksby, Scot L., Walker, Merle L., Walters, Lane, Andersen, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US13/840,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370259-271, 370351-357, 379/201.01, 37920201-20701, 37926501-2661, 709201-207, 709217-248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0024 Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services arrangements which combine a telephonic equipment and a computer H04M7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a plurality of communication devices configured to be associated with a user group. Each communication device of the plurality of communication devices may be configured to communicate with one or more servers both as an individual communication device with an individual unique identifier assigned thereto and as the user group with a group unique identifier assigned thereto.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of video communication devices including a first plurality of video communication devices and a second plurality of video communication devices, each video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with a different individual unique identifier;

a first user group comprising the first plurality of video communication devices, the first user group assigned a first group unique identifier, wherein each of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with the first group unique identifier;

a second user group comprising the second plurality of video communication devices, the second user group assigned a second group unique identifier, wherein each of the second plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with the second group unique identifier;

wherein;

each of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to;

indicate a source of an incoming call responsive to the incoming call being directed thereto;

indicate a user group as the source of the incoming call if a video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices belonging to the user group initiates the incoming call; and

indicate the video communication device initiating the incoming call as the source of the incoming call if the video communication device initiating the incoming call does not belong to any user group; and

each of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to;

receive assistance, while participating in the video communication sessions, from a video relay service configured to provide translation services to a hearing-impaired user of the first plurality of video communication devices during the video communication sessions; and

indicate the second user group as the source of the incoming call responsive to a first video communication device of the second plurality of video communication devices directing an incoming call to the first user group.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein each video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices includes an incoming call indicator configured to indicate the source of the incoming call using the individual unique identifier or the group unique identifier assigned thereto.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein only an incoming call indicator of a second video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate an incoming call responsive to a call placed to the second video communication device with its individual unique identifier.

4. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the incoming call indicator of each video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate an incoming call responsive to a call placed to the first group unique identifier.

5. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of video communication devices including a first plurality of video communication devices and a second plurality of video communication devices configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with a different individual unique identifier;

a first user group comprising the first plurality of video communication devices, the first user group assigned a first group unique identifier, wherein each of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with the first group unique identifier;

a second user group comprising the second plurality of video communication devices, the second user group assigned a second group unique identifier, wherein each of the second plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with the second group unique identifier;

wherein;

each of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to;

indicate a source of an incoming call responsive to the incoming call being directed thereto;

indicate a user group as the source of the incoming call if a video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices belonging to the user group initiates the incoming call; and

indicate the video communication device initiating the incoming call as the source of the incoming call if the video communication device initiating the call does not belong to any user group;

each video communication device of the plurality of first video communication devices is configured to receive assistance in participating in the video communication sessions from a video relay service configured to provide translation services to a hearing-impaired user of the first plurality of video communication devices during the communication sessions; and

only a first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the second user group as the source of the incoming call responsive to a first video communication device of the second plurality of video communication devices directing an incoming call to the first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices.

6. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of communication devices configured to be associated with a user group, wherein each communication device of the plurality of communication devices is configured to communicate with one or more servers responsive to being addressed both with an individual unique identifier assigned thereto and a group unique identifier assigned thereto as a member of the user group;

wherein the one or more servers are configured to;

receive a set of log in credentials from a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices, wherein the first communication device is configured to receive the set of log in credentials from a user through a user interface of the first communication device;

verify the set of log in credentials from the user against at least one of;

a valid set of group log in credentials corresponding to the user group stored in a database of the one or more servers; and

a valid set of individual log in credentials associated with the first communication device stored in the database; and

provide a set of group account information and a set of individual account information to a first communication device responsive to verifying that the set of log in credentials received from the first communication device match either of the valid set of group log in credentials, and the valid set of individual log in credentials associated with the first communication device.

7. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to attempt to determine what set of individual account information should be provided to the first communication device if the user provides a set of login credentials that matches the valid set of group log in credentials.

8. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the set of group account information comprises a shared list, wherein the shared list includes one or more items from the group consisting of a blocked caller list, a group message history, one or more group text messages, one or more group video messages, a group call history, a group contact list, and group settings.

9. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the profile server is configured to receive a change to the set group account information from any of the plurality of communication devices associated with the user group, broadcast a notification that the change has been made to each of the rest of the plurality of communication devices, and send a changed set of group account information to each of the rest of the plurality of communication devices.

10. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the one or more servers are configured to:

cause the first video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices to only give the user access to a set of group account information associated with the user group responsive to verifying that the set of log in credentials from the user match the valid set of group log in credentials; and

cause the first video communication device to only give the user access to set of individual account information associated with the first video communication device responsive to verifying that the set of log in credentials from the user match the valid set of individual log in credentials associated with the first video communication device.

26. The communication system of claim 6, wherein:

the valid set of individual login credentials associated with the first video communication device includes the individual unique identifier as an individual username, and a corresponding individual password; and

the valid set of individual login credentials associated with the user group is the group unique identifier as a group user name, and a corresponding group password.

11. A method of operating a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising:

operating one or more of a plurality of communication devices to communicate with one or more servers, each of the plurality of communication devices assigned a different unique identifier of a plurality of individual unique identifiers;

operating two or more of the plurality of communication devices as members of a first user group with the one or more servers, the first user group comprising a first plurality of communication devices of the plurality of communication devices, wherein the first user group is assigned a first group unique identifier; and

allowing a user to access a set of first group account information associated with the first user group by accepting either of;

a set of first group log in credentials corresponding to the first user group at any first communication device of the first plurality of communication devices; and

a set of individual log in credentials associated with the any first communication device at the any first communication device;

wherein allowing a user to access a set of first group account information comprises;

allowing the user to change the set of first group account information, wherein the first group account information includes any item from the group consisting of a blocked caller list, a group message history, one or more group text messages, one or more group video messages, a group call history, a group contact list, and group settings; and

sending the changed set of first group account information to the rest of the first communication devices in the first user group.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein accepting the set of first group log in credentials comprises:

causing the any first video communication device to prompt the user to provide the set of first group log in credentials to a user interface of the any first video communication device;

receiving the set of first group log in credentials from the any first video communication device at the one or more servers;

validating the set of first group log in credentials provided by the user against a valid set of first group log in credentials stored on a database of the one or more servers; and

allowing the user to access the set of first group account information.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a call request from a second video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices indicating the first common group unique identifier as a desired destination for a call; and

causing all the first video communication devices of the first user group to indicate an incoming call.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

causing each of the first plurality of video communication devices belonging to the first user group to indicate the second video communication device as the source of the incoming call if the second video communication device does not belong to any user group; and

causing each of the first plurality of video communication devices belonging to the first user group to indicate a second user group as the source of the incoming call if the second video communication device belongs to a second user group.

13. A method of operating a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising:

operating one or more of a plurality of communication devices to communicate with one or more servers, each of the plurality of communication devices assigned a different unique identifier of a plurality of individual unique identifiers;

operating two or more of the plurality of communication devices as members of a first user group with the one or more servers, the first user group comprising a first plurality of communication devices of the plurality of communication devices, wherein the first user group is assigned a first group unique identifier; and

allowing a user to access a set of first group account information associated with the first user group by accepting either of;

a set of first group log in credentials corresponding to the first user group at any first communication device of the first plurality of communication devices; and

a set of individual log in credentials associated with the any first communication device at the any first communication device;

wherein accepting the set of individual log in credentials comprises;

causing the any first communication device to prompt the user to provide the set of individual log in credentials to a user interface of the any first communication device;

receiving a log in request from the any first communication device at the one or more servers, the log in request including the set of individual log in credentials provided by the user;

validating the set of individual log in credentials provided by the user against a valid set of individual log in credentials corresponding to the any first communication device stored on a database of the one or more servers; and

allowing the user to access the set of first group account information.

16. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of video communication devices including a second video communication device not belonging to any user group and a first plurality of video communication devices, each video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with a different individual unique identifier; and

a first user group comprising the first plurality of video communication devices, the first user group assigned a first group unique identifier, wherein each of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with the first group unique identifier;

wherein;

each of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to;

indicate a source of an incoming call responsive to the incoming call being directed thereto;

indicate a user group as the source of the incoming call if a video communication device of the plurality of video communication devices belonging to the user group initiates the incoming call;

indicate the video communication device initiating the incoming call as the source of the incoming call if the video communication device initiating the incoming call does not belong to any user group;

each video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive assistance in participating in the video communication sessions from a video relay service configured to provide translation services to a hearing-impaired user of the first plurality of video communication devices during the video communication sessions; and

the second video communication device is configured to indicate the first user group as the source of the incoming call responsive to a first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices directing the incoming call to the second video communication device.

17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the source of the incoming call with any indication from the group consisting of a visual indication, an audible indication, and a tactile indication.

18. The communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the source of the incoming call visually by displaying any indicator from the group consisting of an individual unique identifier, a group unique identifier, a graphic, a photograph of a user, a text string, a name, and a nickname corresponding to the source of the incoming call.

19. The communication system of claim 16, further comprising:

a second plurality of video communication devices of the plurality of video communication devices; and

a second user group comprising the second plurality of video communication devices, the second user group assigned a second group unique identifier, wherein each of the second plurality of video communication devices is configured to receive incoming calls to participate in video communication sessions responsive to being addressed with the second group unique identifier.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein each of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the second user group as the source of the incoming call responsive to a first video communication device of the second plurality of video communication devices directing an incoming call to the first user group.

21. The communication system of claim 19, wherein only a first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the second user group as the source of the incoming call responsive to a first video communication device of the second plurality of video communication devices directing an incoming call to the first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices.

22. The communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the second video communication device as the source of the incoming call responsive to the second video communication device directing the incoming call to the first user group.

23. The communication system of claim 16, wherein only a first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices is configured to indicate the second video communication device as the source of the incoming call responsive to the second video communication device directing the incoming call to the first video communication device of the first plurality of video communication devices.

24. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of video communication devices further includes a third video communication device not belonging to any user group, wherein the third video communication device is configured to indicate the second video communication device as the source of an incoming call responsive to the second video communication device directing the incoming call to the third video communication device.

25. The communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of video communication devices is configured to display:

the group unique identifier if the user group is identified as the source of the incoming call; and

an individual unique identifier assigned to the video communication device initiating the incoming call if the video communication device initiating the incoming call is identified as the source of the incoming call.