Methods and systems for providing telecommunications services

• US 9,294,627 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: McClintock, David C., Trandal, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S
• Application Number:
  US14/558,527
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 379/201.01, 379/210.01, 379/216.01, 715/700, 725/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0021 Details of Application Programming Interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The present invention is related to telecommunications. A call processing system receives a first call from a caller intended for a first person. A notification regarding the first call is transmitted over a network to a terminal associated with the first person. A user interface is displayed on the terminal via which the first person can indicate that a callback message is to be transmitted to the caller. The callback message is transmitted to the caller, wherein the callback message includes an identification of the first person, a callback control, and text indicating that the caller is to activate the control to initiate another call to the first person. At least partly in response to the caller activating the control, A second call to be placed via which the first person and caller are connected.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware;

at least one network interface coupled to a first network;

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 implement;

enabling a first software application to be downloaded over the first network via the at least one computing device to a computing device associated with a first user;

enabling a second software application to be downloaded over the first network to a computing device associated with a second user;

receiving a first call from the second user directed to the first user wherein a user interface of the first software application associated with the first user displays information associated with the first call;

subsequent to the receipt of the first call, transmitting a message over a second network to the second user, wherein the transmitted message displayed to the second user includes a first user identifier and an associated control which when activated enables an audio call session with the first user; and

at least partly in response to an activation of the associated control, at least partly causing, via the first software application and the second software application, an audio call session via which the first user computing device and the second user computing device are connected over the second network.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first software application and the second software application are the same software application.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first network and the second network are the same network.

4. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware;

at least one network interface coupled to a data network;

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 implement;

providing a software application to a computing device associated with a first user;

receiving a call from a second user directed to the first user wherein a user interface of the software application hosted on the computing device of the first user displays information associated with the call;

subsequent to the receipt of the call, transmitting a message over a data network to the second user,

wherein the transmitted message displayed to the second user includes an identifier associated with the first user and an associated control which when activated enables an audio call session with the first user,

and further wherein at least a portion of the identifier associated with first user comprises an image; and

wherein the software application is configured to detect a first event, and at least partly in response to detecting the first event, initiate an audio call session via which the first user computing device and the second user computing device are connected over the data network.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the first event comprises an activation of the associated control.

6. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the first user computing device comprises a smart phone.

7. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the first user computing device comprises a smart phone.

8. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising:

including in the message displayed to the second user a link to a portion of a voice message left by the first user in a voice and/or a text format.

9. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising:

including in the message displayed to the second user a portion of transcribed text of a voice message left by the first user.

10. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface of the software application, the first user to specify a phone address utilized in the audio call session wherein the user interface is web-based.

11. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface of the software application, the first user to specify a phone address utilized in the audio call session; and

rejecting a call initiation if the phone address specified by the first user does not match a phone address stored in association with the first user.

12. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising:

transmitting a software application in association with the message; and

enabling the transmitted software application to be installed on the computing device of the second user in response to a user gesture.

13. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising:

transmitting a software application in association with the message; and

automatically installing the transmitted software application on the computing device of the second user.

14. The system as defined in claim 4, the operations further comprising displaying in association with the message a second control via which the second user can indicate that a future callback message is not to be transmitted to the second user.

15. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware;

at least one network interface coupled to a first network;

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 implement;

enabling a software application to be downloaded over the first network via the at least one computing device to a computing device associated with a first user;

receiving a call from a second user directed to the first user wherein a user interface of the software application hosted on the computing device of the first user enables the creation of a second user contact record;

subsequent to the receipt of the call, transmitting a message over a network to the second user, wherein the transmitted message displayed to the second user includes an identification of the first user and an associated control which when activated enables a call session with the first user; and

at least partly in response to detecting a first event, at least partly causing, via the software application, a call session via which the first user computing device and second user computing device are connected over the network.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the first event comprises an activation of the associated control.

17. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the first user computing device comprises a smart phone.

18. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

including in the message displayed to the second user a link to a portion of a voice message left by the first user in a voice and/or a text format.

19. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

including in the message displayed to the second user a portion of transcribed text of a voice message left by the first user.

20. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface of the software application, the first user to specify a phone address utilized in the audio call session wherein the user interface is web-based.

21. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface of the software application, the first user to specify a phone address utilized in the call session; and

rejecting a call initiation if the phone address specified by the first user does not match a phone address stored in association with the first user.

22. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

transmitting a software application in association with the message; and

enabling the transmitted software application to be installed on the computing device of the second user in response to a user gesture.

23. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

transmitting a software application in association with the message; and

automatically installing the transmitted software application on the computing device of the second user.

24. The system as defined in claim 15, the operations further comprising displaying in association with the message a second control via which the second user can indicate that a future callback message is not to be transmitted to the second user.

25. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the call session is a video call session.