VOIP service with streamlined call transfer options

• US 9,553,901 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crexendo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Crexendo, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhagavatula, Satish, Rao, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAVLESKI, RYAN C
• Application Number:
  US13/560,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20140029478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/271, 370/352, 370/212.01, 370/212.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42

Abstract

In at least some embodiments, a system includes at least one server to manage voice over internet protocol (VOIP) services. The managed VOIP services provided by the at least one server include a telephony service to establish a calling phase between an initiator device and a mobile target device in response to a call command received from the initiator device, and a streamline call transfer service to transfer a call from the mobile target device to a transfer target device in response to a one-touch transfer command received from the mobile target device during the calling phase.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one server to manage voice over internet protocol (VOIP) services, wherein managed VOIP services provided by the at least one server comprise;

a telephony service to establish a calling phase between an initiator device and a mobile target device in response to a call command received from the initiator device, and

a streamlined call transfer service to;

transfer a call from the mobile target device to a transfer target device in response to a one-touch transfer command received from the mobile target device during the calling phase; and

cause the at least one server to;

extract from the one-touch transfer command an identifier for the transfer target device included in the one-touch transfer command by the mobile target device, wherein the mobile target device is configured to determine an identity of the initiator device, select the transfer target device based on the identity of the initiator device, and uniquely associate each initiator device with a transfer target device;

establish a screening call with two-way voice communication between an intermediary and the initiator device in response to receipt of the one-touch transfer command and before the transfer of the call from the mobile target device to the transfer target device is completed;

establish voice communication between the intermediary and the transfer target device and provide textual call priority information from the intermediary to the target transfer device before the transfer of the call from the mobile target device to the transfer target device;

establish voice communication between the intermediary and the mobile target device and provide textual call priority information from the intermediary to the mobile target device before the transfer of the call from the mobile target device to the transfer target device; and

complete the transfer of the call to the transfer target device and disconnect the intermediary from the initiator device and the transfer target device responsive to a one-touch transfer command received from the transfer target device;

collect contact information from a website associated with the initiator device, and associate a given transfer target device with a previously unidentified initiator device identified in the contact information; and

one or more VOIP applications executable by the mobile target device;

wherein at least one of the VOIP applications comprises a management interface configured to determine which of the VOIP applications will be executed based on the mobile target device being registered with multiple communication systems;

wherein at least one of the VOIP applications is configured to;

selectably display a one-touch transfer button responsive to receipt of the call from the initiator device and based on enablement of one touch transfers by selection via a user interface of the mobile target device; and

disable updating of contact information stored by the mobile target device with information received from the server and remove from the mobile target device contact information previously received from the server responsive to selection of contact synchronization disable via the user interface of the mobile target device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server registering an identifier for the transfer target device and associating the identifier with the streamlined call transfer service before the one-touch transfer command is received from the mobile target device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said registration of the identifier for the transfer target device is based on one-touch transfer registration input received from the mobile target device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said registration of the identifier for the transfer target device is based on one-touch transfer registration input received from another device associated with a user of the mobile target device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server registering an identifier for the transfer target device and associating the identifier with the streamlined transfer service after the one-touch transfer command is received from the mobile target device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the received one-touch transfer command comprises the identifier for the transfer target device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server maintaining a contact list associated with a user of the mobile target device and registering an identifier for the transfer target device in accordance with a selection of a name or number from the contact list.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server sending a transfer call notification to a push notification provider in accordance with a predetermined push notification format.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server establishing a screening call with an intermediary in response to receipt of the one-touch transfer command and before the incoming call to the target device is completed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server receiving a call screen command from the transfer target during the calling phase, establishing a call between the initiator device and an intermediary device, receiving an annotation from the intermediary device, and renewing the calling phase between the initiator device and the target device, wherein the annotation from the intermediary device is displayed during the renewed calling phase.

11. The system of claim 1, the streamlined call transfer service comprises the at least one server establishing a transfer announcement call in response to receipt of the one-touch transfer command and before the transfer call to the transfer target device is completed.

12. A method, comprising:

establishing, by a telephony server, a calling phase between an initiator device and a mobile target device in response to a call command received from the initiator device;

selecting, by the mobile target device, a transfer target device based on analysis of identification of the initiator device by the mobile target device, wherein the mobile target device is configured to uniquely associate each initiator device with a transfer target device;

transmitting, by the mobile target device, a one-touch transfer command that includes identification for the transfer target device to the telephony server;

extracting, by the telephony server, the identification for the transfer target device from the one-touch transfer command;

transferring, by the telephony server, a call from the mobile target device to the transfer target device in response to a one-touch transfer command received from the mobile target device during the calling phase;

establishing, by the telephony server, prior to completion of the transferring, a screening call with two-way voice communication between an intermediary and the initiator device in response to receipt of the one-touch transfer command; and

establishing, by the telephony server, prior to completion of the transferring, voice communication between the intermediary and the transfer target device, and providing textual priority information from the intermediary to the transfer target device;

establishing, by the telephony server, prior to completion of the transferring, voice communication between the intermediary and the mobile target device, and providing textual priority information from the intermediary to the mobile target device;

completing the transferring of the call to the transfer target device and disconnecting the intermediary from the initiator device and the transfer target device responsive to a one-touch transfer command received from the transfer target device;

collecting contact information from a website associated with the initiator device, and associating a given transfer target device with a previously unidentified initiator device based on the contact information;

determining, by the mobile target device, which of a plurality of VOIP applications stored on the mobile device will be executed based on the mobile target device being registered with multiple communication systems;

selectably displaying, by the mobile target device, a one-touch transfer button responsive to receipt of the call from the initiator device and based on enablement of one touch transfers by selection via a user interface of the mobile target device; and

disabling updating of contact information stored by the mobile target device with information received from the server and removing from the mobile target device contact information previously received from the server responsive to selection of contact synchronization disable via the user interface of the mobile target device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising registering an identifier for the transfer target device and establishing a call between the initiator device and the transfer target based on the registered identifier.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining a contact list associated with a user of the target device and registering an identifier for the transfer target device in accordance with a selection of a name or number from the contact list.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a communication from the intermediary to the target device after the screening call.

16. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a telephony application, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to;

establish voice over internet protocol (VOIP) calls via communication with at least one server;

provide a one-touch call transfer option for the mobile communication device during a ringing phase;

display a user interface that enables to a user to toggle between enabling and disabling a call screening feature for the one-touch call transfer option;

select a transfer target device based on analysis, by the mobile communication device, of identification of an initiator device from which a call originates, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to uniquely associate each initiator device with a transfer target device;

construct a one-touch transfer command that includes identification for the selected transfer target device;

transmit the one-touch transfer command to the at least one server in response to a user selection of a one-touch call transfer button during the ringing phase to cause the at least one server to transfer the call to the transfer target device;

transmit to the at least one server, as part of the one-touch transfer command, an announcement call instruction to cause the at least one server to establish a transfer announcement call prior to completion of call transfer;

transmit the one-touch transfer command to the at least one server in response to user selection of the one-touch call transfer button to cause the at least one server to transfer the call to the mobile communication device and disconnect an intermediary from a device initiating the call and the mobile communication device;

provide voice communication between the mobile communication device and an intermediary and receive textual priority information from the intermediary before the transfer of the call from the mobile communication device to the transfer target device;

determine which of a plurality of VOIP applications stored in the mobile communication device will be executed based on the mobile communication device being registered with multiple communication systems;

selectably display the one-touch transfer button responsive to receipt of the call from the initiator device and based on enablement of one touch transfers by selection via a user interface of the mobile communication device; and

disable updating of contact information stored by the mobile communication device with information received from the server and remove from the mobile communication device contact information previously received from the server responsive to selection of contact synchronization disable via the user interface of the mobile communication device.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to transmit a transfer target device identifier with the one-touch transfer command.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to display a user interface that enables registration of a transfer target device associated with the one-touch call transfer option with the at least one server.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to display a contact list associated with a user of the mobile communication device to enable registration of a transfer target device or an intermediary with the one-touch call transfer option.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to display a selectable one-touch call transfer button during the ringing phase.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to display a user interface that enables to a user to toggle between enabling and disabling the one-touch call transfer option.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the telephony application, when executed, causes the processor to display a user interface that enables to a user to toggle between enabling and disabling a call screening annotation feature for the one-touch call transfer option.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a telephony application that, when executed, causes a processor to:

establish voice over internet protocol (VOIP) calls via communication with at least one server;

provide a one-touch call transfer option for a mobile communication device during a ringing phase;

display a user interface that enables to a user to toggle between enabling and disabling a call screening feature for the one-touch call transfer option;

select a transfer target device based on analysis, by the mobile communication device, of identification of an initiator device from which a call originates, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to uniquely associate each initiator device with a transfer target device;

construct a one-touch transfer command that includes identification for the selected transfer target device;

transmit the one-touch transfer command to the at least one server in response to a user selection of a one-touch call transfer button during the ringing phase to cause the at least one server to transfer the call to the transfer target device;

transmit to the at least one server, as part of the one-touch transfer command, an announcement call instruction to cause the at least one server to establish a transfer announcement call prior to completion of call transfer; and

transmit the one-touch transfer command to the at least one server in response to user selection of the one-touch call transfer button to cause the at least one server to transfer the call to the mobile communication device and disconnect an intermediary from a device initiating the call and the mobile communication device;

provide voice communication between the mobile communication device and an intermediary and receive textual priority information from the intermediary before the transfer of the call from the mobile communication device to the transfer target device;

determine which of a plurality of VOIP applications stored in the mobile communication device will be executed to process the call based on the mobile communication device being registered with multiple communication systems;

selectably display the one-touch transfer button responsive to receipt of the call from the initiator device and based on enablement of one touch transfers by selection via a user interface of the mobile communication device; and

disable updating of contact information stored by the mobile communication device with information received from the server and remove from the mobile communication device contact information previously received from the server responsive to selection of contact synchronization disable via the user interface of the mobile communication device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the telephony application, when executed, further causes the processor to transmit a transfer target device identifier with the one-touch transfer command.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the telephony application, when executed, further causes the processor to display a user interface that enables registration of a transfer target device or intermediary associated with the one-touch call transfer option with the at least one server.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the telephony application, when executed, further causes the processor to display a contact list associated with a user of the mobile communication device to enable registration of a transfer target device with the one-touch call transfer option.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the telephony application, when executed, further causes the processor to display a selectable one-touch call transfer button during the ringing phase.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the telephony application, when executed, further causes the processor to display a user interface that enables to a user to toggle between enabling and disabling the one-touch call transfer option.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the telephony application, when executed, further causes the processor to display a user interface that enables to a user to toggle between enabling and disabling an call screening annotation feature for the one-touch call transfer option.