Methods and systems for providing telecommunications services

• US 9,609,139 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• 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:
  US15/053,885
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 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 networked computing device comprising hardware;

a network interface;

non-transitory memory that stores instructions that when executed by the at least networked one computing device;

enables at least in part communications, using the network interface, over a network with a first instance of a software application installed on a first computing device of a user and with a second instance of the software application installed on a second computing device of the user;

enables receipt by the system of a call from a caller directed to the user;

detects an online presence of the first computing device of the user;

detects an online presence of the second computing device of the user;

at least partly in response to the online presence detection of the first computing device of the user and the online presence detection of the second computing device of the user,

enables a display of information, associated with the received call directed to the user, via a user interface of the first instance of the software application installed on the first computing device and via a user interface of the second instance of the software application installed on the second computing device; and

at least partly in response to receiving the call, enables the user to originate, via a control presented, in association with the display of information associated with the received call directed to the user, in the user interface of the first instance of the software application installed on the first computing device, a callback to the caller and a text reply to the caller.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first computing device of the user comprises a smart phone.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second computing device of the user comprises a personal computing device.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising:

including in the message displayed to the user a link to a portion of a voice message left by the caller.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the call directed to the user comprises a call placed to a phone number associated with the first computing device or the second computing device of the user.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first instance of the software application on the first computing device initiates the online presence of the first computing device.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second instance of the software application on the first computing device initiates the online presence of the second computing device.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first instance of the software application on the first computing device initiates the online presence by transmitting a message over the network.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the text reply to the caller comprises an SMS text reply.

10. A system, comprising:

at least one networked computing device comprising hardware;

a network interface;

non-transitory memory that stores instructions that when executed by the at least networked one computing device;

enables at least in part communications, using the network interface, over a network with a first instance of a software application installed on a first computing device of a user and with a second instance of the software application installed on a second computing device of the user;

enables receipt by the system of a call from a caller directed to the user;

detects an online presence of the first computing device of the user;

detects an online presence of the second computing device of the user;

at least partly in response to the online presence detection of the first computing device of the user and the online presence detection of the second computing device of the user, enables a display of information, associated with the received call directed to the user, via a user interface of the first instance of the software application installed on the first computing device and via a user interface of the second instance of the software application installed on the second computing device; and

at least partly in response to receiving the call, enables the user to originate, via a control presented, in association with the display of information associated with the received call directed to the user, in the user interface of the second instance of the software application installed on the second computing device, a text reply to the caller.

11. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the first computing device of the user comprises a smart phone.

12. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the call directed to the user comprises a call placed to a phone number associated with the first computing device or the second computing device of the user.

13. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the second instance of the software application on the second computing device initiates the online presence of the second computing device.

14. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the second instance of the software application on the second computing device initiates the online presence of the second computing device by transmitting a message over the network.

15. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the text reply to the caller comprises an SMS text reply.

16. A system, comprising:

at least one networked computing device comprising hardware;

a network interface;

non-transitory memory that stores instructions that when executed by the at least networked one computing device;

enables at least in part communications, using the network interface, over a network with a first instance of a software application installed on a first computing device of a user and with a second instance of the software application installed on a second computing device of the user;

enables receipt by the system of a call from a caller directed to the user;

detects an online presence of the first computing device of the user;

detects an online presence of the second computing device of the user;

at least partly in response to the online presence detection of the first computing device of the user and the online presence detection of the second computing device of the user, enables a display of information, associated with the received call directed to the user, via a user interface of the first instance of the software application installed on the first computing device and via a user interface of the second instance of the software application installed on the second computing device; and

at least partly in response to receiving the call, enables the user to originate, via a control presented, in association with the display of information associated with the received call directed to the user, in the user interface of the second instance of the software application installed on the second computing device, a callback to the caller.

17. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the call directed to the user comprises a call placed to a phone number associated with the first computing device or the second computing device of the user.

18. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the second instance of the software application on the second computing device initiates the online presence of the first computing device.

19. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the second instance of the software application on the second computing device initiates the online presence of the second computing device by transmitting a message over the network.

20. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the first computing device of the user comprises a smart phone.