Rating parties according to party identities

• US 20030156707A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier

Abstract

A method, system, and program for rating parties according to party identities are provided. A second party to a call may rate the first party to the call. For subsequent calls by the first party, the rating by the second party of the first party may be displayed to subsequent called parties. In addition, the ratings by subsequent called parties may be accumulated for the first party. Ratings may be stored according to the identity of the individual representing the first party, according to the identity of the business representing the first party, or according to the context of a call.

Claims

1. A method for rating a party to a call comprising:

detecting an identity of a first party to a call;

requesting a second party to said call to rate said first party to said call; and

storing said rating by said second party in association with said identity of said first party to said call.

2. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, wherein detecting an identity further comprises:

detecting at least one from among a name of said first party, a line number utilized by said first party, a business represented by said first party, a location of said first party, a subject of said call initiated by said first party, and a billing plan for said first party.

3. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, wherein requesting a second party further comprises:

prompting said second party to rate at least one from among an individual representing said first party, a business representing said first party, and a context of said call.

4. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, wherein storing said rating further comprises:

storing said rating for retrieval by only said second party to said call.

5. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, wherein storing said rating further comprises:

storing said rating for accumulation with other ratings for said identity of said first party.

6. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing said rating by said second party of said first party in association with said second party.

7. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing said rating by said second party of said first party in association with a context of said call.

8. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 7, wherein said context of said call comprises at least one from among a subject of said call, a billed transaction completed du ring said c all, a product purchased during said c all, a location of said first party and said second party during said call, a billing plan for said call, an identity of said first party to said call, a length of said call, a path of said call, and an identity of said second party to said call.

9. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, wherein said first party is a caller and said second party is a callee.

10. The method for rating a party to a call according to claim 1, wherein said first party is a callee and a second party is a caller.

11. A method for rating a party to a call comprising:

detecting a business represented by a first party to a call;

requesting a second party to said call to rate said first party to said call; and

storing said rating by said second party in associated with said business represented by said first party to said call.

12. A method for identifying a party to a call comprising:

detecting an identity of a first party to a call;

compiling a current rating for said first party according to previous ratings for said first party; and

controlling output of said current rating to a second party to said call.

13. A system for rating a party to a call comprising:

a communication system enabling a call between a first party and a second party;

means for detecting an identity of said first party to said call;

means for requesting said second party to said call to rate said first party to said call; and

means for storing said rating by said second party in association with said identity of said first party to said call.

14. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, wherein said means for detecting said identity further comprises:

means for detecting at least one from among a name of said first party, a line number utilized by said first party, a business represented by said first party, a location of said first party, a subject of said call initiated by said first party, and a billing plan for said first party.

15. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, wherein said means for requesting said second party further comprises:

means for prompting said second party to rate at least one from among an individual representing said first party, a business representing said first party, and a context of said call.

16. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, wherein said means for storing said rating further comprises:

means for storing said rating for retrieval by only said second party to said call.

17. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, wherein said means for storing said rating further comprises:

means for storing said rating for accumulation with other ratings for said identity of said first party.

18. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for storing said rating by said second party of said first party in association with said second party.

19. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for storing said rating by said second party of said first party in association with a context of said call.

20. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 19, wherein said context of said call comprises at least one from among a subject of said call, a billed transaction completed during said call, a product purchased during said call, a location of said first party and said second party during said call, a billing plan for said call, an identity of said first party to said call, a length of said call, a path of said call, and an identity of said second party to said call.

21. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, wherein said first party is a caller and said second party is a callee.

22. The system for rating a party to a call according to claim 13, wherein said first party is a callee and a second party is a caller.

23. A computer program product for rating a party to a call comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an identity of a first party to a call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for requesting a second party to said call to rate said first party to said call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for storing said rating by said second party in association with said identity of said first party to said call.

24. The computer program product for rating a party to a call according to claim 23, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting at least one from among a name of said first party, a line number utilized by said first party, a business represented by said first party, a location of said first party, a subject of said call initiated by said first party, and a billing plan for said first party.

25. The computer program product for rating a party to a call according to claim 23, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for prompting said second party to rate at least one from among an individual representing said first party, a business representing said first party, and a context of said call.

26. The computer program product for rating a party to a call according to claim 23, wherein said means for storing said rating further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for storing said rating for retrieval by only said second party to said call.

27. The computer program product for rating a party to a call according to claim 23, wherein said means for storing said rating further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for storing said rating for accumulation with other ratings for said identity of said first party.

28. The computer program product for rating a party to a call according to claim 23, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for storing said rating by said second party of said first party in association with said second party.

29. The computer program product for rating a party to a call according to claim 23, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for storing said rating by said second party of said first party in association with a context of said call.

30. A method for independent party ratings comprising:

monitoring a context of a call by an independent party of said call;

identifying a rating for said context for said call by said independent party; and

storing said rating by said independent party in association with said context, wherein said rating is retrievable by a subsequent party to at least one portion of said context of said call.

31. The method for independent party ratings according to claim 30, wherein said rating is from a scale comprising at least one from among a numerical rating scale and an alphanumeric rating scale.

32. The method for independent party ratings according to claim 30, wherein said context comprises at least one from among an identity of at least one party to said call, a location of at least one party to said call, a schedule of at least one party to said call, a billing plan for at least one party to said call, a subject of said call, and a content of said call.

33. A system for independent party ratings comprising:

a communication system enabling a call between a first party and a second party;

means for monitoring a context of a call by an independent party of said call;

means for identifying a rating for said context for said call by said independent party; and

means for storing said rating by said independent party in association with said context, wherein said rating is retrievable by a subsequent party to at least one portion of said context of said call.

34. The system for independent party ratings according to claim 33, wherein said rating is from a scale comprising at least one from among a numerical rating scale and an alphanumeric rating scale.

35. The system for independent party ratings according to claim 33, wherein said context comprises at least one from among an identity of at least one party to said call, a location of at least one party to said call, a schedule of at least one party to said call, a billing plan for at least one party to said call, a subject of said call, and a content of said call.

36. A computer program product for independent party ratings comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for monitoring a context of a call by an independent party of said call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for identifying a rating for said context for said call by said independent party; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for storing said rating by said independent party in association with said context, wherein said rating is retrievable by a subsequent party to at least one portion of said context of said call.

37. A method for call party identification comprising:

receiving a rating for a party to said call at a telephony device enabling said call; and

controlling output of said rating for said party to said call via an output interface of said telephony device.

38. The method for call party identification according to claim 37, further comprising:

receiving said rating for said party determined by a context rating service functioning within a trusted telephone network communicatively connected to said telephony device.

39. The method for call party identification according to claim 37, further comprising:

receiving said rating for said party determined by a context rating service functioning outside a trusted telephone network communicatively connected to said telephony device.

40. The method for call party identification according to claim 37, wherein said output interface is a graphical user interface.

41. The method for call party identification according to claim 37, wherein said output interface is an audio output device.

42. A system for call party identification comprising:

a telephony device enabling a call;

means for receiving a rating for a party to said call at said telephony device; and

means for controlling output of said rating for said party to said call via an output interface of said telephony device.

43. The system for call party identification according to claim 42, wherein said rating for said party is determined by a context rating service functioning within a trusted telephone network communicatively connected to said telephony device.

44. The system for call party identification according to claim 42, wherein said rating for said party is determined by a context rating service functioning outside a trusted telephone network communicatively connected to said telephony device.

45. The system for call party identification according to claim 42, wherein said output interface is a graphical user interface.

46. The system for call party identification according to claim 42, wherein said output interface is an audio output device.

47. A computer program product for call party identification comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a rating for a party to a call at a telephony device; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for controlling output of said rating for said party to said call via an output interface of said telephony device.