Method and apparatus for calendared communications flow control

• US 20040101121A1
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Ghaffari, Reza, DʼSilva, Alin, Rajagopalan, Mahesh, Joshi, Anirudha
• Granted Patent: US 8,873,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for forwarding communications, such as telephone calls over a voice network, are provided. A user accesses a data network to specify one or more rules for forwarding telephone calls. For example, the user may use an electronic calendar to specify patterns for forwarding their telephone calls. These patterns may include one or more rules for determining a forwarding pattern, and one or more time periods specifying when the pattern is effective. The rules are provided to a service center which provides configuration information to the voice network. The voice network then forwards calls based on the configuration information for the time periods specified by the user.

Claims

1. A method of configuring communications in a voice network via a data network, comprising:

receiving, via the data network, at least one pattern in a calendar for forwarding communications in the voice network;

determining a time period for the at least one pattern based on the calendar; and

configuring the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding communications in the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one pattern for forwarding communications in a calendar comprises receiving information indicating a call forwarding sequence in the voice network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period comprises setting an event trigger in the voice network based on the at least pattern and the time period.

5. A method of providing an interface for specifying at least one pattern for forwarding communications in a voice network, the method comprising:

providing a calendar-based form including a plurality of time periods;

receiving, in the calendar-based form, information identifying a pattern for forwarding communications in the voice network; and

determining at least one of the plurality of time periods that the pattern is in effect.

7. A method of forwarding communications in a voice network, comprising:

receiving, via a data network, information indicating a pattern for forwarding communications in a time period of a calendar;

receiving a communications request to a destination in the pattern; and

forwarding the communications request to at least one other destination in the pattern based on the time period in the calendar.

8. Apparatus for configuring communications in a voice network via a data network, comprising:

means for receiving, via the data network, at least one pattern for forwarding communications in a calendar;

means for determining a time period for the at least one pattern based on the calendar; and

means for configuring the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period.

6. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the pattern and the at least one time period to the voice network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

means for forwarding communications in the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for receiving at least one pattern for forwarding communications in a calendar comprises means for receiving information indicating a call forwarding sequence in the voice network.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for configuring the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period comprises means for setting an event trigger in the voice network based on the at least pattern and the time period.

12. Apparatus for providing an interface for specifying a pattern for forwarding communications in a voice network, comprising:

means for providing a calendar including a plurality of time periods;

means for receiving, in the calendar, information identifying a pattern for forwarding communications in the voice network; and

determining at least one of the plurality of time periods that the pattern is in effect.

13. Apparatus for forwarding communications in a voice network, comprising:

means for receiving, via a data network, information indicating a pattern for forwarding communications in a time period of a calendar;

means for receiving a communications request to a destination in the pattern; and

means for forwarding the communications request to at least one other destination in the pattern based on the time period in the calendar.

14. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code capable of configuring a user device to perform a method of configuring communications in a voice network via a data network, the method comprising:

receiving, via the data network, at least one pattern for forwarding communications in the voice network in a calendar;

determining a time period for the at least one pattern based on the calendar; and

configuring the voice network based on the at least one pattern and the time period.

15. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code capable of configuring a user device to perform a method of providing an interface for specifying at least one pattern for forwarding communications in a voice network, the method comprising:

providing a calendar including a plurality of time periods;

receiving, in the calendar, information identifying a pattern for forwarding communications in the voice network; and

determining at least one of the plurality of time periods that the pattern is in effect.

16. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code capable of configuring a user device to perform a method of forwarding communications in a voice network, comprising:

receiving, via a data network, information indicating a pattern for forwarding communications in a time period of a calendar;

receiving a communications request to a destination in the pattern; and

forwarding the communications request to at least one other destination in the pattern based on the time period in the calendar.