Method and apparatus for routing a communication to a user based on a predicted presence

• US 20050068166A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Al
• Granted Patent: US 7,196,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for analyzing a user'"'"'s communication activity to determine presence patterns at one or more communication devices. A user'"'"'s presence at one or more communication devices is monitored over time to detect at least one pattern of behavior indicating that a user is likely to be present at a given communication device during a particular time interval. Once a presence pattern is detected, a call that is destined for the user during the associated time interval can be automatically routed to the user at the given communication device. As a transition between each presence pattern is reached, i.e., when the user changes locations or devices, the probability of the user being present on one device decreases while the probability of the user being present on another device increases. According to another aspect of the present invention, the presence call processor can optionally send messages to multiple devices during these transitional times to ensure that the call is received by the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A method for routing a communication to a user, said method comprising the step of:

receiving a communication destined for said user; and

routing said communication to said user based on a predicted presence of said user at one or more communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said predicted presence is recorded as a rule identifying one or more communication devices that should receive a communication during one or more time intervals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said predicted presence is based on a presence pattern indicating a probability of said user to be present on one or more communication devices at a given time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said communication is routed to a plurality of said one or more communication devices during a transitional time between at least two presence patterns.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said presence pattern is detected by extracting presence information from one or more presence data stores.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said presence information is obtained from a user registration process.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said presence information is obtained by observing activities of said user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of observing a behavior of said user over time on said one or more communication devices.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of analyzing said behavior on said one or more communication devices to detect a presence pattern.

10. A method for determining a presence pattern of a user at one or more communication devices, said method comprising the step of:

monitoring a presence of a user at one or more communication devices; and

detecting at least one pattern of behavior indicating that a user is likely to be present at a given communication device during a particular time interval.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of recording said pattern of behavior as a rule identifying one or more communication devices that should receive a communication during one or more time intervals.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said presence pattern is detected by extracting presence information from one or more presence data stores.

13. A system for routing a communication to a user, said system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

receive a communication destined for said user; and

route said communication to said user based on a predicted presence of said user at one or more communication devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said predicted presence is recorded as a rule identifying one or more communication devices that should receive a communication during one or more time intervals.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said predicted presence is based on a presence pattern indicating a probability of said user to be present on one or more communication devices at a given time.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said communication is routed to a plurality of said one or more communication devices during a transitional time between at least two presence patterns.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said presence pattern is detected by extracting presence information from one or more presence data stores.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said presence information is obtained from a user registration process.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said presence information is obtained by observing activities of said user.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said processor is further configured to observe a behavior of said user over time on said one or more communication devices.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to analyze said behavior on said one or more communication devices to detect a presence pattern.