Informing caller of callee activity mode

• US 20050195954A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Klein, Mark D., Stelter, Ronald D., Brackbill, Douglas L., Manzo, Michael Scott, Maurer, Andrew M., Kolbly, Michael J., Mahmood, Tamara Hills
• Granted Patent: US 7,542,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server

Abstract

A system and method provide callee activity mode information to a caller (including a potential caller). Thus the caller can find out the current callee activity mode, and the callee'"'"'s availability to receive telephone calls. Callees can configure the system and method to provide different types of information depending on various factors including caller identity. The invention provides functionality for displaying callee activity mode information after a call is attempted, or before it is attempted, or both.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

transmitting the first telephone user activity mode to a device controlled by the second user; and

responsive to the second user attempting to initiate a telephone call to the first telephone user, outputting, at a device controlled by the second user, a representation of the first telephone user activity mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the representation of the first telephone user activity mode comprises outputting the representation at a telephone controlled by the second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user activity mode comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

busy, available, at home, at work, in a meeting, and on vacation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, at the device controlled by the second user, forwarding information for the first telephone user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, at the device controlled by the second user, an indication as to when the current mode will change to another mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the representation of the first telephone user activity mode comprises outputting the representation at a wireless telephone controlled by the second user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the representation of the first telephone user activity mode comprises outputting a visual indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the representation of the first telephone user activity mode comprises outputting an auditory indicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the activity mode comprises transmitting the activity mode from one telephone network to a second telephone network.

10. A computer-implemented method of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

receiving, from the first telephone user, a mode sharing setting;

responsive to the mode sharing setting requesting that mode information should be shared;

transmitting the first telephone user activity mode to a device controlled by the second user; and

responsive to the second user attempting to initiate a telephone call to the first telephone user, outputting, at a device controlled by the second user, a representation of the first telephone user activity mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mode sharing setting comprises a list of at least one user with whom mode information can be shared;

and wherein;

transmitting the first telephone user activity mode and outputting a representation of the first telephone user activity mode are performed responsive to the mode sharing setting requesting that mode should be shared, and responsive to the list including the second user.

12. A computer-implemented method of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

responsive to the second user attempting to initiate a telephone call to the first telephone user;

transmitting the first telephone user activity mode to a device controlled by the second user; and

outputting, at a device controlled by the second user, a representation of the first telephone user activity mode.

13. A computer-implemented method of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

transmitting the first telephone user activity mode to a device controlled by the second user; and

responsive to the second user providing input on a device controlled by the second user, the input corresponding to the first telephone user, outputting a representation of the first telephone user activity mode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing input corresponding to the first telephone user comprises selecting the first telephone user on a display.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein providing input corresponding to the first telephone user comprises entering a telephone number for the first telephone user.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein providing input corresponding to the first telephone user comprises entering identifying indicia for the first telephone user.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting the first telephone user activity mode is performed responsive to the second user providing input on the device.

18. A computer-implemented method of providing information regarding a caller to a callee, comprising:

receiving caller initiation of a telephone call to a callee;

transmitting to the callee, via an alternative communication path, information regarding the caller.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein transmitting the information comprises sending an SMS message to the callee.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein transmitting the information comprises sending an email message to the callee.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the information regarding the caller comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

caller telephone number;

caller name;

caller location; and

routing information.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a callee activity mode; and

determining at least one communication management directive associated with the user activity mode;

and wherein transmitting information to the callee is performed responsive to the communication management directive indicating that caller information should be sent to the callee.

23. A system of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

a call management module for determining a first telephone user activity mode;

a calling device, communicatively coupled to the call management module and controlled by the second user, for receiving the first telephone user activity mode; and

an output device, associated with the calling device, for, responsive to the second user attempting to initiate a telephone call to the first telephone user, outputting a representation of the first telephone user activity mode.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the calling device comprises a telephone controlled by the second user.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the user activity mode comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

busy, available, at home, at work, in a meeting, and on vacation.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the output device outputs forwarding information for the first telephone user.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the output device outputs an indication as to when the current mode will change to another mode.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the calling device comprises a wireless telephone controlled by the second user.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the output device comprises a display, and wherein the representation of the first telephone user activity mode comprises a visual indicator.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the output device comprises a speaker, and wherein the representation of the first telephone user activity mode comprises an auditory indicator.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the first telephone user is associated with a first telephone network and the calling device is associated with a second telephone network.

32. A system of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

a calling device, associated with the second user, for outputting a representation of the first telephone user activity mode; and

a callee telephone, associated with the first telephone user, for, responsive to the second user attempting to initiate a telephone call to the first telephone user, transmitting the first telephone user activity mode to the calling device.

33. A system of providing a first telephone user activity mode to a remotely located second user, comprising:

a calling device, associated with the second user, for outputting a representation of the first telephone user activity mode; and

a callee telephone, associated with the first telephone user, for, responsive to the second user providing input on the calling device, the input corresponding to the first telephone user, transmitting the first telephone user activity mode to the calling device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the calling device comprises an input device for accepting selection of the first user by the second user.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the calling device comprises an input device for accepting the first user'"'"'s telephone number by the second user.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the calling device comprises an input device for accepting identifying indicia for the first telephone user.

37. A system of providing information regarding a caller to a callee, comprising:

a calling device, for receiving caller initiation of a telephone call to a callee;

a transmission device, communicatively coupled to the calling device, for transmitting to the callee, via an alternative communication path, information regarding the caller.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the transmission device comprises an SMS node, for transmitting an SMS message comprising the information regarding the caller.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the transmission device comprises an email client, for transmitting an email message comprising the information regarding the caller.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the information regarding the caller comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

caller telephone number;

caller name;

caller location; and

routing information.