Methods and systems for selecting a buddy from a buddy list and for placing call to a buddy

• US 20080013699A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sabse Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sabse Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Reiher, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

There is described a provides a method for selecting a buddy with which a user wants to connect. The buddy having a buddy identification being listed in a pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations. The user using a user telephone means to which is associated identification information. The method comprises: initiating a call from the user telephone means to an Internet-enabled computing device, the call having associated thereto calling line identification (CLID) information; comparing the CLID information to the user telephone means identification information; validating the CLID information using the comparison upon positive validation, the user providing the buddy identification; consulting the pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations for a match between the buddy identification and one of the Internet-accessible destinations; and advising the user of a successful or unsuccessful match. Alternatively, a call is placed to a party which does not necessarily belong to a pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a buddy with which a user wants to connect, the buddy having a buddy identification being listed in a pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations, the user using a user telephone means to which is associated identification information, the method comprising:

initiating a call from the user telephone means to an Internet-enabled computing device, the call having associated thereto calling line identification (CLID) information;

comparing the CLID information to the user telephone means identification information;

validating the CLID information using the comparison;

upon positive validation, the user providing the buddy identification;

consulting the pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations for a match between the buddy identification and one of the Internet-accessible destinations; and

advising the user of a successful or unsuccessful match.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein upon successful match between the buddy identification and one of the Internet-accessible destinations, placing a call to a buddy telephone means associated with the buddy.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing the call comprises placing a three-way conference call between the user telephone means, the buddy telephone means and the Internet-enabled computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein once the buddy telephone means is off-hook, the Internet-enabled computing device drops out of the call, thereby leaving a two-way connection between the user telephone means and the buddy telephone means.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein placing a three-way conference call comprises calling back one of:

the user telephone means and another telephone means.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon positive validation, prompting the user to provide the buddy identification.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the buddy identification comprises at least one of using a keypad on the user telephone means to enter letters related to the buddy identification, using the keypad on the user telephone means to enter DTMF tones related to the buddy identification, using the keypad on the user telephone means to enter numbers related to the buddy identification, using a keypad on the user telephone means to enter a short-message-service-type message related to the buddy identification, and using speech commands related to the buddy identification over the user telephone means.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the Internet-enabled computing device to advise the user of a code to provide to identify the buddy.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to initiating the call, the user registering information identifying the user telephone means in a database accessible to the Internet-enabled computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the registering further comprises registering an association between the user and one or more specific telephone numbers that the user expects to use.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the registering further comprises registering authentication credentials.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, prior to the validation, performing an authentication using the authentication credentials to confirm the identity of the user.

13. A method for placing a call between user telephone means and a buddy telephone means, the buddy telephone means being internet-enabled and being identifiable by coordinates, the user telephone means having associated thereto identification information, the method comprising:

initiating a call from the user telephone means to an Internet-enabled computing device, the call having associated thereto calling line identification (CLID) information;

comparing the CLID information to the user telephone means identification information;

validating the CLID information using the comparison;

upon positive validation, the user providing the coordinates of the buddy telephone means; and

placing the call between the user telephone means and the buddy telephone means corresponding to the coordinates.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the coordinates of the buddy telephones means comprises at least one of using a keypad on the user telephone means to enter letters related to the coordinates, using the keypad on the user telephone means to enter DTMF tones related to the coordinates, using the keypad on the user telephone means to enter numbers related to the coordinates, using a keypad on the user telephone means to enter a short-message-service-type message related to the coordinates, and using speech commands related to the coordinates over the user telephone means.

15. A system for selecting a buddy with which a user wants to connect, the buddy having a buddy identification, the user using a user telephone means to which is associated identification information, the buddy identification being listed in a pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations, the system comprising:

an input for receiving and the buddy identification and calling line identification CLID information of a call from the user telephone means to an Internet-enabled computing device;

a database for storing the user telephone means identification information and the pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations; and

the Internet-enabled computing device for comparing the CLID information to user-specific information;

for validating the CLID information using the comparison;

upon positive validation, for receiving the buddy identification;

consulting the pre-identified group of Internet-accessible destinations for a match with between the buddy identification and one of the Internet-accessible destinations; and

for advising the user of a successful or unsuccessful match.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the Internet-enabled computing device further comprises a calling device for placing a call to a buddy telephone means associated with the buddy upon successful match between the buddy identification and one of the Internet-accessible destinations.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the Internet-enabled computing device further comprises a prompting device for prompting the user to provide the buddy identification upon positive validation.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising an output device for advising the user of a code to provide to identify the buddy.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the input comprises an input for receiving user registration information prior to initiating the call, the user registration information identifying the user telephone means in the database accessible to the Internet-enabled computing device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the registration information comprises an association between the user and one or more specific telephone numbers that the user expects to use.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the registration information further comprises authentication credentials.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the further comprising an authenticating device for performing an authentication using the authentication credentials to confirm an identity of the user prior to the validation.

23. A system for placing a call between user telephone means and a buddy telephone means, the buddy telephone means being internet-enabled and being identifiable by coordinates, the user telephone means having associated thereto identification information, the system comprising:

an input for receiving calling line identification CLID information of an initial call from the user telephone means to an Internet-enabled computing device, and the coordinates of the buddy telephone means;

a database for storing the user telephone means identification information; and

the Internet-enabled computing device for comparing the CLID information to user-specific information;

for validating the CLID information using the comparison;

upon positive validation, for receiving the coordinates of the buddy telephone means; and

for placing the call between the user telephone means and the buddy telephone means corresponding to the coordinates.