METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING TELEPHONE CALLS

• US 20100322392A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Craig Elliott, Paquet, Vincent, Fletcher, Donnie Carlton
• Granted Patent: US 8,817,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication

Abstract

A system and method for managing telephone calls is disclosed. The system includes a central controller that receives and processes telephone calls. The identity of a caller is first determined. Based on predetermined settings designated by an end user, a call is directed to one or more telephones of the end user. Preferably, the end user'"'"'s telephones ring simultaneously. The user may answer any of his/her telephones and choose from among several options of how to handle the call. If the user chooses to answer the call, the call may be transferred to that telephone and the conversation may commence.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A system for customizing calls, comprising:

a rule based system for customizing treatment of an individual caller, wherein the customization may include a ring tone, a ring back tone, a greeting played to the individual caller, direction to a specific telephone, a voicemail greeting, remembering the identity of a caller, or a combination of any of the above;

a database including configuration information and authentication information for users;

an inbound communications controller, coupled to an inbound gateway and the database;

a voicemail database that stores and retrieves communications;

a routing controller that prompts callers for information and instructions; and

an outbound communications controller.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the ring back tone is customized.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein the routing controller includes a state machine coupled with a script database, wherein the script includes voice prompts and control signals that prompt a caller at one end of one of the inbound communications for information pertaining to the handling of that inbound communication.

33. The system according to claim 32, further comprising a database operatively connected to the script database.

34. A method for customizing calls, comprising:

setting up rules that customize various aspects of the call for each caller, wherein the customization may include a ring tone, a ring back tone, a greeting played to the individual caller, direction to a specific telephone, a voicemail greeting, remembering the identity of a caller, or a combination of any of the above;

incorporating a database for including configuration information and authentication information for users;

connecting an inbound communications controller to an inbound gateway and the database;

incorporating a voicemail database that stores and retrieves communications;

connecting a routing controller that prompts callers for information and instructions; and

including an outbound communications controller.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the ring back tone is customized.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein an audible response is sent to the origination point based on the configuration information and authentication information.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the audible response includes at least one of:

a song (or other MP3); and

a voice recording.

38. The method according to claim 34, wherein a graphical representation of data in the voicemail database is displayed on a webpage.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the graphical representation includes at least some of:

the name of the caller;

the time of the call;

the date of the call;

a duration of the voicemail; and

the location of the caller.

40. The method according to claim 34, wherein the voicemail database is arranged based on a predetermined order selected by the user.

41. The method according to claim 34, wherein the database is accessible from a remote location.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the caller hears an audio file preselected by the user.

43. A computer program product for use in a call customizing system, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

computer program instructions, recorded on the computer readable medium, executable by a processor, for implementing a call processing system comprising the steps of;

setting up rules that customize various aspects of the call for each caller, wherein the customization may include a ring tone, a ring back tone, a greeting played to the individual caller, direction to a specific telephone, a voicemail greeting, remembering the identity of a caller, or a combination of any of the above;

incorporating a database for including configuration information and authentication information for users;

connecting an inbound communications controller to an inbound gateway and the database;

incorporating a voicemail database that stores and retrieves communications;

connecting a routing controller that prompts callers for information and instructions; and

including an outbound communications controller.

44. The computer program product according to claim 43, wherein the ring back tone is customized.

45. The computer program product according to claim 43, wherein an audible response is sent to the origination point based on the configuration information and authentication information.

46. The computer program product according to claim 43, wherein the caller hears an audio file pre-selected by the user.