Call screening agent

• US 7,088,809 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seavey, Dale J., Gits, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US10/632,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 379/211.02, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/201.01, 709/205
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method for providing telecommunication service includes receiving an incoming call request and generating a processing event, in response to the incoming call request. The method further includes transmitting the processing event to an operating space and notifying an agent that the processing event is stored in the operating space. Additionally, the method includes retrieving the processing event from the operating space with the agent and identifying a rule set with the agent. The rule set is associated with the processing event and includes one or more rules. The method further includes identifying a communication device based on the one or more rules; and forwarding the incoming call request to the communication device based on the one or more rules.

Claims

1. A method for providing telecommunication service comprising:

receiving an incoming call request;

generating, with a first agent, a processing event, in response to the incoming call request;

transmitting the processing event from the first agent to an operating space;

notifying a second agent that the processing event is stored in the operating space;

retrieving the processing event from the operating space with the second agent;

identifying a rule set with the second agent, wherein the rule set is associated with the processing event, and wherein the rule set comprises one or more rules;

identifying a communication device based on the one or more rules;

generating a processed event that indicates the identified communication device;

transmitting the processed event to the operating space;

retrieving the processed event from the operating space with at least one of the first agent and a third agent; and

forwarding the incoming call request to the identified communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises an event type and wherein notifying an agent comprises notifying an agent associated with the event type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming call request identifies a user and wherein identifying a rule set comprises identifying a rule set associated with the user identified by the incoming call request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule set comprises a first hierarchical subset, comprising one or more rules, and a second hierarchical subset, comprising one or more rules, and wherein forwarding the incoming call request comprises forwarding the incoming call request based on the rules in the first hierarchical subset and based on any of the rules in the second hierarchical subset that do not contradict rules in the first hierarchical subset.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating space comprises a Javaspace.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the incoming call request comprises:

deciding to route the incoming call request to a voicemail account based on the rule set;

generating a voicemail event;

placing the voicemail event in the operating space;

notifying a voicemail agent that the voicemail event has been placed in the operating space; and

forwarding the incoming call request to a voicemail system with the voicemail agent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the incoming call request comprises:

transmitting a ring signal to a communication device;

generating a voicemail event, if an offhook signal is not received within a predetermined time;

placing the voicemail event in the operating space;

notifying a voicemail agent that the voicemail event has been placed in the operating space; and

forwarding the incoming call request to a voicemail system with the voicemail agent.

8. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program operable to:

receive an incoming call request;

generate, with a first agent, a processing event, in response to the incoming call request;

transmit the processing event from the first agent to an operating space;

notify a second agent that the processing event is stored in the operating space;

retrieve the processing event from the operating space with the second agent;

identify a rule set with the second agent, wherein the rule set is associated with the processing event, and wherein the rule set comprises one or more rules;

identify a communication device based on the one or more rules;

generate a processed event that indicates the identified communication device;

transmit the processed event to the operating space;

retrieve the processed event from the operating space with at least one of the first agent and a third agent; and

forward the incoming call request to the identified communication device.

9. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the processing event comprises an event type and wherein the computer program is further operable to notify an agent by notifying an agent associated with the event type.

10. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the incoming call request identifies a user and wherein the computer program is further operable to identify a rule set by identifying a rule set associated with the user identified by the incoming call request.

11. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the rule set comprises a first hierarchical subset, comprising one or more rules, and a second hierarchical subset, comprising one or more rules, and wherein the computer program is further operable to forward the incoming call request by forwarding the incoming call request based on the rules in the first hierarchical subset and based on any of the rules in the second hierarchical subset that do not contradict rules in the first hierarchical subset.

12. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the operating space comprises a Javaspace.

13. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the computer program is further operable to forward the incoming call request by:

deciding to route the incoming call request to a voicemail account based on the rule set;

generating a voicemail event;

placing the voicemail event in the operating space;

notifying a voicemail agent that the voicemail event has been placed in the operating space; and

forwarding the incoming call request to a voicemail system with the voicemail agent.

14. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the computer program is operable to forward the incoming call request by:

transmitting a ring signal to a communication device;

generating a voicemail event, if an offhook signal is not received within a predetermined time;

placing the voicemail event in the operating space;

notifying a voicemail agent that the voicemail event has been placed in the operating space; and

forwarding the incoming call request to a voicemail system with the voicemail agent.

15. A system for providing telecommunication service comprising:

means for receiving an incoming call request;

means for generating, with a first agent, a processing event, in response to the incoming call request;

means for transmitting the processing event from the first agent to an operating space;

means for notifying a second agent that the processing event is stored in the operating space;

means for retrieving the processing event from the operating space with the agent;

means for identifying a rule set with the second agent, wherein the rule set is associated with the processing event, and wherein the rule set comprises one or more rules;

means for identifying a communication device based on the one or more rules;

means for generating a processed event that indicates the identified communication device;

means for transmitting the processed event to the operating space;

means for retrieving the processed event from the operating space with at least one of the first agent and a third agent; and

means for forwarding the incoming call request to the identified communication device.

16. A system for providing telecommunication service comprising:

an operating space operable to store events;

a first agent operable to;

receive an incoming call request;

generate a processing event, in response to the incoming call request;

transmit the processing event to the operating space;

notify a second agent that the processing event is stored in the operating space; and

a second agent operable to;

retrieve the processing event from the operating space;

identify a rule set associated with the processing event, wherein the rule set comprises one or more rules;

identify a communication device based on the one or more rules;

generate a processed event that indicates the identified communication device; and

transmit the processed event to the operating space, wherein at least one of the first agent and a third agent is operable to retrieve the processed event from the operating space and forward the incoming call request to the identified communication device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the event comprises an event type and wherein the first agent is operable to notifying a second agent by notifying a second agent associated with the event type.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the incoming call request identifies a user and wherein the first agent is operable to identify a rule set by identifying a rule set associated with the user identified by the incoming call request.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the rule set comprises a first hierarchical subset, comprising one or more rules, and a second hierarchical subset, comprising one or more rules, and wherein the at least one of the first agent and a third agent is operable to forward the incoming call request by forwarding the incoming call request based on the rules in the first hierarchical subset and based on any of the rules in the second hierarchical subset that do not contradict rules in the first hierarchical subset.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the operating space comprises a Javaspace.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the first agent and a third agent is operable to forward the incoming call request by:

deciding to route the incoming call request to a voicemail account based on the rule set;

generating a voicemail event;

placing the voicemail event in the operating space;

notifying a voicemail agent that the voicemail event has been placed in the operating space; and

forwarding the incoming call request to a voicemail system with the voicemail agent.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the first agent and a third agent is operable to forward the incoming call request by:

transmitting a ring signal to a communication device;

generating a voicemail event, if an offhook signal is not received within a predetermined time;

placing the voicemail event in the operating space;

notifying a voicemail agent that the voicemail event has been placed in the operating space; and

forwarding the incoming call request to a voicemail system with the voicemail agent.