Automatic connection and access controls for communications devices

• US 7,603,108 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Paben, Jeremy, Sparks, J. Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US11/019,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/406, 455/415, 379/209.1, 379/266.07, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides a call system and methods whereby users can establish a predetermined list of contacts and whereby those contacts can be reached by the touch of a single button on a communications device. The system in accordance with the invention will also determine whether the designated contacts are available and directly connect the user to an available contact. The invention also allows users to establish a set of access rules governing when and who may be contacted using the communications device.

Claims

1. A method for automatically establishing a connection in a telecommunications network from an initiating telephone device to at least one predetermined contact, comprising the steps of:

an application server receiving a contact request signal from said initiating telephone device, wherein the contact request signal includes an urgency level;

the application server accessing a contacts database based upon at least one instruction of the contact request signal, the contacts database including a plurality of predetermined contacts, wherein each of the plurality of predetermined contacts has an associated urgency level;

the application server dynamically determining a list of available contacts that match the urgency level from said plurality of predetermined contacts in response to said contact request signal, wherein the determining step identifies a given predetermined contact from said plurality of predetermined contacts as available if;

the given predetermined contact is on,

the predetermined contact is within service range,

the given predetermined contact has a signal of sufficient strength to complete a connection to the given predetermined contact,

there is an open communications channel, and

the given predetermined contact is not communicating with another device;

communicating the determined list of available contacts that match the urgency level to the initiating telephone device;

permitting the user to select a particular predetermined available contact from said list of available contacts that match the urgency level; and

the application server establishing an automatic connection between the initiating telephone device and the particular predetermined available contact having been dynamically determined to be available.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the contact request signal is received the initiating telephone device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction includes at least one of an instruction to retrieve a contact name, an instruction to retrieve a contact telephone number, and an instruction to retrieve a contact location.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing an automatic connection further includes determining whether such connection violates predetermined access rules.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a predetermined contacts database.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of establishing a predetermined contacts database includes providing at least one of a contact name and a contact location information.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of tallying each automatic connection in order to generate a bill.

8. A system for establishing an automatic connection in a telecommunications network to at least one predetermined contact, comprising:

a telephone device adapted to generate a contact request signal, wherein the contact request signal includes an urgency level;

a contacts application for receiving and processing a request to establish an automatic connection;

a contacts database accessible by the contacts application, the contacts database storing a plurality of predetermined contacts, wherein each of the plurality of predetermined contacts has an associated urgency level; and

a presence application for dynamically determining a list of available contacts that match the urgency level from said plurality of predetermined contacts in response to receipt of said contact request signal and during determining the list the presence application identifies a given predetermined contact from said plurality of predetermined contacts as available if;

the given predetermined contact is on,

the given predetermined contact is within service range,

the given predetermined contact has a signal of sufficient strength to complete a call to the given predetermined contact,

there is an open communications channel, and

the given predetermined contact is not communicating with another device;

wherein the contacts application is adapted to communicate the determined list of available contacts that match the urgency level to the initiating telephone device, wherein said telephone device is adapted to display said list to a user and permit the user to select a particular predetermined available contact that matchs the urgency level from said list, and wherein said contacts application initiates a call to the particular predetermined contact once selected.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the contacts application initiates a complete call signal based upon a determination that at least one predetermined contact is available.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the contacts application initiates a complete call signal based upon a determination that predetermined access control rules are met.

11. A system for establishing an automatic connection in a telecommunications network from an initiating telephone device to at least one predetermined contact, said system comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of contact telephone numbers, wherein each of the plurality of predetermined contacts has an associated urgency level;

at least one designated priority call key; and

a microprocessor connected to the memory and the at least one designated priority key for controlling the storage of the plurality of contact telephone numbers, the microprocessor dynamically determining a list of available contact telephone numbers that match the urgency level from said plurality of contact telephone numbers responsive to a contact request signal from said telephone device that includes an urgency level, a given predetermined telephone contact number being identified as available if;

the given predetermined contact is on,

the given predetermined contact is within service range,

the given predetermined contact has a signal of sufficient strength to complete a call to the given predetermined contact,

there is an open communications channel, and

the given predetermined contact is not communicating with another device;

the microprocessor further adapted to communicate the determined list of available contact telephone numbers that match the urgency level to said telephone device to permit a user of said telephone device to select a particular predetermined available contact telephone number from said list, and wherein said microprocessor connects a telephone call from said telephone device to the particular predetermined available contact telephone number once selected.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the memory also includes at least one of access rules and a location corresponding to the at least one contact telephone number.