Apparatus, systems and methods for managing incoming and outgoing communication

• US 8,027,442 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian K. Wharton, Jeffrey L. Crandell
• Original Assignee: Brian K. Wharton, Jeffrey L. Crandell
• Inventors: Wharton, Brian K., Crandell, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US11/787,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20070248220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.06, 379/210.02, 37920713-20715
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/52 Telephonic communication in combination with fax communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 : Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 : Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7036 : Administer via user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 : Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 : Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 : by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 : Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• 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 3/48 : Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 : Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 : for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 : User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 : relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 : Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 : Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 : Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 : where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 : where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 : where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for managing incoming and outgoing communications for various communications methods are disclosed to provide control over inbound communications including definition of if, when, and who may communicate with a recipient, A concealed identification communication may involve no exchange of actual addresses, phone numbers, or other addressing IDs The capability to initiate immediate, delayed, scheduled, or recurring outbound communications is also discussed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting a user interface to a recipient;

receiving input from the recipient via the user interface;

storing the input in a database, the input including a set of rules associated with a caller based on an identifier specific to the caller;

receiving a communication from the caller, the communication being initiated using the identifier and the identifier being assigned to the caller by the recipient;

retrieving the rules associated with the identifier; and

routing the communication in response to the rules established by the recipient.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

creating a record of the communication by storing communication attributes associated with the communication in the database; and

creating a set of statistics from the record of communication attributes.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the communication attributes include at least one of the length of communication, the date of the communication, and the time of the communication.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a set of default rules; and

routing the communication according to the default rules in response to the identifier not being recognized by the database.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a URL used to initiate the communication, the URL including an embedded system code associated with the caller.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising modifying the rules associated with the caller via the user interface.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identifier includes at least one of an email address, an instance messenger ID, or a phone number.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

storing incoming communications in the database; and

creating a record of callers that initiate the incoming communications in the database.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a plurality of numeric digits assigned to the caller, the digits being separate from a telephone number associated with a telephone from which the caller initiated the communication.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a routing number associated with the caller, the routing number being used to initiate the communication.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a telephone call, the call being initiated using an identifier specific to a caller and the identifier being assigned to the caller by a recipient;

identifying the caller based on the identifier;

retrieving a predefined preference associated with the identifier from a database, the predefined preference being created by the recipient; and

routing the telephone call in response to the predefined preference.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

storing the incoming telephone call in the database;

creating a record of the incoming call and the caller associated with the incoming call;

generating statistics for each incoming call and caller; and

storing the statistics in the database.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the identifier is not an automatic number identifier of the caller.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the identifier is a plurality of numeric digits assigned to the caller, the digits being separate from a telephone number associated with a telephone from which the caller initiated the call.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the predefined preference includes routing calls based on at least one of a time range or a date range.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising routing the call to a conference call based on the identifier.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a telephone call, the call being initiated using an identifier specific to a caller and the identifier being assigned to the caller by a recipient;

identifying the caller based on the identifier, the identifier being a plurality of numeric digits assigned to the caller, the digits being separate from a telephone number associated with a telephone from which the caller initiated the call;

retrieving a predefined preference associated with the identifier from a database, the predefined preference being created by the recipient and including routing calls based on at least one of a time range or a date range;

routing the telephone call in response to the predefined preference;

storing the incoming telephone call in the database;

creating a record of the incoming call and the caller associated with the incoming call;

generating statistics for each call and caller; and

storing the statistics in the database.