Methods and systems for routing calls

• US 8,270,582 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: FuzeBox, Inc.
• Inventors: Kirchhoff, Leland W., Trandal, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US11/697,163
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.07, 379/67.1, 379/88.19, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.04, 379/207.08, 379/207.09, 379/207.1, 379/207.16, 379/372, 379/373.01, 379/373.02
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing and routing calls are described. A call processing system receives from a telecommunications system a communication indicating that a first call to a user is in progress. A call routing instruction associated with the user is accessed. Based at least in part on the call routing instruction, a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the second call and the third call are placed at substantially the same time or a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the third call is placed if the second call is not timely answered.

Claims

1. A method of processing a call from a caller, the method comprising:

receiving from a telecommunication system at a call processing system a first communication indicating that a first call directed to a first telephonic device address is in progress, wherein the first call is received at the telecommunication system via the Public Switched Telephone Network and the first telephonic device address is associated with a user;

accessing from computer readable memory associated with the call processing system a call routing instruction associated with the first telephonic device address;

based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the second call and the third call are placed at substantially the same time;

causing at least in part the first and second telephonic devices to ring with a first ring type in association with the second call and the third call, respectively;

if the second call and the third call are not timely answered;

terminating the second call and the third call;

causing at least in part the first call to be routed to the call processing system;

causing at least in part a fourth call to be placed to the first telephonic device and a fifth call to be placed to the second telephonic device, wherein the fourth call and the fifth call are placed at substantially the same time;

causing at least in part the first and second telephonic devices to ring with respect to the fourth call and the fifth call,

wherein the first and second telephonic devices alert with a distinctive ring as compared to the first ring type associated with the second call and the third call, and

wherein the distinctive ring provides an indication to the user that if the user answers the first and/or the second telephonic devices, the call will be in a screening mode of operation;

causing at least in part a message to be played to the caller asking the caller to leave a message;

if the user timely answers the first and/or the second telephonic devices while the caller is listening to the call processing system or leaving a message, causing a one-way talk path between the caller and the user to be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication that the user wants a two-way talk path established between the caller and the user; and

causing at least in part the two-way talk path to be established between the caller and the user.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a determination is made that the second and third calls are not timely answered if at least one of the second and third calls are not answered within a first number of rings.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the telecommunication system includes a Service Switching Point.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the telecommunication system includes a Mobile Switching Center.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first communication is sent to a Service Control Point in the call processing system.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising the call processing system using the first telephonic device address to determine if the user is a subscriber of at least one service provided by the call processing system.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call processing system responds to the first communication with a second communication to the telecommunication system instructing the telecommunication system to connect the first call to the call processing system.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising including information related to the first call in a call log accessible to the user.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising transmitting status information related to the first call to a user computer system for display to the user.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein status information related to the first call is displayed in substantially real time on the computer system via a client application, a Web page, a widget, and/or a gadget.

12. A method of processing a call from a caller, the method comprising:

receiving over a network at a call processing system a first call directed to a first telephonic device address, wherein the first telephonic device address is associated with a user;

accessing from computer readable memory associated with the call processing system a call routing instruction associated with the first telephonic device address;

based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part a first connection to a first telephonic device to provide a first incoming call indication;

if the first telephonic device is not timely answered, causing at least in part the first call to be routed to the call processing system;

causing at least in part a second connection to be initiated to the first telephonic device and a third connection to be initiated to a second telephonic device, wherein the second connection and the third connection are initiated at substantially the same time; and

causing, at least in part, one or more incoming call indications to be used with respect to the second connection and the third connection,

wherein the one or more incoming call indications are distinctive with respect to the first incoming call indication provided with respect to the first connection, and

wherein the one or more distinctive incoming call indications indicate to the user that if the user answers the second telephonic device, the first call will be in a screening mode of operation wherein a one-way talk path between the caller and the user will be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising:

causing at least in part a message to be played to the caller asking the caller to leave a message; and

if the user answers the first and/or the second telephonic device while the caller is listening to the call processing system or leaving a message, causing a one-way talk path between the caller and the user to be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication that the user wants a two-way talk path established between the caller and the user; and

causing at least in part the two-way talk path to be established between the caller and the user.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising the call processing system using the first telephonic device address to determine if the user is a subscriber of at least one service provided by the call processing system.

16. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising including information related to the first call in a call log accessible to the user.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising transmitting status information related to the first call to a user computer system for display to the user.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein status information related to the first call is displayed in substantially real time on the computer system via a client application, a Web page, a widget, and/or a gadget.

19. The method as defined in claim 12, the method further comprising:

determining at the call processing system that the first telephonic device is answered;

transmitting an indication that the first telephonic device is answered over a data network to a computer system for display to the user;

receiving an indication at the call processing system that the first connection is terminated; and

transmitting a termination indication to the first connection over the data network to the computer system for display to the user.

20. A method of processing a first call from a caller to a first user phone address, the method comprising:

receiving from a telecommunication system at a call processing system a first communication indicating that the first call is in progress;

accessing from computer readable memory a call routing instruction associated with the user;

based at least in part on the call routing instruction, causing at least in part;

a first connection to be initiated to a first telephonic device and a second connection to be initiated to a second telephonic device, wherein the first connection and the second connection are initiated at substantially the same time or

a first connection to be initiated to a first telephonic device causing at least in part a first audible call alert of a first type to be played to the user and, if the first connection is not timely answered;

causing at least in part a second connection to be initiated to a second telephonic device; and

causing at least in part a second audible call alert of a second type to be played to the user indicating that the first call will be in a screening mode of operation if the user answers the second telephonic device,

wherein the first audible call alert is of a different type and distinct from the second call alert, and

wherein if the user answers the second telephonic device, a one-way talk path between the caller and the user will be established, wherein the user can hear the caller and the caller does not hear the user.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising:

determining at the call processing system that the first telephonic device is answered; and

bridging the first call and the first connection.

22. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the second connection is placed if the first connection is not answered after a number of rings specified by the user.

23. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the second connection is made if the first connection is not answered after a time period specified by the user.

24. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising:

determining at the call processing system that the first telephonic device is answered;

transmitting an indication that the first telephonic device is answered over a data network to a computer system for display to the user;

receiving an indication at the call processing system that the first connection is terminated; and

transmitting an indication that the first connection is terminated over the data network to the computer system for display to the user.

25. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the telecommunication system includes a Service Switching Point.

26. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first communication is sent to a Service Control Point in the call processing system.

27. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the telecommunication system includes a Mobile Switching Center.

28. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising the call processing system using the first telephonic device address to determine if the user is a subscriber of at least one service provided by the call processing system.

29. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the call processing system responds to the first communication with a second communication to the telecommunication system instructing the telecommunication system to connect the first call to the call processing system.

30. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the call log is accessible for viewing via a plurality of terminals.

31. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein status information related to the first call is displayed in substantially real time on a computer system via a client application, a Web page, a widget, and/or a gadget.

32. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising accessing account information for the user and determining if the user has call screening enabled.

33. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising at least partly causing a caller phone address to be displayed via the first telephonic device with the first connection.

34. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising at least partly causing a phone address associated with the call processing system to be displayed via the first telephonic device with the first connection.

35. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising causing at least in part a condition monitor to be set in the telecommunication system on the first telephonic device address, wherein when the condition monitor detects a first condition, the telecommunication system transmits the first communication to the call processing system.

36. The method as defined in claim 35, wherein the condition monitor includes an intelligent network trigger.

37. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first telephonic device is a mobile phone, and the second telephonic device is a landline phone.

38. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first telephonic device is a mobile phone associated with a first carrier, and the second telephonic device is a mobile device associated with a second carrier.

39. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first telephonic device is a mobile phone associated with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

40. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first telephonic device is a mobile phone configured to forward to the call processing system on an occurrence of at least a first condition.

41. The method as defined in claim 40, the first condition is a no answer condition.

42. The method as defined in claim 40, the first condition is a busy condition.

43. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first telephonic device is a landline phone, and the second telephonic device is a mobile phone.

44. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the second telephonic device is a Voice over IP phone.

45. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the second telephonic device is compatible with a peer-to-peer Internet telephony network.

46. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first and/or second telephonic devices is compatible with an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol.

47. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein if the first telephonic device and the second telephonic device are answered at substantially the same time, the first telephonic device and the second telephonic device are conferenced together.

48. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the first connection routes to a mobile switching center servicing the first telephonic device.

49. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the second telephonic device continues alerting for a period of time after the first telephonic device is answered.

50. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising the call processing system instructing the telecommunication system to terminate the second connection at least partly in response to the first connection being answered.

51. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the second connection to the second telephonic device is terminated at least partly in response to the first connection being answered.

52. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein information related to the first call is included in a call log accessible by the user.

53. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein a control is displayed on a computer system via which the user can elect to take the first call on the computer system.

54. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the telecommunication system connects the first call to the call processing system via routing the call to a pilot number.

55. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the user is associated with a first sub-account of a first account, and a second user is associated with a second sub-account of the first account, and the user is not provided with access with a call log of the second user, and the second user is not provided with access to a call log of the first user.

56. The method as defined in claim 55, wherein a third user is associated with the first account, and has privileges to view the call log associated with the user, and the call log associated with the second user.

57. The method as defined in claim 55, wherein call screening can be separately enabled for the user and the second user.