Methods and apparatus for providing expanded telecommunications service

• US 8,401,164 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Dolan, Robert A., Hofstatter, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US12/167,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/70, 379/74, 379/85, 379/88.11, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/212.01, 379/213.01, 379/214.01, 379/215.01, 379/114.13, 379/142.01, 379/201.01, 379/201.02
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2236 Quality of speech transmission monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• 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 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

System and method for putting control of incoming telephone calls in the hands of subscribers with the aid of computer software and the Internet. In effect, a very efficient multiplexer is provided that does not require a change in the behavior of the called party or the calling party. This system permits the called party to hear a spoken message by the calling party in real time, and the content of the spoken message permits the called party to decide how to handle the call. The system adaptively learns and captures the rules of the called party for handling calls, and learns which callers the called party always wishes to talk to. The system uses special control software on the called party'"'"'s computer which is connected to the Internet. The system employs a central server in which all of the required intelligence is resident. Audio signals are exchanged via non-data channels provided by the telephone companies and by the Internet. Either a very simple Internet busy pick-up is provided, or a very complex messaging system is provided, as desired. A feature is the monitoring and screening of incoming calls before deciding how to handle them. Another feature is the capturing and storage of the decision making profile.

Claims

1. A method of processing communications, the method comprising:

creating a phone number data base for a first party;

receiving at a communication processing system over a network a first call from a first communication initiator intended for the first party;

determining a first phone number of the first communication initiator from call signaling associated with the first call;

storing in the first party data base the first phone number;

receiving at the communication processing system a second call from a second communication initiator intended for the first party;

determining a second phone number of the second communication initiator from call signaling associated with the second call;

storing in the first party data base the second phone number;

receiving an indication of interest by the first party in a subject of an advertisement;

storing the first party'"'"'s indication of interest in the advertisement subject in a data store;

identifying a second party using a collaborative filter applied to phone numbers in the first party data base; and

directing to the second party identified using the collaborative filter one or more advertisements relating to the advertisement subject corresponding to the stored first party'"'"'s indication of interest.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second communication initiator is a plurality of communication initiators.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first party data base includes a contact record corresponding to at least one of the first and second communication initiators.

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

placing an outbound communication using a first contact record from the first party data base to the first communication initiator; and

,

placing an outbound communication using a second contact record from the first party data base to the second communication initiator.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first phone number is obtained from the first communication initiator'"'"'s caller ID (identification).

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

determining a first call treatment for the first call from the first communication initiator;

storing in the first party data base the determined first call treatment;

determining a second call treatment for the second call from the second communication initiator;

storing in the first party data base the determined second call treatment.

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

recording an audio message from the first communication initiator; and

,

playing the recorded audio message from the first communication initiator on a computing device of the first party wherein the playing of the recorded audio message is initiated before the termination of the first call.

6. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices;

nontransitory computer readable memory that stores program code that, when executed by the one or more computing device, performs operations comprising;

creating a phone number data base for a first party;

receiving over a network a first call from a first communication initiator intended for the first party;

determining a first phone number of the first communication initiator from call signaling associated with the first call;

storing in the first party data base the first phone number;

receiving a second call from a second communication initiator intended for the first party;

determining a second phone number of the second communication initiator from call signaling associated with the second call;

storing in the first party data base the second phone number;

receiving an indication of interest by the first party in a subject of an advertisement;

storing the first party'"'"'s indication of interest in the advertisement subject in a data store;

identifying a second party using a collaborative filter applied to phone numbers in the first party data base; and

directing to the second party identified using the collaborative filter one or more advertisements relating to the advertisement subject corresponding to the stored first party'"'"'s indication of interest.