Methods and systems for creating a dynamic call log and contact records

• US 8,503,637 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Kirchhoff, Leland W., Trandal, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US12/942,366
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.02, 379/142.06, 379/210.01
• US Class Current: 379/142.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• 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: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular, to methods and systems for processing call signaling data. In an embodiment, a call processing system receives a first message from a switch while the switch is processing a call for a calling party, wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a firing of a call event trigger configured within a switch. The first message includes call signaling information, including the calling party'"'"'s phone number. The calling party'"'"'s phone number is stored in the call processing system. A communication channel is established over a network between the call processing system and a computer associated with the called party. A message is transmitted to the networked computer, the message including the calling party'"'"'s phone number, wherein the calling party'"'"'s phone number is intended to be displayed on the networked computer associated with the called party.

Claims

1. A method of processing call information, the method comprising:

receiving a first message from a switch at an external call processing system when a first party originates a call directed to a second party,

wherein the external call processing system is connected to but not a part of the switch,

the first message including call information including at least the first party'"'"'s phone number, if available, and the second party'"'"'s phone number;

if the first party'"'"'s phone number is available, storing in computer readable memory at least a portion of the call information, including an identifier associated with the first party phone number and an identifier associated with the second party'"'"'s phone number, in the external call processing system;

determining if the first party is associated with an existing contact record in a contact data store associated with the second party,

wherein the contact record in the contact data store is accessible and editable by the called party and

at least when the first party is not associated with an existing contact record in a contact data store associated with the second party, querying during the call;

a Calling Name database, or

Line Information Database, or

a networked site;

the Calling Name database, the Line Information Database, and the networked site,

for data related to the first party;

receiving data related to the first party at least partly in response to the query;

automatically populating at least a portion of a call record with at least a portion of the received data; and

transmitting a second message, during the call, over a network to a networked computer associated with the first party, the second message including at least a portion of the first party contact record or at least a portion of the received data.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first party is a registered subscriber of at least a first service offered by the call processing system.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second message transmission occurs substantially in real-time with respect to the call.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information in the second message is stored in a call log associated with the first party.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second message is transmitted as an email message to the first party.

6. A method of processing call information, the method comprising:

receiving a first message at a call processing system,

wherein the first message is triggered, at least in part, in response to a call event associated with a first call from a calling party to a called party,

the first message including call signaling related information, the call signaling related information including at least an identifier associated with the calling party, if available, and an identifier associated with a called party;

if an identifier associated with the calling party is available storing in computer readable memory at least a portion of the call signaling related information in the processing system;

determining if the calling party is associated with an existing contact record in a contact data store,

wherein the contact record in the contact data store is accessible and editable by the called party;

if the calling party is not associated with an existing contact record in a contact data store, querying, during the call, a data source for data related to the calling party;

receiving data related to the calling party at least partly in response to the query;

automatically populating at least a portion of the contact record with at least a portion of the received data related to the calling party; and

transmitting over a network a second message during the first call including at least a portion of the contact record or at least a portion of the received data related to the calling party from the call processing system to one or more networked applications,

wherein at least a first of the networked applications is associated with the called party.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the identifier associated with the calling party is a phone number or account number.

8. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the calling party is a registered subscriber of at least a first service offered by the call processing system.

9. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the call signaling related information includes a designation as to whether the calling party'"'"'s phone number is private.

10. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the data in the second message is transmitted via an email message.

11. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the second message is transmitted substantially at the same time to a plurality of networked applications.

12. A method of processing call signaling information, the method comprising:

receiving a first message at a call processing system,

wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a first call event,

wherein the first message includes call signaling data for a first call, the first message including a calling party'"'"'s phone number if available, a called party'"'"'s phone number, or the calling party'"'"'s phone number and/or the called party'"'"'s phone number;

at least partly in response to determining the calling party'"'"'s phone number is available from the call signaling data;

automatically collecting additional contact information for the calling party, if the calling party'"'"'s phone number is available;

wherein the contact information related to the calling party is accessible and editable by the called party;

storing in computer readable memory at least a portion of the call signaling information;

storing in computer readable memory at least a portion of the additional contact data for the calling party in the processing system;

at least when the calling party is not associated with an existing contact record in the contact data store associated with the called party;

querying during the first call;

a Calling Name database, or

a Line Information Database, or

a networked site, or

the Calling Name database, the Line Information database, and the networked site,

for data related to the calling party;

receiving data related to the calling party at least partly in response to the query;

automatically populating at least a portion of a call record with at least a portion of the received data; and

transmitting a second message during the first call to one or more of the networked client applications, the second message including at least a portion of the calling party contact record or at least a portion of the received data related to the calling party.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, further comprising causing at least a portion of the information related to the first call to be stored by one or more of the networked client applications associated with the calling party or the called party.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the additional contact information collected pertains to the calling party.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the additional contact information includes two or more of:

a city associated with the calling party, a state associated with the calling party, a name associated with the calling party, a locator corresponding to a web page associated with the calling party, an email address associated with the calling party, a SIP address, wireless phone number associated with the calling party, a street address associated with the calling party.

16. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the additional information is collected from databases that can be queried using the calling party'"'"'s phone number.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the called party had edited the contact information associated with the calling party.

18. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the contact information is edited using the client application running on one or more networked computers.

19. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the contact information is edited via a Web page.