Methods, systems, and products for call notifications

• US 9,838,543 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kent, Jr., Larry, Daniell, William Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US14/549,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 379 76, 379 8812- 8814, 379 8817, 37914201, 37921201, 37939001, 379219, 37921102, 370356
• 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 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 Call deflection

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products provide remote notification of calls. When a call is received, a contact list is consulted for a contact. An electronic message is sent to an address of the contact. The electronic message notifies the contact of the call.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing code, the code when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a call at a called party'"'"'s device, the called party'"'"'s device associated with a called number associated with the call;

retrieving a network address by the called party'"'"'s device, the network address electronically associated with the called number;

generating, by the called party'"'"'s device, a ring to announce the call;

sending, from the called party'"'"'s device while ringing the call, an electronic message addressed to the network address, the electronic message notifying of the call;

updating a log of calls with an entry associated with the call;

receiving a reply message from a device associated with the network address; and

sending the log of calls to the device associated with the network address in response to the reply message.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise forwarding the call from the called party'"'"'s device to another destination.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise sending a calling number associated with the call to the device associated with the network address.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command instructing the called party'"'"'s device to send the call to voicemail.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command instructing the called party'"'"'s device to allow the call to ring without an answer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command specifying a contact in a contact list.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise forwarding the call to the contact.

8. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing code, the code when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a landline call terminated to a called number assigned to a called party'"'"'s device, the landline call associated with a calling number;

querying an electronic contact list for the calling number, the electronic contact list stored in the called party'"'"'s device, the electronic contact list electronically associating contact addresses and calling numbers including the calling number associated with the call;

identifying a contact address of the contact addresses in the electronic contact list, the contact address electronically associated with the calling number;

generating a ring by the called party'"'"'s device to announce a receipt of the landline call;

sending, while ringing the landline call, an electronic message from the called party'"'"'s device via the Internet to another device associated with the contact address, the electronic message notifying the another device of the landline call;

updating a log of calls with an entry associated with the landline call;

receiving a reply message from the another device associated with the contact address; and

sending the log of calls to the another device associated with the contact address in response to the reply message.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise forwarding the landline call from the called party'"'"'s device to the another device associated with the contact address.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sending the calling number to the another device associated with the contact address.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command to send the landline call to voicemail.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command that rings the landline call without an answer.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command to forward the landline call to a different contact address in the electronic contact list.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise forwarding the landline call to the different contact address.

15. A memory device storing code that when executed causes a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a telephone call terminated to a called number assigned to a residential landline device, the telephone call associated with a calling number;

querying an electronic contact list for the calling number, the electronic contact list stored by the residential landline device, the electronic contact list electronically associating contact addresses and calling numbers including the calling number;

identifying a contact address of the contact addresses stored by the residential landline device, the contact address electronically associated with the calling number;

sending, from the residential landline device while ringing the telephone call, an electronic message via the Internet to a device associated with the contact address, the electronic message alerting the device associated with the contact address of the telephone call received by the residential landline device;

updating a log of calls with an entry associated with the telephone call;

receiving a reply electronic message from the device associated with the contact address; and

sending the log of calls to the device associated with the contact address in response to the reply electronic message.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command in the electronic reply message to send the call to voicemail.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command in the electronic reply message that rings the telephone call without an answer.

18. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command in the electronic reply message to forward the telephone call to a different contact in the electronic contact list.