2110 entity

---

US007822188B1

(12) United States Patent

(10) Patent N0.: (45) Date of Patent:

Kirchhoff et al. (54)

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR

Sep. 22, 2005.

(75) Inventors: Leland W. Kirchhoff, Santa Barbara, CA (US); David S. Trandal, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Colin Kelley, Santa Barbara, CA (US); David J. Brahm, The Woodlands, TX (US); Robert F. Smith, Santa Barbara, CA (US); David Frank Hofstatter, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Robert A. Dolan, Santa Barbara, CA

(51)

Int. Cl. H04M 3/42

(52)

US. Cl. ............................. .. 379/211.02; 379/88.11

(58)

Field of Classi?cation Search .......... .. 379/211.02,

(56)

References Cited

(73) Assignee: CallWave, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US)

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 3,936,613 A

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35

2/1976 Nishigori et al.

(Continued)

U.S.C. 154(b) by 1069 days.

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

(21) Appl.No.: 11/526,200 (22) Filed:

(2006.01)

379/88.11, 88.25, 93.23 See application ?le for complete search history.

(Us) Notice:

Oct. 26, 2010

60/ 634,124, ?led on Dec. 8, 2004, provisional appli cation No. 60/639,095, ?led on Dec. 23, 2004, provi sional application No. 60/659,265, ?led on Mar. 7, 2005, provisional application No. 60/719,635, ?led on

PROVIDING EXPANDED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE

(*)

US 7,822,188 B1

CA

1329852

5/1994

(Continued)

Sep. 22, 2006

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Related US. Application Data

International Search Report dated May 19, 2003.

(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 11/294,682, ?led on Dec. 5, 2005, noW Pat. No. 7,555,1 10, Whichis

(Continued)

a continuation-in-part of application No. 11/062,182, ?led on Feb. 18, 2005, noW Pat. No. 7,397,910, Which is a continuation of application No. 10/255,567, ?led on Sep. 26, 2002, noW Pat. No. 6,898,275, Which is a continuation of application No. 09/539,375, ?led on Mar. 31, 2000, noW Pat. No. 6,477,246, application No. 11/526,200, Which is a continuation-in-part of

application No. 10/439,601, ?led on May 16, 2003,

Primary ExamineriCreighton Smith (74) Attorney, Agent, or FirmiKnobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear LLP

(57)

The present invention provides ?exible call processing. For example, a call processor system can receive an inbound call intended for a called party and place an outbound call to the

noW Pat. No. 7,103,167.

called party. The call processing system can provide the called party With a call transfer option.

(60) Provisional application No. 60/127,434, ?led on Apr. 1, 1999, provisional application No. 60/382,257, ?led on May 20, 2002, provisional application No. 60/ 633, 594, ?led on Dec. 6, 2004, provisional application No.

£2110

20/

ENTITY

LOCAL EXCHANGE

ZZ/?

57 Claims, 36 Drawing Sheets

2ND

COMMAND CENTER

ENTITY

GATEWAY —

SWITCH

ABSTRACT

SERVER(S)

(LOCAL)

29

27

Z84 GATEWAY

(CENTRAL) \ 78B

US 7,822,188 B1 Page2

3,956,595 4,009,337 4,022,983 4485470

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

6,438,216 B1 6,438,222 B1

A A A A

6,477,246 6,496,569 6,496,576 6,501,750

5/1976 2/1977 5/1977 11/1984

Sobanski SakaietalBraun eta1~ Reali

B1 B2 B2 B1

8/2002 Aktas 8/2002 Burg 11/2002 12/2002 12/2002 12/2002

Dolan et a1. Pelletieretal. Tanaka et a1. Shaffer et a1.

4,736,405 A 4,809,321 A

4/1988 Akiyama 2/1989 Morganstein etal.

6,505,163 B1 6,510,162 B1

1/2003 Zhang etal. 1/2003 pijoleket 31,

4,893,336 A 4,994,926 A 5,040,208 A

l/1990 2/1991 8/1991 9/1991 3/1994

WuthnOW Gordon etal. Jolissaint

6,510,417 B1 6,512,930 B2 6,519,258 B1

1/2003 Woods et a1. 1/2003 Sandegren 2/2003 Tsukazoe et a1.

Sakai

6,539,084 B1

Gordon et al. Olnowich et a1. Klein Gordon etal. Redd, Jr er 91 Madduri Robinson etal. Blumhardt IidaetalNakagawa Van Berkum

6,542,596 6,546,087 6,549,612 6,553,222 6,564,264 6,564,321 6,567,505 6,574,319 6,621,892 6,643,034 6,658,100

5,046,087 A 5,291,302 5,404,537 5,434,908 5,459,584 5,467,388 5526524 5,533,102 5,533,106 5,577,111 5,583,918 5,619,557

A A A A A A A A A A A

4/1995 7/1995 10/1995 11/1995 6/1996 7/1996 7/1996 11/1996 12/1996 4/1997

B1 B2 B2 B1 B1 B2 B1 B2 B1 B1 B1

3/2003 Long 4/2003 4/2003 4/2003 4/2003 5/2003 5/2003 5/2003 6/2003 9/2003 11/2003 12/2003

Hillet 31‘ Shaffer et 31, Gifford etal. Weiss Creswell et a1. Bobo, 11 ()morietal, Latter et a1. Banisteretal. Gordon et a1. Lund

5,640,677 A

6/1997 Karlsson

6,661,785 B1

12/2003 Zhang etal.

5651054 5,668,861 5,751,795 5,774,067 5,805,587

A A A A A

7/1997 9/1997 5/1998 6/1998 9/1998

Dunn etalWarts Hassler et a1. Olnowich et a1. Norrisetal

6,662,232 6,690,785 6,721,408 6,748,058 6,751,299

B1 B1 B1 B1 B1

12/2003 2/2004 4/2004 6/2004 6/2004

5,809,128 5,812,551 5,825,867 5,832,060 5,835,573

A A A A A

9/1998 9/1998 10/1998 11/1998 11/1998

McMullin Tsukazoe etal. Epleret 91 Corlett et a1. Dee etalr

6,775,370 6,782,088 6,785,021 6,792,094 6,857,074

B2 B1 B1 B1 B2

g/2004 g/2004 8/2004 9/2004 2/2005

Burg Gabaraet 31, Gordon etal. Kirkpatrick Bobo, 11

5,894,504 5946386 5960064 5,960,073 5963629

A A A A A

4/1999 8/1999 9/1999 9/1999 10/1999

Alfred etalRogers et 91Foladare etalKikinisetal Jung

6,898,275 6,968,174 6,999,572 7,003,087 7,120,455

B2 B1 B1 B2 B1

5/2005 11/2005 2/2006 2/2006 10/2006

Dolan et a1. Trandal et a1. Shaffer et a1. Spencer etal. Chen et a1.

Nicholls et a1. Stelter et a1. Bain et a1, Schwend et 31, Brown et a1.

5995594 A

11/1999 Shaffer er 91

7,209,964 B2*

4/2007 Dugan et a1. .............. .. 709/223

5,995,603 A

11/1999 Anderson

7,231,029 B1

6/2007 Kirkpatrick 7/2008 Dolan et 31‘

6,014,436 A

1/2000 Florence et al.

7,397,910 B2

6,032,051 A

2/2000 Hall er 91

7,412,050 B2*

6,034,956 6,035,031 6,044,059 6,078,581

3/2000 3/2000 3/2000 6/2000

A A A A

6,104,800 A 6,144,644 6,160,881 6,167,127 6,169,795

A A A B1

OIIIOWiCh eta1~ Silverman Olnowich etal. shtivelman eta1~

8/2000 Benson 11/2000 12/2000 12/2000 V2001

BaJZath eta1~ Beydaetal Smith eta1~ Dunn etal

6,169,796 B1

V2001

6,175,622 B1 6,178,183 B1

V2001 Chiniwala eta1~ V2001 Buskirkrlr

6,181,691 B1

6,208,638 6,212,261 6,230,009 6,243,378 6253249 6,278,704 6,304,565 6310939 6,350,066

B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1

Bauer er a1

V2001 MarkgrafetaL

3/2001 4/2001 5/2001 6/2001 6/2001 8/2001 10/2001 10/2001 2/2002

Rieley eta1~ Meubusetal. Holmes eta1~ Olnowich Belzile Creamer er a1 Ramamurthy Varney B9129, II

7,548,756 2002/0010616 2002/0097710 2003/0039339

B2 A1 A1 A1

2003/0063731 A1 2003/0123629 2003/0156700 2003/0191823 2004/0028203

A1 A1 A1 A1

8/2008 Renneretal. ........ .. 379/215.01

6/2009 1/2002 7/2002 2/2003

Velthiusetal. Itzhaki Burg Luehrig et a1.

4/2003 Woodring 7/2003 8/2003 10/2003 2/2004

Hussain et a1. Brown etal. Bansaletal. Wurster et a1.

2004/0105536 A1*

6/2004 Williams ............. .. 379/211.02

2004/0141598 A1 2004/0190706 A1

7/2004 Moss etal. 9/2004 Fleischer, 111 et a1.

2004/0240641 A1*

12/2004 Cohen etal. ........... .. 379/88.22

2004/0258220 2005/0010573 2005/0053216 2005/007g612 2005/0123118 2005/0201534 2005/0207556 2005/0265322 2005/0286498

12/2004 1/2005 3/2005 4/2005 6/2005 9/2005 9/2005 12/2005 12/2005

A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1

6,353,660 B1 6,353,663 B1

3/2002 Burgeretal 3/2002 $t_evenSeta1~

2005/0287993 A1 2006/0013374 A1

Levine et a1. Garg Spenceretal. Lang Terryetal. Ignatin Gonzalez etal. Hester Randet a1. 12/2005 Gogic 1/2006 Fleisher, 111 et a1.

6363414 B1 6,374,102 B1

3/2002 Nlcholls er 914/2002 Brachman et a1.

2006/0227957 A1

10/2006 Dolan et a1.

6,405,035 B1

6/2002 slngh

6,411,601 B1

6/2002 Shaffer et a1.

6,411,692 B1*

6/2002 Scherer ............... .. 379/127.01

EP

1120 954

8/2001

6,411,805 B1

6/2002 Becker etal.

JP

10107901

4/1998

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

US 7,822,188 B1 Page 3 JP JP JP JP

10-322462 10-322465 10-513632 11606292

12/1998 12/1998 12/1998 6/1999

JP W0 W0

2001468989 WO 97/26749 WO 98/36551

6/2001 7/1997 8/1998

W0

WO 99/14924

3/1999

W0

WO 00/60840

10/2000

W0

WO 01/76210

10/2001

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Alticle: Johnson, Dave; “Now You’re Talking-voice-response sys terns for home of?cesiProduct Information”; Home O?ce Comput ing: http://WWW.?ndaIticles.com: Feb. 1999. * cited by examiner

US. Patent

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 1 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

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US. Patent

Oct. 26, 2010

US 7,822,188 B1

Sheet 2 0f 36

COMMAND CENTER CALLER INFORMATION DISPLAY

CALL HANDLING

MONITOR

GREETINGm 2

CONNECT

DO NOT DISTURB

TRANSFER

RECALL

MESSAGE RETRIEVAL PLAY ERASE

3

4

NEW CALL

FORWARD

BACK

SPAM

DEFINE

CALL HANDLING RULES

ALWAYS

NEVER

DISPLAY PRESENTATION IS VISUAL AUDIBLE CALLER INFORMATION. SHOWN ARE ACTION BUTTONS FOR VARIOUS CALL AND MESSAGE HANDLING. ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN BY VOICE TONE COMMANDS.

F16: Z

US. Patent

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 5 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

LOCATE SUBSCRIBER 40

HOME NUMBER /

LOGGED ON LINE

FORg/VAALRLDED

'

l

I

ADDlTlONAL HUME

4/

Y

_

/

POT

NUMBER

j,

/

NETW

I

|

33;

42

S

/

Tm /

CENTRAL OFFICE

I

I

45

PERSONAL

/

NUMBERS

J2

/ SS-7

I l

.

SPECIAL

44

NUMBERS CLASSED SINGLE P

/ OSE

4a

{

50

wIRELE-SS /

LAND LINE /

I

TO SiRvER

TO SERVER

I

28

28

45

CELL PHONE /

PAGER

[/61 5

/

6,

US. Patent

Oct. 26, 2010

US 7,822,188 B1

Sheet 6 0f 36

5/

I

BEGIN

I’ I

PLACING A CALL FROM A FIRST ENTITY TO A SECOND ENTITY

RECEIVING THE CALL AT A LOCAL EXCHANGE SWITCH I

IDENTIFYING A NUMBER OF THE FIRST ENTITY

I

DIRECTING THE CALL AND THE NUMBER OF THE

DETERMINE WHETHER THE COMMAND CENTER OF THE SECOND ENTITY IS COMMUNICATING WITH THE SERVER

SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE COMMAND CENTER INDICATING

THE PRESENCE OF A CALL, CALL INTERNETING AND IDENTIFYING THE NUMBER OF THE FIRST ENTITY AND THE NUMBER OF THE SECOND ENTITY

FIRST ENTITY TO A GATEWAY I

DIRECTING THE

CALL, CALL INFORMATION ANE THE NUMBER OF THE FIRST ENTITY TO A SERVER

DIRECTING THE CALL TO ONE OF A PLURALITY OF TELEPHONIC DEVICES ACCORDING

TO THE NUMBER OF THE ‘SECOND ENTITY

6/ END

14/6: 7

US. Patent

Oct. 26, 2010

I

Sheet 7 0f 36

BEGIN

US 7,822,188 B1

I/

RECEIVING AT THE

5;

sERvER A COMMAND ) FROM THE COMMAND CENTER TO HAvE THE sERvER ANSWER THE CALL

ANSWERING THE CALL / THROUGH THE SERVER

PLAYING A MESSAGE

RECORDING A

/

MESSAGE FOM THE CALL I 67

STORING THE MESSAGE FROM THE CALL IN THE SERVER

6'6’

END

FIG 6’

US. Patent

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 8 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

70

DETERMINING WHETHER SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE STORED IN THE COMPUTER REGARDING FORWARDING CALLS

I

T

FORWARDING THE CALL TO A NUMBER DESIGNATED BY THE SECOND ENTITY

7]

FIG: .9

7/

N

US. Patent

Oct. 26, 2010

Sheet 9 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

74

(

BEGIN

}’

REcORDINO A PLURALITY

75

/

OF DIFFERENT AUDIO OREETINOS

STORINO SAID AUDIO

GREETINGS IN A

75

/

MEMORY STORAGE DEvIcE

I

PLAYINO A PRESELECTED ONE

77

OF SAID AUDIO

/

GREETINGS TO A CALLER ON DEMAND

‘

75

END

15/6: [0

US. Patent

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 10 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

50

I

BEGIN

I’

I

(9/

DEvELOPING A DATABASE OF

/

PRIORITY TELEPHONE NUMBERS I

ANSWERING A CALL BY THE SERVER ONLY IF THE CALLER’S PRIORITY LEVEL MATCHES THE SUBSCRIBER’S AVAILABILITY LEVEL

IF THE CALLER’S PRIORITY LEVEL EXCEEDS THE SUBSCRIBER’S MONITOR-AVAILABILITY LEvEL PERMITTING THE SUBSCRIBER TO MONITOR A MESSAGE FROM THE CALLER AUDIBLY OvER THE INTERNET I

PERMITTING THE SUBSCRIBER TO MAKE A

8!

55

84

/

DECISION HOW TO HANDLE THE CALL OVER THE INTERNET I

PERMITTING THE SUBSCRIBER TO SPECIFY: ALWAYS, OR THIS TIME ONLY, CONNECT THE

CALL, TRANSFER THE CALL, TAKE A MESSAGE, OR TERMINATE THE CALL IF THE SELECTED

TECHNIQUE OvERRIDES THE RULE, UPDATE THE RULES PROFILE DYNAMIC

56

I

I

END

I/

14/6: 1]

55

US. Patent

\ E

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 11 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

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US. Patent

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 12 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

9.0 I

BEGIN

I/

MONITORING AND SCREENING

INCOMING CALLS BASED ON

9/

j

PROFILING DYNAMICALLY

PROPERTIES SUCH AS CALL

CALL TREATMENT BY

TYPE, CALLER NO., CALLED NO.,

SUBSCRIBER, AND

TIME OF DAY, FAMILY MEMBER

STORING

LoCATING SUBSCRIBER USING

92

FINDME, FoLLow ME, FIRST OFR SECOND HOME PHONE,

PROCESSING PROFILES TO INFER CALLER PRIORITY AND CREATE RULES

BUSINESS PHONE, CELL PHONE

ALLOWING SUBSCRIBER To SPECIFY CALL TREATMENT, E.G.

‘95

95

CoNNECT THE CALL, TRANSFER /

REVIEWING BY

THE CALL, TAKE A MESSAGE

96

SUBSCRIBER 0F

SUGGESTED CALL

j

HANDLING RULES

OBSERVING AND NOTING

jd

SUBSCRIBER TREATMENT OF CALL

CAPTURING AND STORING DYNAMIC

97

PROFILE OF SUBSCRIBER / CALL TREATMENT

96’

END

[/61 J3

US. Patent

0a. 26, 2010

Sheet 13 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1

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US. Patent

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Sheet 16 0f 36

US 7,822,188 B1