Patents Represented by Attorney Janice E. Clements
  • Patent number: 7266191
    Abstract: A comprehensive method for handling telephone calls directed to a telephone number of a terminated user that has been reassigned to a new user. The present invention provides user with a notification service that intercepts telephone calls to said telephone number and notifies callers that the telephone number has been reassigned to the new user. Callers seeking the new user continue calls to user, which results in user only being alerted by continuing callers and not being bothered by callers seeking the terminated user. The user can customize the notification message to inform callers of the details regarding the telephone number reassignment and to whom the telephone number was reassigned. The user can specify a time period for the notification service to be activated. The notification service stores all continuing calls in a log, and bypasses all subsequent calls from telephone numbers listed in the log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Kenneth Wilson, Indran Naick