Abstract: A method for operating a telephone system with at least two telephony terminals to where, in addition to voice data or user data, functional data is transmitted by means of special functions of the telephone system, such as forwarding or holding established call connections. It shall be possible in a simple way for the user to handle even a relatively large multitude of special functions. For this purpose, according to the invention, an action key of a first telephony terminal, provided for triggering special functions is assigned the respective special function to be triggered, depending on its own status or the status of a second telephony terminal within the same team.

Abstract: A telephone relaying apparatus 200 receives a request for connection to a second telephone terminal 300 from a first telephone terminal 100. The connection request includes telephone numbers of the first telephone terminal 100 and the second telephone terminal 300. The telephone relaying apparatus 200 stores a real number that is a telephone number used in the case of directly connecting to each telephone terminal and a published number that is a number published for a third party as a telephone number of the telephone terminal in correlation with each other. When receiving the connection request, the telephone relaying apparatus 200 makes a first call with respect to the first telephone terminal 100, and a second call with respect to the second telephone terminal 300.

Abstract: Multiple instances of an incoming call in a unified communication system capable of communicating through multiple networks are provided to devices and/or applications associated with the called party. Upon acceptance or a global rejection of the incoming call through one of the end devices/applications, the remainder are provided a cancellation notice for the forked call request that includes information associated with which end device took the action, what type of action was taken, whether the action was based on automatic policy implementation.

Abstract: Alerting an intended recipient of a phone call includes identifying an account based on a phone call received from a caller and accessing configuration data related to the account. The configuration data is used to identify an identity associated with the account. One or more external online service provider systems are queried across a network to determine whether the identity is available to receive an electronic communication associated with the phone call. The electronic communication associated with the phone call is sent across the network to the one or more external online service provider systems conditioned on whether the identity is determined to be available to receive the electronic communication. The one or more external online service provider systems send the electronic communication to the identity.

Abstract: To manage a continuity of telephone service in relation to a user associated with a communication terminal (TC) and with at least one communication device (DC), a server (SC) connected to the communication terminal and to the communication device is able to power off the communication terminal following detection of an event relating to the absence of the user close to the communication terminal, and to enable call forwarding from the communication terminal to the communication device based on a user profile. The server is also able to power on the communication terminal following detection of an event relating to the presence of the user close to the communication terminal, and to disable the call forwarding from the communication terminal to the communication device.

Abstract: An origination terminal initiates a call by providing a third party call control message in association with a traffic channel request. While the traffic channel is being established, the service node may initiate third party call control to initiate a call leg to the destination terminal on behalf of the origination terminal. As such, the destination call leg is initiated earlier. Since the destination call leg is initiated earlier, a corresponding ringback message indicating that a call is being presented to the called party is provided to the origination terminal sooner. When the ringback message is received quickly, a corresponding ringback indication may be presented to the caller in less time than was previously possible. The process is made even more efficient by waiting until the ringback message is received from the destination terminal before providing the SDP information, or communication information, for the origination terminal to the destination terminal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can include: when performing a park operation: (i) receiving a first message from a park call phone; (ii) providing a second message having a park code to the park call phone; and (iii) receiving a third message having call information from the park call phone; and when performing a retrieve operation: (iv) receiving a fourth message having the park code from a retrieve call phone; (v) providing a fifth message having the call information to the retrieve call phone; (vi) forwarding a sixth message having the park code from the retrieve call phone to a parked device; (vii) forwarding a seventh message from the parked device to the retrieve call phone; and (viii) receiving an eighth message having the park code from the retrieve call phone.

Abstract: A method of displaying a caller information in a portable device includes setting up an item of the caller information of each caller, and displaying the caller information based on the set item of the caller information of a caller corresponding to a phone number of the caller when the portable device receives an incoming call. Accordingly, caller information desired by the user of the portable device may be displayed, and thus various and personalized caller information may be displayed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for determining whether a call in a packet-switched network to a first destination is to be forwarded, forwarding the call to a second destination based on a determination that the call is to be forwarded, notifying the first destination that the call has been forwarded, receiving a request from the first destination to screen the call, and enabling the first destination to screen the call.

Abstract: A system and method for mapping a voice identity to a telephone number includes: one or more phone systems; at least one policy processor coupled to the one or more phone systems; and a voice identity mapping data structure accessible to the at least one policy processor. The voice identity mapping data structure includes: search voice identities transitively mapped to one or more target voice identities, where the voice identity matches a first search voice identity, the first search voice identity is mapped by the policy processor to a first target voice identity according to a first mapping policy, the first target voice identity matches a second search voice identity of a second mapping policy, the second search voice identity is mapped by the policy processor to a second target voice identity according to the second mapping policy, where the voice identity includes a non-phone number voice identity.

Abstract: A method for realizing the universal personal number ring back tone service comprises: determining the ring back tone played according to the called information, and determining the media resources for playing the ring back tone according to the calling information, the media resources information and the said ring back tone information; the said media resource plays the said ring back tone. The present invention also discloses a device and a system for realizing the universal personal number ring back tone service. On the basis of the present invention, UPT users are supported to assign the different ring back tone for each destination number, respectively, and the ring back tone information of each media resource is dynamically updated in accordance with the using situation of the ring back tone, therefore realizing that the UPT ring back tone service utilizes the network resources effectively.

Abstract: A method of establishing communication between a first and second terminal, the first terminal being arranged to communicate with a first communication system and the second terminal being arranged to communicate with a second communication system.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and a system for forwarding a telephone call. The inventive method includes receiving a telephone call from a calling party line to a called party line, determining a location of the called party, determining a proximity of the location of the called party to one or more subscriber locations, and directing the telephone call to the one or more subscriber locations based on the determined proximity. The subscriber locations may be predefined by the called party. The location of the called party may be determined using a global position system and/or a radio frequency signal, for example.

Abstract: A contact number encapsulation system is disclosed that is operable to consolidate a plurality of contact numbers associated with a given user into a single contact number. The system includes a call processing application that uses information contained in a SIP message header to determine a list of contact numbers to call. The SIP message header contains a call destination indication that is used by the call processing application to retrieve the list of contact numbers. The list of contact numbers is user defined and may be updated or modified by an account holder at any given time. Once the list of contact numbers is obtained, a simultaneous call module is used to simultaneously call each number contained in the list. As such, the account holder only needs to provide the primary contact number to individuals desiring to reach him/her instead of various numbers that are associated with various locations the account holder may be located.

Abstract: In one embodiment, method can include: receiving an address in a call agent, the address being associated with a call; triggering a trunk group selection algorithm in response to at least a portion of the received address, the trunk group selection algorithm providing a selection result from among a trunk group placeholder and a plurality of trunk groups; and forwarding the call to a trunk group determined by a caller-associated attribute when the selection result comprises the trunk group placeholder.

Abstract: For enabling the forwarding of communication requests directed by callers to callees who are subscribers of a carrier network (4) and users in an enterprise network (5), forwarding-profile information is received in a computerized central unit (2). The central unit (2) transfers forwarding information to a network server (41) in the carrier network (4) and/or a network server (51) in the enterprise network (5) for enabling the network servers (41, 51) to forward communication requests based on forwarding information. Thus, forwarding-profile information can be captured and maintained in one central location for generating consistent forwarding-profiles in a plurality of separate communication networks (4, 5, 8) which are operated and managed independently form each other by different entities with regards to technical platforms and organization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forwarding calls placed to a primary destination comprising receiving at least one call forwarding profiles, each call forwarding profile having a predefined duration and at least one call forwarding destination, receiving an instruction to activate one call forwarding profile to an activated profile and forwarding calls placed to the telecommunications destination according to the activated profile.

Abstract: Processing a communication is disclosed. A first request to establish communication is received at a redirection node from a requesting communication participant. A destination communication participant associated with the request is determined. A communication session in which the requesting communication participant, the redirection node, and the destination communication participant are participants at the same time is established, including sending from the redirection node to an equipment associated with the destination communication participant a second request to establish communication between the redirection node and the equipment associated with the destination communication participant.

Abstract: A unitary handheld portable module includes a keypad for entering data and a display for displaying data. A base module is configured to be coupled with and communicate through a telephone line and includes a keypad for dialing a telephone number and a display for displaying information. The portable and base modules are configured to have a mounted configuration in which the portable module is removably mounted on the base module and covers the base module's display, and the modules communicate with each other for the portable module's display to display information relating to operation of the base module.

Abstract: A system and method for highlighting telephone numbers that are sponsored by advertisers on electronic content, and directing voice calls to those numbers to the corresponding advertiser. The call advertising system receives parameters of an advertising campaign from an advertiser, including telephone numbers in the campaign and an amount per call that the advertiser is willing to pay. The call advertising system transmits an indication of the advertised telephone numbers to a voice communication system. The voice communication system, upon determining that a campaign number is contained in electronic content, can to indicate to users that a call can be made at a rate reduced from what a user would normally pay in order. When the user calls the number, the voice communications system directs the call to the advertiser. The call advertising system tracks the call so that the advertiser can be charged the per-call amount.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a device for inputting user instructions of a user-controllable telecommunication device. An RFID transponder is introduced into a sphere of scope of an RFID transceiver and the RFID identification data of the RFID transponder is transmitted to the RFID transceiver. The RFID identification data and/or RFID transceiver identification are transmitted to a collection module by the RFID transceiver. An assigned user instruction is selected by the collection module and by tables containing RFID identification data and tables containing RFID transceiver identifications accessible by the collection module and controlling the user-controllable telecommunication device by the collection module in accordance with the selected user instruction.

Abstract: A Family Branch Exchange (FBX) overcomes limitations of conventional residential telephone technology to inexpensively provide more useful and advanced residential telephone services. For example, a method of providing automatic call forwarding comprises receiving, at a service provider system connected to a telephone network and optionally to a data network, a call including dialing information indicating a person to whom the call is to be placed, retrieving, at the service provider system, destination information for the indicated person, and forwarding, from the service provider system, the call to at least one destination indicated by the destination information.

Abstract: A one number, multi-application, intelligent call processing system provides service benefits to a caller, a servicing location and/or a vanity number advertiser during a call, parallel to the call and/or post call in an integrated common architecture. The system utilizes VRU technology in conjunction with the national telecommunications network connected via Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) to a virtual telephone number database containing a nationwide master list of telephone numbers with attribute data items associated by Spatial Key linkage to each telephone number. The process of the invention is initiated by a caller dialing a selected telephone number to request information and/or services. Based on the number dialed, a caller or network provided ten-digit telephone number and VRU prompted for and received caller input, the system retrieves the application requested data from the virtual telephone number database and provides it to the network.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for operating a communication network comprising a plurality of nodes, whereby a databank is stored in shared manner among the nodes is provided. A first node extracts from the databank identification data for identifying and/or addressing the first node by a correspondent for recording, initiated by the first node, of a communication with the correspondent of an external communication system. In another embodiment, when the recording of a communication with a first node is initiated by a correspondent of an external communication system, a notification concerning the recording of the communication initiated by the correspondent by means of the databank can be supplied to a second node and the correspondent is then tracked. A for implementing the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method of semi-supervised synonym inference for a call handling application, such as automated directory assistance or call routing, is described. In one embodiment the method comprises examining a database of caller interaction results from a directory assistance system that includes an automated directory assistance engine, detecting a specified characteristic in the caller interaction results, and using the detected characteristic to automatically train a destination map, where the destination map is for use by the automated directory assistance engine in automatically mapping human speech to a destination. The detecting of the specified characteristic in the caller interaction results may include a statistical analysis of the caller interaction results for each of one or more speech recognition strings.

Abstract: The disclosed technology described herein provides devices and methods for disconnecting only the duplicate legs of a call which may have been twice or more received on a telecommunications switch for the same phone call. In embodiments of the disclosed technology, the duplicate legs indicate a twice (or more) rejected call from a called party indicating that the call should not be returned to the called party, where the called party is defined as the intended recipient of the phone call. A remaining leg or legs are kept open upon duplicate leg detection on a switch, and the call is then handled with a premium feature, such as forwarding to voicemail.

Abstract: A speech recognition process and system are used for interactive telecommunication. A caller is prompted for input. Each of the phrases represents a destination for routing the call. The response utterance is matched by the system to one of the phrases and the call is routed to the corresponding destination. If the call thereafter has been redirected to a destination representing another of the phrases, speech recognition training data are generated for mapping the utterance to the redirected destination.

Abstract: This private branch exchange includes a control portion parallelly forwarding an incoming call on an outside line to a plurality of recipients through one or more of a first telephone communication portion, a second telephone communication portion and a third telephone communication portion if the incoming call on the outside line is not answered.

Abstract: Call forwarding profiles corresponding to call forwarding settings based on time, location, and/or presence states of a called party are created. Different call forwarding settings are then activated based on corresponding predefined call forwarding profiles. Users are enabled to pre-configure their call forwarding profiles based on one or more rules.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for monitoring calls that have been forwarded to a network-based voice mail system (VMS). The VMS receives the forwarded call and sends a start of greeting signal at the beginning and an end of greeting signal at the completion of the voice message greeting to the central office switch. The switch sends an activate call monitoring data message and a call monitoring alert signal to the customer premises equipment (CPE). If the CPE is adapted for call monitoring and includes a speaker assembly, then the speaker assembly is engaged in response to the activate call monitoring data message, thereby allowing hands-free call monitoring. If the CPE does not include a speaker assembly, then the called party may activate call monitoring by lifting the handset in response to detecting a call monitoring alert from the CPE. While monitoring the call, the called party may intercept the call to speak with the calling party.

Abstract: The present invention provides flexible, user-definable call screening processes. The user can optionally define to which telecommunication terminals a screened call is to be broadcast to and under what conditions. An incoming call is forwarded to a call management system that asks the caller to leave a voice message. The call management system selectively couples the call to a POTS line or a VoIP-capable device so that the user can listen to the incoming message and thereby screen the incoming call. Based on the screening, the user can instruct the call management system to connect the caller to the user.

Abstract: A real-time, interactive system and method of building a list of contact records, such as a mailing list, on a computer network based on selected criteria. A list specification is generated, which may include interactively specifying a geographically defined area for which a contact list is desired including receiving user input, and interactively selecting a product from a plurality of products and a threshold score for the product including receiving user input. The list specification may be transmitted over the computer network to a server where the contact list is built in real-time based on the list specification. If a set of characteristics of the contact list, such as number of records generated or cost, are approved by the user, the contact list is transmitted to a user-specified node on the computer network. The list specification may be stored in memory for reuse by a business, such as a chain of stores.

Abstract: When a call from a call terminal to a called terminal is received, a relay processing device transmits calling terminal specific information that specifies the calling terminal to the called terminal by using data communication. The calling terminal specific information, for example, is a phone number of the calling terminal, but may be a user's name of the calling terminal. The called terminal transmits to the relay processing device, connection information that indicates whether or not to respond to the call from the calling terminal. The transmission of the connection information may be performed by any one of voice communication and data communication. The relay processing device connects the phone call between the called terminal and the calling terminal or cuts off the connection between the calling terminal and the relay processing device according to the connection information.

Abstract: A communications redirection service is implemented when current communications service data for an account is forwarded through a packet switching network. An instruction is received through the packet switching network for the communications redirection service to redirect communications addressed to the first receiving communications address to a second receiving communications address when the communications are from a specified sending communications address. The instruction for the communications redirection service is forwarded to a communications service manager through a data network. Communications addressed to the first receiving communications address are redirected to the second receiving communications address in accordance with the instruction for the communications redirection service when the communications are from the specified sending communications address.

Abstract: A method of configuring a telephone, comprising configuring a plurality of self-labeling Role Keys to represent respective user roles, and configuring a plurality of self-labeling Role Associated Keys associated with respective ones of the self-labeling Role Keys such that upon user selection of one of the self-labeling Role Keys representing a predetermined user role, the plurality of self-labeling Role Associated Keys are presented to the user for invoking respective features associated with the selected user role.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an enterprise network is provided that includes a mobility agent 150 associated with a switch/server 100 or 104. The mobility agent creates a visitor application record 172 associated with a second communication device 140b. The visitor application record is associated with a first subscriber. A second subscriber is normally associated with the second communication device, and the first subscriber with a first communication device 136a. In response to creating the visitor application record, the native communication device record is associated with a virtual communication device having the same public and/or private numbers as the second communication device 140b.

Abstract: A method and system for providing call forwarding in an IP telephone network is disclosed. First, when a telephone number for a first telephone from a second telephone is dialed, the call is routing to a call manager. Call setup procedures with a BRG responsible for the first telephone are then initiated. The BRG then checks stored call forwarding profiles to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for the first telephone. The call is connected to the first telephone if an active call forwarding profile is not found. However, if an active call forwarding profile is found, the call forwarding information is sent to the call manager. The call is routed to at least a third telephone based on the call forwarding information.

Abstract: The patent application describes techniques for managing calls. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises detecting a call to a target phone; determining a source of the call; determining one or more patterns of talk time for calls between the source and the target phone, wherein the patterns indicate one or more call durations for the calls between the source and the target phone; determining an amount of talk time a battery in the target phone can sustain; determining that at least one of the call durations for the calls between the source and target phone is greater than the amount of talk time the battery in the target phone can sustain; and sending the call to a voice mail associated with the target phone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for setting up a ringback media session between a calling party and a ringback server. A signaling proxy may receive a call setup message seeking to set up a call from the calling party to a called party and responsively forward the call setup message from the signaling proxy to the called party. Thereafter, the signaling proxy may receive from the called party a reply to the call setup message indicating that the call is not yet answered by the called party. In response, the signaling proxy may send a call-forwarding initiation message to the ringback server to initiate forwarding of the call to the ringback server and setup of a ringback media session between the ringback server and the calling party. That message may include a designation of particular media that the ringback server should provide to the calling party, based on subscriber profile data.

Abstract: When a communication is directed to an intended recipient, a determination may be made by an intelligent communication disposition manager as to whether one or more available communication devices of the intended recipient are available for routing the incoming communication either based on device availability or routing previously defined by the intended recipient. The intelligent communication disposition manager may utilize presence data of the intended recipient for sending a notification of the incoming communication to one or more of the intended recipient's available communication devices. The intended recipient may select a preferred call routing option for the incoming call/message to be sent. Based on the real-time response from the intended recipient, the call/message may be routed to his/her preferred communication device.

Abstract: Device-to-device call disposition is provided. When a call is received at a first telecommunications device, a determination may be made as to whether a second device has been designated to receive a notification of the inbound call and to allow for call disposition at the second device. At the second device, the user may be notified of the incoming call at the first device, and the user may be provided with a number of options for disposing of the incoming call. While the user is positioned at a location having a wireline or wireless communications device associated with the location, and the user receives a call on his/her personal wireless device, a call to the personal wireless device may be automatically routed to the wireline or wireless device associated with the user's location (e.g., home or office).

Abstract: A communication system is provided that uses loosely-coupled client-server architectures to improve the efficiency of communications. The communication system includes client and facilitator applications. The client application is a component of processor-based mobile communication devices. The facilitator application is hosted on one or more servers or other processor-based devices, and communicates with the client application via one or more couplings. The facilitator application can also be distributed among one or more portable processor-based devices including the communication devices hosting the client application.

Abstract: A call management system enables each of multiple prospective callers to specify how to forward (e.g., direct or redirect) future calls to one or more target phone devices or users. For example, each of multiple persons provide call forwarding configuration information to the call management system. Upon initiation of a call by a user, the call management system intercepts and forwards a user's call in accordance with call forwarding configuration information previously provided by the user.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a forwarded call. The forwarded call corresponds to a call forwarded from a first redirecting telephone device to a second redirecting telephone device. The forwarded call has an associated data message that includes a calling number of an originating telephone device and a first redirecting number of the first redirecting telephone device. The method also includes selecting a destination voice mailbox. The destination voice mailbox is selected from a plurality of voice mailboxes associated with a user. The destination voice mailbox is selected based on an evaluation of the first redirecting number and a second redirecting number of the second redirecting telephone device.

Abstract: The present invention allows incoming calls to be processed based on calendar information obtained from an electronic calendar of a called party. When an incoming call intended for the called party is received, a service node may retrieve the calendar information for the called party and process the call based on the calendar information. The call processing may result in forwarding the call or invoking an interactive voice response system (IVR) by forwarding the call to the IVR, and providing instructions based on the calendar information to the IVR. The IVR may then provide messages based on the calendar information to the caller as well as provide options to the caller, retrieve responses from the caller, and instruct the service node to process the call based on the responses. The IVR may also allow the caller to schedule an appointment on the electronic calendar of the called party.

Abstract: A menu is provided in a telephone call. The menu provides a plurality of destination options including a first destination option for a residence of a family, a second destination option for a first member of the family at a first location other than the residence, and a third destination option for a second member of the family at a second location other than the residence. A first selection of one of the destination options is received in the telephone call, and the telephone call is routed to a first telephone number corresponding to the first selection. Thereafter, an originating dual-tone multi-frequency trigger is detected. The telephone call to the first telephone number is interrupted, a second selection of the destination options is received, and the telephone call is routed to a second telephone number corresponding to the second selection.

Abstract: By manipulating parameters of call setup messages, calls made with a caller's access code in a caller preview service may be completed to the called party of voice mail box with caller identification information displayed.

Abstract: A method of semi-supervised synonym inference for a call handling application, such as automated directory assistance or call routing, is described. In one embodiment the method comprises examining a database of caller interaction results from a directory assistance system that includes an automated directory assistance engine, detecting a specified characteristic in the caller interaction results, and using the detected characteristic to automatically train a destination map, where the destination map is for use by the automated directory assistance engine in automatically mapping human speech to a destination. The detecting of the specified characteristic in the caller interaction results may include a statistical analysis of the caller interaction results for each of one or more speech recognition strings.

Abstract: A call service center can include a call routing system that can use one or more action object identifiers. In one embodiment, a future action object identifier is associated with a task that is desired or otherwise intended to be performed at the call service center. The call routing system may route the call to a module that is not associated with the future action object identifier or perform a portion of a task within the same module, wherein the portion of the task is not associated with the future action object identifier. In another embodiment, at least two action object identifiers can be passed with a call from one module to another module. In a particular embodiment, a past, current, or future action object identifier, other information related to the call, or any combination thereof may be passed from one module to another module with the call.

Abstract: If a terminal (MOB_T) receives an incoming call and this receiving terminal (MOB_T) is not suitable to handle this incoming call, the receiving terminal (MOB_T) detects the service type of the incoming call, and notifies this service type to a destination terminal selecting arrangement (PRES_GATH). The destination terminal selecting arrangement (PRES_GATH) registers the presence and capabilities of all terminals (FAX_T, BB_T, MOB_T) within a certain area, and upon receipt of the service type of the incoming call selects the most suitable terminal (FAX_T) within the area of the receiving terminal (MOB_T) to handle the call. The destination terminal selecting arrangement (PRES_GATH) thereupon notifies the address of this most suitable terminal (FAX_T) to the receiving terminal (MOB_T) so that the receiving terminal (MOB_T) can forward the incoming call to the most suitable terminal (FAX_T).