Methods and apparatus for providing expanded telecommunications service
The present invention provides flexible 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 called party. The call processing system can provide the called party with a call transfer option.
1. A method of providing a called party the ability to screen calls, the method comprising:
receiving, at a call processing system, a call from a calling party intended for a called party;
playing a greeting to the calling party;
placing an outbound call from the call processing system to a first phone address associated with the called party;
transmitting, in substantially real-time, at least a first portion of the voice communication from the calling party to a first communication device associated with the first phone address so that the called party can screen the call;
providing at least the following call handling options to the called party:
accept the call on the first communication device;
transfer the call to a first alternate destination, with screening, wherein at least one portion of the voice communication from the calling party will be transmitted to the first alternate destination and the calling party will be prevented from hearing the called party for at least a first amount of time;
transfer the call to a second alternate destination with screening;
receiving a call handling instruction from the called party via the first communication device; and
processing the call from the caller in accordance with called party's instruction.
2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first alternate destination is a home phone associated with the called party and the second alternate destination is a work phone associated with the called party.
3. The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have the call processing system transfer the call to the first alternate destination, without screening.
4. The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have the call processing system record a message from the calling party.
5. The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have a call refusal message provided to the calling party.
6. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first communication device is a wireless phone.
7. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first communication device is a POTs phone.
8. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first communication device is an Internet Protocol phone.
9. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first alternate device is a wireless phone.
10. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first alternate device is a POTs phone.
11. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first alternate device is an Internet Protocol phone.
12. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the called party selects one of the call handling options via a key pad key.
13. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the call handling options are provided while the outbound call is in progress.
14. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the call handling options are audibly provided to the called party.
15. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the call handling options are visibly displayed to the called party.
16. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the call handling options provided by the call processing system are selected by the call processing systems so as not to include the first communication device as the first or second alternate destinations.
17. The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on an instruction, whether the call is to be transferred to at least one alternate destination with supervision, wherein the call processing system maintains the outbound call to the first communication device until the at least one alternate destination is answered, or without supervision, wherein the call processing system terminates the outbound call to the first communication device after receiving the call handling instruction from the called party and before the call processing system completes the outbound call to the at least one alternate destination.
18. The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising transferring the call to the first alternate destination, wherein the call processing system maintains the outbound call to the first communication device until the first alternate destination is answered.
19. A method of providing a called party the ability to screen calls, the method comprising:
receiving, at a call processing system, a call from a calling party intended for a called party;
placing an outbound call from the call processing system to a first phone address associated with the called party;
transmitting, in substantially real-time, at least a portion of a voice communication from the calling party to a first communication device associated with the first phone address so that the called party can screen the call;
providing at least the following call handling options to the called party:
accept the call on the first communication device;
transfer the call to a first alternate destination;
receiving a call handling instruction from the called party via the first communication device; and
processing the call from the caller in accordance with called party's instruction.
20. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising providing the user the option to transfer the call with screening.
21. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising providing the user the option to transfer the call without screening.
22. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate destination is a home phone associated with the called party.
23. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to transfer the call to a second alternate destination.
24. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate destination is associated with a phone number assigned by the call processing system to the called party.
25. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate destination is associated with a virtual phone number.
26. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate destination is a work phone associated with the called party.
27. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have the call processing system record a message from the calling party.
28. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have a call refusal message provided to the calling party.
29. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first communication device is a wireless phone.
30. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first communication device is a POTs phone.
31. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first communication device is an Internet Protocol phone.
32. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate device is a wireless phone.
33. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate device is a POTs phone.
34. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the first alternate device is an Internet Protocol phone.
35. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the called party selects one of the call handling options via a key pad key.
36. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the call handling options are provided while the outbound call is in progress.
37. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the call handling options are audibly provided to the called party.
38. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the call handling options are visibly displayed to the called party.
39. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the call handling options provided by the call processing system are selected by the call processing systems so as not to include the first communication device as the first alternate destination.
40. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising receiving an indication from the called party as to whether the call is to be transferred to at least one alternate destination with supervision, wherein the call processing system maintains the call to the first communication device until the at least one alternate destination is answered, or without supervision, wherein the call processing system terminates the call to the first communication device after receiving the call handling instruction from the called party and before the at least one alternate destination is answered.
41. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising transferring the call to the first alternate destination, wherein the call processing system maintains the call to the first communication device until the first alternate destination is answered.
42. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein a time duration between the call processing system receiving the call intended for the called party and answering the call is programmable.
43. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the call intended for the called party is answered after a programmable number of rings.
44. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the call is terminated by the call processing system after a predetermined amount of time.
45. The method as defined in claim 19 wherein the call is terminated after an amount of time selected, based at least in part, on a transport type used to connect the call to the called party.
46. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein a list of received calls and/or messages are transmitted to the called party.
47. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein the phone address is an E.164 telephone number.
48. A method of providing a called party the ability to screen calls, the method comprising:
receiving, at a call processing system, a call from a calling party intended for a called party;
placing an outbound call from the call processing system to a first phone address associated with the called party;
transmitting, in substantially real-time, at least a portion of a voice communication from the calling party to a first communication device associated with the first phone address so that the called party can screen the call;
providing at least the following call handling options to the called party:
transfer the call to a first alternate destination, with supervision, wherein the call processing system maintains the call to the first communication device until the at least one alternate destination is answered;
transfer the call to the first alternate destination, without supervision, wherein the call processing system terminates the call to the first communication device after receiving the call handling instruction from the called party and before the at least one alternate destination is answered;
receiving a call handling instruction from the called party via the first communication device; and,
processing the call from the caller in accordance with called party's instruction.
49. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first alternate destination is a home phone or work phone associated with the called party, and the communication device is a mobile phone.
50. The method as defined in claim 48 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have the call processing system record a message from the calling party.
51. The method as defined in claim 48 , further comprising providing the called party with an option to have a call refusal message provided to the calling party.
52. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first communication device is a wireless phone.
53. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first communication device is a POTs phone.
54. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first communication device is an Internet Protocol phone.
55. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first alternate device is a wireless phone.
56. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first alternate device is a POTs phone.
57. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the first alternate device is an Internet Protocol phone.
58. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the called party selects one of the call handling options via a key pad key.
59. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the call handling options are audibly provided to the called party.
60. The method as defined in claim 48 , wherein the call handling options are visibly displayed to the called party.