IP Library Granted Patent US 7,831,268
Granted Patent B2
US 7,831,268 · App. 12/590,629 · Granted Nov 9, 2010

Routing communication based on urgency priority level

Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,831,268
App. No.
12/590,629
Granted
Nov 9, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products route communication based on an urgency priority associated with a sender of the communication. The method involves receiving incoming communication, identifying the sender, determining an urgency priority designation associated with communication, and routing the incoming communication according to routing instructions associated with the urgency priority designation. Prior to receiving the incoming communication, the method may further involve receiving a selection to configure routing of communication based on one or more urgency priority designations, rendering urgency priority options and routing options that provide routing instructions, receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation, and receiving and recording the urgency priority designation associated with the sender. Still further, the method may involve offering the sender routing options based on the urgency priority designation and receiving a selection of one of the routing options from the sender.

Claims (46)

1. A computer-implemented method for routing a communication from a sender to a receiver based on an urgency priority, the method comprising:

receiving from the receiver a designation whether the sender has urgency priority options;

receiving an incoming communication from the sender addressed to the receiver;

only if the designation from the receiver is that the sender has urgency priority options, receiving from the sender of the incoming communication a sender's priority designation;

in a computing apparatus device, determining an urgency priority designation associated with the incoming communication according to at least the sender's priority designation; and

routing the incoming communication according to routing instructions associated with the urgency priority designation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the incoming communication:

receiving a selection to configure routing of communication based on one or more urgency priority designations;

rendering urgency priority options and routing options that provide routing instructions via a user interface;

receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation; and

receiving and recording the urgency priority designation associated with the sender associated with the incoming communication.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation comprises receiving instructions to route communication having a high urgency priority to a cellular phone of a recipient first.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a location of a recipient of the incoming communication; wherein receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation comprises receiving instructions to route communication having a high urgency priority to the location of the recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before receiving from the sender a sender's priority designation, offering the sender priority designation options based on the designation that the sender has urgency priority options; and

wherein receiving from the sender a sender's priority designation comprises receiving a selection of one of the routing options from the sender.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

before receiving the incoming communication, receiving from the receiver a receiver's priority designation associated with the sender.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of determining an urgency priority designation associated with the incoming communication according to at least the sender's priority designation comprises determining the urgency priority designations to be equal to or less than the receiver's urgency priority designation associated with the sender.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving from the sender of the incoming communication a sender's priority designation comprises receiving one or more digits in connection with a dialed phone number, the digits indicating a desire to exercise urgency priority options.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of receiving from the sender of the incoming communication a sender's priority designation further comprises receiving a digit designating one of high, medium and low priority.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving incoming communication comprises receiving one of a telephone call, an email, or a text message.

11. A computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method for routing a communication from a sender to a receiver based on an urgency priority, the method comprising:

receiving from the receiver a designation whether the sender has urgency priority options;

receiving an incoming communication from the sender addressed to the receiver;

only if the designation from the receiver is that the sender has urgency priority options, receiving from the sender of the incoming communication a sender's priority designation;

in a computing apparatus device, determining an urgency priority designation associated with the incoming communication according to at least the sender's priority designation; and

routing the incoming communication according to routing instructions associated with the urgency priority designation.

12. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises, prior to receiving the incoming communication:

receiving a selection to configure routing of communication based on one or more urgency priority designations;

rendering urgency priority options and routing options that provide routing instructions via a user interface;

receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation; and

receiving and recording the urgency priority designation associated with the sender associated with the incoming communication.

13. The computer-usable medium of claim 12 , wherein receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation comprises receiving instructions to route communication having a high urgency priority to a cellular phone of a recipient first.

14. The computer-usable medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining a location of a recipient of the incoming communication; wherein receiving routing instructions associated with each urgency priority designation comprises receiving instructions to route communication having a high urgency priority to the location of the recipient.

15. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

before receiving from the sender a sender's priority designation, offering the sender priority designation options based on the designation that the sender has urgency priority options; and

wherein receiving from the sender a sender's priority designation comprises receiving a selection of one of the routing options from the sender.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:

before receiving the incoming communication, receiving from the receiver a receiver's priority designation associated with the sender.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 16 , wherein the step of determining an urgency priority designation associated with the incoming communication according to at least the sender's priority designation comprises determining the urgency priority designations to be equal to or less than the receiver's urgency priority designation associated with the sender.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 , wherein the step of receiving from the sender of the incoming communication a sender's priority designation comprises receiving one or more digits in connection with a dialed phone number, the digits indicating a desire to exercise urgency priority options.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of receiving from the sender of the incoming communication a sender's priority designation further comprises receiving a digit designating one of high, medium and low priority.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving incoming communication comprises receiving one of a telephone call, an email, or a text message.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2020
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 053393/0372 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: DAIGLE, BRIAN
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053385/0222 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 053387/0494 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 053387/0556 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 053387/0674 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 1140249400 · Apr 11, 2006
Related Publication 20100062778A1 · Mar 11, 2010