Granted Patent B1

US 8,909,198 · App. 13/719,800 · Granted Dec 9, 2014

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. A method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first telephone number associated with an account for a targeted party;

dialing the first telephone number by a dialer to place an initial outbound telephone call to the targeted party;

after automatically detecting a busy signal for the initial outbound telephone call, dialing the first telephone number by the dialer to place a subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting a first predetermined period of time, wherein waiting the first predetermined period of time before dialing the first telephone number to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is based on detecting the busy signal for the initial outbound telephone call;

after automatically detecting an automated answering device for the initial outbound telephone call, dialing the first telephone number by the dialer to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting a second predetermined period of time, wherein waiting the second predetermined period of time before dialing the first telephone number to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is based on detecting the automated answering device for the initial outbound telephone call and the second predetermined period of time is different than the first predetermined period of time; and

after automatically detecting a no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call,

selecting a second telephone number associated with the account for the targeted party; and

dialing the second telephone number by the dialer to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time are specified by the account for the targeted party.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated answering device comprises at least one of a voice mail and an answering machine.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of detecting the no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call by not detecting the busy signal or the automated answering device after a predetermined number of ring cycles.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of detecting the no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call by detecting an out-of-service condition for the first telephone number.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first telephone number is associated with a landline telephone device and the second telephone number is associated with a wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first telephone number is initially selected because the account for the targeted party indicates the first telephone number has a priority over the second telephone number.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

dialing the first telephone number by the dialer to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting the first predetermined period of time is performed as a result of an attempt to reach the targeted party by placing the subsequent outbound telephone call not being greater than a first attempt value, and

dialing the first telephone number by the dialer to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting the second predetermined period of time is performed as a result of the attempt to reach the targeted party by placing the subsequent outbound telephone call not being greater than a second attempt value.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein waiting the first predetermined period of time or the second predetermined period of time before dialing the first telephone number to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is also based on a time of day the initial outbound telephone call is placed.

10. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for causing at least one computer processor to:

select a first telephone number associated with an account for a targeted party;

have the first telephone number dialed to place an initial outbound telephone call to the targeted party;

after automatically detecting a busy signal for the initial outbound telephone call, have the first telephone number dialed to place a subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting a first predetermined period of time, wherein waiting the first predetermined period of time before having the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is based on detecting the busy signal for the initial outbound telephone call;

after automatically detecting an automated answering device for the initial outbound telephone call, have the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting a second predetermined period of time, wherein waiting the second predetermined period of time before having the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is based on detecting the automated answering device for the initial outbound telephone call and the second predetermined period of time is different than the first predetermined period of time; and

after automatically detecting a no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call,

select a second telephone number associated with the account for the targeted party; and

have the second telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time are specified by the account for the targeted party.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the automated answering device comprises at least one of a voice mail and an answering machine.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the at least one computer processor to detect the no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call by not detecting the busy signal or the automated answering device after a predetermined number of ring cycles.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the at least one computer processor to detect the no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call by detecting an out-of-service condition for the first telephone number.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first telephone number is associated with a landline telephone device and the second telephone number is associated with a wireless communication device.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first telephone number is initially selected because the account for the targeted party indicates the first telephone number has a priority over the second telephone number.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the at least one computer processor to:

have the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting the first predetermined period of time as a result of an attempt to reach the targeted party by placing the subsequent outbound telephone call not being greater than a first attempt value, and

have the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting the second predetermined period of time as a result of the attempt to reach the targeted party by placing the subsequent outbound telephone call not being greater than a second attempt value.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein waiting the first predetermined period of time or the second predetermined period of time before dialing the first telephone number to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is also based on a time of day the initial outbound telephone call is placed.

19. A system comprising:

memory storing an account for a targeted party; and

at least one computer processor configured to:

select a first telephone number associated with the account from the memory;

have the first telephone number dialed to place an initial outbound telephone call to the targeted party;

after automatically detecting a busy signal for the initial outbound telephone call, have the first telephone number dialed to place a subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting a first predetermined period of time, wherein waiting the first predetermined period of time before having the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is based on detecting the busy signal for the initial outbound telephone call;

after automatically detecting an automated answering device for the initial outbound telephone call, have the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting a second predetermined period of time, wherein waiting the second predetermined period of time before having the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is based on detecting the automated answering device for the initial outbound telephone call and the second predetermined period of time is different than the first predetermined period of time; and

after automatically detecting a no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call,

select a second telephone number associated with the account from the memory; and

have the second telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time are specified for the account for the targeted party.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the automated answering device comprises at least one of a voice mail and an answering machine.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to detect the no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call by not detecting the busy signal or the automated answering device after a predetermined number of ring cycles.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to detect the no-answer condition for the initial outbound telephone call by detecting an out-of-service condition for the first telephone number.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first telephone number is associated with a landline telephone device and the second telephone number is associated with a wireless communication device.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first telephone number is initially selected because the account for the targeted party indicates the first telephone number has a priority over the second telephone number.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

have the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting the first predetermined period of time as a result of an attempt to reach the targeted party by placing the subsequent outbound telephone call not being greater than a first attempt value, and

have the first telephone number dialed to place the subsequent outbound telephone call to the targeted party after waiting the second predetermined period of time as a result of the attempt to reach the targeted party by placing the subsequent outbound telephone call not being greater than a second attempt value.

27. The system of claim 19 , wherein waiting the first predetermined period of time or the second predetermined period of time before dialing the first telephone number to place the subsequent outbound telephone call is also based on a time of day the initial outbound telephone call is placed.

Assignments (13)