IP Library Granted Patent US 10,389,877
Granted Patent B2
US 10,389,877 · App. 15/456,636 · Granted Aug 20, 2019

Call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups

Inventors: Michael Smith (Halifax, CA); Michael Connelly (Philadelphia, PA)
Assignee: Google LLC
H04M3/436H04M3/42059H04M3/42153H04M3/2281H04M2203/2044H04M2242/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,389,877
App. No.
15/456,636
Granted
Aug 20, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is described for call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups. The method includes receiving a phone call from a call source that is directed to a call recipient, identifying a user group associated with the call recipient, and determining a number of received indications assigned to the user group. The received indications are assigned to the user group by users associated with the user group, and the received indications reflect a desire by the users for a special treatment of future calls from the call source. The method also includes distinguishing treatment of the phone call from the call source based on the number of received indications.

Claims (34)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a call handling system, an indication from a displayed call notification graphical user interface associated with a first call recipient reflecting a characterization of calls from a call source, wherein the indication includes an action selected from the displayed call notification graphical user interface by the first call recipient;

identifying, by the call handling system, one or more user groups associated with the first call recipient, wherein the one or more user groups each include the first call recipient and at least one other user associated with the first call recipient;

associating, by the call handling system, the characterization with at least one selected user group, wherein the at least one selected user group is selected, using a triggering tool in the displayed call notification graphical user interface, from among displayed user groups within the displayed call notification graphical user interface;

determining, by the call handling system, how to handle an incoming phone call from the call source to the first call recipient based on the indication; and

handling an incoming phone call from the call source to a second call recipient associated with the one or more user groups based on the characterization of the call source associated with the one or more user groups.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication includes one of a positive indication, a negative indication, or a neutral indication.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive indication indicates that the call source is trustworthy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the negative indication indicates that the call source is untrustworthy.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein an explicit selection is received from the displayed call notification graphical user interface of one of the positive indication, the negative indication, or the neutral indication, and wherein the explicit selection includes selection of a user interface element corresponding to the positive indication, the negative indication, or the neutral indication.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the negative indication includes receipt of one of user interface selection to block a telemarketer, a user interface selection to send a message, or a user interface selection to ignore the incoming phone call.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neutral indication includes receiving a user interface selection to take a message.

8. A call handling system, comprising:

one or more processors and a computer readable medium coupled to the one or more processors, the computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving, by the call handling system, an indication from a displayed call notification graphical user interface associated with a first call recipient reflecting a characterization of calls from a call source, wherein the indication includes an action selected from the displayed call notification graphical user interface by the first call recipient;

identifying, by the call handling system, one or more user groups associated with the first call recipient, wherein the one or more user groups each include the first call recipient and at least one other user associated with the first call recipient;

associating, by the call handling system, the characterization with a set of one or more selected user groups, wherein the set of one or more selected user groups is selected, using a triggering tool in the displayed call notification graphical user interface, from among displayed user groups within the displayed call notification graphical user interface;

determining, by the call handling system, how to handle an incoming phone call from the call source to the first call recipient based on the indication; and

handling an incoming phone call from the call source to a second call recipient associated with the one or more user groups based on the characterization of the call source associated with the one or more user groups.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the indication includes one of a positive indication, a negative indication, or a neutral indication.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the positive indication indicates that the call source is trustworthy.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the negative indication indicates that the call source is untrustworthy.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the neutral indication indicates a lack of opinion about trustworthiness of the call source.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein an explicit selection is received from the displayed call notification graphical user interface of one of the positive indication, the negative indication, or the neutral indication, and wherein the explicit selection includes selection of a user interface element corresponding to one of the positive indication, the negative indication, or the neutral indication.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the negative indication includes receipt of one of user interface selection to block a telemarketer, a user interface selection to send a message, or a user interface selection to ignore the incoming phone call.

15. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving, at a call handling system, an indication from a displayed call notification graphical user interface associated with a first call recipient reflecting a characterization of calls from a call source, wherein the indication includes an action selected from the displayed call notification graphical user interface by the first call recipient;

identifying, by the call handling system, one or more user groups associated with the first call recipient, wherein the one or more user groups each include the first call recipient and at least one other user associated with the first call recipient;

associating, by the call handling system, the characterization with a set of the one or more selected user groups wherein the set of the one or more selected user groups is selected, using a triggering tool in the displayed call notification graphical user interface, from among displayed user groups within the displayed call notification graphical user interface;

determining, by the call handling system, how to handle an incoming phone call from the call source to the first call recipient based on the indication; and

handling an incoming phone call from the call source to a second call recipient associated with the one or more user groups based on the characterization of the call source associated with the one or more user groups.

16. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the indication includes one of a positive indication, a negative indication, or a neutral indication.

17. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the positive indication indicates that the call source is trustworthy.

18. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the negative indication indicates that the call source is untrustworthy.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2018
From: AOL INC.
To: MARATHON SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 044921/0572 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2018
From: MARATHON SOLUTIONS LLC
To: BRIGHT SUN TECHNOLOGIES
Reel/Frame 044921/0706 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2018
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 045334/0589 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2018
From: BRIGHT SUN TECHNOLOGIES. SERIES 42 OF ALLIED SECURITY TRUST I
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 045335/0673 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044695/0115 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2017
From: SMITH, MICHAEL; CONNELLY, MICHAEL
To: AOL LLC.
Reel/Frame 043730/0615 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 13767627 · Feb 14, 2013
Continuation 13345191 · Jan 6, 2012
Continuation 11688065 · Mar 19, 2007
Continuation In Part 11016962 · Dec 21, 2004
Provisional Application 60862328 · Oct 20, 2006
Provisional Application 60882824 · Dec 29, 2006
Related Publication 20170187877A1 · Jun 29, 2017