Granted Patent B1

US 8,036,362 · App. 11/725,148 · Granted Oct 11, 2011

Assignee: RNK Inc.

Abstract

Claims (87)

1. A method comprising:

receiving input from a prospective caller specifying an order for applying multiple different call forwarding options for reaching a target user;

receiving a request from the prospective caller to establish a call connection between the prospective caller and the target user; and

in response to receiving the request, as specified by the order, utilizing at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options to establish the call connection;

wherein receiving input from the prospective caller includes: i) prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input from the prospective caller specifying first unique contact information for establishing communications with a first communication device operated by the target user; ii) prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input from the prospective caller specifying second unique contact information for establishing communications with a second communication device operated by the target user; and

wherein utilizing at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options to establish the call connection includes:

utilizing the first unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to establish the call connection; and

in response to detecting an inability to reach the target user via use of the first unique contact information, utilizing the second unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to establish the call connection.

2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving input from the prospective caller includes receiving call destination information including at least two different phone numbers allocated for use by the target user to receive calls, the at least two different phone numbers selected from a group including PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) call destination information, cellular phone call destination information, and IP (Internet Protocol) telephony call destination information associated with the target user.

3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the prospective caller includes receiving the request as an incoming phone call connection request from at least one of a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) phone device, a cellular phone device, and a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone device operated by the prospective caller.

4. A method as in claim 1 further comprising: limiting a duration of an attempt to reach the target user via the first unique contact information to a time duration as specified by the prospective caller prior to receiving the request.

5. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving the request, analyzing the received input to:

i) determine a first call forwarding option as specified by the order;

ii) determine a respective first time duration for attempting to reach the target user via the first call forwarding option;

iii) determine a second call forwarding option as specified by the order; and

iv) determine a respective second time duration for attempting to reach the target user via the second call forwarding option.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

storing the input received from the prospective caller for future use; and

generating a map associating the input with an identity of the prospective caller to enable application of the multiple different call forwarding options according to the order when the prospective caller initiates a future call to reach the target user.

7. A method as in claim 6 further comprising:

in response to receiving the request from the prospective caller to establish the call connection, utilizing the map to identify the order for applying the multiple different call forwarding options to reach the target user on behalf of the user and establish the call connection.

8. A method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving the input from the prospective caller includes receiving the input via a website that enables the prospective caller to specify the multiple different call forwarding options as well as the order for applying the multiple different call forwarding options for a subsequent request to establish the call connection.

9. A method as in claim 8 further comprising:

receiving input from the prospective caller specifying at least one phone device operated by the prospective caller; and

wherein receiving the request from the prospective caller includes detecting that the prospective caller initiates the call connection to the target user via dialing of a phone number associated with the at least one phone device.

10. A method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving input from the prospective caller includes receiving input specifying corresponding unique phone number information associated with at least two phone devices operated by the prospective caller, the method further comprising:

for each of multiple subsequent calls from the prospective caller to the target user:

detecting an incoming call from a given phone device;

matching a unique phone number associated with the given phone device to at least a portion of the corresponding unique phone number information associated with the at least two phone devices operated by the prospective caller; and

based on mapping of the unique phone number to the prospective caller, initiating the call connection with the target user via at least two of the multiple different call forwarding options previously specified by the prospective caller.

11. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

initiating distribution of display information that provides a visual indication to the prospective caller of the target user's ability to be reached by at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options prior to receiving the request from the prospective caller to establish the call connection between the prospective caller and the target user.

12. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input from the prospective user specifying multiple target users and a corresponding set of call forwarding options for each of the multiple target users;

receiving a command from the prospective caller to view a listing of the target users as well as the corresponding set of call forwarding options used to reach each of the multiple target users; and

in response to receiving the command, initiating distribution of display information enabling the prospective caller to view the listing of the target users as well as the corresponding set of call forwarding options for reaching each of the multiple target users.

13. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an incoming call from a given communication device operated by the prospective caller;

identifying that the incoming call is made by the prospective caller;

obtaining call forwarding information provided by the prospective caller prior to the incoming call, the call forwarding information specifying unique contact information in which to communicate with at least two communication devices operated by the target user; and

utilizing the unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to contact the target user.

14. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input specifying corresponding unique contact information associated with at least two communication devices operated by the prospective caller;

detecting an incoming call from a given communication device;

matching a unique contact number of the given communication device to at least a portion of the corresponding unique contact information associated with the at least two communication devices operated by the prospective caller; and

based on matching, initiating the call connection with the target user via the first unique contact information and the second unique contact information.

15. A method as in claim 1 ,

wherein the order specifies a sequence of using the first unique contact information and the second unique contact information to contact the target user on behalf of the prospective caller; and

in accordance with the order specified by the prospective caller prior to receiving the request, attempting to establish the call connection with the target user using the first contact information and the second contact information.

16. A call management system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory unit that stores instructions associated with at least one application executed by the at least one processor; and

an interconnection coupling the at least one processor and the at least one memory unit, enabling the call management system to execute the at least one application and perform operations of:

receiving input from a prospective caller specifying an order for applying multiple different call forwarding options to future calls made by the prospective caller attempting to reach a target user;

receiving a request from the prospective caller to establish a call connection between the prospective caller and the target user; and

in response to receiving the request, as specified by the order, utilizing at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options to establish the call connection;

wherein receiving input from the prospective caller includes: i) prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input from the prospective caller specifying first unique contact information for establishing communications with a first communication device operated by the target user; ii) prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input from the prospective caller specifying second unique contact information for establishing communications with a second communication device operated by the target user; and

wherein utilizing at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options to establish the call connection includes:

utilizing the first unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to establish the call connection; and

in response to detecting an inability to reach the target user via use of the first unique contact information, utilizing the second unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to establish the call connection.

17. A call management system as in claim 16 configured to further support operations of:

in response to receiving the request, analyzing the received input to:

i) determine a first call forwarding option as specified by the order;

ii) determine a respective first time duration for attempting to reach the target user via the first call forwarding option;

iii) determine a second call forwarding option as specified by the order; and

iv) determine a respective second time duration for attempting to reach the target user via the second call forwarding option.

18. A call management system as in claim 16 configured to further support operations of:

storing the input received from the prospective caller for future use;

generating a map associating the input with an identity of the prospective caller to enable application of the multiple different call forwarding options according to the order when the prospective caller initiates a future call to reach the target user; and

in response to receiving the request from the prospective caller to establish the call connection, utilizing the map to identify the order for applying the multiple different call forwarding options to reach the target user on behalf of the user and establish the call connection.

19. A call management system as in claim 16 , wherein receiving the input from the prospective caller includes receiving the input via a website that enables the prospective caller to specify the multiple different call forwarding options as well as the order for applying the multiple different call forwarding options for a subsequent request to establish the call connection.

20. A call management system as in claim 16 , wherein receiving input from the prospective caller includes receiving input specifying corresponding unique phone number information associated with at least two phone devices operated by the prospective caller, the call management system further supporting operations of:

for each of multiple subsequent calls from the prospective caller to the target user:

detecting an incoming call from a given phone device;

matching a unique phone number associated with the given phone device to at least a portion of the corresponding unique phone number information associated with the at least two phone devices operated by the prospective caller; and

based on mapping of the unique phone number to the prospective caller, initiating the call connection with the target user via at least two of the multiple different call forwarding options previously specified by the prospective caller.

21. A call management system as in claim 16 configured to further support operations of:

initiating distribution of display information that provides a visual indication to the prospective caller of the target user's ability to be reached by at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options prior to receiving the request from the prospective caller to establish the call connection between the prospective caller and the target user.

22. A computer program product including a computer-readable hardware storage medium having instructions stored thereon for processing data information, such that the instructions, when carried out by a processing system, enable the processing system to perform the operations of:

receiving input from a prospective caller specifying an order for applying multiple different call forwarding options for reaching a target user;

receiving a request from the prospective caller to establish a call connection between the prospective caller and the target user; and

in response to receiving the request, as specified by the order, utilizing at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options to establish the call connection;

wherein receiving input from the prospective caller includes: i) prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input from the prospective caller specifying first unique contact information for establishing communications with a first communication device operated by the target user; ii) prior to receiving the request to establish the call connection, receiving input from the prospective caller specifying second unique contact information for establishing communications with a second communication device operated by the target user; and

wherein utilizing at least one of the multiple different call forwarding options to establish the call connection includes:

utilizing the first unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to establish the call connection; and

in response to detecting an inability to reach the target user via use of the first unique contact information, utilizing the second unique contact information provided by the prospective caller to establish the call connection.

Assignments (9)

Continuity (1)