Sequentially calling groups of multiple communication devices based on user-specified lists of communication devices having assigned priorities
View Patent ↗The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a find-me service for VoIP. The find-me service allows a user to specify multiple communication devices. Further, the find-me service allows a callee to assign a priority to each communication device specified or in the alternative allows the callee to place the specified communication devices in prioritized lists. Multiple communication devices can have an identical priority level or can be placed in the same priority list. When the user is called, the call is processed by a software based call manager that initiates the find-me service. The call manager sends the call to all of the communication devices with the highest priority. This allows a single call to be sent to multiple communication devices simultaneously. If there is no answer at any of the communication devices the call manager sends the call to all of the communication devices on the list with the next sequential priority level.
1. A computer-implemented method in a VolP network, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving information for connecting to a plurality of communication devices of a user, wherein each communication device is assigned an associated priority level;
creating a call context object for on originating call including an input object and an output object, and creating a sub-call context object for each communication device with a first priority;
initially calling, in parallel, each communication device with an identical first priority level, upon the origination of the originating call to the user;
waiting for the user to answer the initial call with a communication device that is initially called and of the initial call is answered, the sub-call context object of the communication device that was answered reporting to the call context object, and the call context object terminating the sub-call context objects; and
calling each communication device with an identical second priority level if the call is not answered by a communication device that is initially called.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information for connection to a plurality of communication devices is separated into lists and the priority level of each communication device is assigned based on a priority level of each list.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user assigns a priority level to each communication device.
4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding computer executable instructions in a VoIP network, the instructions, when executed, implementing a method comprising
receiving information for connection to a plurality of communication devices of a user, wherein each communication device is assigned an associated priority level;
creating a call context object for an originating call, and creating a sub-call context object for each communications device having a first priority;
initially calling, in parallel, each communication device with an identical first priority level, upon the origination of the originating call to the user;
waiting for the user to answer the initial call with a communication device that is initially called and if the initial call is answered, the sub-call context object of the communication device that was answered reporting to the call context object, and the call context object terminating remaining sub-call context objects; and
calling each communication device with an identical second priority level if the call is not answered by a communication device that is initially called.
5. A system in a VoIP environment, the system comprising
a computing device with an application loaded on it for receiving information for connecting to a plurality of communication devices, each communication device being assigned an associated priority level,
wherein the application is operable to create a call context object for an originating call, to create a sub-call context object for each communication device, to call each communication device with an identical priority level in parallel upon origination of the originating call and to call each communication device with a different priority level sequentially and wherein, if one of the calls is answered, the sub-call context object for the communication device that was answered reports to the call context object, and the call context object terminates remaining sub-call context objects; and
calling each communication device with an identical second priority level if the call is not answered by a communication device that is initially called.
6. A computer-implemented method in a VoIP network, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining information for connection to a plurality of communication devices of a callee; receiving an originated call from a caller to the callee;
processing the call to create a parent call context that contains information corresponding to the originated call including an input object, and output object and service data;
creating a child call context for each communication device having a highest priority, the child contexts including a subset of services to be implemented; and
calling each communication device having the highest priority and if one of the called communication devices answers, the child context for the answering communication device reporting to the parent call context and the parent call context terminating all remaining child call contexts in response to the reporting; and
calling each communication device with an identical second priority level if the call is not answered by a communication device that is initially called.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding computer executable instructions in a VoIP network, the instructions, when executed, implementing a method comprising
obtaining information for connecting to a plurality of communication devices of a callee;
receiving an originated call from a caller to the callee;
processing the call to create a parent call context that contains information corresponding to the originated call;
creating a child call context for each communication device having a highest priority, the child contexts providing information corresponding to a subset of services to be implemented; and
calling each communication device having the highest priority and if one of the called communication devices answers, the child context for the answered communication device reporting to the parent call context and the parent call context terminating remaining child contexts in response to the child context reporting; and
calling each communication device with an identical second priority level if the call is not answered by a communication device that is initially called.
8. The medium of claim 7 wherein the method further comprises creating a child call context for each communication device for a next highest priority if none of the communication devices of the highest priority answer within a specified time after being called.