IP Library Granted Patent US 12,417,419
Granted Patent B2
US 12,417,419 · App. 18/093,580 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Methods and systems for directing communications

Inventors: Jianwei Chen (Xiamen, CN); Weiming Li (Xiamen, CN); Yanrong Huang (Xiamen, CN)
Assignee: RingCentral, Inc.
G06Q10/06312G06F16/9035G06Q10/063118H04L51/043H04L67/535
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,417,419
App. No.
18/093,580
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for improving communications in a digital collaboration environment by receiving a communication directed to a first user, determining that the first user is unavailable, in response to determining that the first user is unavailable, determining a second user based on an attribute, and notifying the second user about the communication directed to the first user.

Claims (45)

1. A computer-implemented method for improving communication in a digital collaboration environment the method comprising:

receiving, in the digital collaboration environment, a digital communication from a source device directed to a device associated with a first user;

causing to determine in real time that the first user is unavailable in the digital collaboration environment based on a delineation of a current geographical location of the first user with respect to a historical geographical location associated with the first user;

in response to determining that the first user is unavailable:

automatically transcribing a content of the digital communication to text if the content of the digital communication is not already in text form;

automatically determining, without participation of the first user, a second user to provide a response to the digital communication on behalf of the first user based on a proximity of a device associated with the first user to a device associated with the second user for a predefined time and further based on pre-existing digital attributes obtained from a database and the automatically transcribed content of the digital communication or based on the pre-existing digital attributes obtained from the database and the content of the digital communication if already in text form;

wherein the pre-existing digital attributes include (a) past communications between the first user and the second user that are searched through using search algorithms associated with a text search, (b) shared projects between the first and second users, (c) job titles of the first user and the second user, and (d) a supervisory relationship between the first user and the second user; and

transmitting a notification signal including an identity of a source associated with the source device and an identity of the first user, to a device associated with the second user, wherein the notification signal is configured to be rendered on the device associated with the second user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-existing digital attributes are determined based on a volume of communications between the users in the digital collaboration environment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of words per day for messaging communications.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of minutes per day for voice communications.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of minutes for video communications.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-existing digital attributes are determined based on a content of one or more of past communications from the device associated with the second user directed to the device associated with the first user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the automatically determining in real time a second user to provide a response to the digital communication on behalf of the first user is based on a plurality of the preexisting digital attributes, wherein each the plurality of the pre-existing digital attributes is assigned a weight.

8. A system for improving communication in a digital collaboration environment the system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, operatively connected to the memory and configured to:

receive, in the digital collaboration environment, a digital communication from a source device directed to a device associated with a first user;

cause to determine in real time that the first user is unavailable in the digital collaboration environment based on a delineation of a current geographical location of the first user with respect to a historical geographical location associated with the first user;

in response to determining that the first user is unavailable:

automatically transcribe a content of the digital communication to text if the content of the digital communication is not already in text form;

automatically determine, without participation of the first user, a second user to provide a response to the digital communication on behalf of the first user based on a proximity of a device associated with the first user to a device associated with the second user for a predefined time and further based on pre-existing digital attributes obtained from a database and the automatically transcribed content of the digital communication or based on the pre-existing digital attributes obtained from the database and the content of the digital communication if already in text form;

wherein the pre-existing digital attributes include (a) past communications between the first user and the second user that are searched through using search algorithms associated with a text search, (b) shared projects between the first and second users, (c) job titles of the first user and the second user, and (d) a supervisory relationship between the first user and the second user; and

transmit a notification signal including an identity of a source associated with the source device and an identity of the first user, to a device associated with the second user, wherein the notification signal is configured to be rendered on the device associated with the second user.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pre-existing digital attributes are determined based on a volume of communications between the users in the digital collaboration environment.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of minutes per day for voice communications.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of minutes per day for video communications.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pre-existing digital attributes are determined based on a content of one or more of past communications from the device associated with the second user directed to the device associated with the first user.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to automatically determine in real time a second user to provide a response to the digital communication on behalf of the first user is based on a plurality of the pre-existing digital attributes, wherein each the plurality of the pre-existing digital attributes is assigned a weight.

15. A web-based server for improving communication in a digital collaboration environment the server comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, operatively connected to the memory and configured to:

receive, in the digital collaboration environment, a digital communication from a source device directed to a device associated with a first user;

cause to determine in real time that the first user is unavailable in the digital collaboration environment based on a delineation of a current geographical location of the first user with respect to a historical geographical location associated with the first user;

in response to determining that the first user is unavailable,

automatically transcribe a content of the digital communication to text if the content of the digital communication is not already in text form;

automatically determine, without participation communication on behalf of the first user based on one or more preexisting digital attributes obtained from a database and the automatically transcribed content of the digital communication or based on a proximity of a device associated with the first user to a device associated with the second user for a predefined time and further based on the preexisting digital attributes obtained from the database and the content of the digital communication if already in text form;

wherein the one or more pre-existing digital attributes include (a) past communications between the first user and the second user that are searched through using search algorithms associated with a text search, (b) shared projects between the first and second users, (c) job titles of the first user and the second user, and (d) a supervisory relationship between the first user and the second user; and

transmit a notification signal including an identity of a source associated with the source device and an identity of the first user, to a device associated with the second user, wherein the notification signal is configured to be rendered on the device associated with the second user.

16. The web-based server of claim 15 , wherein the one or more pre-existing digital attributes are determined based on a volume of communications between the users in the digital collaboration environment.

17. The web-based server of claim 16 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of words per day for messaging communications.

18. The web-based server of claim 16 , wherein the volume of communications between the users using the digital collaboration environment exceeds a predetermined threshold of minutes per day for voice communications.

19. The web-based server of claim 15 , wherein the one or more pre-existing digital attributes are determined based on a content of one or more of past communications from the device associated with the second user directed to the device associated with the first user.

20. The web-based server of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to automatically determine in real time a second user to provide a response to the digital communication on behalf of the first user is based on a plurality of the pre-existing digital attributes, wherein each of the plurality of pre-existing digital attributes is assigned a weight.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2025
From: RINGCENTRAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072876/0523 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2023
From: RINGCENTRAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062973/0194 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16944729 · Jul 31, 2020
Related Publication 20230145239A1 · May 11, 2023
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