Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080304646 | Conference Call Setup Automation - The present invention automatically establishes a connection to each participant of a teleconference. Conference call set up and connect information may be provisioned in a variety of ways, including via a menu-based Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) mechanism and via a form or formatted file sent from a subscriber. Additionally, a conference participant is not tied to one telephone number or other such address. The present invention queries a profile database to determine a conference participant's current location before connecting the participant to the conference. Therefore a conference participant who happens to be working from home on a particular day need only update one database, and any conferences in which the telecommuting worker is expected to participate will automatically be connected to the worker's home telephone number, rather than the worker's office telephone number. | 12-11-2008 |
20080317221 | Apparatus, System and Method for Monitoring a Call Forwarded to a Network-Based Voice Mail System - An apparatus, system and method for monitoring calls that have been forwarded to a network-based voice mail system (VMS). The VMS receives the forwarded call and sends a start of greeting signal at the beginning and an end of greeting signal at the completion of the voice message greeting to the central office switch. The switch scads an activate call monitoring data message and a call monitoring alert signal to the customer premises equipment (CPE). If the CPE is adapted for call monitoring and includes a speaker assembly, then the speaker assembly is engaged in response to the activate call monitoring data message, thereby allowing hands-free call monitoring. If the CPE does not include a speaker assembly, then the called party may activate call monitoring by lifting the handset in response to detecting a call monitoring alert from the CPE. While monitoring the call, the called party may intercept the call to speak with the calling party. | 12-25-2008 |
20090016500 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Caller Control of Internet Call Waiting - Caller Control of Internet Call Waiting (ICW) Services are provided to disconnect a data connection and to prevent establishment of a subsequent data connection. An incoming communication to a called number is received and includes an interrupt code to disconnect a data connection associated with the called number. If the interrupt code is valid, the data connection is disconnected, and a subsequent data connection is prevented until an authorization code is received that permits enablement of the subsequent data connection. | 01-15-2009 |
20090052652 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Ring Suppression - Systems and methods for second call during ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives a first incoming call, the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert and thereafter, the ringer of the communications device is suppressed for subsequent audible alerts according to a timed ring suppression profile. Thereafter, a secondary incoming call is routed to the communications device and the ringer is activated to provide notification of the secondary incoming call while the first call is suppressed. | 02-26-2009 |
20090060268 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Gesture-Activated Appliances - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for operating home appliances using gesture recognition. A sequence of video images is received and compared to a stored sequence of gesture images. A recognized gesture is associated to a home appliance and to an operation of the home appliance. An appliance controller causes a response to the recognized gesture to perform the operation of the home appliance. | 03-05-2009 |
20090104893 | Methods of Providing Messages Using Location Criteria and Related Systems and Computer Program Products - Methods of providing messages for a user can include accepting entry of a message for the user, and accepting entry of a location criteria associated with the message. Physical location information for a wireless communications device associated with the user can be obtained, and the message for the user can be transmitted when the physical location information for the wireless communications device matches the location criteria associated with the message. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed. | 04-23-2009 |
20090168983 | Caller Controlled Time Demarcation System - A method and system for providing a caller-controlled demarcation service is described. An embodiment of the present invention is advantageously implemented as an advanced service in an intelligent telecommunications network. An embodiment of the present invention allows the user to specify an interval for a telephone communication. A telecommunication switch times the communication and when the interval expires, the switch either plays a tone to signal the expiration or disconnects the call. The switch may enforce the interval for calls originating or terminating at the subscriber's phone. | 07-02-2009 |
20090180601 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SELECTABLE OPTIONS TO A CALLING PARTY ON-HOLD - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing selectable options to a calling party while the calling party is on hold. A call from the calling party is received and the calling party is placed on hold. While on hold, the calling party is provided with a plurality of selectable options. Each of the plurality of options corresponds to a predefined operation. A selected option request, corresponding to one of the plurality of options, is received from the calling party. The predefined operation corresponding to the selected option request is then performed. A system is also provided having instructions thereon for providing selectable options to a calling party while on hold. | 07-16-2009 |
20090181668 | SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF PROFILE BASED LOCATION - Systems for automatically selecting a user's profile based on location include a device adapted to being tracked by location and a database that includes a user's preferences for routing calls. The user's calls are routed to the user based on the user's call routing preferences and the location of the device. Other systems and methods are also provided. | 07-16-2009 |
20090190731 | TUNE MASTER CALLER IDENTIFICATION DEVICE - Systems for providing a tune master caller identification (ID) device include a telecommunications network and a caller device configured to provide caller identification information for an incoming telephone call, and a tune master caller ID device that is coupled to a telephone device. The tune master caller ID device receives caller identification information, associates a tune with the caller identification information, and plays the tune associated with the caller identification. The telephone device coupled to the tune master caller ID device provides telephone call processing capabilities. Other systems and methods are also provided. | 07-30-2009 |
20090196408 | TUNE MASTER CALLER IDENTIFICATION DEVICE - Systems for providing a tune master caller identification (ID) device include a telecommunications network and a caller device configured to provide caller identification information for an incoming telephone call, and a tune master caller ID device that is coupled to a telephone device. The tune master caller ID device receives caller identification information, associates a tune with the caller identification information, and plays the tune associated with the caller identification. The telephone device coupled to the tune master caller ID device provides telephone call processing capabilities. Other systems and methods are also provided. | 08-06-2009 |
20090207989 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Timed Ring Suppression - Systems and methods for timed ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives an incoming call and the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert, the ringer of the communications device may be silenced for subsequent audible alerts until the calling party hangs up or until the call is further processed. | 08-20-2009 |
20090230181 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING PACKAGE DELIVERY - A method for processing packages is provided. A package is received at an intermediate shipping site and a delivery authorization status corresponding to the package is determined based on a threshold of some characteristic of the package. The package is delivered if the authorization status is that delivery is acceptable and the package is not delivered if the authorization status is that delivery is not acceptable. The acceptability of the package for delivery is determined by a response that an addressee provides to an electronic message notification of package availability. The electronic response preferably contains some authenticating information regarding the package. | 09-17-2009 |
20090284657 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Displaying Objects - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for displaying objects. A software application is associated to a profile storing display characteristics for the software application. A video display screen is segmented into segments. A video object produced by the software application is mapped to a segment in the video display screen that corresponds to the profile. | 11-19-2009 |
20090316875 | Systems And Methods For Caller-Controlled Tune Notification Of A Call - A system and method for a caller to control a tune notification for a telephone call includes a service switching point and a service control point. The service switching point is operable to receive a tune notification service access code and a called directory number, and to issue a query in response to receiving the service access code. The service control point is operable to receive the query and issue a response including a tune notification signal to the service switching point. Upon receiving the response from the service control point, the service switching point processes the call so that the tune notification signal causes the tune notification to be applied to a called telephone line associated with the called directory number. | 12-24-2009 |
20100020958 | CALL WAITING PRIORITY ALERT` - A method for delivering a priority call waiting alert service to a telephone subscriber. An embodiment of the present invention may be implemented on an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). When a call intended the subscriber is received by a service switching point from a calling party while the telephone line is already engaged in a first communication between the subscriber and a third party, the calling party is solicited to supply a priority code. If the priority code is recognized by a service control point, a call waiting tone or a priority alert signal associated with the priority code is played to alert the subscriber that a priority call has been received. | 01-28-2010 |
20100091952 | Monitoring a Call Forwarded to a Network-Based Voice Mail System - An apparatus, system and method for monitoring calls that have been forwarded to a network-based voice mail system (VMS). The VMS receives the forwarded call and sends a start of greeting signal at the beginning and an end of greeting signal at the completion of the voice message greeting to the central office switch. The switch sends an activate call monitoring data message and a call monitoring alert signal to the customer premises equipment (CPE). If the CPE is adapted for call monitoring and includes a speaker assembly, then the speaker assembly is engaged in response to the activate call monitoring data message, thereby allowing hands-free call monitoring. If the CPE does not include a speaker assembly, then the called party may activate call monitoring by lifting the handset in response to detecting a call monitoring alert from the CPE. While monitoring the call, the called party may intercept the call to speak with the calling party. | 04-15-2010 |
20100098239 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Timed Ring Suppression - Systems and methods for timed ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives an incoming call and the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert, the ringer of the communications device may be silenced for subsequent audible alerts until the calling party hangs up or until the call is further processed. | 04-22-2010 |
20100131905 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Gesture-Activation - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for operating home appliances using gesture recognition. A sequence of video images is received and compared to a stored sequence of gesture images. A gesture image is associated to an operation of an appliance. | 05-27-2010 |
20120009922 | SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF PROFILE BASED ON LOCATION - Systems for automatically selecting a user's profile based on location include a device adapted to being tracked by location and a database that includes a user's preferences for routing calls. The user's calls are routed to the user based on the user's call routing preferences and the location of the device. Other systems and methods are also provided. | 01-12-2012 |
20120063643 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Gesture-Activation - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed recognizing gestures. A sequence of images is captured by a camera and compared to a stored sequence of images in memory. A gesture is then recognized in the stored sequence of images. | 03-15-2012 |
20120149397 | Determining Geographic Zone - Included are embodiments for determining data for at least one geographic zone. At least one embodiment of a method includes determining a geographic zone for monitoring and receiving data related to a contact of a user entering the geographic zone. Some embodiments include providing an indication, to the user, that the contact of the user is currently located in the determined geographic zone. | 06-14-2012 |
20120275584 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SELECTABLE OPTIONS TO A CALLING PARTY ON-HOLD - A method for handling an on-hold communication includes receiving an incoming communication from an initiating party directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party. When the incoming communication is placed on-hold, the initiating party is provided a menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the incoming communication. The on-hold initiating party selects the option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location, and the information particular to the physical geographical location is provided while the incoming communication is on-hold. | 11-01-2012 |
20130152008 | System and Method for Creating an Electronic-Calendar Entry - Methods, systems, and products automatically creates a calendar entry for an electronic calendar application. A graphical user interface is displayed having a text field and a date and time field. Whenever a user wishes to create a calendar entry, the user populates the text field and the date and time field. The user then selects a graphical control that automatically creates the calendar entry in the electronic calendar application. | 06-13-2013 |
20130219419 | Electronic Programming Guide - A broadcast programming guide is generated based on either designation by or a habit of a user. The programming guide may determine one or more favorite channels of the user based on habitual viewing. The programming guide may suggest channels of interest, based on genres of programming shown on the favorite channels. | 08-22-2013 |
20130242076 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Gesture-Activation - Methods, systems, and products are disclosed recognizing gestures. A sequence of images is captured by a camera and compared to a stored sequence of images in memory. A gesture is then recognized in the stored sequence of images. | 09-19-2013 |
20140003592 | Network-Based Timed Ring Suppression | 01-02-2014 |
20140140490 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SELECTABLE OPTIONS TO A CALLING PARTY ON-HOLD - A method for handling an initiated communication includes receiving, from an initiating party, an initiated communication directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party. Before the initiating party is provided access to the communication destination address, the initiating party is provided with a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the initiated communication. A selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location is received from the initiating party. The information particular to the physical geographical location is provided, and after providing the information particular to the physical geographical location, the initiating party is provided with access to the communication destination address. | 05-22-2014 |
20140250464 | Suggestive Content Based on Habit - Suggestions for content are based on either designation by or a habit of a user. Favored genres of content are determined at different times of day. Should content be requested at a particular time of day for which no favored genre of content is determined, then one of the known favored genres of content is suggested. | 09-04-2014 |