Methods, systems, and products for processing communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9544427-B2
Application number	US-201514859255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2001
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Users are provided control of their communications. Should a call be processed for a user, a text message may be automatically sent as a response to the call. The user may pre-compose different text messages. The user may also compose a custom text message. Regardless, the user's text message is automatically sent as a response to the call.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
pausing, by a network element, processing associated with a call prior to termination to a called address, the call associated with a calling address;
querying, by the network element, an electronic database for the calling address, the electronic database storing electronic associations between text messages and calling addresses including the calling address to retrieve a text message of the text messages that is electronically associated with the calling address; and
initiating, by the network element, the text message to the calling address as a response to the call.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving an indication of activation associated with the text message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a selection of different pre-composed text messages.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a profile associated with the calling address.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a profile associated with the called address.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving an indication of deactivation associated with the called address.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a do not disturb setting.

8. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory device, the memory device storing code, the code when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
pausing processing associated with a call from a calling address prior to termination at a called address;
querying an electronic database for the calling address, the electronic database storing electronic associations between text messages and calling addresses including the calling address;
retrieving a text message of the text messages from the electronic database, the text message having an electronic association with the calling address; and
initiating the text message to the calling address in response to the call.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving an indication of activation associated with the text message.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise providing a selection of different pre-composed text messages.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a profile associated with the calling address.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a profile associated with the called address.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving an indication of deactivation associated with the called address.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a do not disturb setting.

15. A method, comprising:
pausing processing, by a network element, of a call from a calling address prior to termination to a called address;
querying, by the network element, an electronic database for the calling address, the electronic database storing electronic associations between text messages and calling addresses including the calling address;
retrieving, by the network element, a text message of the text messages from the electronic database, the text message having an electronic association with the calling address; and
initiating, from the network element, the text message to the calling address in response to the call.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising retrieving an indication of activation associated with the text message.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing a selection of different pre-composed text messages.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising retrieving a profile associated with the calling address.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising retrieving a profile associated with the called address.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising retrieving a do not disturb setting.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Koch Robert A
• Hensey Jr Robert G
• Lin Shiejye Geoffrey
• Scott David Archie

Classifications

• H04M3/42059

  Making use of the calling party identifier · CPC title

• H04M3/428 Primary

  Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold · CPC title

• H04W4/14

  Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD] · CPC title

• H04M3/42365

  Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity · CPC title

• H04M2201/42

  Graphical user interfaces · CPC title