Systems and methods for terminating communication requests in an internet protocol environment

Abstract

A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. Each user group can include multiple members, each of whom have their own telephony device. A group identifier is assigned to each user group. When an incoming communication directed to the user group identifier is received by the service, the service obtains handling instructions for the user group that specify how the incoming communication is to be terminated to the members of the user group. The service then terminates the incoming communication to one or more members of the user group based on those handling instructions.

1 . A method of processing communication requests based on handling instructions in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment, comprising:
 receiving a communication request that includes a user group identifier;   obtaining communication handling instructions for the user group based on the user group identifier, wherein the communication handling instructions indicate which members of the group should receive the communication;   obtaining communication device identifiers for those members of the group that should receive the communication; and   attempting to terminate the communication request to a communication device of at least one member of the group based on the communication handling instructions and the obtained communication device identifiers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication handling instructions are time of day dependent, and wherein the attempting step is also based on the time of day that the communication request is received. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication handling instructions are time of day dependent, and wherein the attempting step is also based on the time of day at the locations of each of the communication devices of those members of the group that should receive the communication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication handling instructions are day of the week dependent, and wherein the attempting step is also based on the day of the week that the communication request is received. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication request is an incoming telephone call, wherein the communication handing instructions indicate that the incoming telephone could be terminated any of a plurality of members of the group, and wherein the attempting step comprises:
 ringing the communications devices for all of the plurality of members of the group; and   terminating the call to the first communications device to answer the call.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication request is an incoming telephone call, wherein the communication handing instructions indicate that the incoming telephone could be terminated any of a plurality of members of the group, and wherein the attempting step comprises:
 ringing the communications devices for all of the plurality of members of the group for a predetermined period of time; and   connecting the incoming call to all of the communications devices that answer the call before the predetermined period of time expires.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication request is an incoming SMS message, wherein the communication handling instructions indicate that the SMS message should be delivered to a plurality of members of the group, and wherein the attempting step comprises attempting to deliver the SMS message to the communications devices of the plurality of members of the group. 
     
     
         8 . A system for processing communication requests based on handling instructions in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment, comprising:
 means for receiving a communication request that includes a user group identifier;   means for obtaining communication handling instructions for the user group based on the user group identifier, wherein the communication handling instructions indicate which members of the group should receive the communication;   means for obtaining communication device identifiers for those members of the group that should receive the communication; and   means for attempting to terminate the communication request to a communication device of at least one member of the group based on the communication handling instructions and the obtained communication device identifiers.   
     
     
         9 . A system for processing communication requests based on handling instructions in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment, comprising:
 a receiving unit that receives a communication request that includes a user group identifier;   an handling instruction unit that obtains communication handling instructions for the user group based on the user group identifier, wherein the communication handling instructions indicate which members of the group should receive the communication;   a device identifier unit that obtains communication device identifiers for those members of the group that should receive the communication; and   a termination unit that attempts to terminate the communication request to a communication device of at least one member of the group based on the communication handling instructions and the obtained communication device identifiers.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication handling instructions are time of day dependent, and wherein the termination unit attempts to terminate the communication request based on the time of day that the communication request is received. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication handling instructions are time of day dependent, and wherein the termination units attempts to terminate the communication request based on the time of day at the locations of each of the communication devices of those members of the group that should receive the communication. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication handling instructions are day of the week dependent, and wherein the termination unit attempts to terminate the communication request based on the day of the week that the communication request is received. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication request is an incoming telephone call, wherein the communication handing instructions indicate that the incoming telephone could be terminated any of a plurality of members of the group, and wherein the termination unit causes the communication devices for all of the plurality of members of the group to ring, and then terminates the call to the first communication device to answer the call. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication request is an incoming telephone call, wherein the communication handing instructions indicate that the incoming telephone could be terminated any of a plurality of members of the group, and wherein the termination unit causes the communications device for all of the plurality of members of the group to ring for a predetermined period of time, and connects the incoming call to all of the communication devices that answer the call before the predetermined period of time expires. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication request is an incoming SMS message, wherein the communication handling instructions indicate that the SMS message should be delivered to a plurality of members of the group, and wherein the termination unit attempts to deliver the SMS message to the communications devices of the plurality of members of the group.