Communication Handling

Abstract

This disclosure describes abstracting a public facing identity associated with one or more devices, such as user devices. In some embodiments, a unique identity may be associated with a device. A mapping may be used to establish a relationship between the public facing identity and the unique identity. In some embodiments, configuration data may indicate how a communication (e.g., an incoming or outgoing communication) is to be handled or routed. For example, the configuration data may indicate preferences as to which device(s) amongst a plurality of devices is to receive an incoming communication and/or which public facing identity/identities amongst a plurality of public facing identities is to be used in transmitting an outgoing communication.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device, an incoming communication indicating a first address as a destination of the incoming communication;   causing direction of the incoming communication to one or more devices associated with one or more addresses determined based on a type of the incoming communication, a capability of at least one device associated with the first address, and user preference information associating communication types with devices; and   causing establishment of a communication session with a device, of the one or more devices, that accepts the incoming communication.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing direction of the incoming communication to the one or more devices comprises causing direction of the incoming communication to the at least one device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing establishment of the communication session with the device comprises causing establishment of the communication session with the at least one device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first address comprises a telephone number associated with a telephone; and   wherein the causing establishment of the communication session with the device comprises causing establishment of the communication session with a personal computer.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the capability of the at least one device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more addresses is determined based on one or more of:
 a social network status;   an online service status;   a schedule;   a status of the at least one device; or   a location of the at least one device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of the incoming communication comprises a video conference. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the incoming communication comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first address comprises an address associated with a second computing device different from the computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the incoming communication comprises a telephone call and the capability of the at least one device comprises an audio capability of the at least one device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the capability of the at least one device comprises a quality of an output from the at least one device. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 receive an incoming communication indicating a first address as a destination of the incoming communication; 
 cause direction of the incoming communication to one or more devices associated with one or more addresses determined based on a type of the incoming communication, a capability of at least one device associated with the first address, and user preference information associating communication types with devices; and 
 cause establishment of a communication session with a device, of the one or more devices, that accepts the incoming communication. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the first address comprises a telephone number associated with a telephone; and   wherein the device comprises a personal computer.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more addresses is determined based on one or more of:
 a social network status;   an online service status;   a schedule;   a status of the at least one device; or   a location of the at least one device.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the type of the incoming communication comprises a video conference. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the incoming communication comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         17 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to:
 receive an incoming communication indicating a first address as a destination of the incoming communication;   cause direction of the incoming communication to one or more devices associated with one or more addresses determined based on a type of the incoming communication, a capability of at least one device associated with the first address, and user preference information associating communication types with devices; and   cause establishment of a communication session with a device, of the one or more devices, that accepts the incoming communication.   
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the first address comprises a telephone number associated with a telephone; and   wherein the device comprises a personal computer.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more addresses is determined based on one or more of:
 a social network status;   an online service status;   a schedule;   a status of the at least one device; or   a location of the at least one device.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the type of the incoming communication comprises a video conference.