APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING INCOMING AND OUTGOING COMMUNICATION

摘要

The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for managing incoming and outgoing communications for various communications methods. The invention provides control over inbound communications including definition of if, when, and who may communicate with a recipient. The invention also supports concealed identification communication in that no actual addresses, phone numbers, or other addressing IDs are required to be exchanged by the communication initiator and recipient. The invention also provides the capability to initiate immediate, delayed, scheduled, or recurring outbound communications. As depicted in FIG. 1, if the database (45) contains call management settings for a call recipient, the application logic (40) will evaluate the rules to determine if a particular caller is authorized to connect with the call recipient at the current time and date. If the caller is authorized by the recipient to connect to the recipient phone number, and is furthermore authorized to do so for the current time and date, the application logic (40) will connect the call utilizing the public telephone switch (50). The computer (1) passes the caller and call recipient phone numbers as stored in the database (45) to the telephone switch (50) using an application programming interface ('API') appropriate to the service provider or telephone switch manufacturer. The exemplary embodiment of the invention utilizes an API provided by a telephone service provider as an interface to its switching infrastructure (50). The API captures both caller and recipient telephone numbers along with other variables useful for call setup and tracking. The telephone service provider then connects both parties' telephones (55), (60) to a phone call by dialing both numbers and connecting the call upon the parties' answer.