WO2011054506A1

WO2011054506A1 - Personalized call management

Info

Publication number: WO2011054506A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/006710
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nils Maethner; Julia Leihener; Andreas Sommerwerk; Thomas Welzel; Martin Soehn; Axel Diehl; Alexandra-Fee Beyer; Tony Reeve; Sebastian Schulz
Original assignee: Deutsche Telekom Ag
Priority date: 2009-11-04
Filing date: 2010-11-04
Publication date: 2011-05-12
Also published as: EP2497257A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, a system, a program and a computer program product for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party and a calling party, wherein the addressed party provides status data to the network instance, wherein the calling party sends identification data to the network instance, wherein the call is handled by a network instance according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the handling alternatives depends on the identification data and the status data.

Description

Personalized call management BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, a client, a system, a program and a computer program product for a personalized call management in a

communication network between an addressed party and a calling party.

[0002] Such call management methods are described e.g. in United States Patent Application US 2003/0063590 A1.

[0003] Users of communication devices e.g. mobile radio terminals or devices are available by communication channels such like mobile radio communication, SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, email or online social networks. This availability is possible in almost every place at almost every time. As a result of this nearly unlimited availability there is the need for the addressed party to control and to differentiate its availability for the calling party and if applicable to inform the calling party about the current availability (or unavailability) of the addressed party. The availability is depending on the subjective and personal decision of the addressed party if the addressed party accepts the call. Accepting the call means in case of a mobile radio device that the call is directly put through to the addressed party and the mobile radio device signalizes the incoming call e.g. by a ringing tone.

[0004] The prior art knows e.g. voice mail boxes or answering machines that automatically answer incoming calls. The drawback of such voice mail boxes is that it is impossible to control that e.g. very important calls are not answered by the voice mail box but put directly through to the addressed party. This is only one drawback of call management methods according to the prior art that is solved by the present invention explained in the following.

SUMMARY

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method, a system, a program and a computer program product for a personalized call management in a communication network between an addressed party and a calling party.

[0006] The object of the present invention is achieved by a method for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party (104) and a calling party, the method comprising a first step, a second step and a third step, wherein the first step comprises that the addressed party provides status data to a network instance, wherein the second step comprises that the calling party provides identification data to the network instance, wherein the third step comprises the handling of the call by the network instance according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the first and the second handling alternative depends on the identification data and the status data.

[0007] The call is any communication contact between the calling party and the addressed party using any communication channel. A call is e.g. an incoming telephone call, an incoming video call, an in coming SMS, an incoming MMS, an incoming email, an incoming IM (instant message) or an incoming OSN (open social network) message. The calling party is the initiator of the communication contact and requests the communication contact to the addressed party. The call is handled by rejection of the call, by accepting of the call or by sending an answering message. A message is e.g. an SMS, an email, an IM or an OSN message.

[0008] According to the present invention it is advantageously possible for the addressed party to effectively and automatically control the handling of calls depending on the identity of the calling party (related to the identification data) and the assigned group of potential calling parties or on the current living or working situation of the addressed party (related to the status data) or depending on a combination of the identity of the calling party and the current living or working situation of the addressed party. Furthermore it is advantageously possible to effectively and automatically control the handling of calls depending on handling rules predefined by the addressed party. According to the present invention it is

additionally possible to automatically and effectively handle calls especially in dependence of the actual time or location or situation (e.g. using special network connectivity such as a Bluetooth link). [0009] It is preferred according to the present invention that the different alternatives of handling a call (depending, e.g. on the identity of the calling party) are static properties of a specified communication service. The terms "first handling alternative", "second handling alternative", "third handling alternative" and so forth only serve to differentiate the different handling alternatives and do not imply an order or a sequence of processing or of priority.

[0010] This means that in case, e.g., of the telephone (voice) service, the service could provide the following alternatives of handling an incoming call, namely (in case that the calling party is accepted) the normal signalization of the incoming call, or (in case that the calling party is neither accepted nor rejected) a reduced signalization of the incoming call, or (in case that the calling party is rejected) the absence of a signalization of the incoming call. In all of these alternative cases, (and still for the example of the telephone (voice) service), the static properties could provide for

- forwarding calls to a message box and the generation of a message to the addressed party in case that an incoming call is not answered, and/or

-- ignoring (i.e. neither forwarding nor signaling) incoming calls on behalf of a blacklisted calling party (either put in the black-list by the addressed party or by a third instance), which can protect the addressed party from spam calls; in the context of the present invention, such a behavior is even possible in case that the number of the incoming call cannot be presented to the called party (due to CLIR, Calling Line Identification Restriction), but still is identified by the network.

[0011] However, different services are intended to provide different static properties or handling alternatives.

[0012] It is furthermore preferred according to the present invention that in a fourth step of the inventive method a modification of the handling of subsequent calls is provided dependent on an interaction of the addressed party.

[0013] Thereby, it is advantageously possible to provide for a flexible yet user friendly possibility to define rules in an intuitive manner. For example, it is possible that the addressed party has a choice in treating a call from an incoming number differently. This is explained by means of the following example relating to the a.m. example of a telephone (voice) communication service: A first group of potential calling parties (or associated telephone numbers) are signaled to the addressed party by means of a normal signalization, and a second group of potential calling parties (or associated telephone numbers) are signaled to the addressed party by means of a reduced signalization; in case that the addressed party answers a call from a number belonging to the second group of potential calling parties, then the

addressed party might be asked whether - for subsequent calls from this calling party - a treatment according to the first group of potentially calling parties should be applied.

[0014] Such a definition or change of definition (i.e. a modification of the handling of subsequent calls) in dependency of the response of the addressed party should preferably by made either during the call or immediately after the call.

[0015] In the following the present invention is for the sake of illustration exemplarily described for the case that the communication network is a mobile radio network and the call is an incoming telephone call. The calling party (in the following also named as potential calling party) is e.g. a mobile radio terminal or a static terminal in a fixed telephone network and the addressed party is especially a mobile radio terminal. If the call is accepted then the call is put through to the addressed party and the call is signalized to the addressed party by e.g. a ringing tone of the mobile radio terminal. In this case the addressed party is (personal) available for the calling party. If the call is not accepted then the call is rejected (no further handling or action at all) or handled in any other way (e.g. notification SMS, answering device).

[0016] But it will be understood by any person skilled in the art that other modifications or varieties of the invention are possible without departing from the broader spirit of the invention. Such modifications are therefore to be considered as falling within the spirit and the scope of the invention and hence forming part of the invention as herein described or exemplified. Accordingly the exemplary description is to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive sense. [0017] According to the present invention it is preferred that the identification data comprises the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or a fixed line telephone number. The IMSI is e.g. stored in the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card in the mobile terminal used by the calling party. It is possible that the

identification data alternatively comprises an IP address, an email address or an assigned name.

[0018] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily realize the method according to the present invention by an already known identification means such as the IMSI (in the following also addressed telephone number).

[0019] According to the present invention it is preferred that the identification data is assigned to at least two groups of potential calling parties, wherein the assignment of the calling party to the first or second group of potential calling parties is defined by the addressed party.

[0020] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively manage potential calling parties. The identification data, preferably the IMSI, from the calling party is compared with stored IMSI or fixed line telephone number (e.g. in the network instance comprising a database) to identify the calling party. If the IMSI from the calling party is not stored in the database (in the following also named as unknown calling party) then the calling party is automatically assigned as belonging to a group of default calling parties. Default in this case means e.g. that the addressed party is automatically not available for the default calling party. If the IMSI from the calling party is stored in the database (in the following also named as known calling party or assigned calling party) then the IMSI is automatically assigned to at least one group of potential calling parties (also named in the following as a member of a group of potential calling parties). The definition of the groups of calling parties and the assignment of telephone numbers to these groups are possible in two ways. First the definition and assignment are realized automatically by predefined groups and lists of telephone numbers (e.g. the telephone number of the mobile radio service center or the car-breakdown service are automatically assigned to the predefined group of potential calling parties "service"). Second the addressed party defines groups of calling parties e.g. "fellow workers" or "family members". The assignment is possible manually by the

addressed party (e.g. the addressed party manually stores a telephone number in the group "fellow workers" or "family members") or it is possible that the addressed party assigns the calling party manually immediately during or after the call. For example after the call the addressed party is asked by the network instance if this calling party shall be assigned or not. If so the addressed party is proposed a group of potential calling parties. For example at the weekend the calling party is proposed to be assigned as a member of the calling group "family member". Moreover it is possible that the addressed party manually reassigns the calling party if e.g. an emergency case occurs. This is e.g. the case if the car-breakdown service is reassigned from "service" to "very important person" in case of a car breakdown.

[0021] According to the present invention it is preferred that the status data comprises a social state manually defined by the addressed party, wherein the social state is preferably related to the current living or working situation of the addressed party.

[0022] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible for the addressed party to easily and effectively manage the personal availability according to the current living or working situation. The status data is related to the social state (in the following also addressed social role) of the addressed party. This social state of the addressed party is e.g. the state "work", "spare time", "holidays" or "silence". These social states are e.g. predefined in a social state list. Additionally the addressed party is able to manually define social states according to the personal living conditions. The current social role depending on the time, the location or the connectivity of the addressed party is manually assignable by the addressed party. For example the addressed party is able to assign that it is in the current social state "spare time" after it leaves the working place in the evening. The addressed party is able to reassign its current social role e.g. when it is in the office in the morning from "spare time" to "work". Furthermore it is possible to combine two social states. For example if the addressed party is in the current social role "work", but the addressed party has got a scheduled meeting. Scheduled in this case means that the meeting is e.g. scheduled in a calendar. In the social role "work" generally a call from a calling party that is member of the group of potential calling parties "fellow workers" is automatically put through to the addressed party. But during this meeting the addressed party does not want to be disturbed by a calling party that is a member of the group of potential calling parties "fellow workers". The addressed party is able to assign the current social role "work in meeting" and the calling parties of the group "fellow workers" are redirected to the answering machine and are allowed to leave a message for the addressed party. Additionally it is possible that the meeting was prescheduled by the addressed party in a calendar stored in the database and the addressed party is automatically assigned to the social role "work in meeting" when the scheduled meeting begins and automatically assigned to the social role "work" when the scheduled meeting is over. Alternatively it is possible that the network instance sends to the addressed party the request if the meeting is over and if the addressed party shall be assigned to the social role "work".

[0023] Additionally the status data comprises information if the addressed party is located in the home network or in a roaming network e.g. if the addressed party is located in a foreign country. In this case the social state "roaming" could possibly lead to the consequence that all calls except from a short list of "very important persons" are directed to the answering device without creating roaming costs.

[0024] According to the present invention it is preferred that the social state is dynamically assigned.

[0025] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively manage the personal availability automatically according to the time, the place or the connectivity. The social state is assigned manually, technically assisted or fully automatically. The social role is not static but depends on the time or the place that the addressed party is located. Time is e.g. meant as a daytime or, a weekday or as a time period. For example it is possible that each weekday at a predetermined time in the evening the social role turns from "work" to "spare time". Furthermore it is possible that when the addressed party leaves the working place the social role turns automatically from "work" to "spare-time". This turning is e.g. realizable in that way that the mobile terminal comprises a transmitter of location signals such like GPS (Global positioning system). If the location of the addressed party is detected as e.g. outside the working place then the social role turns automatically from "work" to "spare-time". A connectivity based rule might apply when the device of the addresses party detects a specific connectivity, e.g. a

Bluetooth link within a car.

[0026] According to the present invention it is furthermore advantageously possible for the addressed party to react flexibly and adequately. For example it is possible to set the addressed party into an overruling mode. This overruling mode allows the addressed party to reassign its social role when the call comes in. For example if the addressed party is in the social role "work" and therefore the default calling party would be rejected by the automatic call management, the addressed party is able to manually reassign the social role "spare time" to put the call through and overrule the automatic call management.

[0027] According to the present invention it is preferred that the first handling alternative of the call handling comprises the call being directly put through to the addressed party and wherein the second handling alternative comprises the call directed to an answering device and the calling party given the possibility to leave a message.

[0028] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively filter incoming calls into important calls that must be automatically put through and into less important calls that may not disturb the addressed party by the ringing tone but only leave a message on the answering device, e.g. an answering machine or a voice mail box.

[0029] According to the present invention it is preferred that the third step comprises a third and a fourth handling alternative, wherein the third handling alternative comprises the call directed to the answering device and the calling party receiving an absence message, wherein the fourth handling alternative comprises the call ended immediately without direction to the answering machine. [0030] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively differentiate between the calling parties to realize the adequate handling of the different calling parties.

[0031] The choice of the adequate handling and therefore of the adequate handling alternative is assured by handling rules. These handling rules determine the way the calling party is allowed to contact the addressed party. These rules can be manually defined by the addressed party. The addressed party can e.g. define that if a member of the group of potential calling parties "family members" calls then the call is directly put through to the addressed party regardless of the current social state of the addressed party. Furthermore it is possible that these rules are predefined by the network instance so that if for example a member of the group of potential calling parties "fellow workers" calls at the weekend then the call is redirected to the answering machine. Furthermore the addressed party can manually define handlings rules e.g. that a notification email is sent to an email address of the addressed party (second communication channel) if the addressed party is personally unavailable for the calling party calling the mobile radio device (first communication channel) of the addressed party. Moreover it is possible that these rules are auto-adaptive rules. Auto-adaptive means in this case that these rules are not predefined by the

addressed party or the network instance but these rules are adapted to the habits of the addressed party. If for example the addressed party manually accepts the call of the calling party and this acceptance occurs e.g. more than only once in a week then the rule "always accept this calling party and always put the call directly through to the addressed party" is stored and "learnt" (auto-adaption). Moreover it is possible that the addressed party manually changes the handling rule in case of a situational requirement.

[0032] It is thereby possible that the addressed party defines social barriers. These social barriers comprise the combination of the groups of calling parties and the calling rules that are assigned to the groups of calling parties. These social barriers classify potential calling parties e.g. into a very important group that may call the addressed party directly at any time and into a less important group that may call the addressed party directly only if the addressed party is in a certain social state (e.g. fellow workers may only contact if the current social role of the addressed party is "work"). The social barrier works in a way that the addressed party clearly indicates its social state to the calling party with the option to be put through in case of importance or to be directed to e.g. a store and forward system (like a voicebox).

[0033] Furthermore it is e.g. possible that the addressed party is currently in the social role "work in meeting" but the addressed party expects an important call e.g. an emergency call that must be unconditionally put through to the addressed party even if the addressed party is in the meeting. Then the addressed party is able to assign the telephone number as an "emergency calling party". Alternatively the addressed party receives a short message (SMS) from the network instance that the "emergency calling party" tried to call the addressed party. Other notification methods are possible such as signaling an emergency call at the IP TV (TV via Internet) during a TV session of the addressed party.

[0034] Moreover it is possible for the addressed party to define a transitional period of time. This transitional period of time is defined as a period of time that begins when the social role has changed from an old social role into a new social role. For example when the social role is changed from "work" (old social role) to "spare time" (new social role) then the transitional period of time begins. In this transitional period of time, calls that would be rejected according to the handling rules of the new social role ("spare time") but that would be accepted according to the handling rules of the old social rule ("work") are accepted according to the handling rules of the old social role or are accepted according to modified handling rules of the old social role. Such a modified handling rule might be e.g. a silent vibration signal. This transitional period of time lasts e.g. one hour, preferably half an hour.

Alternatively it is possible that the addressed party defines the length of the transitional period of time. This transitional period of time allows a more flexible call management.

[0035] The invention further relates to a system for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party and a calling party, the system comprising a mobile radio terminal and a network instance, wherein the addressed party provides status data to the network instance, wherein the calling party sends identification data to the network instance, wherein the call is handled by a network instance according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the first and the second handling alternative depends on the identification data and the status data.

[0036] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively manage and differentiate the availability of the addressed party. The system according to the present is flexible and reacts to variable conditions and situation. The system is auto adaptive and individual configurable in dependence of time, location and connectivity. Furthermore it is realizable for protecting the addressed party e.g. of unwanted advertisement using the mobile radio communication or unwanted emails such as spam. Moreover the system can be used to archive messages, e.g. according to the assigned group of potential calling parties. For example messages from unimportant calling parties can be erased after a short time.

[0037] The invention further relates to a program comprising a computer readable program code for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party and a calling party, wherein the addressed party provides status data to the network instance, wherein the calling party sends identification data to the network instance, wherein the call is handled by a network instance according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the first and the second handling alternative depends on the identification data and the status data.

[0038] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively manage and differentiate the availability of the addressed party.

[0039] The invention further relates to a computer program product comprising a computer readable program code according to claim 9 for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party and a calling party, wherein the addressed party provides status data to the network instance, wherein the calling party sends identification data to the network instance, wherein the call is handled by a network instance according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the first and the second handling alternative depends on the identification data and the status data.

[0040] According to the present invention it is thereby advantageously possible to easily and effectively manage and differentiate the availability of the addressed party and to indicate the communication willingness of the addressed party adapted to the calling party. The communication willingness might be indicated via graphical and/or audio presence indications, (e.g. it is indicated within the network address book that the addressed party is currently in the social role '"don't disturb". If the addressed party is called in spite of that indication, a voice notification is given "Sorry, I don't like to be disturbed until 5 o'clock pm. If it's urgent, please press * otherwise leave me a message after the tone...").

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 shows schematically a cell of a mobile radio network.

[0042] Figure 2 shows exemplarily the model of the social barriers as a basic principle according to the present invention.

[0043] Figure 3 shows schematically a block diagram of an exemplary algorithm used in a network instance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 4 shows schematically an embodiment of a system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes.

[0046] Where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun, e.g. "a", "an", "the", this includes a plural of that noun unless something else is specifically stated.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described of illustrated herein.

[0048] Figure 1 shows schematically a cell 100 of a mobile radio network. The mobile radio network comprises a core network 101 with a network instance 102 (in the following also addressed database) and a multitude of base stations, one thereof, a base station 103 is connected to a mobile radio terminal 104, which is exemplary for an addressed party 104 according to the present invention. In this case a call according to the present invention is exemplarily a mobile radio call from a calling party 105 to the addressed party 104. The calling party 105 comprises e.g. a mobile radio terminal. The present invention is not limited to such a mobile radio network. The communication network according to the present invention alternatively comprises communication channels such like mobile radio communication, SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, email or online social networks. It is furthermore possible that the calling party 105 uses for the call the fixed telephone network and the addressed party 104 is informed about a new message on the answering machine by an SMS using the mobile radio network.

[0049] Figure 2 shows exemplarily the model of the social barriers as a basic principle according to the present invention. A main group 200 comprises all potential calling parties 105. This main group 200 comprises known potential calling parties 105 and unknown potential calling parties 105. The main group comprises predefined groups, in this case a first group 201 and a second group 202. The first group 201 comprises the potential calling parties 203 and 204 and the second group 202 comprises the potential calling parties 205 and 206. The first and second group 201 , 202 are defined by social barriers. The potential calling party 207 belongs to neither the first group 201 nor the second group 202 so that the potential calling party 207 is defined as a default potential calling party because it is not assigned to a predefined group. This is especially the case if the potential calling party 207 is not known to the addressed party 104. The assignment of e.g. the potential calling party 203 to the first group 201 is only temporarily as the potential calling party 203 could also be assigned to the second group 202. For example the first group 201 comprises the potential calling parties 203 and 204 that are allowed to be directly put through to the addressed party 104. The second group 202 comprises the potential calling parties 205 and 206 that are not allowed to be directly put through to the addressed party 104 but only allowed to leave a message on the answering machine. Alternatively the second group 202 comprises potential calling parties 105 that may not even leave a message but only receive an absence message about the time when the addressed party 104 will be available for them in the future. Furthermore alternatively the second group 202 comprises potential calling parties that receive not even an absence message (e.g. default or unknown potential calling parties). This model of social barriers is possible to realize for example in an address book stored in the database 102.

[0050] Figure 3 shows schematically a block diagram of an exemplary algorithm used in a network instance 102 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In block 300 a call from the calling party 105 is received by the network instance 102. In block 301 is decided if the calling party 105 is allowed to be put directly through to the addressed party 104. If this is the case then the call is directly put through to the addressed party 104 and the algorithm comes to the end 308 (e.g. the ringtone signalizes the addressed party 104 that the call is coming in). If this is not the case then in block 302 it is decided if there is a handling rule that allows the calling party 105 in regard to the group of potential calling parties that the calling party 105 belongs to and the social role of the addressed party 104 to be put directly through to the addressed party 104 and the algorithm comes to the end 308. If this is not the case then in block 303 it is decided to which handling alternative of the possible three handling alternatives 304, 305, 306 the handling rule leads. After this decision the algorithm comes to the end 307.

[0051] Figure 4 shows schematically an embodiment of a system according to the present invention. In this embodiment the model of the social barriers is

combined with at least one communication channel 403 such as mobile radio communication, SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, email or online social networks. The communication channel 403 generates the input into the system, i.e. the incoming call from the calling party 105 to the addressed party 104 using e.g. mobile radio communication. Furthermore the communication channel 403 and sources of information 401 (e.g. a calendar, GPS) generate additional Information such as location information and provide this information to a processor 402. Additionally an address book 405, e.g. defined by the addressed party 104, is integrated in this system. In the address book 405 calling parties 105 (also contacts) and the assigned groups of calling parties are stored. These groups are expandable by additional parameters such as handling rules. The role and rule memory 400 stores the handling rules, the social role of the addressed party 104, the calling parties 105 and the assigned groups of calling parties (if not stored in the address book 405). A configurator 404 generates according to the handling rules, the social role of the addressed party 104, the calling parties 105 and the assigned groups of calling parties stored in the role and rule memory 400 the adequate reaction to the incoming call and provides the processor 402 with this generated reaction. The configurator 404 is exemplarily realizable as a Web-User Interface or a Handset-User Interface. The processor 402 (also addressed state processor) is the central controlling means in this system. The processor 402 generates the output, e.g. the accepting the call, by using the communication channel 403.

[0052] This embodiment of a system according to the present invention is only one example. The system according to the present is flexible and reacts to variable conditions and situation. The system is auto adaptive and individual configurable in dependence of time and location. Furthermore it is realizable for protecting the addressed party 04 e.g. of unwanted advertisement using the mobile radio

communication or unwanted emails such as spam. Moreover the system can be used to archive messages, e.g. according to the assigned group of potential calling parties. For example messages from unimportant calling parties 105 can be erased after a short time.

[0053] This system and especially this auto-adaptive system can be realized by a state machine using as an input the reaction on the call by the addressed party (e.g. the manual rejection of the calling party by the addressed party) in relation to the current social role of the addressed party, the multitude of possible

communication channels and external sources such as roaming information, calendar information or location information. The possible states that can be used are the current social role of the addressed party or the assigned group of potential calling parties. As an output it is e.g. possible to reject the call, accept the call and put the call through to the addressed party, send an answering message or indicate that the addressed party does not want to be disturbed.

[0054] Auto adaptive in this case means e.g. that a soft barrier turns into a hard barrier. The call leads e.g. automatically to the fact that the calling party receives the notification that the addressed party does not want to be disturbed and the calling party may leave a message on the answering device if the call is not important and in case it is very important the calling party may press the "^*"

(emergency button) to be put through to the addressed party (soft barrier). If the calling party presses the "*" and the addressed party rejects manually the call then the system "learns" that the calling party is not dignified to pass the soft barrier. In this case the system builds a hard barrier related to the calling party so that the calling party may not use the emergency button any more in the future. In case of an incoming message the output of the system may also comprise a modification of the message indication presented to the addressed party, e.g. play tone or vibration or no indication.

Claims

Patent Claims

1. Method for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party (104) and a calling party (105), the method comprising a first step, a second step and a third step, wherein the first step comprises that the addressed party (104) provides status data to a network instance (102), wherein the second step comprises that the calling party (105) provides identification data to the network instance (102), wherein the third step comprises the handling of the call by the network instance (102) according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the handling alternatives depends on the identification data and the status data, wherein the identification data is assigned to at least two groups of potential calling parties, wherein the assignment of the calling party (105) to the first or second group of potential calling parties is defined by the addressed party (104), and wherein the addressed party (104) assigns the calling party (105) manually during or after the call.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the identification data comprises the

International Mobile Subscriber Identity or a fixed line telephone number.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handling

alternatives are static properties of a communication service used.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises a fourth step, wherein the fourth step comprises a modification of the handling of subsequent calls dependent on an interaction of the addressed party (104).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the status data

comprises a social state manually defined by the addressed party (104), wherein the social state is preferably related to the current living or working situation of the addressed party (104).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the social state is dynamically assigned.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first handling alternative of the call handling comprises the call being directly put through to the addressed party ( 04) and wherein the second handling alternative comprises the call directed to an answering device and the calling party (105) given the possibility to leave a message.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein additionally to the first and second handling alternative, the third step comprises a third handling alternative, wherein the third handling alternative comprises the call directed to the answering device and the calling party (105) receiving an absence message.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein additionally to the first and second handling alternative, the third step comprises a fourth handling alternative, wherein the fourth handling alternative comprises the call ended immediately without direction to the answering machine.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein additionally to the first and second handling alternative, the third step comprises a fifth handling alternative, wherein the fifth handling alternative comprises the call being signaled using dedicated signalization per group of calling parties depending on the identification data and the status data.

11. System for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party (104) and a calling party (105), the system comprising a mobile radio terminal and a network instance (102), wherein the addressed party (104) provides status data to the network instance (102), wherein the calling party (105) sends identification data to the network instance (102), wherein the call is handled by a network instance (102) according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the handling alternatives depends on the identification data and the status data, wherein the identification data is assigned to at least two groups of potential calling parties, wherein the assignment of the calling party (105) to the first or second group of potential calling parties is defined by the addressed party (104), and wherein the addressed party (104) assigns the calling party (105) manually during or after the call.

12. Program comprising a computer readable program code for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party (104) and a calling party (105), wherein the addressed party (104) provides status data to the network instance (102), wherein the calling party (105) sends identification data to the network instance (102), wherein the call is handled by a network instance (102) according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the handling alternatives depends on the identification data and the status data, wherein the identification data is assigned to at least two groups of potential calling parties, wherein the assignment of the calling party (105) to the first or second group of potential calling parties is defined by the addressed party (104), and wherein the addressed party (104) assigns the calling party (105) manually during or after the call.

13. Computer program product comprising a computer readable program code

according to claim 11 for managing a call in a communication network between an addressed party (104) and a calling party (105), wherein the addressed party

(104) provides status data to the network instance (102), wherein the calling party

(105) sends identification data to the network instance (102), wherein the call is handled by a network instance (102) according to at least a first or a second handling alternative, wherein the choice between the first and the second handling alternative depends on the identification data and the status data.