Method and system for managing a user profile for use in a personal number service

A called user-associated profile system for determining the routing in a network for extending a call made to the called user associated with the profile system from a calling user associated with a profile thereof;

• the called user-associated profile system comprising:
• a plurality of said calling user-associated profiles, each profile being arranged for association with a respective calling user and comprising a respective first storage means for storing a plurality of terminal numbers, and a respective second storage means for storing a corresponding plurality of associated confidence values, each respective confidence value representing the confidence that a call to the terminal corresponding to the associated terminal number will result in a match between a function sought by the calling user when making that call and a respective function provided by a person answering the call at that terminal;
• selection means responsive to the occurrence of a said call to select from the profile associated with the calling user the terminal number having the highest confidence value;
• and
• modification means arranged to modify at least one of said respective confidence values on the basis of the actual outcome of said call routed to the terminal corresponding to the selected terminal number, the actual outcome representing the likelihood that the calling user will not need to make a further call seeking access to the associated function, that likelihood being determined by the person answering the call at that terminal.

A method of operating a personal numbering service in a network having a personal number profile system comprising a plurality of personal number-associated profiles, each profile storing for a respective personal number user of the personal numbering service a plurality of destination terminal numbers, the personal number profile system being for use for determining the routing in a network of a call to a said personal number user, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing, in each of said personal number-associated profiles, a respective confidence value in association with each of said destination terminal numbers, each respective confidence value representing the confidence that a call to the terminal corresponding to the associated destination terminal number will be answered by the respective personal number user;
• receiving at the network a call originated from a caller to a said personal number user;
• retrieving from signalling information of that call the personal number of the called personal number user;
• accessing the profile associated with that retrieved personal number;
• selecting from that accessed profile, for use by the network in routing that call, a destination terminal number on the basis of the highest confidence value;
• routing that call to that selected destination terminal number;
• and
• modifying at least one of said respective confidence values of said corresponding profile on the basis of the actual outcome of a call routed to the terminal corresponding to the selected destination terminal number, the actual outcome being either achieved when the call is answered, or non-achieved when there is no answer and the call is abandoned.

A user profile system for use in a network for operating a personal numbering service whereby the routing of a call to a personal number user is determined by that user's associated profile, the profile system comprising:

• a plurality of personal number-associated profiles, each profile being arranged for association with a respective personal number user and comprising a respective first storage means for storing a plurality of destination terminal numbers, and a respective second storage means for storing a corresponding plurality of associated confidence values, each respective confidence value representing the confidence that a call to the destination terminal corresponding to the associated destination terminal number will be answered by the personal number user;
• selection means responsive to the occurrence of a said call to select from the profile associated with the personal number user the destination terminal number having the highest confidence value;
• and
• modification means arranged to modify at least one of said respective confidence values on the basis of the actual outcome of said call routed to the terminal corresponding to the selected destination terminal number, the actual outcome being either achieved when the call is answered, or non-achieved when there is no answer and the call is abandoned.

A user profile system for use in a network for operating a personal numbering service whereby the routing of a call to a personal number user is determined by that user's associated profile, the profile system comprising:

• a plurality of personal number-associated profiles, each profile being arranged for association with a respective personal number user and comprising a respective first storage means for storing a plurality of destination terminal numbers, and a respective second storage means for storing a corresponding plurality of associated confidence values, each respective confidence value representing the confidence that a call to the destination terminal corresponding to the associated destination terminal number will be answered by the personal number user;
• selection means responsive to the occurrence of a said call to select from the profile associated with the personal number user the destination terminal number having the highest confidence value;
• and
• modification means arranged to modify at least one of said respective confidence values upon receipt from the terminal corresponding to the selected destination terminal number of call outcome information indicative that the actual outcome is that said call has been achieved.

A user profile system for use in a network for operating a personal numbering service whereby the routing of call to a personal number user is determined by that user's associated profile, the profile system comprising:

• a plurality of personal number-associated profiles, each profile being arranged for association with a respective personal number user and comprising a respective first storage means for storing a plurality of destination terminal numbers, and a respective second storage means for storing a corresponding plurality of associated confidence values, each respective confidence value representing the confidence that a call to the destination terminal corresponding to the associated destination terminal number will be answered by the personal number user;
• selection means responsive to the occurrence of a said call to select from the profile associated with the personal number user the destination terminal number having the highest confidence value;
• and
• modification means arranged to modify at least one of said respective confidence values upon receipt of a network-generated signal indicative that the actual outcome is that there is no answer and the call is abandoned.