# US 7,411,942 B1 · Method and apparatus for automated calendar selections > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,411,942 B1 - Document ID: US7411942B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/288,615 - Filed: 2005-11-29 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-29 - Assignees: AT&T Corp. - Inventors: Marian Croak; Hossein Eslambolchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411942B1 ## CPC - G06Q 10/109: Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method and apparatus for reserving an appointment in a communications network is described. In one embodiment, a request is received from a caller to schedule an appointment with an enterprise customer, wherein the request is processed in accordance with a media server in the communications network. A scheduling calendar is then accessed. Afterwards, the appointment is reserved with one of a plurality available appointment time slots. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for scheduling an appointment in a communications network, comprising: receiving a first request from a caller to schedule said appointment with an enterprise customer, wherein said first request is processed in accordance with a media server in said communications network; accessing a scheduling calendar of said enterprise customer from a plurality of scheduling calendars of different enterprise customers; in response to said first request, providing at least one of a plurality of available appointment time slots to said caller after identifying said plurality of available appointment time slots; receiving a second request to reserve said appointment at said at least one of said plurality of available appointment time slots; and reserving said appointment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said communications network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the IP network comprises at least one of: a Voice over IP (VoIP) network or a Service over IP (SoIP) network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step is performed using an interactive voice response (IVR) application. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said second request to reserve said appointment by said caller is reserved in response to either a phone keypad signal or a voice instruction signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said scheduling calendar comprises an electronic calendar that is accessed by said media server. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for scheduling an appointment in a communications network, comprising: means for receiving a first request from a caller to schedule said appointment with an enterprise customer, wherein said first request is processed in accordance with a media server in said communications network; means for accessing a scheduling calendar of said enterprise customer from a plurality of scheduling calendars of different enterprise customers; means for providing at least one of a plurality of available appointment time slots to said caller in response to said first request; means for receiving a second request to reserve said appointment at said at least one of said plurality of available appointment time slots; and means for reserving said appointment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said communications network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the IP network comprises at least one of: a Voice over IP (VoIP) network or a Service over IP (SoIP) network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second request to reserve said appointment by said caller is reserved in response to either a phone keypad signal or a voice instruction signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said scheduling calendar comprises an electronic calendar that is accessed by said media server. ### Claim 12 A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for scheduling an appointment in a communications network, comprising: receiving a first request from a caller to schedule said appointment with an enterprise customer, wherein said first request is processed in accordance with a media server in said communications network; accessing a scheduling calendar of said enterprise customer from a plurality of scheduling calendars of different enterprise customers; in response to said first request, providing at least one of a plurality of available appointment time slots to said caller after identifying said plurality of available appointment time slots; receiving a second request to reserve said appointment at said at least one of said plurality of available appointment time slots; and reserving said appointment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said communications network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the IP network comprises at least one of: a Voice over IP (VoIP) network or a Service over IP (SoIP) network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said providing step is performed using an interactive voice response (IVR) application. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said second request to reserve said appointment by said caller is reserved in response to either a phone keypad signal or a voice instruction signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said scheduling calendar comprises an electronic calendar that is accessed by said media server.