Rule-based intelligent call forwarding

An internet call routing system, comprising:

• receive logic operable, using a computer processor, to receive a call query from a service control point via a gateway;
• presence logic coupled to the receive logic, the presence logic being operable, using a computer processor, to determine whether a called party associated with the call query is present with respect to at least one of a plurality of registered communication devices associated with the called party;
• a rules engine operable, using a computer processor, to retrieve at least one rule associated with the called party and parse the rule;
• forwarding logic coupled to the presence logic and rules engine, the forwarding logic being operable, using a computer processor, to forward a call associated with the call query to any of said plurality of registered communication devices responsive to said at least one rule and presence of the called party, wherein the forwarding logic causes a message concurrently with routing of the call to be sent to each of the plurality of registered communication devices where the called party is determined to be present, the message notifying the called party of the call being made by a calling party;
• and
• a certificate authority coupled to the internet call routing system, the certificate authority being operable to authenticate the called party by searching a customer database for current subscription and payment information;
• wherein the message is configured to cause each of the plurality of registered devices to display the options directing how to terminate the call, the options being a dropdown list of numbers from which to choose;
• wherein the message is configured to allow each of the plurality of registered devices to select from options directing how to terminate the call;
• wherein the presence logic is operable to determine presence of the called party based upon whether the called party has retrieved the message from a short message service server and based upon whether the called party has retrieved the message from an email server;
• and
• wherein the options at each of the plurality of registered devices for directing how to terminate the call comprise:
• forward the call to a voicemail system, forward the call to any of the plurality of registered communication devices, forward the call to a default number, forward the call to a number corresponding to a location at which the message is presently being checked, and forward the call to a number that the called party presently designates in response to the message.

A method of providing intelligent call forwarding based on predefined rules for an intelligent call routing system, comprising:

• receiving, an intelligent call routing system, a call query from a service control point via a gateway;
• determining, by the intelligent call routing system, whether a called party is present with respect to a plurality of registered communication devices associated with the called party;
• parsing, by the intelligent call routing system, at least one rule associated with the called party;
• terminating, via the intelligent call routing system, a call associated with the call query to the called party via the plurality of registered communication devices responsive to called party presence and said at least one rule;
• concurrently with routing of the call, sending a message, by the intelligent call routing system, to each of the plurality of registered communication devices where the called party is determined to be present, the message notifying the called party of the call being made by a calling party;
• and
• a certificate authority coupled to the internet call routing system, the certificate authority being operable to authenticate the called party by searching a customer database for current subscription and payment information;
• wherein the message is configured to cause each of the plurality of registered devices to display the options directing how to terminate the call, the options being a dropdown list of numbers from which to choose;
• wherein the message is configured to allow each of the plurality of registered devices to select from options directing how to terminate the call;
• wherein the internet call routing system is operable to determine whether the called party is present based upon whether the called party has retrieved the message from a short message service server and based upon whether the called party has retrieved the message from an email server;
• and
• wherein the options at each of the plurality of registered devices for directing how to terminate the call comprise:
• forward the call to a voicemail system, forward the call to any of the plurality of registered communication devices, forward the call to a default number, forward the call to a number corresponding to a location at which the message is presently being checked, and forward the call to a number that the called party presently designates in response to the message.

A computer readable medium comprising executable instructions for providing intelligent call forwarding based on predefined rules, comprising:

• receiving a call query from a service control point via a gateway;
• determining whether a called party is present with respect to at least one of a plurality of registered communication devices associated with the called party;
• parsing at least one rule associated with the called party;
• causing a message concurrently with routing of the call to be sent to each of the plurality of registered communication devices where the called party is determined to be present, the message notifying the called party of the call being made by a calling party;
• terminating a call associated with the call query to the called party via at least one of the plurality of registered communication devices responsive to called party presence and said at least one rule;
• and
• a certificate authority coupled to the internet call routing system, the certificate authority being operable to authenticate the called party by searching a customer database for current subscription and payment information;
• wherein the message is configured to cause each of the plurality of registered devices to display the options directing how to terminate the call, the options being a dropdown list of numbers from which to choose;
• wherein the message is configured to allow each of the plurality of registered devices to select from options directing how to terminate the call;
• wherein determining whether the called party is present is based upon whether the called party has retrieved the message from a short message service server and based upon whether the called party has retrieved the message from an email server;
• and
• wherein the options at each of the plurality of registered devices for directing how to terminate the call comprise:
• forward the call to a voicemail system, forward the call to any of the plurality of registered communication devices, forward the call to a default number, forward the call to a number corresponding to a location at which the message is presently being checked, and forward the call to a number that the called party presently designates in response to the message.