Systems and methods of establishing user groups in an internet protocol environment

Abstract

A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. A user group is established by collecting a plurality of identifiers that are associated with members of a group, and associating the member identifiers with a group identifier. The member identifiers could be telephone numbers of telephony devices for each of the members, or device IDs of IP telephony devices for members of the group. The group identifier could be any type of identifier, and in some instances, the group identifier could be a telephone number.

1 . A method of establishing user groups in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of communication device identifiers, wherein each communication device identifier is associated with a communications device, and wherein at least one of the communication device identifiers is a device ID of an IP telephony device; and   mapping the received communication device identifiers to a user group identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user group identifier is a telephone number. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the communication device identifiers comprises a telephone number. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the telephone number is the telephone number of a telephony device that is reachable only through an analog telephone network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the telephone number is the telephone number of a telephony device that is reachable through a cellular telephone network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving step comprises interacting with a plurality of users and receiving at least one communication device identifier from each of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the receiving step comprises receiving two different communication device identifiers from at least one of the users. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the interacting step comprises:
 receiving a plurality of e-mail addresses; and   sending an e-mail message to each of the plurality of e-mail addresses, wherein each e-mail message invites a user to join a user group, and wherein the step of receiving a communication device identifier comprises receiving a communication device identifier from at least one of the e-mail message recipients.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the interacting step comprises:
 receiving a plurality of telephone numbers; and   sending an SMS message directed to each of the telephone numbers, wherein each SMS message invites a user to join a user group, and wherein the step of receiving a communication device identifier comprises receiving a communication device identifier from at least one of the SMS message recipients.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a plurality of alias names, wherein each alias name corresponds to at least one of the plurality of communication device identifiers. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the alias names corresponds to two of the communication device identifiers. 
     
     
         12 . A system for establishing user groups in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment, comprising:
 means for receiving a plurality of communication device identifiers, wherein each communication device identifier is associated with a communications device, and wherein at least one of the communication device identifiers is a device ID of an IP telephony device; and   means for mapping the received communication device identifiers to a user group identifier.   
     
     
         13 . A system for establishing user groups in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment, comprising:
 a receiving unit that receives a plurality of communication device identifiers, wherein each communication device identifier is associated with a communications device, and wherein at least one of the communication device identifiers is a device ID of an IP telephony device; and   a mapping unit that maps the received communication device identifiers to a user group identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein mapping unit maps the received communication device identifiers to a user group identifier in the form of a telephone number. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving unit receives at least one of the communication device identifiers in the form of a telephone number. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the telephone number is the telephone number of a telephony device that is reachable only through an analog telephone network. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the telephone number is the telephone number of a telephony device that is reachable through a cellular telephone network. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving unit interacts with a plurality of users and receives at least one communication device identifier from each of the plurality of users during that interaction. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the receiving unit receives two different communication device identifiers from at least one of the users during an interaction with the at least one user. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving unit also receives a plurality of alias names, wherein each alias name corresponds to at least one of the plurality of communication device identifiers. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the receiving unit receives at least one alias name that corresponds to two of the communication device identifiers. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving unit receives a plurality of e-mail addresses and sends an e-mail message to each of the plurality of e-mail addresses, wherein each e-mail message invites a user to join a user group, and wherein the receiving unit receives a communication device identifier from at least one of the e-mail message recipients. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving unit receives a plurality of telephone numbers and sends an SMS message directed to each of the plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each SMS message invites a user to join a user group, and wherein the receiving unit receives a communication device identifier from at least one of the SMS message recipients.