Patent ID: 9094519
Filing Date: 2015-07-28
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A method for a server computing device associated with a communication service to route a communication from a calling party for a called party to a device of a third-party within a plurality of third-parties when the called party is unreachable at his/her own device, comprising: obtaining current status data from a plurality of computing devices for storage within profiles of registered users of the communication service, the registered users including at least the calling party, the called party, and the plurality of third-parties; determining whether the called party is unreachable based on an unanswered call request for the communication from a calling party computing device; generating an ordered list of potential third-party computing devices associated with the plurality of third-parties based on the unanswered call request for the communication, the profiles of the registered users, and the obtained current status data in response to determining that the called party is unreachable on his/her own device; selecting a third-party computing device from the ordered list of potential third-party computing devices; transmitting a call request notification to the selected third-party computing device; determining whether a call acceptance message is received from the selected third-party computing device; transmitting, to the selected third-party computing device, an authentication challenge for the called party to answer in response to receiving the call acceptance message from the selected third-party computing device; determining from an authentication answer message received from the selected third-party computing device whether the called party correctly answered the transmitted authentication challenge; and administering the communication between the calling party computing device and the selected third-party computing device in response to determining that the called party correctly answered the authentication challenge.