Apparatus, system and method for monitoring a call forwarded to a network-based voice mail system

• US 20030147511A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Anita Hogans, Silver, Edward Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,050,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for monitoring calls that have been forwarded to a network-based voice mail system (VMS). The VMS receives the forwarded call and sends a start of greeting signal at the beginning and an end of greeting signal at the completion of the voice message greeting to the central office switch. The switch sends an activate call monitoring data message and a call monitoring alert signal to the customer premises equipment (CPE). If the CPE is adapted for call monitoring and includes a speaker assembly, then the speaker assembly is engaged in response to the activate call monitoring data message, thereby allowing hands-free call monitoring. If the CPE does not include a speaker assembly, then the called party may activate call monitoring by lifting the handset in response to detecting a call monitoring alert from the CPE. While monitoring the call, the called party may intercept the call to speak with the calling party.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a call forwarded to a network-based voice mail system (VMS), comprising:

a central office switch connected to the VMS and customer premises equipment (CPE), the central office switch operative to receive a call to a called party number, forward the call to the VMS, receive a call monitoring provisioned signal from the VMS, and in response to the call monitoring provisioned signal, to send an activate call monitoring data message and a call monitoring alert signal to the CPE; and

the VMS operative to send the call monitoring provisioned signal to the central office switch (CO).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the VMS is further operative to:

determine if a calling party exits the called party'"'"'s voice mailbox; and

if the calling party exits the called party'"'"'s voice mailbox, then to send a deny call monitoring signal to the CO.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the call monitoring provisioned signal is a start of greeting signal sent by the VMS when the VMS plays a called party'"'"'s voice mail greeting.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the call monitoring provisioned signal is a end of greeting signal sent by the VMS upon the completion of a called party'"'"'s voice mail greeting.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the end of greeting signal also acts as a record message indicator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the CPE is operative to generate an alert to a called party in response to receiving the call monitoring alert signal from the central office switch.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the alert comprises a distinctive sound generated by the CPE.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the alert comprises a visual indicator on the CPE.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the CPE is operative to go off-hook and to activate a speaker assembly in response to receiving the activate call monitoring data message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the CPE is operative to send an on-hook signal to a second CPE and an intercept tone to the central office switch, if the CPE receives an intercept indicator, further comprising:

the second CPE connected to the central office switch and the CPE, the second CPE operative to go on-hook in response to receiving the on-hook signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the intercept tone is a Dual-Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) signal.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein one signal has the dual function of indicating on-hook to the second CPE and indicating interception to the CO.

13. A method for monitoring a call forwarded to a network based voice mail system comprising:

receiving a forwarded call;

determining whether the call can be monitored;

if the call can be monitored, then sending a call monitoring alert signal and an activate call monitoring message to customer premises equipment (CPE) associated with a called party;

receiving an intercept tone from the CPE; and

causing the called party to be connected to a calling party.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a voice mail code sent by the called party; and

acting on the voice mail code.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the voice mail code is a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) sequence.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein determining if the call can be monitored comprises:

determining if the call was forwarded prior to being received as a forwarded call; and

if the call was previously forwarded, then to deny call monitoring.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the intercept tone is a Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) tone.

18. A method for monitoring a call forwarded to a network based voice mail system (VMS) comprising:

receiving a call to a called party number;

determining whether the call should be forwarded to the VMS;

if the determination is that the call should be forwarded to the VMS, then forwarding the call to the VMS;

receiving a call monitoring provisioned signal indicating that call monitoring is allowed; and

in response to receiving the call monitoring provisioned signal;

sending a call monitoring alert signal and sending an activate call monitoring data message indicating that call monitoring is available to customer premises equipment (CPE) associated with the called party number; and

connecting the VMS to the CPE.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the provisioned signal is a start of greeting signal received from the VMS when the VMS plays the called party'"'"'s voice mail greeting.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the provisioned signal is an end of greeting signal received from the VMS upon the completion of the called party'"'"'s voice mail greeting.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the call monitoring alert signal is a distinctive ring pattern.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an intercept signal from the CPE associated with the called party number; and

in response to receiving the intercept signal, maintaining a connection with the VMS for a predetermined time period.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an intercept signal from the CPE associated with the called party number; and

in response to receiving the intercept signal, disconnecting the VMS.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the intercept signal is a DTMF signal.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a signal from the CPE associated with the called party number that dually functions as an intercept signal and a voice mail code.

26. A method for monitoring a call forwarded to a network based voice mail system (VMS) comprising:

receiving a call forwarded to a voice mailbox associated with a called party number from a central office switch;

sending a start of greeting signal to the central office switch so that call monitoring is allowed if the central office switch is provisioned to begin call monitoring upon receipt of the start of greeting signal;

playing a voice message greeting associated with the called party number; and

sending an end of greeting signal upon completion of the voice message greeting to the central office switch so that call monitoring is allowed if the central office switch is provisioned to begin call monitoring upon receipt of the end of greeting signal.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a voice mail code associated with a voice mail function; and

in response to receiving the voice mail code, performing the voice mail function.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the voice mail code comprises a Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) signal.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining if a calling party exits the called party'"'"'s voice mailbox; and

if the calling party exits the called party'"'"'s voice mailbox, then sending a deny call monitoring signal to the central office switch.

30. A method for monitoring a call forwarded to a network based voice mail system comprising:

receiving a call monitoring alert signal from a central office switch (CO);

in response to receiving the call monitoring alert signal, providing an alert to a called party;

receiving an activate call monitoring data message from the CO; and

in response to receiving the activate call monitoring data message, going off-hook and engaging a speaker assembly to monitor the call.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein providing an alert comprises generating a sound.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein providing an alert comprises providing a distinctive ring pattern.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein providing an alert comprises providing a visual indicator.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving an intercept indicator; and

in response to receiving the intercept indicator, sending an intercept signal to the Co.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the intercept signal comprises a DTMF signal.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE) adapted to support call monitoring is connected to the called party'"'"'s line, further comprising:

receiving an intercept indicator; and

in response to receiving the intercept signal, sending an intercept signal to the CO and sending an on-hook signal to all other CPEs.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the intercept signal and the on-hook signal are the same signal.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a voice mail code; and

sending the voice mail code to the VMS.