Branch calling and caller ID based call routing telephone features

• US 20030194078A1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telemaze, LLC
• Inventors: Wood, Samuel F., Klein, Jerry A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0003 Interconnection between telephone networks and data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13242 Broadcast, diffusion, multicast, point-to-multipoint (1 : N)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A caller ID based call routing feature is described for blocked and non-blocked caller ID'"'"'s. A processing system in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) receives first identifying information for identify the source of a telephone call and associates additional information stored in a memory with the first identifying information. The additional information may be information about the calling party initially downloaded to the memory by a subscriber. Once retrieved from the memory by the processing system, the additional information may then be transmitted to the subscriber via the Internet for display on a monitor or to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone for display on a telephone display. Another feature described is a branch calling feature where the subscriber may program a processing system within the PSTN to forward an incoming call to two or more end units (e.g., telephones) simultaneously. If the call at an end unit is answered, answer supervision signaling is transmitted back to the processing system which then terminates all other calls. The processing system then connects the calling party to the subscriber. The branch calling may be made for any combination of local, long distance, and cellular telephone numbers.

Claims

1. A method performed by a processing system connected within the public switched telephone network (PSTN) comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party, using an end unit, intended for a subscriber;

detecting, by the processing system, first information about the source of the call;

applying a signal based on the first information to a memory to access second information in the memory, at least a portion of the second information being input into the memory by the subscriber for association with the source of the call; and

making available to the subscriber at least a portion of the second information in the memory so the subscriber can associate the second information with the incoming call to the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the subscriber downloading the second information to the memory via the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information about the source of the call comprises caller ID data.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the processing system providing at least a portion of the second information retrieved from the memory to a web display for access by the subscriber via the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the processing system transmitting signals to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone conveying at least a portion of the second information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the calling party has his or her caller ID blocked, the method further comprising the processing system communicating to the calling party to take steps to convey the first information about the source of the telephone call.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first information comprises touch tones entered by the calling party in response to the processing system requesting the calling party to enter the calling party'"'"'s telephone number.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the first information comprises the calling party speaking his or her name or telephone number in response to the processing system requesting the calling party to speak the calling party'"'"'s name or telephone number.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first information comprises touch tones entered by the calling party in response to the processing system requesting the calling party to enter a personal identification number.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information comprises the calling party'"'"'s name.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information comprises the calling party'"'"'s telephone number.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the processing system prompting the calling party to unblock the calling party'"'"'s caller ID.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the processing system performing at least one function on a received call based upon the first information, where the function is selected by the subscriber.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one function comprises forwarding the call, blocking the call, or sending the call to a voice mail system.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing system is connected to a PSTN tandem switch, wherein receiving a call from the calling party comprises receiving a first call through the tandem switch from the calling party intended for the subscriber after the calling party has entered a first telephone number, the first telephone number being the subscriber'"'"'s public telephone number, the processing system applying features, selected by the subscriber, to the first call and placing a second call to the subscriber using a second telephone number different from the first telephone number, the processing system completing a communications path between the calling party and the subscriber after the subscriber has received the second call.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the end unit is a telephone.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information is other than the calling party'"'"'s telephone number or name.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing system is connected to the PSTN in the subscriber'"'"'s local service area.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the subscriber is a subscriber of residential telephone service.

20. A controller connected within a public switched telephone network (PSTN) comprising:

a processing system connected to a memory, the processing system programmed to perform the process comprising;

receiving a call from a calling party, using an end unit, intended for a subscriber;

detecting first information about the source of the call;

applying a signal based on the first information to the memory to access second information in the memory, at least a portion of the second information being input into the memory by the subscriber for association with the source of the call; and

making available to the subscriber at least a portion of the second information in the memory so the subscriber can associate the second information with the incoming call to the subscriber.

21. The controller of claim 20 further comprising a connection between the processing system and the Internet to allow the subscriber to download the second information to the memory via the Internet.

22. The controller of claim 20 wherein the first information about the source of the call comprises caller ID data.

23. The controller of claim 20 wherein the calling party has his or her caller ID blocked, the processing system being further programmed to communicate to the calling party to take steps to convey the first information about the source of the telephone call.

24. The controller of claim 20 wherein the processing system is further programmed to perform at least one function on a received call based upon the first information, where the function is selected by the subscriber.

25. The controller of claim 24 wherein the at least one function comprises forwarding the call, blocking the call, or sending the call to a voice mail system.

26. The controller of claim 20 wherein the processing system is connected to a PSTN tandem switch, wherein receiving a call from the calling party comprises receiving a first call through the tandem switch from the calling party intended for the subscriber after the calling party has entered a first telephone number, the first telephone number being the subscriber'"'"'s public telephone number, the processing system applying features, selected by the subscriber, to the first call and placing a second call to the subscriber using a second telephone number different from the first telephone number, the processing system completing a communications path between the calling party and the subscriber after the subscriber has received the second call.

27. The controller of claim 20 wherein the end unit is a telephone.

28. The controller of claim 20 wherein the processing system is connected to the PSTN in the subscriber'"'"'s local service area.

29. The controller of claim 20 wherein the subscriber is a subscriber of residential telephone service.

30. A method performed by a processing system comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party, using an end unit, to a subscriber;

placing two or more calls simultaneously to two or more associated end units designated by the subscriber;

detecting that the call has been answered at one of the end units; and

in response to the detecting, abandoning other calls to other end units and establishing a connection between the calling party'"'"'s end unit and the answered end unit.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the processing system is connected within the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

detecting first information about the source of the call;

associating the first information with a feature, selected by the subscriber, to be performed on the call, the feature being to forward the call to two or more end units; and

simultaneously placing the call to the two or more end units.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the two or more calls to the end units are any combination of local call, long distance call, and cellular call.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein, when one of the calls to the end units is answered, an answer supervision signal is transmitted to the processing system, and the processing system terminates the other calls.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the answer supervision is pursuant to the SS7 signaling protocol.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein the processing system is connected to a PSTN tandem switch within the PSTN, and wherein receiving a call from a calling party comprises:

receiving a first call through the tandem switch from the calling party intended for the subscriber after the calling party has enter a first telephone number, the first telephone number being the subscriber'"'"'s public telephone number, said processing system simultaneously placing at least second and third calls using second and third telephone numbers different from the first telephone number.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein the number of calls simultaneously placed by the processing system is two.

38. The method of claim 30 wherein the number of calls simultaneously placed by the processing system is three.

39. A controller connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) comprising:

a processing system, the processing system programmed to perform the process comprising;

receiving a call from a calling party, using an end unit, to a subscriber;

placing two or more calls simultaneously to two or more associated end units designated by the subscriber;

detecting that the call has been answered at one of the end units; and

in response to the detecting, abandoning other calls to other end units and establishing a connection between the calling party'"'"'s end unit and the answered end unit.

40. The controller of claim 39 wherein the processing system is connected within the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

41. The controller of claim 39 wherein the processing system is programmed to perform the process comprising:

detecting first information about the source of the call;

associating the first information with a feature, selected by the subscriber, to be performed on the call, the feature being to forward the call to two or more end units; and

simultaneously placing the call to the two or more end units.

42. The controller of claim 39 wherein the two or more calls to the end units are any combination of local call, long distance call, and cellular call.

43. The controller of claim 39 wherein, when one of the calls to the end units is answered, an answer supervision signal is transmitted to the processing system, and the processing system terminates the other calls.

44. The controller of claim 39 wherein the processing system is connected to a PSTN tandem switch within the PSTN, and wherein receiving a call from a calling party comprises:

receiving a first call through the tandem switch from the calling party intended for the subscriber after the calling party has enter a first telephone number, the first telephone number being the subscriber'"'"'s public telephone number, said processing system simultaneously placing at least second and third calls using second and third telephone numbers different from the first telephone number.

45. The controller of claim 39 wherein the processing system is connected to the PSTN in the subscriber'"'"'s local service area.

46. The controller of claim 39 wherein the subscriber is a subscriber of residential telephone service.