Remote call monitoring

• US 20040141593A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Anita Hogans
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• 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 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring calls routed to a telephone network voice mail system from a variety of remote telephone locations. When a subscriber receives a telephone call, a determination is made as to whether the subscriber'"'"'s line is busy or whether the call goes unanswered. If remote call monitoring services are activated, a three-way communication is set up between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber. The subscriber is patched into the call on a listen-only basis, but upon command by the subscriber, the subscriber may answer the call. The subscriber may set up a number of remote call monitoring filters, including an “always monitor” list, a “never monitor” list, and a schedule of days or times during which the subscriber allows or excludes remote call monitoring. Remote call monitoring services may be provided by a telephone services provider that is independent from the subscriber'"'"'s home telephone services provider.

Claims

1. A method of remotely monitoring calls routed to a voice mail system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a call from a calling party at a subscriber'"'"'s switch;

determining whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system;

if the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system, querying a first network element to determine whether remote call monitoring services are provisioned on a subscriber'"'"'s line;

at the first network element, determining whether remote call monitoring services should be applied to the call; and

if remote call monitoring services are provisioned on the subscriber'"'"'s line and should be applied to the call, causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby if remote call monitoring services are provisioned on the subscriber'"'"'s line, but remote call monitoring services are not selected for application to incoming calls at a time of receiving the call, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a calling party'"'"'s identification for the calling party is on an “

always monitor”

list provided by the subscriber;

if the calling party'"'"'s identification is not on the “

always monitor”

list, forwarding the call to the voice mail system;

if the calling party'"'"'s identification is on the “

always monitor”

list, causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

3. The method of claim 2,

whereby the “

always monitor”

list includes a list calling party identifications associated with calling parties whereby calls from any of the calling party identifications included on the “

always monitor”

list always invoke remote call monitoring services; and

whereby the calling party identifications include calling party directory numbers, a caller ID presentation indicator status of “

private,”

a caller ID presentation indicator status of “

unknown” and

a caller ID presentation indicator status of “

out-of-area”

if any of said calling party directory numbers, caller ID presentation indicator status of “

private”

, caller ID presentation indicator status of “

unknown,”

or caller ID presentation indicator status of “

out-of-area”

are designated by the subscriber for inclusion on the “

always monitor”

list.

4. The method of claim 3, whereby if remote call monitoring services are provisioned on the subscriber'"'"'s line, and remote call monitoring services are selected for application to incoming calls at a time of receiving the call, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the calling party'"'"'s identification is on the “

always monitor”

list provided by the subscriber;

if the calling party'"'"'s identification is on the “

always monitor”

list, causing a second network element to set up the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system;

if the calling party'"'"'s identification is not on the “

always monitor”

list, determining whether the calling party'"'"'s identification is on a “

never monitor”

list;

if the calling party'"'"'s identification is on the “

never monitor”

list, forwarding the call to the voice mail system;

if the calling party'"'"'s identification is not on the “

never monitor”

list, retrieving a remote call monitoring services schedule provided by the subscriber; and

determining whether remote call monitoring services are allowed at a time of receiving the call from the calling party according to the remote call monitoring services schedule.

5. The method of claim 4,

whereby the “

never monitor”

list includes a list calling party identifications associated with calling parties whereby calls from any of the calling party identifications included on the “

never monitor”

list never invoke remote call monitoring services; and

whereby the calling party identifications include calling party directory numbers, a caller ID presentation indicator status of “

private,”

a caller ID presentation indicator status of “

unknown” and

a caller ID presentation indicator status of “

out-of-area”

if any of said calling party directory numbers, caller ID presentation indicator status of “

private,”

caller ID presentation indicator status of “

unknown”

or caller ID presentation indicator status of “

out-of-area”

are designated by the subscriber for inclusion on the “

never monitor”

list.

6. The method of claim 4, whereby if no remote call monitoring services schedule is provided by the subscriber, causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

7. The method of claim 5, whereby the step of determining whether remote call monitoring services are allowed at a time of receiving the call from the calling party includes comparing the remote call monitoring services schedule to the date and time of receiving the call from the calling party.

8. The method of claim 7, whereby if remote call monitoring is allowed according to the remote call monitoring services schedule, causing a network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

9. The method of claim 7, whereby if remote call monitoring is not allowed according to the remote call monitoring services schedule, forwarding the call to the voice mail system.

10. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of causing a second network element to set up the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, determining whether the subscriber'"'"'s line is busy;

if the subscriber'"'"'s line is busy, comparing the remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber with a subscriber'"'"'s directory number from which the call is forwarded;

if the remote call monitoring directory number is the same as the subscriber'"'"'s directory number, routing the call to the voice mail system; and

if the remote call monitoring directory number is not the same as the subscriber'"'"'s directory number, causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

11. The method of claim 1, whereby the first network element is an advanced intelligent network service control point.

12. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of causing the second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system includes setting up the communication to the remote call monitoring directory number so that the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system in “

listen-only”

mode allowing the subscriber at the remote call monitoring directory number to listen to the communication between the calling party and the voice mail system.

13. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, further comprising the steps of:

at the first network element, retrieving a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber;

retrieving the subscriber'"'"'s directory number;

retrieving a voice mail system access number; and

routing from the first network element, the remote call monitoring directory number, the subscriber'"'"'s directory number, and the voice mail system access number to the second network element.

14. The method of claim 13, whereby the second network element is an advanced intelligent network services node.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of interrupting the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, and connecting the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the remote call monitoring directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber.

16. The method of claim 15, prior to the step of interrupting the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, providing an announcement to the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number instructing the subscriber as to how to interrupt the three-way communication in order to accept the call from the calling party via the remote call monitoring directory number.

17. The method of claim 15, whereby the step of connecting the call between the calling party and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number includes:

routing the call from the second network element to the remote call monitoring directory number; and

terminating the communication between the calling party and the voice mail system.

18. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via remote call monitoring directory number, providing the subscriber a caller identification associated with the remote call monitoring services to alert the subscriber that an incoming call is associated with remote call monitoring services.

19. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, providing the subscriber at the remote call monitoring directory number a distinctive ring to alert the subscriber that an incoming call is associated with remote call monitoring services.

20. The method of claim 1, prior to receiving a call from the calling party at a subscriber switch, further comprising the steps of:

contacting a telephone services provider to provision remote call monitoring services on a subscriber'"'"'s line;

retrieving a current remote call monitoring services status for the subscriber'"'"'s line;

providing a subscriber with remote call monitoring services options;

activating by a subscriber a remote call monitoring service on the subscriber'"'"'s line;

providing by a subscriber a remote call monitoring directory number; and

activating a plurality of remote call monitoring filters.

21. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of contacting a telephone service provider includes contacting the telephone services provider telephonically.

22. The method of claim 21, whereby the step of contacting the telephone services provider telephonically includes providing a remote call monitoring services feature code to the telephone services provider.

23. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of contacting the telephone services provider includes contacting the telephone services provider via an Internet-based Web site provided by the telephone services provider.

24. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of activating remote call monitoring filters includes activating remote call monitoring services for all calls directed to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone directory number.

25. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of activating remote call monitoring filters includes activating remote call monitoring services only when the subscriber'"'"'s line is busy.

26. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of activating remote call monitoring filters includes providing an “

always monitor”

list that includes telephone directory numbers associated with calling parties, whereby calls from any of the telephone directory numbers included on the “

always monitor”

list always invoke remote call monitoring services.

27. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of activating remote call monitoring filters includes providing an “

never monitor”

list that includes telephone directory numbers associated with calling parties, whereby calls from any of the telephone directory numbers included on the “

never monitor”

list never invoke remote call monitoring services.

28. The method of claim 20, whereby the step of activating remote call monitoring filters includes providing a remote call monitoring schedule including days and times during which call monitoring services may be provided for calls forwarded to the voice mail system.

29. The method of claim 1,

whereby the step of receiving a call from a calling party at a subscriber'"'"'s switch includes receiving the call at a subscriber'"'"'s switch at a first telephone services provider;

determining whether the call should be forwarded to a voicemail system of the first telephone services provider;

if the call should be forwarded to the voicemail system of the first telephone services provider, forwarding the call to a second telephone services provider for providing remote call monitoring services;

at the second telephone services provider, querying a first network element to determine whether remote call monitoring services are provisioned for the subscriber;

at the first network element, determining whether remote call monitoring services should be applied to the call; and

if remote call monitoring services are provisioned for the subscriber, and should be applied to the call, causing a second network element of the second telephone services provider to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voicemail system of the first telephone services provider and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voicemail system of the first telephone services provider.

30. A system for remotely monitoring calls routed to a voice mail system, comprising:

a subscriber'"'"'s switch operative

to receive a call from a calling party at;

to determine whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system;

to query a first network element to determine whether remote call monitoring services are provisioned on a subscriber'"'"'s line;

the first network element operative

to determine whether remote call monitoring services should be applied to the call;

if remote call monitoring services are provisioned on the subscriber'"'"'s line and should be applied to the call,

to retrieve a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber;

to retrieve the subscriber'"'"'s directory number;

to retrieve a voice mail system access number; and

to route the remote call monitoring directory number, the subscriber'"'"'s directory number, and the voice mail system access number to a second network element; and

to cause the second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

31. The system of claim 30, whereby if remote call monitoring services are provisioned on the subscriber'"'"'s line, but remote call monitoring services are not selected for application to incoming calls at a time of receiving the call, the first network element further operative:

to determine whether the calling party'"'"'s directory number is on an “

always monitor”

list provided by the subscriber;

to forward the call to the voice mail system if the calling party'"'"'s directory number is not on the “

always monitor”

list;

if the calling party'"'"'s directory number is on the “

always monitor”

list, to cause a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system.

32. The system of claim 30, whereby if remote call monitoring services are provisioned on the subscriber'"'"'s line, and remote call monitoring services are selected for application to incoming calls at a time of receiving the call, the first network element further operative:

to determine whether the calling party'"'"'s directory number is on a “

never monitor”

list;

to forward the call to the voice mail system if the calling party'"'"'s directory number is on a “

never monitor”

list;

to retrieve a remote call monitoring services schedule provided by the subscriber if the calling party'"'"'s directory number is not on the “

never monitor”

list;

to determine whether remote call monitoring services are allowed at a time of receiving the call from the calling party according to the remote call monitoring services schedule;

if remote call monitoring is allowed according to the remote call monitoring services schedule, to cause a network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system; and

if remote call monitoring is not allowed according to the remote call monitoring services schedule, to forward the call to the voice mail system.

33. The system of claim 30, whereby the first network element is an advanced intelligent network service control point and whereby the second network element is an advanced intelligent network services node.

34. The system of claim 30, the first network element being further operative:

to interrupt the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number; and

to connect the call from the calling party to the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber.

35. The system of claim 34, the second network element being further operative:

to route the call from the second network element to the remote call monitoring directory number; and

to terminate the communication between the calling party and the voice mail system.

36. A method of remotely monitoring calls routed to a voice mail system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a call from a calling party at a subscriber'"'"'s switch via the subscriber'"'"'s home telephone services provider;

determining whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system of the home telephone services provider;

if the call should be forwarded to the voicemail system of the home telephone services provider, forwarding the call to an independent call monitoring services provider for providing remote call monitoring services for the call;

at the independent call monitoring services provider, querying a first network element to determine whether remote call monitoring services are provisioned for the subscriber;

at the first network element, determining whether remote call monitoring services should be applied to the call; and

if remote call monitoring services are provisioned for the subscriber, and should be applied to the call, causing a second network element of the independent call monitoring services provider to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voicemail system of the home telephone services provider and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voicemail system of the home telephone services provider.

37. The method of claim 36, prior to the step of causing a second network element to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system of the home telephone services provider and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, further comprising the steps of:

at the first network element, retrieving a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber;

retrieving the subscriber'"'"'s directory number;

retrieving a voice mail system access number for the voice mail system of the home telephone services provider; and

routing the remote call monitoring directory number, the subscriber'"'"'s directory number, and the voice mail system access number from the first network element to the second network element.

38. The method of claim 36, prior to receiving a call from the calling party, further comprising the steps of:

contacting the independent call monitoring services provider to provision remote call monitoring services for the subscriber;

providing the independent call monitoring services provider a remote call monitoring directory number from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voicemail system of the home telephone services provider;

providing the independent call monitoring services provider the voice mail system access number for the voice mail system of the home telephone services provider; and

providing the home telephone services provider a forwarding telephone directory number for forwarding a call requiring remote call monitoring services to the independent call monitoring services provider for providing remote call monitoring services for the call.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

providing the subscriber with remote call monitoring services options, said options including a plurality of remote call monitoring filters; and

activating one or more of the plurality of remote call monitoring filters.

40. The method of claim 36, whereby the step of causing a second network element of the independent call monitoring services provider to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voicemail system of the home telephone services provider and the subscriber via a remote call monitoring directory number provided by the subscriber from which the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voicemail system of the home telephone services provider includes setting up the communication to the remote call monitoring directory number so that the subscriber may monitor calls directed to the voice mail system in “

listen-only”

mode allowing the subscriber at the remote call monitoring directory number to listen to the communication between the calling party and the voice mail system.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of interrupting the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, and connecting the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the remote call monitoring directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber.

42. The method of claim 41, prior to the step of interrupting the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number, providing an announcement to the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number instructing the subscriber as to how to interrupt the three-way communication in order to accept the call from the calling party via the remote call monitoring directory number.

43. The method of claim 41, whereby the step of connecting the call between the calling party and the subscriber via the remote call monitoring directory number includes:

routing the call from the second network element to the remote call monitoring directory number; and

terminating the communication between the calling party and the voice mail system of the home telephone services provider.

44. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of activating one or more of the plurality of remote call monitoring filters includes activating remote call monitoring services for all calls directed to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone directory number.

45. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of activating one or more of the plurality of remote call monitoring filters includes activating remote call monitoring services only when the subscriber'"'"'s line is busy.

46. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of activating one or more of the plurality of remote call monitoring filters includes providing an “

always monitor”

list that includes telephone directory numbers associated with calling parties, whereby calls from any of the telephone directory numbers included on the “

always monitor”

list always invoke remote call monitoring services.

47. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of activating one or more of the plurality of remote call monitoring filters includes providing an “

never monitor”

list that includes telephone directory numbers associated with calling parties, whereby calls from any of the telephone directory numbers included on the “

never monitor”

list never invoke remote call monitoring services.

48. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of activating one or more of the plurality of remote call monitoring filters includes providing a remote call monitoring schedule including days and times during which call monitoring services may be provided for calls forwarded to the voice mail system.