Person to person telephone services

• US 20040234061A1
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., Meadows, Vernon, White, Gail E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• 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 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A method for delivering person to person services to a telephone subscriber. An embodiment of the present invention may be implemented on an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). A telephone number of a buddy of the subscriber is associated with a buddy rule on a buddy list. The buddy list is accessible by a service control point. When a call intended the subscriber is received by a service switching point from a calling party, a query is launched by the service switching point to the service control point. The query comprises the calling number of the calling party and the called number of the subscriber. Using the called number, the service control point retrieves and reviews the buddy list. If the calling number matches the telephone number on the buddy list, the service control point instructs the service switching point to terminate the call using the buddy rule. If the calling number does not match the telephone number on the buddy list, the service control point instructs the service switching point to terminate the call using a default rule.

Claims

1. A system for providing person to person telephone services to a subscriber of a telephone line, the system comprising:

(a) a service switching point in communication with the telephone line, wherein the service switching point is adapted to detect incoming calls intended for the subscriber, and

(b) a service control point in communication with the service switching point,

wherein the service control point is adapted to review information associated with a buddy list of the subscriber,

wherein when the service switching point detects an incoming call intended for the subscriber from a calling party, the service switching point launches a query comprising a calling number of the calling party,

wherein when the service control point receives the query, the service control point uses the calling number to review the information on the buddy list,

wherein the service control point instructs the service switching point to process the call in accordance with a default rule if the calling number is not found on the buddy list, and wherein the service control point instructs the service switching point to process the call in accordance with a buddy rule if the calling number is found on the buddy list.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service switching point is provisioned with a trigger.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the trigger is a termination attempt trigger.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the trigger is a terminating busy/no answer trigger.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to alert the subscriber with a distinctive ringing tone.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to forward the incoming call to a buddy mailbox.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to play a standard calling waiting tone.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to play a buddy calling waiting tone.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to forward the call to a forwarding telephone number.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the default rule comprises an instruction to alert the subscriber with a standard ringing tone.

11. A method for providing person to person telephone services to a subscriber of a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) associating a buddy rule with a buddy number on a buddy list, wherein the buddy list is associated with a subscriber number of the telephone line;

(b) detecting a call generated by a calling party who dials the subscriber number, wherein the calling party is associated with a calling number;

(c) retrieving the buddy list using the subscriber number;

(d) terminating the call in accordance with a default rule if the calling number does not match the buddy number; and

(e) terminating the call in accordance with the buddy rule if the calling number matches the buddy number.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of detecting the call with a trigger.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the trigger is a termination attempt trigger.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the trigger is a terminating busy/no answer trigger.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to alert the subscriber with a distinctive ringing tone.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to forward the call to a buddy mailbox.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to play a calling waiting tone.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to forward the call to a forwarding telephone number.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the default rule comprises an instruction to alert the subscriber with a standard ringing tone.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the default rule comprises an instruction to play a busy tone for the calling party.

21. A method for providing person to person telephone services to a subscriber of a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) associating a buddy rule with a buddy number on a buddy list, wherein the buddy list is associated with a subscriber number of the telephone line;

(b) establishing a communication session on the telephone line between the subscriber and an entity;

(c) detecting a call generated by a calling party who dials the subscriber number during the communication session, wherein the calling party is associated with a calling number;

(d) retrieving the buddy list associated with the subscriber number;

(e) terminating the call in accordance with a default rule if the calling number does not match the buddy number; and

(f) terminating the call in accordance with the buddy rule if the calling number matches the buddy number.

22. The method according to claim 21, comprising the step of detecting the call with a terminating busy/no answer trigger.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the default rule comprises an instruction to play a busy tone for the calling party.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the buddy rule comprises an instruction to interrupt the communication session with a call waiting tone.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of obtaining the identity of the subscriber.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of reviewing the buddy list to determine whether the entity is associated with the buddy list.

27. The method of claim 24, comprising the step of monitoring for an off-hook condition of the telephone line.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of prompting the subscriber to enter a personal identification number when the off-hook condition is found.

29. The method of claim 24, comprising the step of playing a busy tone for the calling party if the identity of the subscriber is not obtained.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of interrupting the communication session with a buddy calling waiting tone associated with the buddy number if the identity of the subscriber is obtained.

31. A method for providing person to person telephone services to a subscriber of a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) associating a subscriber number of the telephone line with a buddy list;

(b) relating a plurality of buddy numbers with a plurality of personal identification numbers, wherein the buddy numbers are associated with a plurality of calling parties;

(c) receiving a first call from a first calling party;

(d) establishing a communication session between the first calling party and the subscriber;

(e) receiving a second call from a second calling party;

(f) executing a first buddy rule if a criterion is met; and

(g) executing a second buddy rule if the criterion is not met.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the criterion is that the first calling party is not associated with any buddy number and the second calling party is associated with a buddy number.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the criterion is that the first calling party is associated with a first buddy number and the second calling party is associated with a second buddy number.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the criterion is that the first calling party is associated with a first personal identification number and the second calling party is associated with a second personal identification number.

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein the criterion is that the first calling party and the second calling party are associated with a common personal identification number.

36. The method according to claim 31, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a calling waiting tone.

37. The method according to claim 31, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a buddy calling waiting tone.

38. The method according to claim 34, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a buddy calling waiting tone that is associated with the second personal identification number.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a buddy calling waiting tone that is associated with the common personal identification number.

40. The method according to claim 31, wherein the second buddy rule comprises instructions to forward the second call to a buddy mailbox associated with the second calling party.

48. The method according to claim 31, wherein the second buddy rule comprises instructions to forward the call to a buddy mailbox associated with the calling party.

41. A method for providing person to person telephone services to a subscriber of a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) associating a subscriber number of the telephone line with a buddy list;

(b) relating a plurality of buddy numbers with a plurality of personal identification numbers, wherein the buddy numbers are associated with a plurality of calling parties;

(c) detecting an off-hook condition of the telephone line;

(d) receiving a called number associated with a recipient from the subscriber;

(e) reviewing the buddy list to determine whether the called number matches any of the buddy numbers;

(f) prompting the subscriber to enter a personal identification number if the called number does not match any of the buddy numbers;

(g) establishing a communication session between the recipient and the subscriber;

(h) receiving a call from a calling party;

(i) interrupting the communication session if a criterion is met; and

(j) playing a busy tone for the calling party if the criterion is not met.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the criterion is that the recipient is not associated with any buddy number and the calling party is associated with a buddy number.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the criterion is that the recipient is associated with a first buddy number and the calling party is associated with a second buddy number.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the criterion is that the calling party is associated with the personal identification number entered by the subscriber.

45. The method according to claim 41, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a calling waiting tone.

46. The method according to claim 41, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a buddy calling waiting tone.

47. The method according to claim 44, wherein the first buddy rule comprises instructions to interrupt the communication session with a buddy calling waiting tone that is associated with the personal identification number.