Method and System for Providing Enhanced Call Waiting and Caller Identification

• US 20070211874A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maciejewski, James, Bull, Rex
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• 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: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 : Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

An efficient and effective method and system for providing to a customer an audible call notification of a current call and a subsequently received call waiting call. The present embodiments notify the customer that a current call is waiting in an effective manner that reduces confusion. Confusion is reduced by the combination of audible call waiting indicators and audible caller identification information associated with the calling telephone station. Additionally, both the indicator and the representation of the information can be provided automatically without significant delay. The indication is provided even when standard caller identification information is not available by prompting the caller to provide spoken caller identification information. The spoken caller identification information is provided to the called party along with call disposition options, such as options to accept or reject the call, route the call to voice mail or send a sales refusal message.

Claims

1. A method for processing a call from a calling party to a called party in a component of a communications system which receives a terminating attempt query including a calling party identifier and a calling party restriction indicator associated with the call and, in response to the terminating attempt query, determines whether standard caller identification can be provided for the call and, if standard caller identification can not be provided for the call, the component produces call control information for controlling a switch and a peripheral, the method comprising:

generating a prompt to the calling communication station, prompting the calling party to provide spoken caller identification information, and

storing the spoken caller identification information;

determining if the called communication station is off hook;

if the called communication station is off hook, providing audible call waiting information including the stored spoken caller identification information; and

if the called communication station is on hook, providing the audible call waiting information including the stored spoken caller identification information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the called communication station is off hook, providing the audible call waiting information along with an audible call waiting indicator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing the audible call waiting information along with an audible call waiting indicator comprises sending a beep-name-beep pattern including the stored spoken caller identification information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the called communication station is off hook, determining if Type II called premises equipment is present at the called communication station, and, if so, providing textual caller identification information.

5. A method for operating a communication component which is configured to process a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station in a communication system, the method comprising:

prompting the calling party to provide spoken caller identification information;

storing the spoken caller identification information if provided;

determining if the called communication station is off hook;

if the called communication station is off hook, providing audible call waiting information including one of the stored spoken caller identification information and an audible representation of name data associated with the calling communication station; and

if the called communication station is on hook, ringing the called communication station and providing available caller identification information to the called communication station.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving from a service control point of the communication system the name data associated with the calling communication station.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving from a service control point of the communication system call control information defining at least one of whether standard caller identification for the call is complete, and whether a presentation restriction indicator for the call is set to presentation restricted.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

if the called communication station is off hook, determining if Type II capable caller premises equipment is present at the called communication station;

providing to the called communication station, if Type II capable caller premises equipment is present, an audible call waiting indicator and a text to speech representation of the standard caller identification information if the standard caller identification information can be provided, or the stored spoken caller identification information.