Method And System For Providing Enhanced Caller Identification Information Including Total Call Control For All Received Calls

• US 20140185784A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moss, John Wesley, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Tiliks, Dianna Inara, Book, Nancy Ann, Crockett, Susanne Marie, Gruchala, Carol Shifrin
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.04
• 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 2201/39 using speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

All calls terminating to a customer'"'"'s directory number are intercepted. If caller identification information can be presented, the call is forwarded to a service node for disposition. The service node reconfigures signaling information of the call so that the call is not intercepted, then forwards the call to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone. When the call is answered, the service node states the name or telephone number of the calling party which has been retrieved from the signaling information. The caller can decide whether to take the call, deny the call, send the call to voice mail or send a sales refusal message or other disposition option.

Claims

1. A call processing method comprising:

routing a call to a terminating service switching point associated with a called communication station;

receiving, at a service control point from the terminating service switching point, a termination attempt query message for the call from a calling party at a calling communication station, the call intended for a called party at the called communication station;

determining, at the service control point, from the termination attempt query message whether standard caller identification information can be provided for the call and whether the called party associated with a called party directory number is a subscriber to a call control service;

if the called party is the subscriber to the call control service, and if standard caller identification information can be provided, determining whether predetermined data is present in the termination attempt query message;

if the called party is the subscriber to the call control service, determining if a redirecting element field is set to a predetermine directory number of a service node designated to process calls for the call control service;

wherein determining whether predetermined data is present comprises testing a value of the redirecting element of the termination attempt query message;

wherein when the redirecting element is set to the predetermined directory number of the service node identified to play announcements to the called party, sending a forward call response message to the terminating service switching point;

in response to the forward call response message, the terminating service switching point routing the call to the service node designated to process calls for the call control service;

the service node originating a new call to the predetermined directory number, including formatting a setup message with the redirect element filed set to the predetermined directory number;

receiving the new call at the terminating service switching point, transmitting a new terminating attempt query to the terminating service switching point;

determining by the terminating service switching point if the redirect element field is set to the predetermined directory number;

if so, sending an authorize termination message from the terminating service control point to the terminating service switching point for processing the call to the called party and announcing the call;

wherein announcing the call includes;

playing a message prompting a called party at the called communication station to select a call disposition option by entering a single key press;

at the service node, detecting signaling information due to the single key press; and

at the service node, adding the calling directory number to a blocking list at a service control point via a communication link when the signaling information corresponds to a call blocking option;

wherein when the redirecting element is not set to the predetermined directory number of the service node, the service node;

receiving call information in response to a called directory number of the called communication station prior to originating the new call;

leaving the call in a ringing state to the calling communication station prior to originating the new call;

originating the new call to a directory number associated with the called communication station, the originating the new call including the service node generating a call setup message having a calling party identifier set to the calling directory number and the redirecting element set to the predetermined directory number of the service node.

2. The call processing method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the standard caller identification information cannot be provided, routing the call to a privacy service.

3. The call processing method of claim 1 further comprising:

at the service node, playing a message providing a first call disposition option to reject the call and a second call disposition option to reject the call and add the calling directory number to the blocking list.

4. The call processing method of claim 1 wherein detecting signaling information comprises detecting dual tone multi-frequency signals at the service node.