Call processor for facilitating call completions

• US 4,975,941 A
• Filed: 09/21/1987
• Issued: 12/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dytel Corp. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Morganstein, Sanford J., Tuck, Edward F., Mehta, Bakulesh A., Krakau, Herbert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US07/099,388
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 379/77, 379/84, 379/67, 379/88, 379/210, 379/212, 379/213, 379/233
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

Disclosed is an intercept system for integrating the personalized services of switchboard attendants associated with on-premises PBX switching systems with the capabilities of the intercept system for allowing calling parties the opportunity to complete their own calls to the on-premises switching systems when the telephone extension numbers of the called parties are known to the calling parties. Depending on the mode of system operation selected, the intercept system either presents all incoming calls directly to the switchbard attendants, or intercepts all incoming calls and presents the caller the opportunity to complete the call, or a combination in which incoming calls are first offered to the switchboard attendants for assistance and then after a time wherein attendant assistance is not gained, the call is intercepted and the caller is given an opportunity to complete the call. When a call is intercepted a bidirectional communication path is established between the caller and the intercept system, wherein a digital announcement circuit transmits an instructional message to the caller soliciting the dialing of the desired on-premises switching system telephone extension number, and a DTMF receiver collects the dialed extension number digits. The digits are then outpulsed to the on-premises switching system and the call to the desired party is completed without the intervention of a switchboard attendant.

Claims

1. A method for providing alternate access to a telephone switching system having a call completion assistant, comprising the steps of:

providing a program-controlled call processor for receiving routine directory number calls directed to the telephone switching system and preventing such routine directory number calls from being initially intercepted by a call completion assistant, and for processing information input by a calling party and for communicating the processed information to the telephone switching system such that expedited telephone calls can be completed through the switching system without substantial modification thereof to accommodate the call processor;

programming said call processor to process incoming dialed digits and to output to the telephone switching system other digits, said digit processing being carried out substantially independently of the telephone switching system, and programming said call processor for communicating with the switching system via standard telephone signalling;

receiving a request for service by said call processor from the calling party desiring to complete a telephone call to the telephone switching system;

transmitting to the calling party by said call processor a message instructing the calling party to respond by transmitting destination determining information;

receiving from the calling party by said call processor one of a first or second type of destination determining information;

requesting service by said call processor of the telephone switching system using said standard telephone signalling for input of information to complete a call to a called party;

transmitting to the telephone switching system by said call processor a predefined series of digits associated with the call completion assistant if the second type of destination determining information is received from the calling party; and

causing a communication path to be established in the switching system between the calling party and (a) a destination selected by the calling party if the first type of destination determining information is received, or (b) the call completion assistant if the second type of destination determining information is received.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

causing the call processor to wait a predetermined period of time after transmitting said instructional message to the calling party; and

causing the call processor to transmit to the switching system via a telephone subscriber line destination determining information associated with the call completion assistant if no destination determining information is received from the calling party during said predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further including communicating by the call processor to the switching system with ordinary telephone set signals.

4. A method for providing access to a telephone switching system without the need of a call completion assistant, comprising the steps of:

intercepting and receiving a request for service from a calling party directed to the telephone switching system;

transmitting to the calling party a message instructing the calling party to respond by transmitting destination determining information associated with a called party;

receiving from the calling party destination determining information;

transmitting destination determining information to the switching system;

causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and the called party;

detecting an on-hook condition of the called party after communications with the calling party;

transmitting another instructional message to the calling party to again respond by transmitting new destination determining information;

receiving and transmitting said new destination determining information to the switching system; and

causing a new communication path to be established between the calling party and another called party.

5. A call processor for use with a telephone switching system for processing incoming calls to the telephone switching system to facilitate the completion of calls with or without the interception by a call completion assistant, comprising:

a program-controlled call processor;

said call processor including a receiver for receiving a request for service from a calling party;

said call processor including a message storage unit for storing an instructional message, and having a message content instructing the calling party to input destination determining information;

said call processor including a transmitter for transmitting the instructional message to the calling party;

said call processor including an interface for communicating with said switching system using standard telephone signals;

said call processor including a transmitter for transmitting destination determining information received from the calling party using said interface, and so that when said telephone switching system receives the destination determining information a communication path can be established between the calling party and a called party; and

a controller for controlling said call processor in one mode for directing all incoming calls to the switching system for assistance by the call completion assistant, and a second mode for allowing said call processor to process incoming calls for completing calls directly to a called party without interception by the call completion assistant.

6. A call processor for use in conjunction with a telephone switching system having provisions for a call completion assistant, for processing an incoming call directed to the switching system and allowing a calling party to choose whether to complete the call directly to a destination through the switching system, or to complete the call through the call completion assistant, comprising:

a detector for detecting a request for service from the calling party initiating the call to the telephone switching system;

said call processor being responsive to the detection of a request for service by said detector for causing a connection path to be established to the calling party;

a message announcer for generating a message for transmission to the calling party via said connection path;

said call processor being responsive to said detector detecting a request for service for controlling the message announcer for transmitting said message to the calling party;

said call processor issuing a request for service to the telephone switching system;

a subscriber line interface for connecting said call processor via a subscriber line to the telephone switching system for communication therewith, said subscriber line carrying a tone from the switching system as an acknowledgment of said call processor request for service;

said call processor inhibiting the transmission of the telephone switching system acknowledgment of request to the calling party; and

said call processor being responsive to one of (a), a first type of response from the calling party for receiving from the calling party destination determining information, if transmitted, and for temporarily storing the destination determining information, and being responsive for transferring destination determining information to the telephone switching system, or (b), a second type of response from the calling party for transferring call completion assistant identifying information to the telephone switching system so that the call completion assistant can assist the calling party in completing the call through the telephone switching system, whereby the call can be completed through the telephone switching system with or without call completion assistance at the calling party'"'"'s option.

7. The call processor of claim 6, further including means for preventing the tone from reaching the calling party by maintaining open a talking path extended to the calling party.

8. The call processor of claim 6, further including means for providing an instructional message to a plurality of calling parties placing concurrent calls, and means adapted for receiving a plurality of numbers input by the calling parties while at the same time transmitting said instructional message to each party.

9. The call processor of claim 6, further including a receiver for receiving destination determining information from the calling party and for storing said information for subsequent transferral to the telephone switching system.

10. The call processor of claim 9, further including a receiver for receiving destination determining information, and a transmitter for transmitting destination determining information to the switching system subsequent to the acknowledgment.

11. The call processor of claim 9, further including a translator for translating the destination determining information received from the calling party and for transferring the translated destination determining information to the telephone switching system.

12. A call processor for use in conjunction with a telephone switching system for processing an incoming call directed to the switching system and allowing a calling party to complete the call directly to a destination associated with the switching system, comprising:

means for receiving a telephone directory number call to a business entity utilizing the telephone switching system and for preventing the switching system from routing such call to a call completion assistant;

a detector for detecting a request for service from the calling party initiating a call to the telephone switching system;

said call processor being responsive to the detection of the request for service by said detector for causing a connection path to be established to the calling party;

a message announcer for generating a message for transmission to the calling party via said connection path;

said processor being responsive to said detector detecting said request for service for controlling said message announcer to transmit said message to the calling party;

a receiver adapted for receiving a telephone number input by the calling party in response to said message;

an interface for connecting a voice grade telephone line to said telephone switching system;

a telephone line signaller for requesting service of said telephone switching system by signalling over said telephone line;

waiting a period of time by said call processor to receive a tone on the telephone line to assure an acknowledgment of the request for service by the telephone switching system; and

said processor transmitting said telephone number over the telephone line to said telephone switching system subsequent to the receipt on the telephone line of an acknowledgment of request for service of the switching system so that a communication path can be established between the calling party and the destination.

13. A call processor for use with a telephone switching system receiving incoming calls via trunks and providing switching connections to called parties via extension lines, said call processor being adapted for preprocessing incoming calls directed to the switching system and allowing a calling party to complete a call directly to a destination associated with the switching system, said call processor comprising:

a detector for detecting a request for service carried on a trunk from the calling party initiating a call to the telephone switching system;

said call processor receiving said request for service and preventing the switching system from initially connecting the calling party to a call completion assistant;

said call processor being responsive to the detection of the request for service by said detector for causing a connection path to be established to the calling party;

a message storage circuit for storing a plurality of instructional messages related to a time of day, and related to instructions to input destination determining information, including a message appropriate for night operations and a message appropriate for day operations;

a message selection and transmission circuit adapted for selecting one said instructional message from said message storage circuit based on the time of day for transmission to the calling party;

said call processor being adapted for receiving destination determining information input by the calling party; and

said call processor transmitting said destination determining information to the telephone switching system for causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and a destination defined by the destination determining information.

14. The call processor of claim 13, wherein said message storage circuit comprises a digital memory for storing each said message, and further including means for reading said memory to generate said selected message skewed in time so that calling parties placing substantially concurrent calls can receive the entire same message.

15. The call processor of claim 13, further including a trunk interface for connection to the trunk for receiving incoming calls, and a subscriber line interface for connection to a subscriber line for transmitting said destination determining information to the switching system.

16. Auxiliary telephone equipment for connection to a private branch exchange (PBX) switching system for facilitating the completion of calls to telephone sets associated with the PBX, comprising:

an interface circuit for connection to a subscriber line of said PBX for communicating with said PBX by signals conventionally carried over a telephone set subscriber line;

a call processor responding to routine incoming telephone directory number calls to complete the calls directly to desired telephone sets so that the PBX does not initially direct the calls to a call completion assistant associated with the PBX;

said call processor being responsive to calls directed to said auxiliary equipment for transmitting a greeting to a calling party regarding procedures for completing a call to one said telephone set, including transmitting an instruction to input an extension number of a telephone set to which the calling party desires communications;

a receiver for receiving from the calling party digits representative of a telephone set;

a signaller for signalling on said subscriber line a signal requesting service of said PBX, said signal being conventional to telephone set signalling so that said auxiliary equipment operates in a manner substantially transparent to the PBX;

said call processor receiving a tone transmitted on said subscriber line by said PBX in response to said request for service;

after receiving the tone, said call processor transmitting said extension number to said PBX via said subscriber line; and

said call processor being adapted for causing a telecommunication path to be established between said calling party and said called telephone set.

17. A method for completing a telephone call to a telephone switching system, comprising the steps of:

directing an incoming directory number telephone call to the telephone switching system to a call processor operating in conjunction with the telephone switching system;

preventing the directory number incoming call from being routed to a call completion assistant or operator;

transmitting a message to the calling party initiating the telephone call, said message comprising an instruction to input extension number destination determining information associated with a telephone set connected to the telephone switching system;

receiving extension number destination determining information from the calling party;

requesting service of the telephone switching system via a telephone extension line by signalling with conventional telephone set off-hook signals;

transferring the extension number destination determining information to the telephone switching system via inputs thereof which are adapted for carrying extension number destination determining information and which are substantially interchangeable for use with either telephone sets or said call processor; and

causing a talking path to be established between the calling party and the telephone set associated with the extension number destination determining information.

18. A method for facilitating the completion of telephone calls to a PBX switching system, comprising the steps of:

interconnecting a program controlled call processor to a PBX switching system such that the connected system is adapted to route routine incoming calls to the call processor for processing and preventing such calls from being processed by a call completion assistant or operator;

connecting the program controlled call processor to a telephone voice grade line of the PBX switching system;

storing in said call processor data representative of an instructional message content instructing the input of digits associated with a telephone set accessible through the PBX switching system;

connecting a telephone voice grade line signaller to the telephone voice grade line;

programming the call processor with software instructions to process incoming calls directed to the PBX switching system and to communicate with the PBX switching system using the telephone voice grade line to establish a communication path between the calling party and the telephone set, said software instructions being effective to cause;

enabling of said call processor to transmit the instructional message to the calling party;

recording and storing of digit information transmitted from the calling party;

activation of the signaller to transmit signals over the telephone voice grade line indicating a subsequent transmission of digit information by the call processor; and

transmitting of the stored digit information to the PBX switching system over the telephone voice grade line and causing a talking path to be established between the calling party and the telephone set.

19. The method of claim 18, further including connecting plural telephone lines between the call processor and the PBX switching system to accommodate the processing of concurrent telephone calls.

20. A method for providing access to telephone subscriber sets connected to a telephone switching system of the type which typically provides access to such subscriber sets by a call completion assistant, comprising the steps of:

providing a call processor for communicating with a calling party for facilitating the completion of a call;

receiving a request for service by said call processor from the calling party directed to the switching system;

transmitting to the calling party by said call processor a message instructing the calling party to respond by transmitting destination determining information, said message informing the calling party of a correlation between a group of said subscriber sets and a telephone extension number to input to reach a primary said subscriber set of said group;

receiving from the calling party by said call processor one of a first or second type of destination determining information; and

causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and (a) a destination selected by the calling party if the first type of destination determining information is received, or (b) the call completion assistant if the second type of destination determining information is received.

21. A method for providing access to telephone subscriber sets connected to a telephone switching system of the type which typically provides access to such subscriber sets by a call completion assistant, comprising the steps of:

providing a call processor for communicating with a calling party for facilitating the completion of a call;

receiving a telephone call by said call processor from the calling party via a telephone trunk connected to said call processor, said telephone call being directed to the switching system;

transmitting to the calling party by said call processor a message instructing the calling party to respond by transmitting destination determining information;

receiving from the calling party by said call processor one of a first or second type of destination determining information;

transmitting destination determining information to the telephone switching system via a subscriber line; and

causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and (a) a destination selected by the calling party if the first type of destination determining information is received or, (b) the call completion assistant if the second type of destination determining information is received.

22. A method for providing access to telephone subscriber sets connected to a telephone switching system of the type which typically provides access to such subscriber sets by a call completion assistant, comprising the steps of:

providing a call processor for communicating with a calling party for facilitating the completion of a call;

storing an instructional message in a first digital memory, and storing a different instructional message in a second digital memory for use during different times of a day;

receiving a request for service by said call processor from the calling party directed to the switching system;

transmitting to the calling party by said call processor one said instructional message based upon the time of day, said message instructing the calling party to respond by transmitting destination determining information;

receiving from the calling party by said call processor one of a first or second type of destination determining information; and

causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and (a) a destination selected by the calling party if the first type of destination determining information is received, or (b) the call completion assistant if the second type of destination determining information is received.

23. The method of claim 22, further including accessing one of said first or second digital memories based upon a time of day.

24. A method for providing access to a telephone switching system without the need of a call completion assistant, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for service from a calling party directed to the telephone switching system;

transmitting to the calling party a message instructing the calling party to respond by transmitting destination determining information associated with a called party;

receiving from the calling party destination determining information;

causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and the called party;

detecting an on-hook condition of the called party after communications with the calling party;

transmitting another instructional message to the calling party to again respond by transmitting new destination determining information;

receiving and processing said new destination determining information; and

causing a new communication path to be established between the calling party and another called party.