Integration of voice store and forward facility

• US 5,099,509 A
• Filed: 04/17/1987
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dytel Corp. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Morganstein, Sanford J., Krakau, Herbert B., Klecka, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RHOA, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/040,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/71, 379/70, 379/73, 379/84, 379/88, 379/89, 379/196.8
• US Class Current: 379/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called 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 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

Call completion apparatus is disclosed for enhancing the integration of voice store and forward facilities with calling parties attempting to complete telephone calls to a telephone switching system. The call completion equipment intercepts incoming calls, provides voice prompts to the calling parties, and collects telephone extension digit information. On a determination of the unavailability of the called party, the call completion equipment prompts the calling party concerning an optional connection to voice store and forward equipment. In response to the input of a digit code by the calling party, the call completion equipment consults personality tables, translation tables and call flow control tables to provide all the appropriate information which is outpulsed through the telephone switching system to the voice store and forward facility. The operations of the call completion equipment in establishing communications with the voice store and forward facility are transparent to the calling party.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating the integration of a voice store and forward function with telephone switching apparatus, comprising the steps of:

using a call completion system remote from a calling party to prompt the calling party to enter first destination-determining information relating to a called party;

receiving said first destination-determining information;

determining that a called party to whom the calling party wishes to communicate is unavailable;

transmitting a signal to the calling party indicating the unavailability of the called party;

collecting second destination-determining information from the calling party for connecting the calling party to a voice store and forward facility;

initially isolating the calling party from the voice store and forward facility so that the calling party cannot hear audible prompts which may be generated by the voice store and forward facility;

translating said first and second destination-determining information into a first code identifying a voice store and forward facility, and a second code identifying a voice mailbox associated with the called party;

causing the switching apparatus to access said voice store and forward facility and for causing said switching apparatus to establish a communication path to the facility;

transmitting said first and second code to said facility via said communication path; and

connecting said calling party to said communication path so that said calling party can deposit a voice message with said voice store and forward facility.

2. The method of claim 1, and further including the step of connecting the calling party to said communication path in such time as to allow the calling party to receive a second voice prompt generated by the voice store and forward facility.

3. The method of claim 1, and further including the steps of monitoring the connection status of the calling party, detecting a disconnect, and transmitting an indication thereof to the voice store and forward facility for termination of service therewith.

5. The method of claim 1, and wherein said second code comprises a telephone extension number of the called party.

6. The method of claim 1, and further including translating said first destination determining information into other information to thereby translate an extension number into another number defining a voice mailbox number residing in said voice store and forward facility.

4. A method of facilitating the integration of a voice store and forward function with telephone switching apparatus, comprising the steps of:

using a call completion system remote from a calling party to prompt the calling party to enter first destination-determining information relating to a called party;

receiving said first destination-determining information;

determining that a called party to whom the calling party wishes to communicate is unavailable;

transmitting a signal to the calling party indicating the unavailability of the called party;

collecting second destination-determining information from the calling party for collecting the calling party to a voice store and forward facility;

maintaining a library of all called parties serviced by the telephone switching apparatus whether or not voice store and forward functions are available thereto;

preventing the calling party from using the voice store and forward facilities when the library shows that the voice store and forward facility is not available to the called party;

initially isolating the calling party from the voice store and forward facility so that the calling party cannot hear audible prompts which may be generated by the voice store and forward facility;

translating said first and second destination-determining information into a first code identifying a voice store and forward facility, and a second code identifying a voice mailbox associated with the called party;

causing the switching apparatus to access said voice store and forward facility and for causing said switching apparatus to establish a communication path to the facility;

transmitting said first and second code to said facility via said communication path; and

connecting said calling party to said communication path so that said calling party can deposit a voice message with said voice store and forward facility.

7. A method of facilitating the integration of a voice store and forward function with telephone switching apparatus, comprising the steps of:

using a call completion system remote from a calling party to prompt the calling party to enter first destination-determining information relating to a called party;

receiving said first destination-determining information;

determining that a called party to whom the calling party wishes to communicate is unavailable;

transmitting a signal to the calling party indicating the unavailability of the called party;

collecting second destination-determining information from the calling party for connecting the calling party to a voice store and forward facility;

initially isolating the calling party from the voice store and forward facility so that the calling party cannot hear audible prompts which may be generated by the voice store and forward facility;

translating said first and second destination-determining information into a first code identifying a voice store and forward facility, and a second code identifying a voice mailbox associated with the called party;

causing the switching apparatus to access said voice store and forward facility and for causing said switching apparatus to establish a communication path to the facility;

transmitting said first and second code to said facility via said communication path;

connection said calling party to said communication path so that said calling party can deposit a voice message with said voice store and forward facility; and

transmitting information to the switching apparatus for illuminating a message lamp associated with the called party, said transmission being transparent to the voice store and forward facility.

8. A method of facilitating the integration of a voice store and forward facility with telephone switching apparatus, comprising the steps of:

responding to a request for service directed to the telephone switching apparatus;

prompting a calling party originating the request for service as to the manner for completing a call to the switching apparatus;

in response to said step of prompting, collecting first destination-determining information from the calling party, storing said first destination-determining information and transmitting the first destination-determining information to the telephone switching apparatus to complete a call to a called party associated with the first destination-determining information and said switching apparatus;

detecting an unavailability condition of the called party;

prompting the calling party to select one of a plurality of options including an option of invoking the service of the voice store and forward facility;

receiving second information from the calling party concerning a request to be connected to the voice store and forward facility;

using the first destination-determining information and the second information in generating a signal different from the first destination-determining information;

signalling the voice store and forward facility with said signal that a voice message is to be deposited therewith;

signalling the voice store and forward facility of the identity of a voice mailbox with which said voice message is to be deposited; and

causing a connection to be made between said voice store and forward facility and the calling party.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of generating the signal comprises processing the first destination-determining information and the second information into a digit sequence;

and

transferring the digit sequence through the switching apparatus to the voice store and forward facility to invoke the services thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, and further including the steps of:

storing a plurality of different predetermined call sequences;

retrieving a stored call sequence based on parameters including the first destination-determining information;

using the retrieved call sequence to cause a connection to be established through the switching apparatus between the calling party and the voice store and forward facility; and

thereafter transmitting on said connection the digit sequence.

11. The method of claim 8, and further including the step of generating said signal in call completion apparatus remote from the calling party.

12. A method of facilitating the integration of a voice store and forward function, comprising the steps of:

associating each of a number of incoming trunks to a call completion equipment with an entry of a personality table having a plurality of entries, each entry defining characteristics to be ascribed to calls on trunks associated therewith;

associating with each entry in the personality table a translation table, each translation table having a digit matching section, a call sequence section, and a section of call flow control table indices;

associating a call flow control table with each call flow control table index of said translation table;

receiving from a calling party on one said trunk an indication to be connected to a voice store and forward facility;

determining a personality of said one trunk according to a corresponding entry in the personality table;

accessing a predefined one of the translation tables according to the last said personality table entry;

determining a call sequence according to the translation table;

accessing a predefined one of the call flow control tables according to an index of the accessed translation table;

defining a digit string to be output according to the accessed call flow control table; and

transmitting the digit string to the voice store and forward facility for invoking the services thereof.

13. The method of claim 12, and further including searching through a digit matching section of said accessed translation table to determine whether a called party has a voice mailbox associated with said facility.

15. The method of claim 12, and further including modifying digits input by the calling party using said accessed call flow control table, and outpulsing said modified digits as a voice mailbox number to said facility.

16. The method of claim 12, and further including forming from said call flow control table a digit string having a directory number identifying said facility, at least one digit for identifying whether a voice message is to be deposited or retrieved, and a number of digits identifying a voice mailbox of said facility.

17. The method of claim 16, and further including forming in said digit string a pause for allowing processing time by said facility.

14. A method of facilitating the integration of a voice store and forward function, comprising the steps of:

associating each of a number of incoming trunks to a call completion equipment with an entry of a personality table having a plurality of entries, each entry defining characteristics to be ascribed to calls on trunks associated therewith;

associating with each entry in the personality table a translation table, each translation table having a digit matching section, a call sequence section, and a section of call flow control table indices;

associating a call flow control table with each call flow control table index of said translation table;

receiving from a calling party on one said trunk an indication to be connected to a voice store and forward facility;

determining a personality of said one trunk according to a corresponding entry in the personality table;

accessing a predefined one of the translation tables according to the last said personality table entry;

determining a call sequence according to the translation table;

accessing a predefined one of the call flow control tables according to an index of the accessed translation table;

defining a digit string to be output according to the accessed call flow control table;

transmitting the digit string to the voice store and forward facility for invoking the services thereof;

searching through a digit matching section of said accessed translation table to determine whether a called party has a voice mailbox associated with said facility;

transmitting to the calling party an audible prompt indicating a voice message facility if a match in aid digit matching section is found; and

preventing said step of transmitting if no match is found.

18. Call completion equipment for interfacing a voice store and forward facility with a telephone switching system, comprising:

means for receiving and storing destination-determining information entered by a calling party from a telephone remote from said call completion equipment, said information intended for completing a call to a called party associated with the telephone switching system;

means in said call completion equipment responsive to a predetermined dialed code from the calling party indicating a desire to communicate with the voice store and forward equipment for transmitting to the telephone switching system a number for accessing said voice store and forward facility; and

means in said call completion equipment for transmitting to said telephone switching system facility identifying information based on said destination-determining information for providing access to a voice mailbox of the voice store and forward facility; and

further including means transparent to the voice message facility for controlling a connection between the calling party and the voice message facility so that the switching system can be accessed after the calling party has completed his message to illuminate a message lamp associated with a called party.

19. Call completion equipment for interfacing a voice store and forward facility with a telephone switching system, comprising:

means for receiving and storing destination-determining information entered by a calling party from a telephone remote from said call completion equipment, said information intended for completing a call to a called party associated with the telephone switching system;

means in said call completion system equipment responsive to a predetermined dialed code from the calling party indicating a desire to communicate with the voice store and forward equipment for transmitting to the telephone switching system a number for accessing said voice store and forward facility;

means in said call completion equipment for transmitting to said telephone switching system facility identifying information based on said destination-determining information for providing access to a voice mailbox of the voice store and forward facility; and

further including means for adding digits to the facility identifying information indicating that access to the voice store and forward equipment is for depositing a voice message.

20. Call completion equipment for interfacing a voice store and forward facility with a telephone switching system, comprising:

means for receiving and storing destination-determining information entered by a calling party from a telephone remote from said call completion equipment, said information intended for completing a call to a called party associated with the telephone switching system;

means in said call completion equipment responsive to a predetermined dialed code from the calling party indicating a desire to communicate with the voice store and forward equipment for transmitting to the telephone switching system a number for accessing said voice store and forward facility;

means in said call completion equipment for transmitting to said telephone switching system facility identifying information based on said destination-determining information for providing access to a voice mailbox of the voice store and forward facility; and

further including means for suppressing selected voice prompts generating by the voice store and forward facility from reaching the calling party.

21. A method for using automated apparatus in integrating a voice store and forward facility with a telephone switching system, comprising the steps of:

sensing an incoming call on a trunk coupled to the telephone switching system;

prompting a caller who made the call to enter first destination-determining information associated with at least one called party;

receiving and storing the first destination-determining information;

determining that the called party is unavailable;

storing a translation table having as first entries a plurality of pieces of destination-determining information and as second entries corresponding to the first entries indications as to whether a voice store and forward option is available for corresponding first entries;

referring to the table to determine whether a voice store and forward option exists for the received destination-determining information;

transmitting a second prompt to the caller advising him of a plurality of options including a voice store and forward option in response to determining that a voice store and forward option exists for the received destination-determining information; and

transmitting a third prompt to the caller advising him of a plurality of options not including a voice store and forward option in response to determining that a voice store and forward option does not exist for the received destination-determining information.

22. Automated apparatus for integrating a voice store and forward facility with a telephone switching system having a plurality of trunks coupled thereto, comprising:

a detector for sensing an incoming call on one of said trunks;

a receiver for receiving destination-determining information from a caller making said incoming call, at least one called party associated with said destination-determining information;

means for storing said received destination-determining information;

means for determining that the called party is unavailable;

means for storing a plurality of predetermined call sequences, at least some of said call sequences determining whether a connection to said voice store and forward facility is to be made;

a processor for assigning one of said plurality of call sequences to said call, in response to the unavailability of the called party and as a function of said received destination-determining information; and

means controlled by said processor for completing the call to a destination as controlled by said assigned call sequence and further comprising means for detecting the completion by the caller of a message left at the voice message facility;

means separate from said voice store and forward facility for accessing said telephone switching system in response to said means for detecting the completion by the caller, said means for accessing controlled by said processor to illuminate a message lamp associated with a called party without involving said voice store and forward facility.

23. Automated apparatus for integrating a voice store and forward facility with a telephone switching system, comprising:

at least one trunk coupled to a telephone switching system;

a detector for sensing an incoming call on said trunk;

a prompter for prompting a caller who made said call to enter destination-determining information associated with at least one called party;

a receiver for receiving said destination-determining information;

means for storing said received destination-determining information;

means for determining that the called party is unavailable;

means for storing a translation table having as first entries a plurality of pieces of destination-determining information and as second entries corresponding to said first entries indications as to whether a voice store and forward option is available for respective ones of the first entries;

a processor for referring to said table to determine whether a voice store and forward option exists for said received destination-determining information;

said prompter controlled by said processor for transmitting to said caller a second prompt advising him of a plurality of options including a voice store and forward option in response to said processor determining that a voice store and forward option exists for said received destination-determining information, said prompter controlled by said processor for transmitting a third prompt to said caller advising him of a plurality of options not including a voice store and forward option in response to said processor determining that a voice store and forward option does not exist for said received destination-determining information.

24. Apparatus for automatically accessing a voice store and forward facility in the event that an outside caller is unable to communicate with a called party accessible through a telephone switching system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving called party destination-determining information;

means for sensing that said called party is unavailable;

means responsive to said means for sensing for transmitting a message to the calling party to indicate the unavailability of the called party;

means for receiving from the calling party an indication that the calling party desires to leave a message for the called party;

a processor coupled to said receiver and said means for receiving for generating a call flow control code as a function of said indication and said called party destination-determining information, said call flow control code operable to control the timing and manner in which said voice store and forward facility will be accessed;

means controlled by said processor for leaving a message in the voice store and forward facility according to the timing and manner established by the call flow control code; and

further comprising means for storing a plurality of voice store and forward telephone numbers;

means for retrieving one of said voice store and forward telephone numbers as a function of said called party destination-determining information; and

means for incorporating said retrieved voice store and forward telephone number into said call flow control code.