System and method for selected audio response in a telecommunications network

• US 5,642,407 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: He, Jingsha
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/581,119
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/69, 379/70, 379/71, 379/82, 379/84, 379/87, 379/88, 379/89, 379/127, 379/142, 379/257, 379/201, 379/207
• US Class Current: 379/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13331 Abbreviated dialling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/58 Arrangements providing connection between main exchange and sub-exchange or satellite

Abstract

A system and method for selected audio response to a telephone call that results in an unsuccessful connection. If a condition within the set of conditions is satisfied based on attributes associated with the caller or the telephone call, an action list associated with the satisfied condition is executed. The action list can comprise a selected audio response that is transmitted to the caller of the unsuccessful connection.

Claims

1. A system for providing an audio response to an unsuccessful connection, comprising:

means for defining, for each of a plurality of specified conditions, an action list that defines a list of actions to be sequentially executed, wherein at least one action list includes audio responses and command codes;

means for defining a predicate action table, said predicate action table including an action list for each of said plurality of specified conditions, wherein at least one specified condition identifies a calling party based on a combination of telephone call attributes and caller attributes that are associated with an unsuccessful connection, wherein telephone call attributes include attributes pertaining to the unsuccessful connection and caller attributes include attributes that are stored in a customer telephone account record associated with a calling party;

means for retrieving telephone call attributes and caller attributes associated with the unsuccessful connection;

means for determining whether any one of said plurality of specified conditions in said predicate action table is satisfied by said retrieved telephone call attributes and caller attributes; and

means for executing an action list associated with a satisfied condition, wherein if said action list associated with said satisfied condition includes an audio response, said audio response is transmitted to the caller of said unsuccessful connection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for determining compares said retrieved telephone call attributes and caller attributes to each of said plurality of specified conditions until a condition is satisfied.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for executing a default action list if no condition is satisfied.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for invoking an executable program identified by a command code in said action list.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for monitoring for a user hot key; and

means for initiating a redial of said unsuccessful connection upon detection of said user hot key.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for retrieving comprises means for receiving attribute information that is transmitted in a LIFD format, said LIFD format including a length field, an identifier field that identifies the type of data, a format field that identifies a data format and a data field that includes attribute information.

7. In a telecommunications system, a method for providing an audio response to an unsuccessful connection, comprising the steps of:

(1) defining, for each of a plurality of specified conditions, an action list that defines a list of actions to be sequentially executed, wherein at least one action list includes audio responses and command codes;

(2) defining a predicate action table, said predicate action table including an action list for each of said plurality of specified conditions, wherein at least one specified condition identifies a calling party based on a combination of telephone call attributes and caller attributes that are associated with an unsuccessful connection, wherein telephone call attributes include attributes pertaining to the unsuccessful connection and caller attributes include attributes that are stored in a customer telephone account record associated with a calling party;

(3) retrieving telephone call attributes and caller attributes associated with the unsuccessful connection;

(4) determining whether any one of said plurality of specified conditions in said predicate action table is satisfied by said retrieved telephone call attributes and caller attributes; and

(5) executing an action list associated with a satisfied condition, wherein if said action list associated with said satisfied condition includes an audio response, said audio response is transmitted to the caller of said unsuccessful connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (3) comprises the step of retrieving a destination phone number associated with said unsuccessful connection.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (3) comprises the step of retrieving a source phone number associated with said unsuccessful connection.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (3) comprises the step of retrieving a date-time stamp associated with said unsuccessful connection.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (4) comprises the step of sequentially comparing said retrieved telephone call attributes and caller attributes to each of said plurality of specified conditions until a condition is satisfied.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (4) comprises the step of comparing said attributes to a set of conditions that includes a single condition.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

(6) executing a default action list if said step (4) determines that no condition is satisfied.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (4) comprises the step of comparing one or more attributes to an arithmetic threshold.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (4) comprises the step of determining whether the application of a plurality of attributes in said set of attributes satisfies a boolean condition.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (5) comprises the step of processing a command code.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step (5) comprises the step of processing a command code that repeats an action list.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step (5) comprises the step of processing a command code that invokes an executable program.

19. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

(6) monitoring for a user hot key; and

(7) initiating a redial of said unsuccessful connection upon detection of said user hot key.

20. A system for providing an audio response to an unsuccessful connection, comprising:

means for defining, for each of a plurality of specified conditions, an action list that defines a list of actions to be sequentially executed, wherein at least one action list includes audio responses and command codes;

means for retrieving telephone call attributes and caller attributes associated with an unsuccessful connection, wherein telephone call attributes include attributes pertaining to the unsuccessful connection and caller attributes include attributes that are stored in a customer telephone account record associated with a calling party;

means for determining whether any of said plurality of conditions is satisfied by said retrieved telephone call attributes and caller attributes, wherein each condition in said set of conditions is distinct and includes at least one attribute of an unsuccessful connection; and

means for executing an action list associated with a satisfied condition, wherein if said action list associated with said satisfied condition includes an audio response, said audio response is transmitted to the caller of said unsuccessful connection.

21. In a telecommunications system, a method for providing an audio response to an unsuccessful connection, comprising the steps of:

(1) defining, for each of a plurality of specified conditions, an action list that defines a list of actions to be sequentially executed, wherein at least one action list includes audio responses and command codes;

(2) retrieving telephone call attributes and caller attributes associated with an unsuccessful connection, wherein telephone call attributes include attributes pertaining to the unsuccessful connection and caller attributes include attributes that are stored in a customer telephone account record associated with a calling party;

(3) determining whether any of said plurality of conditions is satisfied by said retrieved telephone call attributes and caller attributes, wherein each condition in said set of conditions is distinct and includes at least one attribute of an unsuccessful connection; and

(4) executing an action list associated with a satisfied condition, wherein if said action list associated with said satisfied condition includes an audio response, said audio response is transmitted to the caller of said unsuccessful connection.