Telecommunications answering feature method and apparatus

• US 5,712,902 A
• Filed: 12/18/1992
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Brennan, Paul Michael, Florence, Lloyd Malcolm
• Primary Examiner(s): MATAR, AHMAD
• Application Number:
  US07/993,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 379/213, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/84, 379/265, 379/266, 379/211, 379/201, 379/376, 379/202, 370/110.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/308 Personal name recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• 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 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5108 Secretarial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

In a telephone system, if the telephone set of a called party is busy or an incoming call is not answered, the called party is unavailable. In this event an incoming call may progress to become intercepted at an attendant position or at a voice features server. A call take back feature permits the called party to be aware of an intercepted call progress so that the called party may retrieve the incoming call by going OFF HOOK and conversing directly with the calling party. A call screening feature is also available. The call screening feature permits the called party to hear the calling party'"'"'s voice during an intercepted call progress via an audible link provided by the telephone system from the intercepted call. The called party may, at his discretion, retrieve the incoming call from the intercepted call progress by going OFF HOOK and conversing directly with the calling party.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telephone switching facility wherein the switching facility performs the steps of:

a) transmitting a signal for causing an indication of a call screening feature at a telephone set, in response to the call screening feature having been invoked at the telephone set;

b) in an event of the telephone set being called while the call screening feature is invoked, intercepting the call and connecting the call to one of an attendant position and a voice features server;

c) if the called telephone set is OFF HOOK, transmitting a signal for indicating an occurrence of an intercepted call, to the called telephone set;

where following step b), if the called telephone set is ON HOOK or becomes ON HOOK during the progress of the intercepted call, in step c) the switching facility routes the intercepted call to include a communications link linking the intercepted call to the called party'"'"'s telephone set, whereby the intercepted call is audible at the called party'"'"'s telephone set.

2. A method of operating a telephone switching facility as defined in claim 1 wherein the call having been intercepted at the attendant position, responsive to a predetermined signal from the called party'"'"'s telephone set, providing a conference connection to the called party'"'"'s telephone set from the intercepted call.

3. A method of operating a telephone switching facility as defined in claim 1 wherein the call having been intercepted at the voice features server, responsive to a predetermined signal from the called party'"'"'s telephone set, ending the progress of the intercepted call and establishing the call with the called party via a full duplex communications path.

4. A method of operating a telephone switching facility, for providing a call feature, comprising the steps of:

a) responsive to the progress of a call toward a telephone set of a called party having been intercepted at one of an attendant position and a voice features server, providing an indication at the called party'"'"'s telephone set;

b) in the event of the progress of the call having been intercepted at the voice features server, and in response to an occurrence of a predetermined call screening signal from the called party'"'"'s telephone set,

i) originating a communication path from the voice features server to the called party'"'"'s telephone set,

ii) transmitting voice band communications signals originating at the calling party'"'"'s telephone set to the called party'"'"'s telephone set from the voice features server and continuing the progress of the intercepted call,

iii) in response to an occurrence of a signal from the called party'"'"'s telephone set, prior to a cessation of the progress of the intercepted call, and if said signal corresponds to a predetermined acceptance signal, extending a full duplex communication path from the telephone set of the called party to the telephone set of the calling party, and, if said signal does not correspond to the predetermined acceptance signal and the called party'"'"'s telephone set is in an OFF HOOK state;

continuing with step b) ii); and

c) in the event of the progress of the call having been intercepted at the attendant position, and in response to an occurrence of the predetermined call screening signal from the called party'"'"'s telephone set,

i) originating a communication path from the attendant position to the called party'"'"'s telephone set,

ii) transmitting voice band communications signals originating at the calling party'"'"'s telephone set and at the attendant position to the called party'"'"'s telephone set from the attendant position and continuing the intercepted call,

iii) in response to an occurrence of a signal from the called party'"'"'s telephone set, prior to a cessation of the progress of the intercepted call, and if said signal corresponds to a predetermined acceptance signal, extending a conference bridge from the telephone set of the called party to the attendant position, and, if said signal does not correspond to the predetermined acceptance signal and the called party'"'"'s telephone is in an OFF HOOK state, continuing with step c) ii).