System and method incorporating a mover's mailbox in an intelligent network

• US 5,832,061 A
• Filed: 12/09/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rubin, Robert Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/762,532
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213, 379/210, 379/207, 379/221, 379/214, 379/94, 379/69
• US Class Current: 379/88.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/548 with remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13149 Change of provider, e.g. network or service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

An intelligent network architecture is employed to handle calls placed to a network subscriber who has changed telephone numbers from an old telephone number to a new telephone number. In a preferred embodiment two call handling procedures are available: a call forwarding procedure, in which calls to the old number are automatically forwarded to the new number; and a messaging procedure, in which an announcement is played to the caller and the caller is invited to leave a message for the subscriber. Through a phone call the subscriber may switch call handling procedures, change the forwarding number, and/or change the messaging announcement.

Claims

1. A system for processing a telephone call placed by a caller to a telephone number of a called party that is no longer assigned to the called party and is no longer in service, comprising:

a) a Service Control Point (SCP) for storing a list of changed telephone numbers and a plurality of alternative call handling procedures;

b) a Service Switching Point (SSP) for generating a mover'"'"'s mailbox trigger indicating that a call has been directed to one of said changed telephone numbers and querying said SCP to implement a selected one of said alternative procedures in response to said trigger, said selected procedure in one form providing a voice messaging service enabling said caller to record a voice message addressed to said called party; and

c) a Service Management System (SMS) for formulating and sending commands to said SCP.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an intelligent processor for playing announcements to said caller and for recording a voice message.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said intelligent processor provides speech recognition and voice recognition and further comprises:

means for inviting said caller to leave a voice message; and

means for recording said voice message for later retrieval by said called party.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said intelligent processor further comprises:

means for acquiring a calling party number of said caller;

means for converting said calling party number to a voice signal; and

means for appending said voice signal to said voice message.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein said intelligent processor further comprises means for appending a date and time stamp to said voice message.

6. A method of processing a telephone call placed by a caller to a telephone number of a called party that is no longer assigned to the called party and is no longer in service, comprising the steps of:

a) comparing the telephone number to a list of changed telephone numbers stored in a telephone system;

b) generating a mover'"'"'s mailbox trigger indicating that a call has been directed to one of said changed telephone numbers; and

c) in response to said trigger, implementing a selected one of a plurality of alternative call handling procedures stored in said telephone system, said selected procedure in one form providing a voice messaging service enabling said caller to record a voice message addressed to said called party.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

playing announcements to said caller; and

recording a voice message for later retrieval by said called party.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said announcements invite said caller to leave a voice message.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring a calling party number of said caller;

converting said calling party number to a voice signal; and

appending said voice signal to said voice message.

10. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of appending a date and time stamp to said voice message.