Telephony services suite

• US 6,104,786 A
• Filed: 11/18/1997
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gibilisco, Paul F., Hickerson, Marcus, Kemble, James, Linger, Eric J., Margiotta, Vince Scott, McMaster, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/959,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.12, 379/88.18, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.25, 379/88.26, 379/201, 379/207, 379/209, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213 , 379/214, 379/264
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• 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 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party

Abstract

A method for completing a telephone call originating from a calling party and received by a called party. A menu of options is provided to the calling party during the telephone call. The menu options are announced to the calling party and a response is inputted corresponding to the desired option from the various menus. A comparison is made between the inputted option and a set of valid responses and the responses are processed.

Claims

1. In a communication network, method for processing a telephone call comprising the steps of:

receiving dialed digits from a calling party identifying a called party,

attempting to place a telephone call connection from the calling party through the network to the called party,

when the attempted call connection is unsuccessful in real time;

determining the time of day at a location of said called party;

determining the time of day at the location of said calling party;

comparing said time of day at the location of said called party with the time of day at said calling party; and

announcing said time of day at the location of said called party to said calling party if the time of day at the location of said called party is different from the time of day at the location of said calling party;

providing the calling party with a plurality of options, said plurality of options including at least two options selected from the group consisting essentially of;

(a) storing a message for said called party,

(b) initiating a call back request from said called party to said calling party,

(c) requesting operator assistance, and

(d) requesting directory assistance;

receiving a response from said calling party corresponding to a desired option from said plurality of options, said response being indicated by entry of a single digit code;

comparing said received response from said calling party with a set of valid responses; and

processing said desired option during said telephone call connection attempt from said calling party to said called party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling party initiates a series of calls, the method further including the step of providing said calling party with the same ones of the plurality of options for each of the series of calls.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said call back option (b) includes subsequent initiation of one or more attempts to reach said called party at specified intervals for a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said call back option (b) includes a step of requesting said calling party to select a telephone number to which said called party should call once said called party is reached.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said call back option (b) includes the steps of:

recording identification information associated with said calling party; and

replaying said information to said called party once said called party is reached.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said message option (a) includes the steps of:

storing identification information associated with said called party to which said message is intended;

storing a message intended for said called party from said calling party; and

replaying said identification information and said message to said called party once said called party is reached.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said attempted telephone call connection between said calling party and said called party is attempted through a land line public switched telephone network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of options is provided to said calling party when said calling party attempts to reach said called party and receives either a busy signal, a ring no answer response, a message that said called party'"'"'s telephone number has been changed or a message that said called party'"'"'s telephone is out of service.

9. A method for providing a menu of options to a calling party when said calling party attempts to establish a telephone connection with a called party, comprising the steps of:

initiating a telephone connection from a calling party in a first time zone to a called party in a second time zone;

announcing to said calling party, when said telephone call is initiated, the time of day in said second time zone when said first time zone is different from said second time zone;

announcing to said calling party a menu of options when said calling party attempts to establish said telephone connection with said called party and said calling party receives one of a busy signal, a ring no answer response, a message that said called party'"'"'s telephone number has been changed and a message that said called party'"'"'s telephone is out of service;

inputting a response to said menu announcement corresponding to a desired option; and

processing said desired option during said telephone connection attempt.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said menu of options includes at least two options selected from the group consisting essentially of leaving a message for said called party, requesting a call back from said called party to said calling party, requesting operator assistance, and requesting directory assistance.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein said receiving step includes receiving dialed digits entered by the calling party on a telephone keypad said digits identifying a selected one of the options listed in said menu.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein said step of receiving step includes receiving speech captured from the calling party, said captured speech identifying a selected one of the options listed in said menu.

13. The method according to claim 9 further including the steps of:

notifying said calling party that said called party'"'"'s telephone number has been changed;

providing said calling party with the called party'"'"'s new telephone number during the telephone connection attempt; and

providing said calling party, subsequent to providing said calling party with the called party'"'"'s new telephone number, at least one option selected from the group consisting essentially of having a telecommunications carrier connect said calling party to said called party using said called party'"'"'s new telephone number or terminating said telephone call.

14. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:

notifying said calling party that the called party'"'"'s telephone is out of service; and

providing said calling party, subsequent to notifying said calling party that the called party'"'"'s telephone number is out of service, with the called party'"'"'s new telephone number and at least one option selected from the group consisting essentially of connecting said calling party to directory assistance associated with a telecommunications carrier or terminating said telephone call.

15. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:

notifying said calling party that the called party'"'"'s telephone is busy;

providing said calling party, subsequent to notifying said calling party that the called party'"'"'s telephone is busy, with said menu of options wherein said menu of options includes at least one option selected from the group consisting essentially of leaving a message for said called party, requesting a call back from said called party to said calling party, requesting operator assistance, and requesting directory assistance.

16. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:

providing said calling party with a plurality of rings at said called party'"'"'s telephone;

providing said calling party, subsequent to providing said calling party with a plurality of rings at said called party'"'"'s telephone and receiving no response from said called party, with said menu of options wherein said menu of options includes at least one option selected from the group consisting essentially of leaving a message for said called party, requesting a call back from said called party to said calling party, and requesting operator assistance.