Method and telecommunication system for transmitting a facsimile message

• US 6,130,934 A
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blumenschein, Gordon Lynn, Meek, William Harvey, Meek, Jeffrey James
• Primary Examiner(s): Loomis, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US09/119,319
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.14, 379/88.21, 379/100.01, 379/100.05-100.09, 379/100.14-100.15, 379/100.12, 379/201, 379/210-211, 379/230, 379/93.24, 358/402, 358/403, 358/434, 358/440
• US Class Current: 379/100.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32765 Initiating a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting a facsimile message uses a public-switched telecommunications network, the public-switched telecommunication network having a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages. The initiation of a telephone call to a destination is detected, the content of the call including the facsimile message. If the destination is available at a first time to receive a telephone call, the facsimile message is transmitted. The facsimile message may be stored on the messaging platform only if the destination is unavailable at the first time, or every time a telephone call is initiated by the originating party. The method also provides for situations where a telephone call is redirected, where an inter-NPA seven digit dialing case has occurred, and where "busy" or "no_-- answer" triggers are implemented. If the facsimile message was stored, the facsimile message is transmitted at a second time if the destination is available.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a facsimile message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunication network having a plurality of service switching points including an originating service switching point, at least one service control point, and a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an initiation of a telephone call from an originating party on the telecommunications network to the destination, the content of the telephone call including the facsimile message;

determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time using the originating service switching point;

completing the telephone call from the originating service switching point to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at a first time;

suspending the telephone call and launching an information message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the originating service switching point encounters a trigger;

returning a routing message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call to the messaging platform only if a trigger is encountered at the first time; and

if the facsimile message was routed to the messaging platform,

(i) storing the routed facsimile message on the messaging platform;

(ii) determining a destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time; and

(iii) transmitting the facsimile message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing message contains a telephone number corresponding to the message platform, to which the facsimile message is to be routed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of returning a routing message includes determining the telephone number corresponding to the message platform using a lookup-table that is indexed by a telephone number corresponding to the calling party.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a close call message from a destination service switching point to the at least one service control point if the call is completed.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a release message if the telephone call is disconnected by "hanging-up" the telephone, wherein:

if the telephone call was disconnected by the originating party, the originating service switching point sends the release message to a destination service switching point, and the destination service switching point sends a release complete message back to the originating service switching point; and

if the telephone call was disconnected by a destination party, the destination service switching point sends the release message to the originating service switching point, and the originating service switching point sends the release complete message back to the destination service switching point.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a close call message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the telephone call is abandoned prior to receiving a routing message from the at least one service control point.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining that the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the facsimile message.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of aborting the telephone call if the destination is not a valid destination for receiving a facsimile.

9. Method of claim 1 wherein the trigger is a busy trigger.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the trigger is a no_-- answer trigger.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a destination condition for the destination includes determining whether the telephone call was redirected at least one time, and if so, modifying an identification of the originating party.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a destination condition for the destination includes determining if the telephone call was initiated using a seven digit direct dialed telephone number, and if so, determining whether an originating NPA is different from a destination NPA, wherein:

if the originating NPA is different from the destination NPA, prepending the destination NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number; and

if the originating NPA is the same as the destination NPA, prepending the originating NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number.

13. A telecommunications system for transmitting a facsimile message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an originating service switching point for detecting an initiation of a telephone call on the telecommunications network from an originating party to a destination, the content of the telephone call including the facsimile message, for determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time, for launching an information message if a trigger is encountered at the first time, and for completing the telephone call from the originating service switching point to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at a first time;

a service control point, in communication with the originating service switching point, for receiving the information messages from the originating service switching point, and for returning a routing message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call if a trigger is encountered at the first time; and

a messaging platform, in communication with the originating service switching point and capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages, for receiving and storing a routed facsimile message;

wherein, if the facsimile message was routed to the messaging platform, the messaging platform determines a destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time, and the messaging platform transmits the facsimile message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the routing message contains telephone number corresponding to the message platform, to which the facsimile message is to be routed.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the service control point determines the telephone number corresponding to the message platform using a lookup-table that is indexed by a telephone number corresponding to the calling party.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein a destination service switching point sends a close call message from a destination service switching point to the at least one service control point if the call is completed.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the originating service switching point sends a close call message to the at least one service control point if the telephone call is abandoned prior to receiving a routing message from the at least one service control point.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the service control point is capable of determining that the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the facsimile message.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the service control point aborts the telephone call if the destination is not a valid destination for receiving a facsimile message.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising the originating service switching point sending a release message to a destination service switching point, and the destination service switching point sending a release complete message back to the originating service switching point if the telephone call was completed by the originating party, and the destination service switching point sending the release message to the originating service switching point, and the originating service switching point sending the release complete message back to the destination service switching point if the telephone call was completed by the destination.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the trigger is a busy trigger.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the trigger is a no_-- answer trigger.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the service a control point determines whether the telephone call was redirected at least one time, and if so, the service control point modifies an identification of the originating party.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the service control point determines whether the telephone call was initiated using a seven digit direct dialed telephone number, and if so, the service control point determines whether an originating NPA is different from a destination NPA, wherein:

the service control point prepends the destination NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number if the originating NPA is different from the destination NPA, and

the service control point prepends the originating NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number if the originating NPA is the same as the destination NPA.

25. A method of transmitting a data message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunication network having a plurality of service switching points including an originating service switching point, at least one service control point, and a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of data messages, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an initiation of a telephone call from an originating party on the telecommunications network to the destination, the content of the telephone call including the data message;

determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time using the originating service switching point;

completing the telephone call from the originating service switching point to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at a first time;

suspending the telephone call and launching an information message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the originating service switching point encounters a trigger;

returning a routing message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call to the messaging platform only if a trigger is encountered at the first time; and

if the data message was routed to the messaging platform,

(i) storing the routed data message on the messaging platform;

(ii) etermining a destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time; and

(iii) transmitting the data message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the routing message contains a telephone number corresponding to the message platform, to which the data message is to be routed.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of returning a routing message includes determining the telephone number corresponding to the message platform using a lookup-table that is indexed by a telephone number corresponding to the calling party.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of sending a close call message from a destination service switching point to the at least one service control point if the call is completed.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of sending a release message if the telephone call is disconnected by "hanging-up" the telephone, wherein:

if the telephone call was disconnected by the originating party, the originating service switching point sends the release message to a destination service switching point, and the destination service switching point sends a release complete message back to the originating service switching point; and

if the telephone call was disconnected by a destination party, the destination service switching point sends a release message to the originating service switching point, and the originating service switching point sends a release complete message back to the destination service switching point.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of sending a close call message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the telephone call is abandoned prior to receiving a routing message from the at least one service control point.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of determining that the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the data message.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of aborting the telephone call if the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the data message.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the trigger is a busy trigger.

34. The method of claim 25 wherein the trigger is a no_-- answer trigger.

35. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining a destination condition for the destination includes determining whether the telephone call was redirected at least one time, and if so, modifying an identification of the originating party.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining the destination condition for the destination includes determining if the telephone call was initiated using a seven digit direct dialed telephone number, and if so, determining whether an originating NPA is different from a destination NPA, wherein:

if the originating NPA is different from the destination NPA, prepending the destination NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number; and

if the originating NPA is the same as the destination NPA, prepending the originating NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number.

37. A telecommunications system for transmitting a data message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an originating service switching point for detecting an initiation of a telephone call on the telecommunications network from the originating party to the destination, the content of the telephone call including the data message, for determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time, for launching an information message if a trigger is encountered at the first time, and for completing the telephone call from the originating service switching point to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at a first time;

a service control point, in communication with the originating service switching point, for receiving the information messages from the originating service switching point, and for returning a routing message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call if a "trigger is encountered at the first time; and

a messaging platform, in communication with the originating service switching point and capable of storing a plurality of data messages, for receiving and storing a routed data message;

wherein, if the data message was routed to the messaging platform, the messaging platform determines the destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time, and the messaging platform transmits the data message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the routing message contains a telephone number corresponding to the message platform, to which the data message is to be routed.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the service control point determines the telephone number corresponding to the message platform using a lookup-table that is indexed by a telephone number corresponding to the calling party.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein a destination service switching point sends a close call message from a destination service switching point to the at least one service control point if the call is completed.

41. The system of claim 37 wherein the originating service switching point sends a close call message to the at least one service control point if the telephone call is abandoned prior to receiving a routing message from the at least one service control point.

42. The system of claim 37 wherein the service control point is capable of determining that the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the data message.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the service control point aborts the telephone call if the destination is not a valid destination for receiving a data message.

44. The system of claim 37 further comprising the originating service switching point sending a release message to a destination service switching point, and the destination service switching point sending a release complete message back to the originating service switching point if the telephone call was disconnected by the originating party, and the destination service switching point sending the release message to the originating service switching point, and the originating service switching point sending the release complete message back to the destination service switching point if the telephone call was disconnected by the destination.

45. The system of claim 37 wherein the trigger is a busy trigger.

46. The system of claim 37 wherein the trigger is a no_-- answer trigger.

47. The system of claim 37 wherein the service control point determines whether the telephone call was redirected at least one time, and if so, the service control point modifies an identification of the originating party.

48. The system of claim 37 wherein the service control point determines whether the telephone call was initiated using a seven digit direct dialed telephone number, and if so, the service control point determines whether an originating NPA is different from a destination NPA, wherein:

the service control point prepends the destination NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number if the originating NPA is different from the destination NPA, and the service control point prepends the originating NPA to the seven digit direct dialed telephone number if the originating NPA is the same as the destination NPA.