Telecommunications functions management system providing selective alerting based on caller identifier
First Claim
1. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, wherein the plurality of alerters are operable at a plurality of cadences, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more predetermined call identifiers;
associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters;
correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers;
activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier;
associating each predetermined call identifier with one cadence of the plurality of cadences;
wherein the step of activating the one or more alerters includes controlling the one or more alerters to operate at the one cadence associated with the particular identifier;
providing one or more predetermined call treatment options;
associating each predetermined call treatment option with one or more of the plurality of alerters;
prompting, when the incoming call identifier is not available or not correlatable to any of the predetermined call identifiers, the incoming call with the predetermined call treatment options;
correlating, responsive to receiving an input selection from the incoming call, the input selection to a particular call treatment of the one or more predetermined call treatment options; and
activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular call treatment.
9 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
The personal communications controller (PCC) may be programmed with a customized service configuration based on which telecommunications functions in connection with multiple telephone terminals are managed. The PCC system is designed to provide enhanced service value to all of the telephone terminals throughout a residence coupled to a single telephone communication line entering the residence. The PCC may provide service differentiation on an individual basis to the telephone terminals and, furthermore, differentiated treatment may be effected on a per telephone call basis. The customized service configuration may be generated using a personal computer from which it is downloaded to the PCC.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, wherein the plurality of alerters are operable at a plurality of cadences, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; associating each predetermined call identifier with one cadence of the plurality of cadences; wherein the step of activating the one or more alerters includes controlling the one or more alerters to operate at the one cadence associated with the particular identifier; providing one or more predetermined call treatment options; associating each predetermined call treatment option with one or more of the plurality of alerters; prompting, when the incoming call identifier is not available or not correlatable to any of the predetermined call identifiers, the incoming call with the predetermined call treatment options; correlating, responsive to receiving an input selection from the incoming call, the input selection to a particular call treatment of the one or more predetermined call treatment options; and activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular call treatment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; providing one or more predetermined call treatment options; associating each predetermined call treatment option with one or more of the plurality of alerters; prompting, when the incoming call identifier is not available or not correlatable to any of the predetermined call identifiers, the incoming call with the predetermined call treatment options; correlating, responsive to receiving an input selection from the incoming call, the input selection to a particular call treatment of the one or more predetermined call treatment options; and activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular call treatment. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; measuring time; providing a call blocking time interval; and activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier responsive to the measured time not being within the call blocking time interval, and not activating any of the plurality of alerters and routing the incoming call to a mailbox whereby a voice message is recordable responsive to the measured time being within the call blocking time interval. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; providing, by the subscriber, an indication representing do not disturb; and activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier when do not disturb is not indicated, and not activating any of the plurality of alerters and routing the incoming call to a mailbox whereby a voice message is recordable when do not disturb is indicated. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. For a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, wherein the plurality of alerters are operable at a plurality of cadences, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a system for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising:
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means for providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; means for correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call identifier with one cadence of the plurality of cadences; wherein the means for activating the one or more alerters includes means for controlling the one or more alerters to operate at the one cadence associated with the particular identifier; means for providing one or more predetermined call treatment options; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call treatment option with one or more of the plurality of alerters; means for prompting, when the incoming call identifier is not available or not correlatable to any of the predetermined call identifiers, the incoming call with the predetermined call treatment options; means for correlating, responsive to receiving an input selection from the incoming call, the input selection to a particular call treatment of the one or more predetermined call treatment options; and means for activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular call treatment. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. For a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a system for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising:
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means for providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; means for correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; means for providing one or more predetermined call treatment options; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call treatment option with one or more of the plurality of alerters; means for prompting, when the incoming call identifier is not available or not correlatable to any of the predetermined call identifiers, the incoming call with the predetermined call treatment options; means for correlating, responsive to receiving an input selection from the incoming call, the input selection to a particular call treatment of the one or more predetermined call treatment options; and means for activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular call treatment. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. For a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a system for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising:
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means for providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; means for correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; means for measuring time; means for providing a call blocking time interval; and means, responsive to the measured time being within the call blocking time interval, for not activating any of the one or more alerters and for routing the incoming call to a mailbox whereby a voice message is recordable. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. For a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a system for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising:
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means for providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for enabling a subscriber to associate each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; means for correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; means for activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; means for providing, by the subscriber, an indication representing do not disturb; and means, responsive to the do not disturb indication, for not activating any of the plurality of alerters and for routing the incoming call to a mailbox whereby a voice message is recordable. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; and wherein the plurality of telephone terminals include cordless handsets;
the telecommunications functions management system includes a personal communications controller which is coupled to the telephone network by a communications line of the telecommunications service subscriber;
the incoming call identifier is received through the communications line by the personal communications controller at which the steps of providing, associating, correlating and activating are effected; and
the step of activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier includes signaling, by the personal communications controller, over a wireless link the cordless handsets associated with the one or more alerters. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. In a telecommunications functions management system for a telecommunications service subscriber having a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, said telephone terminals being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network which provides an identifier of an incoming call directed to the subscriber, a method for managing alerting of the incoming call comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more predetermined call identifiers; associating each predetermined call identifier with one or more alerters of the plurality of alerters; correlating the incoming call identifier to a particular identifier of the one or more predetermined call identifiers; activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier; and wherein the telecommunications functions management system includes a personal communications controller which is coupled to the telephone network by a communications line of the telecommunications service subscriber;
the plurality of telephone terminals include telephone sets having respective satellite controllers which are connected in parallel to the communications line and each of which controls operation of the alerter associated with the corresponding telephone set;
the incoming call identifier is received through the communications lien by the personal communications controller at which the steps of providing, associating, correlating and activating are effected; and
the step of activating the one or more alerters associated with the particular identifier includes signaling, by the personal communications controller, the satellite controllers over the communications line at a channel above a voice channel, thereby addressing the satellite controllers associated with the one or more alerters.
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38. A telecommunications functions management system, comprising:
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a plurality of telephone terminals associated with a plurality of alerters, each telephone terminal being adapted to communicate through a subscriber loop with a telecommunications network; and a personal communications controller, coupled to the subscriber loop, for controlling dependent upon predetermined operational parameters, operation of the plurality of alerters in response to an incoming call from the telecommunications network and access of each telephone terminal to the telecommunications network in response to an outgoing call originated from that terminal; a computer station at which data defining the predetermined operation parameters is generated; and means for downloading the data from the computer to the personal communications controller. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification