Providing feature logic control in parallel with voice over a single subscriber access

• US 6,157,640 A
• Filed: 06/25/1996
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Valentine, Eric Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US08/670,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/264, 370/271, 370/373, 370/384, 370/522, 370/526, 370/524, 370/525, 370/528, 370/496, 379/352, 379/355, 379/350, 379/361, 379/201, 379/207, 379/220, 379/202, 379/205, 379/142, 379/196, 379/211-215, 379/93.02
• US Class Current: 370/384
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• 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 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: 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: H04Q 3/002 Details

Abstract

Whenever a subscriber associated with a plurality of subscriber features receives or originates a call, an application module associated with the serving local exchange links into the established call. The application module thereinafter intercepts all incoming calls towards that subscriber and transmits control data over the existing call connection to the subscriber terminal informing it of the new incoming call. The control data are transmitted over the existing call connection using out-of-band voice frequencies or during silent portions of the speech connection. Over the same existing call connection, the application module receives an instruction from the subscriber terminal for providing a particular terminating call treatment for this incoming call. The application module then provides the instructed terminating call treatment as instructed by the subscriber. Such a treatment may include call forwarding to a third subscriber, the enablement of call waiting, forwarding of the call to a voice mail, and similar subscriber services.

Claims

1. A method for providing different terminating call treatments for an incoming call towards a subscriber terminal, said subscriber terminal being served by a local exchange and currently connected to a first call connection, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said local exchange, an incoming call towards said connected subscriber terminal;

invoking, by said local exchange in response to the receipt of said incoming call, a control module associated with said local exchange;

transmitting, via out-of-band tones, first control data over said first call connection established between said local exchange and said subscriber terminal, said control data informing said subscriber terminal of the existence of said incoming call;

receiving, via said out-of-band tones, second control data from said subscriber terminal over said first call connection, said second control data including an instruction to said control module for subscriber service treatment of said incoming call; and

providing one of said different call treatments to said incoming call as indicated by said received instruction,

wherein said first and second control data are transmitted concurrently and in parallel with voice data across said first call connection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said control module comprises a telecommunications node connected to said local exchange.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said telecommunications node comprises a Service Switching Point (SSP).

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of invoking said control module further comprises the step of forwarding said incoming call to said telecommunications node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first control data includes a calling party number associated with said incoming call.

6. A telecommunications system for selectively providing one of a plurality of different terminating call treatments for an incoming call towards a subscriber terminal, said subscriber terminal being currently connected to a first call connection, said system comprising:

a control module for providing different call treatments to said connected subscriber terminal; and

a local exchange serving said subscriber terminal and being associated with said control module, said local exchange comprising;

means for receiving an incoming call towards said subscriber terminal; and

means for invoking said control module associated with said local exchange, said control module further comprising;

means for transmitting first control data to said subscriber terminal over said first call connection using out-of-band tones, said control data informing said subscriber terminal of said incoming call;

means for receiving second control data from said subscriber terminal over said first call connection using said out-of-band tones, said second control data including an instruction from said subscriber terminal to said control module indicating the selected one of said plurality of different terminating call treatments to be given to said incoming call by said control module; and

means for providing said selected treatment to said incoming call in accordance with said received instruction,

wherein said first and second control data are transmitted concurrently and in parallel with voice data across said first call connection.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said control module comprises a telecommunications node connected to said local exchange.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said telecommunications node comprises a Service Switching Point (SSP).

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said means of invoking said control module further comprises the means for rerouting said incoming call to said telecommunications node.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said incoming call includes a calling party number and said telecommunications node is assigned a directory number, wherein said means for rerouting said incoming call to said telecommunications node further comprises means for rerouting said incoming call if said calling party number does not match said directory number assigned to said telecommunications node.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein said control data includes a calling party number associated with said incoming call.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein said telecommunications terminal further comprises:

means for receiving said first control data transmitted from said control module over said call connection;

a display unit for displaying said received control data; and

means for receiving an indication from a subscriber associated with said telecommunications terminal; and

means for transmitting said received indication over said call connection to said control module.

13. A method for providing a plurality of subscriber features to a first subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a local exchange for said first subscriber, a first call to said first subscriber;

invoking, by said local exchange in response to the receipt of said first call, a control module for controlling said plurality of subscriber features;

establishing, by said control module, a call connection with said first subscriber;

transmitting, by said control module, a first control signal over said call connection to said first subscriber, said first control signal comprising out-of-band tones and informing said first subscriber of said first call;

receiving, by said control module in response to said first control signal, a second control signal from said first subscriber over said call connection, said second control signal comprising out-of-band tones and including a first instruction from said first subscriber for a subscriber service treatment of said first call by said control module;

providing at least one of said subscriber features as indicated by said first subscriber in said first instruction;

receiving, at said local exchange, at least one other call to said first subscriber during said call connection with said first call;

invoking, by said local exchange in response to the receipt of said at least one other call, said control module;

transmitting, by said control module, at least one other control signal over said call connection using out-of-band tones and informing said first subscriber of said at least one other call;

receiving, by said control module in response to said at least one other control signal, at least one another control signal from said first subscriber over said call connection, said at least one another control signal comprising out-of-band tones and including at least one other instruction from said first subscriber for subscriber service treatment of said at least one other call; and

providing at least one of said subscriber features as indicated by said first subscriber in said at least one other instruction,

wherein said first, second, at least one other, and at least one another control signals are transmitted concurrently and in parallel with voice data across said call connection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of said control signals is transmitted via packets.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said control module comprises a telecommunications node connected to said local exchange.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of invoking said control module further comprises the step of forwarding said first call to said telecommunication node.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of establishing said call connection with said first subscriber further comprises the step of:

establishing a first connection leg from said local exchange to said telecommunications node;

establishing a second connection leg from said telecommunications node to said local exchange, said second connection leg being connected to said first connection leg; and

establishing a third connection leg from said local exchange to said first subscriber, said third connection leg being connected to said second connection leg.