Method for providing network users with improved management of a communications service feature

• US 6,185,285 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shipley, Edward Nicholas, Relyea, Wayne E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/949,665
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/202, 379/219, 379/220, 379/115, 379/93.21, 379/207, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/900
• US Class Current: 379/204.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• 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 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A method using an Internet or similar connection to provide network users with information about and control over a communications service feature. A communications switch routes communications in the network to and from the user and a feature control process provides the communications service feature to the user. A processor in communication with the feature control process and a user terminal provides the user with information about and control over the communications service feature at the user terminal. The process can be a dedicated Internet server and the user can manage the communications service feature from a home page displayed on the user terminal.

Claims

1. A method for providing call management control to a participant of a conference call, comprising:

establishing a multiparty call that includes the participant,

during the multiparty call, providing a call handling option to the participant through a call management processor, the call management processor connected to a local access switch, the participant remotely connected to each of the call management processor and to the local access switch;

receiving an identification of a selected option, and

implementing the selected option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said multiparty call is a three-way call conferencing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said call handling is associated with a caller'"'"'s station identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said call handling options is provided in the form of a administration screen displayed at said user terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said user terminal is a personal computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said handling option includes a feature of muting one or more of the participants.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said handling option includes a feature of providing a private conversation with one or more of the multiparty participants.

8. A method to provide a network user with information associated with and control over a communications service feature with respect to an in-progress communication in the network, comprising the steps of:

sending in-progress communication information associated with the in-progress communication from a communications switch routing the in-progress communication to a call management processor, each of the communications switch and the call management processor remotely connected to the network user;

sending service feature information associated with the communications service feature from a feature control unit to the call management processor;

providing management information from the call management processor to the network user based on the in-progress communication information and the service feature information;

providing control information from the user to the feature control unit through the call management processor; and

controlling the communications service feature with the feature control unit based on said control information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the network is a switched telephone network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the feature control unit is a switch intelligence unit.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the call management processor is a dedicated Internet server and the user communicates with the dedicated Internet server with a user terminal connected to the dedicated Internet server through the Internet.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the information associated with and control over the communications service feature is provided on a home page displayed on the user terminal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the in-progress communication information includes call detail record data.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of sending in-progress communication information to the call management processor includes information from the switch intelligence unit.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the user communicates with the call management processor through a user terminal connected to the call management processor by direct dial-up access.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the switch intelligence unit is a service control point.

17. A method to provide a network user with management of a communications service feature, comprising the steps of:

controlling the communications service feature with a feature control process in communication with a communications switch that routes communications in the network;

sending information associated with a communication in-progress in the network from the communications switch to a call management processor having access to information associated with the communications service feature, each of the communications switch and the call management processor remotely connected to the network user; and

while the communication is in progress, providing management information from the call management processor to the network user based on the information associated with the communication in the network and the information associated with the communications service feature;

wherein the feature control process enables the network user to control a plurality of features associated with the in-progress communication.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the call management processor also controls the communications service feature through the feature control process and said step of providing includes providing the user with control over the communications service feature through the call management processor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the network is a switched telephone network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the call management processor has control over the communications service feature through a switch intelligence unit.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the call management processor is a dedicated Internet server and the user communicates with the dedicated Internet server with a user terminal connected to the dedicated Internet server through the Internet.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the information about and control over the communications service feature is provided on a home page displayed on the user terminal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the information associated with the communication in the network sent from the communications switch includes call detail record data.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of sending information associated with a communication in the network to the call management processor includes information from the switch intelligence unit.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the user communicates with the call management processor through a user terminal connected to the call management processor by direct dial-up access.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the switch intelligence unit is a service control point.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein said plurality of features includes muting at least one of the communication participants.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein said plurality of features includes having a private communication with at least one participant.