System, method and apparatus for direct voice mail access and blocking
First Claim
1. A telecommunications system for enabling a calling subscriber to place a call directly to a voice mail box associated with a called subscriber without ringing said called subscriber, said telecommunications system comprising:
- a switch connected to said calling subscriber for connecting said call from said calling subscriber to said called subscriber, said switch being configured to receive from said calling subscriber simultaneously a dialed service code for activating a Direct Voice Mail Access feature subscribed to by said calling subscriber and implemented within said switch along with a dialed number associated with said called subscriber, activation of said Direct Voice Mail Access feature allowing said switch to route said call directly to said voice mail box of said called subscriber without ringing said called subscriber; and
a voice mail system in communication with said switch, said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber being located within said voice mail system, said switch connecting said call directly to said voice mail box in response to receipt of said service code.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for enabling a calling subscriber to invoke the forwarding of a call to a voice mail system for the called subscriber on a call-by-call basis in order to leave a message for the called subscriber without disturbing (ringing) the called subscriber. The associated disadvantage with this “Direct Voice Mail Access” (DVMA) feature is that the called party will lose control over his/her call forwarding to voice mail feature for that particular call. Therefore, in order to overcome this disadvantage, another feature, “Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking” (DVMAB) can be implemented to allow the called subscriber to inhibit direct access to their voice mail by the calling subscriber.
106 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A telecommunications system for enabling a calling subscriber to place a call directly to a voice mail box associated with a called subscriber without ringing said called subscriber, said telecommunications system comprising:
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a switch connected to said calling subscriber for connecting said call from said calling subscriber to said called subscriber, said switch being configured to receive from said calling subscriber simultaneously a dialed service code for activating a Direct Voice Mail Access feature subscribed to by said calling subscriber and implemented within said switch along with a dialed number associated with said called subscriber, activation of said Direct Voice Mail Access feature allowing said switch to route said call directly to said voice mail box of said called subscriber without ringing said called subscriber; and
a voice mail system in communication with said switch, said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber being located within said voice mail system, said switch connecting said call directly to said voice mail box in response to receipt of said service code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for placing a call from a calling subscriber directly to a voice mail box associated with a called subscriber without ringing said called subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:
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simultaneously dialing, by said calling subscriber, a service code associated with a Direct Voice Mail Access feature subscribed to by said calling subscriber and implemented within a switch connected to said calling subscriber and a number associated with said called subscriber;
receiving, by said switch, said service code and said number; and
connecting said call from said calling subscriber directly from said switch to said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber, in response to receipt of said service code. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
changing said Call Forwarding Don'"'"'t Answer feature associated with said called subscriber to a Call Forwarding Variable feature to connect said call, by said switch, directly to said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber, without ringing said called subscriber.
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24. The method of claim 21, wherein said calling subscriber is served by said switch and said called subscriber is served by an additional switch.
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25. The method of claim 24, wherein said additional switch associated with said called subscriber and said switch associated with said calling subscriber are connected by Integrated Service Digital Network User Part trunks and utilize SS7 signaling to send messages therebetween.
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26. The method of claim 24, further comprising, after said step of entering said service code and said number, the step of:
changing said Call Forwarding Don'"'"'t Answer feature associated with said called subscriber to a Call Forwarding Variable feature to connect said call, by said additional switch associated with said called subscriber, directly to said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber, without ringing said called subscriber.
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27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of connecting said call to said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber is performed by said switch associated with said calling subscriber sending a Feature Code coded as a Direct Mail Voice Access request in a Service Activation parameter within an Initial Address Message to said additional switch associated with said called subscriber.
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28. The method of claim 24, further comprising, before said step of connecting, the step of:
determining, by said additional switch associated with said called subscriber, if a voice mail feature associated with said called subscriber is activated, said call not being routed to said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber when said voice mail feature associated with said called subscriber is not activated.
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29. The method of claim 28, further comprising, after said step of determining, the step of:
sending, by said additional switch associated with said called subscriber, to said switch associated with said calling subscriber a Feature Code coded as Direct Voice Mail Access unavailable in a Service Activation parameter in a message when said voice mail feature associated with said called subscriber is not activated.
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30. The method of claim 29, wherein said message is an Address Complete Message.
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31. The method of claim 29, wherein said message is an Answer Message.
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32. The method of claim 29, further comprising, after said step of sending, the step of:
playing, by said switch associated with said calling subscriber, an announcement indicating said Direct Voice Mail Access feature is not available to said calling subscriber when said voice mail feature associated with said called subscriber is not activated.
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33. The method of claim 19, wherein said called subscriber has a Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking feature associated therewith.
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34. The method of claim 33, further comprising, before said step of entering said service code associated with said Direct Voice Mail Access feature, the step of:
activating said Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking feature by said calling subscriber entering a service code associated with said Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking feature.
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35. The method of claim 33, further comprising, before said step of connecting, the step of:
determining, by said switch, if said Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking feature associated with said called subscriber is activated, said call from said calling subscriber not being connected, by said switch, to said voice mail box associated with said called subscriber when said Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking feature is activated.
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36. The method of claim 35, further comprising, after said step of determining, the step of:
playing an announcement indicating said Direct Voice Mail Access feature is not available to said calling subscriber when said Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking feature associated with said called subscriber is activated.
Specification