Delivery of display information to the caller in an advanced intelligent network

• US 6,289,090 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1996
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Meubus, Charles, Belzile, Pierre, Tessler, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US08/773,494
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/93.25, 379/114, 379/115, 379/130, 379/140, 379/201, 379/202, 379/207, 379/229, 379/231, 379/354, 379/355, 379/213, 379/230, 379/210, 379/274, 379/233, 379/214
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The invention provides a method and a system for selectively delivering information to callers in an AIN environment. In accordance with the method the service switching point to which is connected the terminal equipment of the caller monitors the condition of the telephone line to detect an AIN trigger, such as an off-hook event among other possibilities. When such event occurs, the service switch point formulates a message query. The query is routed to a service control point via one or more service transfer points, that holds knowledge of the service subscribed by the caller and the information to be displayed for this service. The service control point analyzes the request and assembles the appropriate response. That response is then returned to the service switch point that formats it properly and delivers it to the terminal equipment of the caller. In one embodiment the information delivery is effected during call establishment. In a variant, information is delivered while no call is being attempted.

Claims

1. A method for delivering selected information associated with a called party to a caller terminal equipment unit, the called party being associated to a number dialed at the caller terminal equipment unit, said caller terminal equipment unit being connected to an AIN network that includes:

a central office switch having service switching point capability to which the caller terminal equipment unit is connected, the central office switch being capable of exchanging data over a certain data transport path with the caller terminal equipment unit; and

a service control point connected to the central office switch and capable of exchanging data with said service switching point, said service control point including a database for storing a list of identifiers of terminal equipment units and data elements related to the identifiers of terminal equipment units;

said method comprising;

a) monitoring at said central office switch a certain condition of said caller terminal equipment unit to detect a request for delivering certain data to said caller terminal equipment unit through AIN interaction, the request originating from the caller terminal equipment unit, the certain data being associated with a called party with which the caller terminal equipment unit wishes to establish a connection;

b) formulating at said central office switch a query request in accordance with said request for delivering certain data, said query request including the number dialed at the caller terminal equipment unit, said query request further including a portion constituting an identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit;

c) forwarding said query request to said service control point;

d) searching said list of identifiers of terminal equipment units to locate the identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit included in said query request;

e) extracting from said database a data element corresponding to the identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit, said data element being indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure at said central office switch;

f) processing said query request at said service control point and generating a response message containing the certain data associated with the called party and the data element extracted at e);

g) forwarding said message to said central office switch; and

h) delivering to said caller terminal equipment unit over the certain data transport path the certain data.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said certain data associated with the called party is adapted to be displayed on a display screen of said caller terminal equipment unit.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said certain data associated with the called party is a set of instructions executable by a processor.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein said set of instructions is executable by a processor residing in said caller terminal equipment unit.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said database at said service control point includes a list of numbers of terminal equipment units associated with respective subscriber names, said method comprising searching said list of numbers of terminal equipment units to locate the number of a destination terminal equipment unit with which said caller terminal equipment unit wishes to establish a connection, and extracting from said database a data element representative of a name of the subscriber associated with the destination terminal equipment unit with which said caller terminal equipment unit wishes to establish a connection, and including said data element in said response message.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising upon reception of said data element at said central office switch, monitoring a condition of said caller terminal equipment unit to detect data indicative of intention by a user of the caller terminal equipment unit to complete a call, upon reception of said data indicative of intention by the user to complete a call, effecting a procedure to complete the call, upon absence of said data indicative of intention by the user to complete a call during a predetermined time period aborting a call establishment.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the data associated to the called party delivered to said caller terminal equipment includes billing information.

8. An AIN telephone signaling network permitting delivery of information associated to a called party to a caller terminal equipment unit, the called party being associated to a number dialed at the caller terminal equipment unit, said AIN telephone signaling network, comprising:

a central office switch having a service switching point capability of AIN interaction;

a plurality of terminal equipment units;

a plurality of data transport paths permitting exchange of data between respective ones of said plurality of terminal equipment units and said central office switch; and

a service control point connected to said central office switch and capable of exchanging data with said central office switch, said service control point including a database for storing a list of identifiers of terminal equipment units and data elements related to the identifiers of terminal equipment units;

said central office switch being operative for monitoring said terminal equipment units for detecting a certain condition indicative of a request for receiving certain data, the request originating from a caller terminal equipment unit, the certain data being associated with a called party with which a user of the caller terminal equipment unit wishes to establish a connection;

when said central office switch detects the certain condition at a certain caller terminal equipment unit, said central office switch being operative for formulating a query request to said service control point, said query request including a telephone number dialed at the caller terminal equipment unit, said query request further including a portion constituting an identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit;

said service control point being operative for;

a) searching said list of identifiers of terminal equipment units to locate the identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit included in said query request;

b) extracting from said database a data element corresponding to the identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit, said data element being indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure at said central office switch;

c) processing said query request and generating a response message including the certain data associated to the called party and the data element extracted in b); and

d) transmitting the response message generated in c) to said central office switch; and

said central office switch being operative for processing said message and delivering to the certain caller terminal equipment unit the certain data associated to the called party over the data transport path associated with the certain caller terminal equipment unit.

9. An AIN telephone signaling network as defined in claim 8, wherein the certain data associated to the called party and delivered to the certain caller terminal equipment unit is capable of being displayed on a display screen of the certain caller terminal equipment unit.

10. An AIN telephone signaling network as defined in claim 8, wherein the certain data associated to the called party includes a set of instructions executable by a processor.

11. An AIN telephone signaling network as defined in claim 10, wherein said set of instructions are executable by a processor residing in the certain caller terminal equipment unit.

12. An AIN telephone signaling network as defined in claim 8, wherein said database at said service control point includes a list of telephone numbers of terminal equipment units associated with respective subscriber names, said service control point being operative for searching said list of telephone numbers of terminal equipment units to locate the identifier of a destination terminal equipment unit with which the user of the certain caller terminal equipment unit wishes to establish a connection, and extracting from said database a data element representative of a name of the subscriber associated with the destination terminal equipment unit with which the user of the certain caller terminal equipment unit wishes to establish a connection, and including said data element in said response message.

13. An AIN telephone signaling network as defined in claim 8, said AIN telephone signaling network being operative to monitor a condition of the certain caller terminal equipment unit to detect data indicative of intention by the user of the certain caller terminal equipment unit to complete a call, upon reception of the data indicative of intention by the user of the certain caller terminal equipment unit to complete a call, said AIN telephone signaling network being operative for effecting a procedure to complete a call and upon absence of the data indicative of intention by the caller at the certain caller terminal equipment unit to complete a call during a predetermined time period said AIN telephone signaling network being operative for aborting a call establishment.

14. An AIN telephone signaling network as defined in claim 8, wherein the data associated to the called party delivered to the certain caller terminal equipment unit includes billing information.

15. A method for displaying a subscriber name associated with a remote telephone instrument on a caller telephone set, the caller telephone set including a display screen, the remote telephone instrument being associated to a number dialed at the caller telephone set, the caller telephone set being connected to an AIN type network that includes:

a central office switch having service switching point capability to which the caller telephone set is connected, the central office switch being capable of exchanging data over a certain data transport path with the caller telephone set; and

a service control point capable of exchanging data with said central office switch;

said method comprising;

a) monitoring at the central office switch the occurrence of a request originating from the caller telephone set to receive a subscriber name associated with a certain remote telephone instrument, the request from the telephone set including a data element sent by the caller telephone set to said central office switch over said certain data transport path that includes an identifier associated with the certain remote telephone instrument;

b) formulating at said central office switch a query request in response to said request from the caller telephone set, said query request including an identifier associated to the caller telephone set and the identifier of the certain remote telephone instrument;

c) forwarding said query request to said service control point;

d) receiving said query request at said service control point, said service control point including a database containing a plurality of identifiers of telephone instruments associated to corresponding subscriber names and to data elements indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure;

e) searching said database to locate an identifier corresponding to the identifier of the certain remote telephone instrument;

f) extracting from said database a subscriber name corresponding to the identifier associated with the certain remote telephone instrument;

g) searching said list of identifiers of terminal equipment units to locate the identifier in said query request associated to the caller telephone set;

h) extracting from said database a data element corresponding to the identifier associated to the caller telephone set, said data element being indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure at said central office switch;

i) formulating a response message including data representative of the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument and the data element indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure associated with the caller telephone set;

j) forwarding said message to said central office switch;

k) delivering to the telephone set over the certain data transport path the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument; and

l) displaying on the display screen of the caller telephone set the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, comprising receiving digits dialed at the caller telephone set, the digits constituting the identifier of the certain remote telephone instrument.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, comprising monitoring said caller telephone set after the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument has been displayed on said display screen to recognize a condition indicative that a call to the certain remote instrument is to be established.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, comprising monitoring said caller telephone set for a predetermined time period, if no condition that a call to the certain remote telephone instrument is to be established has been recognized during said predetermined time period then causing call establishment to abort.

19. A method as defined in claim 17, comprising establishing a call to the certain remote telephone instrument upon recognition of a condition indicative of a desire of a subscriber at the caller telephone set to establish a call with the certain remote telephone instrument.

20. A system for displaying a subscriber name associated with a remote telephone instrument on a caller telephone set that includes a display screen, the remote telephone set being associated to a number dialed at the caller telephone set, said caller telephone set being connected to an AIN type network that includes:

a central office switch having service switching point capability to which the caller telephone set is connected, said central office switch being capable of exchanging data over a certain data transport path with the caller telephone set; and

a service control point capable of exchanging data with said central office switch;

said system comprising;

a unit for monitoring at said central office switch occurrence of a request originating from the caller telephone set to receive a subscriber name associated with a certain remote telephone instrument, the request from the caller telephone set including data sent by the caller telephone set to said central office switch over said certain data transport path that includes an identifier of the certain remote telephone instrument;

a unit for formulating at said central office switch a query request in response to said request from the caller telephone set, said query request including an identifier of the caller telephone set and the identifier of the certain remote telephone instrument;

a unit for forwarding said query request to said service control point;

a unit for receiving said query request at said service control point, said service control point including a database containing a plurality of identifiers of telephone instruments related to corresponding subscriber names and to data elements indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure;

a unit for searching said database to locate an identifier corresponding to the identifier of the certain remote telephone instrument;

a unit for extracting from said database a subscriber name corresponding to the identifier associated with the certain remote telephone instrument;

a unit for searching said list of identifiers of terminal equipment units to locate the identifier in said query request associated to the caller telephone set;

a unit for extracting from said database a data element corresponding to the identifier associated to the caller telephone set, said data element being indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure at said central office switch;

a unit for formulating a response message including data representative of the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument and the data element indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure associated with the caller telephone set; and

a unit for forwarding said message to said central office switch;

said central office switch being operative to deliver to the caller telephone set over the certain data transport path the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument and causing the subscriber name associated with the certain remote telephone instrument to be displayed on the display screen of the caller telephone set.

21. In combination:

a caller terminal equipment unit associated to a user, the user being a subscriber of a service that provides selected information about a called party based on the number dialed by the user of the caller terminal equipment unit, the number dialed being associated to the called party;

a switch for use in a telephone network, said switch having a service switching point capability for AIN interaction, said switch being capable of exchanging data over a certain data transport path with a certain caller terminal equipment unit at which a call session with a destination terminal equipment unit associated with a called party can be originated; and

a service control point connected to said switch and capable of exchanging data with said switch, said service control point including a database for storing a list of identifiers of terminal equipment units and data elements related to the identifiers of terminal equipment units;

said switch being responsive to an AIN trigger observed on the data transport path, the trigger being indicative of a request originating from the caller terminal equipment unit for delivering certain data to the certain caller terminal equipment unit through AIN interaction, the certain data being associated with a destination terminal unit of the call session for formulating a query request to said service control point, said query request including a number dialed at the caller terminal equipment unit, said query request further including a portion constituting an identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit;

said service control point being responsive to said query request for;

a) searching said list of identifiers of terminal equipment units to locate the identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit included in said query request;

b) extracting from said database a data element corresponding to the identifier of the caller terminal equipment unit, said data element being indicative of a requirement to invoke a call confirmation procedure at said central office switch;

c) generating a response message containing the certain data and the data element extracted in b); and

d) transmitting said response message to said switch; and

said switch being responsive to said response message for delivering the certain data associated with a called party, to the certain caller terminal equipment unit over the certain data transport path.

22. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein the certain data associated with the called party can be visually displayed on the certain caller terminal equipment unit.

23. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said switch delivers the certain data associated with the called party to the certain caller terminal equipment unit while a call session is in progress and involves the certain caller terminal equipment unit.

24. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said switch delivers the certain data associated with a called party to the certain caller terminal equipment unit while no call session involving the certain caller terminal equipment unit is in progress.

25. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein the response data contains an identifier of a destination terminal equipment involved in the call session processed by said switch.

26. A combination as defined in claim 25, wherein the identifier of a destination terminal equipment involved in the call session processed by said switch is a name of a subscriber associated with the destination terminal equipment.

27. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein the response data is billing information relative to the call session processed by said switch.

28. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein the certain data includes a set of instructions executable by a processor at the certain caller terminal equipment unit.