System and method for redirecting control of in-band signaling

• US 6,314,175 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Beverly M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/586,021
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/207, 379/211, 379/212, 379/202, 379/210, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/93.01, 379/93.26, 379/229, 379/228, 379/230, 379/231, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/224, 379/115, 379/223, 379/282.283
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13178 Control signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13214 Clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

In a telecommunication system having a network switch capable of independently controlling inbound and outbound call legs, a system for, and method of, redirecting in-band control of signaling pertaining to a call placed by a calling party and a system for providing automatic call completion from the calling party to a called party. The control redirecting system includes: (1) call control circuitry, associated with the network switch, for routing the call from the calling party to another party through the network switch, the call thereby having an inbound leg from the calling party to the network switch and an outbound leg from the network switch to the other party and (2) call control redirection circuitry for treating the outbound leg of the call as a second inbound leg from the other party to the network switch and monitoring in-band control signals received from the other party via the second inbound leg. The call control redirection circuitry thereby allows the other party to issue the in-band control signals to the call control circuitry.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for redirecting in-band control of signaling, comprising:

a network switch for routing a call from a calling party to an other party, said call having an inbound leg from said calling party to said network switch and an outbound leg from said network switch to said other party;

call routing control circuitry, operably connected to said network switch, for controlling said network switch in response to in-band control signals received from said inbound and outbound legs; and

call control redirection circuitry, operably connected to said network switch and said call routing control circuitry, for monitoring said inbound and outbound legs for an activating in-band signal, directing said network switch to separate said inbound leg from said outbound leg in response to detecting said activating in-band signal, directing said call routing control circuitry to respond to in-band control signals received from said outbound leg after said separation, and directing said network switch to ignore any in-band control signals received from said inbound leg after said separation.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said other party is a called party, and said call routing control circuitry is adapted to respond to in-band control signals received from said called party via said outbound leg.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said other party is an operator, and said call routing control circuitry is adapted to respond to in-band control signals received from said operator via said outbound leg.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said call routing control circuitry is adapted to detect an authorizing in-band signal from said operator.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 4, wherein said call routing control circuitry is adapted to redirect billing for said call in response to said in-band control signals from said operator.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said network switch is adapted to block in-band control signals received from said operator from being sent to said calling party after said call control redirection circuitry detects said activating in-band signal.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said network switch is adapted to block in-band control signals received from said calling party from being sent to said operator or to said call routing control circuitry while receiving in-band control signals from said operator.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said call routing control circuitry is adapted to direct said network switch to connect a third leg of said call to said inbound leg in response to in-band signals received from said other party.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising a voice response unit, associated with said call routing control circuitry, adapted to receiving in-band control signals that are voice commands.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said in-band control signals are dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) signals.

11. In a telecommunications system, a method of redirecting in-band control of signaling, comprising the steps of:

routing a call from a calling party to an other party, said call having an inbound leg from said calling party to a network switch and an outbound leg from said network switch to said other party;

monitoring said inbound and outbound legs for an activating in-band signal;

directing said network switch to separate said inbound leg from said outbound leg in response to detecting said activating in-band signal;

directing said network switch to ignore any in-band control signals received from said inbound leg after said separation; and

responding to in-band control signals received from said outbound leg after said separation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said other party is a called party, and said activating in-band signal is received from said calling party.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said other party is an operator, and said activating in-band signal is received from said operator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said in-band control signals are received from said operator.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving an authorizing in-band signal prior to receiving said in-band control signals from said operator.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of blocking in-band control signals received from said operator from being sent to said calling party after said activating in-band signal is detected.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of blocking in-band control signals received from said calling party from passing through said network switch after said activating in-band signal is detected.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of responding to in-band control signals further comprises the step of redirecting billing for said call.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of responding to in-band control signals further comprises the step of connecting a third leg of said call to said inbound leg.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said in-band control signals are voice commands.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein said in-band control signals are dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) signals.

22. A telecommunications system for redirecting in-band control of signaling, comprising:

a network switch for routing a call from a calling party to an other party, said call having an inbound leg from said calling party to said network switch and an outbound leg from said network switch to said other party;

call routing control circuitry, operably connected to said network switch, for controlling said network switch in response to in-band control signals received from said inbound and outbound legs; and

call control redirection circuitry, operably connected to said network switch and said call routing control circuitry, for monitoring said inbound and outbound legs for an activating in-band signal, directing said network switch to separate said inbound leg from said outbound leg in response to detecting said activating in-band signal, and directing said call routing control circuitry to respond to in-band control signals received from said outbound leg after said separation;

wherein said network switch is adapted to block in-band control signals received from said calling party from being sent to said other party or to said call routing control circuitry while receiving in-band control signals from said other party.

23. The telecommunications system of claim 22, wherein said other party is a called party, and said call routing control circuitry is adapted to respond to in-band control signals received from said called party via said outbound leg.

24. The telecommunications system of claim 22, wherein said other party is an operator, and said call routing control circuitry is adapted to respond to in-band control signals received from said operator via said outbound leg.

25. The telecommunications system of claim 24, wherein said call routing control circuitry is adapted to detect an authorizing in-band signal from said operator.

26. The telecommunications system of claim 25, wherein said call routing control circuitry is adapted to redirect billing for said call in response to said in-band control signals from said operator.

27. The telecommunications system of claim 24, wherein said network switch is adapted to block in-band control signals received from said operator from being sent to said calling party after said call control redirection circuitry detects said activating in-band signal.

28. The telecommunications system of claim 22, wherein said call routing control circuitry is adapted to direct said network switch to connect a third leg of said call to said inbound leg in response to in-band control signals received from said other party.

29. The telecommunications system of claim 22, further comprising a voice response unit, associated with said call routing control circuitry, adapted to receiving in-band control signals that arc voice commands.

30. The telecommunications system of claim 22, wherein said in-band control signals are dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) signals.

31. In a telecommunications system, a method of redirecting in-band control of signaling, comprising the steps of:

routing a call from a calling party to an other party, said call having a first inbound leg from said calling party to a network switch and an outbound leg from said network switch to said other party;

monitoring said first inbound and outbound legs for an activating in-band signal;

blocking in-band control signals received from said calling party from passing through said network switch after said activating in-band signal is detected;

directing said network switch to separate said first inbound leg from said outbound leg in response to detecting said activating in-band signal;

responding to in-band control signals received from said outbound leg after said separation.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said other party is a called party, and said activating in-band signal is received from said calling party.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said other party is an operator, and said activating in-band signal is received from said operator.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said in-band control signals are received from said operator.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of receiving an authorizing in-band signal prior to receiving said in-band control signals from said operator.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of blocking in-band control signals received from said operator from being sent to said calling party after said activating in-band signal is detected.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of responding to in-band control signals further comprises the step of redirecting billing for said call.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of responding to in-band control signals further comprises the step of connecting a third leg of a call to said inbound leg.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein said in-band control signals are voice commands.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein said in-band control signals are dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) signals.