Method and system for providing enhanced caller identification information including tailored announcements

• US 6,341,161 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Moss, John Wesley, Latter, Teresa Farias
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/366,393
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88-1-, 379/88-9-, 379/93.23, 379/720, 379/127, 379/142, 379/354, 379/210-212, 379/215, 379/201, 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/127.06, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.06, 379/142.09, 379/142.17, 455/415, 455/566
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• 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 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• 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: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 : Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 : Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system (100) and method deliver audible caller identification information when standard Caller ID information can not be provided. A calling party is prompted by an announcement to provide the audible caller identification information. The announcement may be tailored by changing the language of the announcement, for example, to conform to the majority of calls received by the called party. A special designator may be stored in association with account information when the service is ordered. The designator is read before the announcement is played to the calling party. The audible caller identification information is recorded and played to the called party in a message. The message may be tailored by changing the language or format of the announcement.

Claims

1. A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station, the method comprising:

(a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;

(b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station when the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station, the request being tailored according to called party requirements including transmitting a forward call message which includes an identifier for the called communication station and a presentation indicator, including

(b1) receiving a terminating attempt trigger message requesting completion of the call from the calling communication station to the called communication station;

(b2) detecting in the terminating attempt trigger messaged a Called Party Identifier, the Called Party Identifier corresponding to the called communication station;

(b3) placing the Called Party Identifier in the call forward message as a Redirecting Party Identifier;

(b4) marking the presentation indicator associated with the Redirecting Party Identifier as presentation allowed; and

(b5) setting a parameter in the call forward message indicating that a customer selected request message should be used for the request; and

(c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.

2. A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station in a telecommunications network including at least one service switching point (SSP) and a service control point (SCP), the method comprising:

(a) at an SSP, receiving the call from the calling communication station;

(b) transmitting a termination attempt query from the SSP to the SCP;

(c) at the SCP, in response to the termination attempt query, determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;

(d) at the SCP, determining if the called party has set called party requirements for tailoring the request message;

(e) transmitting a forward call message from the SCP to the SSP in response to a determination that standard caller identification information can not be provided, the forward call message including a n identifier for the called communication station;

a presentation indicator for the called communication station, the presentation indicator being set to presentation allowed, and a parameter indicating that a customer selected request message should be used for the request;

(f) in response to t he forward call message, at the SSP, originating a call connecting the calling communication station and network equipment;

(g) from the network equipment, transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in accordance with the customer selected request message; and

(h) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station in a format specified by the called party.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein act (d) comprises identifying a language for transmitting the request.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein act (d) further comprises identifying a language for transmitting an announcement including the audible caller information to the called party.

5. A system for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station, the system comprising:

a service control point (SCP) operative to determine whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station and whether the called party has indicated a customer selected message should be played to the calling party, and to transmit a forward call message which includes an identifier for the called communication station, a presentation indicator and a parameter indicating the customer selected request message;

a service switching point (SSP) coupled with the SCP to receive the forward call message and to initiate a new call; and

a service node coupled with the SSP to complete the new call to the calling communication station to transmit a standard request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station, the standard request using the customer selected request message.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the service node is configured to transmit the standard request as an audible request in a language specified by the called party.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the service node is further configured to transmit in a language specified by the called party an announcement including the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the service node is configured to transmit the standard request as a text request.