System and method for redirecting control of in-band signaling

• US 6,430,284 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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:
  US09/709,655
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.28, 379/93.01, 379/93.26, 379/115.01, 379/201.01, 379/202.01, 379/207.02, 379/210.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/223, 379/224, 379/228, 379/229, 379/230, 379/231, 379/282, 379/283
• 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. In a telecommunication system having a network switch capable of independently controlling inbound and outbound call legs, a system for redirecting in-band control of signaling pertaining to a call placed by a calling party, comprising:

call control circuitry, associated with said network switch, for routing a first call from said calling party to another party through said network switch, said call thereby 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 control redirection circuitry for treating said outbound leg of said first call as a second inbound leg from said other party to said network switch and monitoring in-band control signals received from said other party via said second inbound leg, said call control redirection circuitry thereby allowing said other party to issue said in-band control signals to said call control circuitry; and

wherein said other party is a party other than a called party, said system allowing said other party to complete a call from said calling party to said called party.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a voice response unit (VRU), associated with said call control circuitry, for receiving in-band voice commands issued from said other party.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said in-band control signals are dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) commands.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said call control circuitry places said calling party on hold while said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said call control circuitry allows said calling party to monitor said outbound leg while said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said call control circuitry drops said other party from said call after said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

7. In a telecommunication system having a network switch capable of independently controlling inbound and outbound call legs, a method of redirecting in-band control of signaling pertaining to a call placed by a calling party, comprising:

routing said call from said calling party to another party through said network switch, said call thereby having an inbound leg from said calling party to said network switching and outbound leg from said network switch to said other party;

treating said outbound leg of said call as a second inbound leg from said other party to said network switch;

monitoring in-band control signals received from said other party via said second inbound leg, thereby allowing said other party to issue said in-band control signals to said network switch; and

wherein said other party is a party other than a called party, said method allowing said other party to complete a call from said calling party to said called party.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein said in-band control signals are dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) commands.

10. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of placing said calling party on hold while said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of allowing said calling party to monitor said outbound leg while said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

12. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of dropping said other party from said call after said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

8. The method as recited in claim wherein said monitoring includes receiving in-band voice commands issued from said other party.

13. In a telecommunication system having a processor-controlled network switch capable of separating inbound and outbound call legs and an attendant center system coupled thereto, a call completion system for providing automatic call completion from a calling party to a called party, comprising:

call control circuitry, associated with said network switch, for routing a first call from said calling party to said attendant center system through said network switch and monitoring in-band control signals received from said attendant center system; and

call placement circuitry, associated with said attendant center system, for generating in-band destination number data control signals and to direct said call control circuitry to place a second call to said called party through said telecommunication system, said call control circuitry subsequently merging said first and second calls to couple said calling party to said called party through said telecommunication system, said call control circuitry placing said second call.

14. The call completion system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a voice response unit (VRU), associated with said call control circuitry, for receiving in-band voice commands issued via said attendant center system.

15. The call completion system as recited in claim 13 wherein said call control circuitry places said first call on hold while said call control circuitry places said second call to said called party through said network switch.

16. The call completion system as recited in claim 13 wherein said call control circuitry allows said calling party to monitor an inbound call leg of said first call while said call control circuitry places said second call to said called party through said network switch.

17. The call completion system as recited in claim 13 wherein said attendant center system transmits said control signals to said call control circuitry via an outbound call leg of said First call.

18. The call completion system as recited in claim 13 wherein said call control circuitry drops said attendant center system from said first call after said call control circuitry merges said first and second calls to couple said calling party to said called party through said network switch.

19. The call completion system as recited in claim 13 wherein said call control circuitry places said second call to said called party through said network switch.

20. In a telecommunication system having a network switch capable of independently controlling inbound and outbound call legs, a system for redirecting in-band control of signaling pertaining to a call placed by a calling party, comprising:

call control circuitry, associated with said network switch, for routing a first call from said calling party to another party through said network switch, said call thereby 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 control redirection circuitry for treating said outbound leg of said first call as a second inbound leg from said other party to said network switch and monitoring in-band control signals received from said other party via said second inbound leg, said call control redirection circuitry thereby allowing said other party to issue said in-band control signals to said call control circuitry; and

wherein said call control circuitry allows said calling party to monitor said outbound leg while said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.

21. In a telecommunication system having a network switch capable of independently controlling inbound and outbound call legs, a method of redirecting in-band control of signaling pertaining to a call placed by a calling party, comprising:

routing said call from said calling party to another party through said network switch, said call thereby having an inbound leg from said calling party to said network switching and outbound leg from said network switch to said other party;

treating said outbound leg of said call as a second inbound leg from said other party to said network switch;

monitoring in-band control signals received from said other party via said second inbound leg, thereby allowing said other party to issue said in-band control signals to said network switch; and

allowing said calling party to monitor said outbound leg while said other party issues said in-band control signals to said network switch.