Method and apparatus for selective audio logo and/or announcements in a telecommunications network

• US 6,442,244 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilboy, Christopher P., Fellingham, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/170,910
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/71, 379/72, 379/76, 379/88.04, 379/88.11, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.12, 379/100.04, 379/113, 379/114, 379/115, 379/127, 379/133, 379/134, 379/142, 379/136, 379/201, 379/203, 379/219, 379/220, 379/242, 379/243, 379/245, 379/258, 379/265, 379/308, 379/309, 379/321, 379/114.12, 379/114.13, 379/115.01, 379/115.02, 379/121.02, 379/127.04, 379/127.05, 379/201.01, 379/201.12, 379/220.01, 379/221.02, 379/265.01, 379/260
• US Class Current: 379/76
• 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• 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 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A calling party may receive an audio logo or an audible announcement during a telecommunications call. Upon receipt of the call, a switch (30) within a network (10) accesses a service database (40) to determine if the call should receive an audio logo or audible announcements during call set-up. This determination is based on call attribute information such as the calling party number, the dialed number, the carrier identification code, trunk group characteristics, and/or “II” digits; and pre-provisioned data arrays, such as lists of originating numbers, destination numbers, carrier identification codes, trunk group characteristics, and/or II digits that should or should not receive an announcement or announcements. An announcement frame (50) in the switch (30) plays the announcement(s) to the calling party, while the switch simultaneously sets up the call to the called party (70). If the switch detects answering of the call by the called party while an announcement is still playing, the announcement will be abruptly terminated.

Claims

1. A method for determining which, if any, of a selected audible logo and an announcement are provided to a calling party during setup of a direct-dialed (non-operator-assisted) telephone call placed by a calling party to a called party across at least one telecommunications network that carries the call on a trunk group from an originating line independently of any disposition of the called party, comprising the steps of:

establishing at least one attribute for the direct-dialed (non-operator-assisted) call initiated by the calling party;

comparing the attribute to pre-provisioned data that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so which of said audible logo(s) and announcement(s) should be provided;

determining if a match exists between said call attribute and said pre-provisioned data, and if so, then identifying which of audible logo(s) and announcement(s) should be provided;

providing to the calling party the audible logo(s) and announcement(s), if any, identified during said determining step independently of any disposition of the called party; and

terminating the providing of the identified audible logo and/or announcement upon answering of the call by the called party.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call attribute comprises at least a portion of a calling party number and wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises at least one list of calling party originating telephone number portion entries, each list entry having an associated indicator that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so, an identifier of the at least one of the logo and announcement to be provided.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call attribute comprises at least a portion of a called party number and wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises at least one list of called party originating telephone number portion entries, each list entry having an associated indicator that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so, an identifier of the at least one of the logo and announcement to be provided.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call attribute comprises at a Carrier Identification Code and wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises at least one list of Carrier Identification Code entries, each list entry having an associated indicator that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so, an identifier of the at least one of the logo and announcement to be provided.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call attribute comprises at least one trunk group characteristic and wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises at least one list of trunk group characteristic entries, each list entry having an associated indicator that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so, an identifier of the at least one of the logo and announcement to be provided.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call attribute comprises Originating Line Information (II digits) wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises at least one list of II digit entries, each list entry having an associated indicator that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so, an identifier of the at least one of the logo and announcement to be provided.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call attribute includes at least two of the group including:

(1) calling party number portion, (2) dialed number portion (3) Carrier Identification Code, (4) trunk group characteristic, and (5) Originating Line Information (II) digits, and the wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises corresponding lists of (1) calling party number portion entries, (2) dialed number portion entries (3) Carrier Identification Code entries, (4) trunk group characteristic entries, and (5) Originating Line Information (II) digit entries, each entry on each list an associated indicator that indicates whether at least one of an audible logo and announcement should be provided, and if so, an identifier of the at least one of the logo and announcement to be provided.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the call attribute comprises the combination of a called party number portion and a Carrier Identification Code, and wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises corresponding lists of called party number portion entries and Carrier Identification Code entries.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the call attribute comprises the combination of a calling and called party number portions, and wherein the pre-provisioned data comprises corresponding lists of calling and called party number portion entries.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein an adjustment is made to a billing record for the call based on whether a message is provided, and if so, which message.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein a credit is provided to the billing record when the calling party receives an audible message is provided.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the billing record is debited when a message is provided.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the billing record is debited when no message is provided.