Advanced call sequencing service

• US 6,516,060 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silverman, David Phillip, Westrich, Robert S., Goldman, Shelley B., Wang, Shaoqing Q., Foladare, Mark Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US09/097,223
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 379/209, 379/210, 379/211, 379/355, 379/350, 379/209.01, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/211.03, 379/212.01, 379/355.01, 379/90.01, 379/92.04, 379/93.05
• US Class Current: 379/211.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained

Abstract

A communications system is designed to prevent premature termination of the sequencing process for sequencing calls by a) disabling voice mail features for all calls in the sequence, except for the last call in such sequence and b) insuring that the sequencing subscriber is available to personally answer the sequencing call at each telephone number in the sequence to which such sequencing call is completed.

Claims

1. A network method of completing a sequencing call, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing a database to retrieve a pre-determined sequence of telephone numbers to which a call can be directed for communications between a caller and an intended party;

directing a call to a telephone number in said sequence;

receiving an answer indication from a telephone at the telephone number;

transmitting a signal requesting an authorized identification signal corresponding to the intended called party;

wherein the signal requesting an authorized identification signal corresponding to the intended call party includes at least one of an in-band signal and an out-of-band signal that is connected to the telephone at the telephone number, and said in-band signal and said out-of-band signal disables a voice-messaging system corresponding to the telephone at the telephone number;

upon receiving the authorized identification signal corresponding to the intended called party, completing the call;

upon failing to receive the authorized identification signal corresponding to the intended called party, directing the call in an alternative manner, wherein the authorized identification signal corresponding to the intended called party comprises a dial pad actuation signal.

2. A network method as recited in claim 1 wherein said alternative manner of directing the call is determined by position data indicating the position of the call to the telephone number within said pre-determined sequence of telephone numbers.

3. A network method as recited in claim 2 wherein said alternative manner of directing the call includes, if the telephone number is not the last telephone number in said sequence, forwarding the call to the next telephone number in said sequence.

4. A network method as recited in claim 2 wherein said alternative manner of directing the call include, if the telephone number is the last telephone number in said sequence, terminating the telephone call.

5. A network method as recited in claim 1 wherein said in-band signal and said out-of-band signal are transmitted by a terminating switch.