Method and system for processing a telephone call

• US 6,532,286 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burg, Frederick Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Creighton
• Application Number:
  US09/219,223
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 379/209, 379/207, 379/211, 379/210, 379/201, 379/88.17, 379/900, 379/93.01, 379/93.35
• US Class Current: 379/209.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

The invention discloses a method and system for processing a telephone call to an on-line subscriber, when the subscriber telephone line is busy as a result of the on-line connection. The incoming call is forwarded to a server, where the calling station is given an option to leave a recorded message and particulars of the call (date and time) and calling station (telephone number and caller identification) are stored in a call-back list server. The system sends an alerting message to the data terminal of the on-line subscriber, where an icon, representing calls stored in the call-back list, is displayed to the subscriber. The subscriber may review particulars of calls stored in the call-back list and may return calls while remaining on-line using Internet telephony, or by other means, such as a TAPI interface. The subscriber may also review or retrieve stored messages in the voice-mail server while remaining on-line.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a telephone call directed to a called station from a calling station; and

responsive to a data terminal at the called station being connected to an internet access server by a data connection and a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station,

storing particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station in a call-back server.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising responsive to the data terminal being connected to the server, sending an alerting message to the data terminal using the data connection.

3. A method according to claim 2, the alerting message including the particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing a voice message from the calling station in a voice-mail server.

5. A method, comprising:

connecting a data terminal at a called station to an internet access server including a call-back server by a data connection; and

setting a not-available-for-incoming-calls state for the called station.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising receiving an alerting message, the alerting message responsive to a call from a calling station to the called station.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising displaying an icon on a display of the data terminal.

8. A method according to claim 7, the icon displaying particulars of the calling station.

9. A method according to claim 7, the icon displaying particulars of the call.

10. A method according to claim 5, further comprising placing a return call from the called station to the calling station using the particulars of the calling station.

11. A method according to claim 5, further comprising placing an internet telephony return call from the called station to the calling station using the particulars of the calling station.

12. A method according to claim 5, further comprising placing a return call from the called station to the calling station using a TAPI interface and the particulars of the calling station.

13. A method according to claim 5, further comprising retrieving a voice-mail message from a voice-mail server using the data connection.

14. A system comprising:

a server;

a call-back list stored in a call back server; and

a data connection for connecting the server to a data terminal at a called station, wherein particulars of a call from a calling station to the called station are stored in the call-back list as a result of a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station.

15. A system according to claim 14, further comprising a voice-mail server.

16. A system comprising:

a data terminal at a called station; and

a data connection, for connecting the data terminal to a server, wherein particulars of a call from a calling station to the called station and particulars of the calling station are stored in a call-back server as a result of a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station.

17. A system according to claim 16, the data terminal including the call-back list.

18. A system according to claim 16, further comprising an icon on a display of the data terminal.

19. A system according to claim 18, the icon including particulars of the calling station.

20. A system according to claim 18, the icon including particulars of the call.

21. A system comprising:

means for receiving a telephone call directed to a called station from a calling station; and

responsive to a data terminal at the called station being connected to a server by a data connection and a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station, means for storing particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station in a call-back server.

22. A system according to claim 21, further comprising means for sending an alerting message to the data terminal.

23. A system according to claim 22, the alerting message including particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station.

24. A system according to claim 21, further comprising means for storing a voice message from the calling station.

25. A system comprising:

means for connecting a data terminal at a called station to an internet access server including a call-back server; and

means for setting a not-available-for-incoming-calls state for the called station.

26. A system according to claim 25, further comprising means for placing a return call from the called station to the calling station using the particulars of the calling station.

27. A system according to claim 25, further comprising means for displaying an icon at the called station, the means for displaying being responsive to the alerting message.

28. A system according to claim 27, the icon including particulars of the calling station.

29. A system according to claim 27, the icon including particulars of the call.

30. A system according to claim 25, further comprising means for retrieving a voice-mail message using the connecting means.

31. A method for processing a telephone call comprising:

receiving a call directed to a called station from a calling station;

responsive to the called station having established a data connection between a data terminal at the called station and a server, forwarding the call to the server;

responsive to the call, sending an alerting message from the server to the data terminal using the data connection;

responsive to a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station, storing particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station in a call-back server;

responsive to the alerting message, displaying an icon on a display of the data terminal; and

placing a return call from the called station to the calling station using the particulars of the calling station stored in a call-back list stored in the call-back server.

32. A system comprising:

a data terminal at a called station;

a data connection;

a server connected to the data terminal using the data connection;

a switch communicating with the called station and a calling station, the switch receiving a call directed from the calling station to the called station and forwarding the call to the server, the server sending an alerting message to the data terminal over the data connection;

a call-back list stored in a call-back server, the call-back list storing particulars of the call and the calling station as a result of a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station; and

an icon, the icon displayed on the data terminal in response to the alerting message.

33. Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium, the code for processing a telephone call, the code comprising:

code responsive to a data terminal at a called station being connected to a server by a data connection and a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station to process calls from a calling station to the called station; and

code to store particulars of the call and the calling station in a call-back server.

34. Computer executable software code according to claim 33, further comprising code to send an alerting message from the server to the data terminal.

35. A computer-readable medium having computer executable software code stored thereon, the code for processing a telephone call, the code comprising:

code responsive to a data terminal at a called station being connected to a server by a data connection and a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station to process calls from a calling station to the called station; and

code to store particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station in a call-back server.

36. A computer-readable medium according to claim 35, further comprising code to send an alerting message from the server to the data terminal.

37. A programmed computer for processing a telephone call, comprising:

a memory having at least one region for storing computer executable program code; and

a processor for executing the program code stored in the memory;

wherein the program code includes code responsive to a data terminal at a called station being connected to a server including a call-back server by a data connection and a not-available-for-incoming-calls state being set at the called station to process calls from a calling station to the called station; and

code to store particulars of the call and particulars of the calling station in a call-back list.

38. A programmed computer according to claim 37, further comprising code to send an alerting message from the server to the data terminal.

39. Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium, the code for processing a telephone call, the code comprising:

code connecting a data terminal at a called station to a server including a call-back server by a data connection; and

code setting a not-available-for-incoming-calls state at the called station.

40. Computer executable software code according to claim 39, further comprising code to display an icon on a display of the data terminal .

41. Computer executable software code according to claim 39, further comprising code to store particulars of the call and particulars of a calling station in a call-back list.

42. A computer-readable medium having computer executable software code stored thereon, the code for processing a telephone call, the code comprising:

code connecting a data terminal at a called station to a server including a call-back server by a data connection; and

code setting a not-available-for-incoming-calls state at the called station.

43. A computer-readable medium according to claim 42, further comprising code to display an icon on a display of the data terminal.

44. A computer-readable medium according to claim 42, further comprising code to store particulars of the call and particulars of a calling station in a call-back list.

45. A programmed computer for processing a telephone call, comprising:

a memory having at least one region for storing computer executable program code;

a processor for executing the program code stored in the memory;

wherein the program code includes code connecting a data terminal at a called station to a server including a call-back server by a data connection; and

code setting a not-available-for-incoming-calls state at the called station.

46. A programmed computer according to claim 45, further comprising code to display an icon on a display of the data terminal.

47. A programmed computer according to claim 45, further comprising code to store particulars of the call and particulars of a calling station in a call-back list.

48. A method for processing the call at a called station in an online state, comprising:

receiving a call at a called station in an on-line state;

determining if the called party subscribes to a call back list;

determining whether the subscriber has set a not-available-for-incoming calls state for the called party;

checking a data record of the called party to determine if a call forwarding function may be activated by a server; and

setting up a call back list monitor for calls forwarded to the server as a result of the called party station being in an online state.

49. A method for call processing for a called station in an online condition, comprising:

receiving an incoming forwarded call at the called station;

checking the contents of a data record of the called station to determine if the call subscriber has set a not-available-for-incoming call state;

exiting the program if the not-available-for-incoming call state has not been set, otherwise, informing calling station that the called station is busy;

providing a message recording option to the calling party;

storing a voice message in a voice mail server;

collecting particulars of the calling station including calling station telephone number, date and time of call, and length of any message;

storing calling station particulars in a call back server; and

sending an alert message to the called station with the calling station particulars.

50. A telephone call process for called stations in an online condition, comprising:

displaying calls stored in a call-back list stored in a call-back server;

selecting a call-back icon;

displaying particulars of calls stored in the call-back lists;

selecting a specific call to return;

displaying return call options;

returning the specific call using Internet telephony after activating Internet telephony;

or

returning the specific call using public telephony after activating a Telephone Application Programming Interface; and

conducting the specific call with calling party selected from the call-back list.