System and method for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device

• US 6,665,388 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/742,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20020076022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.07, 379/142.05, 379/245, 379/247, 379/207.13, 379/230
• 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 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• 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 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/64 Arrangements for signalling the number or class of the calling line to the operator between operators in inter- exchange working H04M5/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13092 Scanning of subscriber lines, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1315 Call waiting
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A system for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device. The system includes a switch and a service control point in communication with each other. The switch is for detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device from a calling party, wherein the switch is in communication with the telecommunications device by a first communications link. The service control point is for receiving a first message from the switch regarding detection of the incoming communication and for sending a second message to a data communications device, the second message containing information regarding the calling party, wherein the service control point is in communications with the data communications device by a second communications link.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device, comprising:

a switch for detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device from a calling party, wherein the switch is in communication with the telecommunications device by a first communications link;

a first service control point in communication with the switch for receiving a first message from the switch regarding detection of the incoming communication; and

a second service control point in communication with the first service control point for sending a second message to a data communications device, the second message containing information regarding the calling party, wherein the second service control point is in communications with the data communications device by a second communications link, wherein the data communications device includes a client call announcer module for displaying a log of previous incoming communications to the telecommunications device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a signal switching point switch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second service control points are in communication via a signal transfer point.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first service control point is for sending, in response to the first message, a third message to the second service control point containing the information regarding the calling party.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second service control point is for sending the second message to the data communications device via a TCP/IP network.

6. A method for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device, comprising:

detecting an incoming communication on a first communications link to the telecommunications device, wherein the incoming communication is from a calling party;

retrieving information regarding to the calling party at a first service control point in response to detection of the incoming communication;

sending a first message from the first service control point to a second service control point, the first message containing the information regarding the calling party; and

sending a second message from the second service control point to a data communications device via a second communications link, the second message containing the information regarding the calling party.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving, at the second service control point, an address for the data communications device in response to detection of the incoming communication, and wherein sending the second message includes sending the second message to the retrieved address of the data communications device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

retrieving an address includes retrieving an IP address of the data communications device; and

sending the second message includes sending the second message to the IP address of the data communications device via a TCP/IP network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein retrieving an address includes retrieving a permanent IP address of the data communications device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein retrieving an address includes:

receiving a temporary IP address for the data communications device from the data communications device prior to detecting the incoming communication; and

retrieving the temporary IP address in response to detection of the incoming communication.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying the information regarding the calling party on the data communications device.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

accumulating the information regarding the calling party in a log; and

displaying the log on the data communications device.

13. A system for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device, comprising:

means for detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device on a first communications link, wherein the incoming message is from a calling party;

a first service control point for retrieving information regarding the calling party in response to detection of the incoming communication; and

a second service control point, in communication with the first service control point, for sending a message to a data communications device via a second communications link, the message containing the information regarding the calling party.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second service control point is further for retrieving an address for the data communications device in response to detection of the incoming communication, and wherein the second service control point is for sending the message to the retrieved address of the data communications device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the address includes an IP address of the data communications device; and

the second service control point is for sending the message to the IP address of the data communications device via a TCP/IP network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second service control point is for retrieving a permanent IP address of the data communications device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the second service control point is further for:

receiving a temporary IP address for the data communications device from the data communications device prior to detection of the incoming communication; and

retrieving the temporary IP address in response to detection of the incoming communication.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for displaying the information regarding the calling party on the data communications device.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for accumulating the information regarding the calling party in a log; and

means for displaying the log on the data communications device.

20. A method for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device, comprising:

detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device on a first communications link, wherein the incoming communication is from a calling party;

retrieving information regarding to the calling party at a first service control point in response to detection of the incoming communication;

sending a first message from the first service control point to a second service control point, the first message containing the information regarding the calling party; and

sending a second message from the second service control point to an internet service provider via a second communications link, the second message containing the information regarding the calling party.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the internet service provider accumulating the information regarding the calling party in a log.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the internet service provider sending a third message to a data communications device, the third message containing the log.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising accessing the internet service provider to view the log.

24. A system for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device, comprising:

a switch for detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device from a calling party, wherein the switch is in communication with the telecommunications device by a first communications link;

a first service control point in communication with the switch for receiving a first message from the switch regarding detection of the incoming communication; and

a second service control point in communication with the first service control point for sending a second message to a data communications device, the second message containing information regarding the calling party, wherein the second service control point is in communications with the data communications device by a second communications link.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the switch is a signal switching point switch.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first and second service control points are in communication via a signal transfer point.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first service control point is for sending, in response to the first message, a third message to the second service control point containing the information regarding the calling party.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the second service control point is for sending the second message to the data communication device via a TCP/IP network.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the data communications device includes a client call announcer module.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the client call announcer is for logging the information regarding the calling party.