Methods and apparatus for providing call screening and other communication services

• US 6,697,461 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Middleswarth, Susan M., Wurster, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSTER, ROLAND G
• Application Number:
  US09/505,146
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/79, 379/80, 379/88.01, 379/88.16, 379/88-9-, 379/88-2-, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/210.01, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/221-8-2, 379/229, 379/230, 379/93.26, 379/372, 379/373.01, 379/373.02, 379/370.02
• US Class Current: 379/88.24
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

Call screening is provided by a call processing method, involving detecting a first call directed to the premises of a service subscriber requesting call processing instructions from a service control point in response to the first call, operating the service control point to instruct the signal switching point to temporarily park the first call at the signal switching point, and controlling the disposition of the first call as a function of a determination as to whether a second call to the service subscriber was answered by a machine or a human being.

Claims

1. A call processing method, comprising the steps of:

detecting, using a trigger set at a signal switching point, a first call directed to the premises of a service subscriber;

requesting call processing instructions from a service control point in response to the first call activating said trigger;

operating the service control point to instruct the signal switching point to;

i) temporarily park the first call at the signal switching point; and

ii) utilize an intelligent peripheral device coupled to the switch as an outside resource to play messages and obtain additional input to be used by the service control point in determining how the signal switching point should dispose of the first call;

initiating a second call to the premises of the service subscriber;

determining if the second call is answered by a machine or a human being; and

controlling the disposition of the first call as a function of the determination as to whether the second call was answered by a machine or a human being.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the disposition of the first call includes the step of:

completing the first call to the premises of the first subscriber when it is determined that the second call is answered by a machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of completing the first call includes the step of bridging the first and second calls.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

playing a message to a calling party associated with the first call indicating that the first call is being connected to an answering machine.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of controlling the disposition of the first call includes the step of:

requesting call disposition input from the human being when it is determined that the second call is answered by a human being.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the disposition of the first call includes the step of:

requesting call disposition input from the human being when it is determined that the second call is answered by a human being.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of:

determining if the second call is answered by a machine or a human being includes the steps of;

playing a message requesting input;

monitoring for the requested input; and

determining that the second call was answered by a human being when the requested input is received.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of playing a message requesting input includes the step of:

playing an audio message requesting input which can be entered by pressing at least one key of a telephone keypad.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring for the requested input includes the step of:

monitoring for a DTMF tone corresponding to at least part of the requested input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the second call is answered by a machine includes the step of:

monitoring for a signal indicative of a machine answering the second call.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal indicative of a machine answering the second call is an audible tone used as a recording prompt.