System and method for routing a call to a voice mail system

• US 6,711,243 B1
• Filed: 03/26/1999
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holt, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAUTHIER, GERALD
• Application Number:
  US09/277,409
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211, 379/211-1-2, 379/88-3-, 379/142.01, 379/142.05, 379/142.07, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/207.13, 379/207.15, 379/210.01, 379/212.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.1, 379/88.04, 379/88.08, 379/88.12, 379/88.16, 379/88.18, 379/114.01, 379/207.05, 370/390
• US Class Current: 379/88.26
• 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 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

Routing a call to a voice mail system using subscriber information maintained in a database associated with a service control point. Once a call is received by the service node and the service node determines that a voice mail call should be originated, the service node sends a message including a voice mail indicator and a subscriber identifier to the service switching point. The service switching point uses the subscriber identifier to query the service control point for routing information. The service control point determines the voice mail access number associated with the subscriber using a database associated with the service control point. The service control point responds to the service switching point by providing the voice mail access number associated with the subscriber and setting the original called party number and the last redirecting party number to the directory number of the subscriber. The service switching point completes the call from the service node to the voice mail system using the information provided by the service control point.

Claims

1. A method for routing a call to a voice mail system, comprising:

receiving a call at a service node;

determining whether the call is directed to the voice mail system;

if the call is directed to the voice mail system, then formulating a first message that includes an access code indicating that the call is a voice mail call and a directory number associated with a subscriber;

sending the first message from the service node to a service switching point;

in response to receiving the first message, formulating a second message that includes the directory number associated with the subscriber;

sending the second message from the service switching point to a service control point;

formulating the third message that sets original called party number to the directory number associated with the subscriber;

sending the third message from the service control point to the service switching point;

formulating a fourth message that includes a voice mail access number corresponding to the directory number and sets a last redirecting party number to the directory number, after the service control point determines the voice mail access number by searching a database associated wvith the service control point;

sending the fourth message from the service control point to the service switching point; and

sending call integration information from the service switching point to the voice mail system, wherein the call integration information identifies both the original called party number and the last redirecting party number as the directory number associated with the subscriber such that the call is identified as bound for the subscriber'"'"'s mailbox in the voice mail system, regardless whether the call integration information is derived using the original called party number or the last redirecting party number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a custom dialing pattern message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is an INFO_ANALYZED query message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third message is an ANALYZE_ROUTE response message.

5. A system for routing a voice mail call to a voice mail system, comprising:

a service node for receiving a call, originating the voice mail call and formulating a message that includes a voice mail indicator and a subscriber identifier;

a service switching point for receiving the message from the service node and in response, formulating a query message that requests routing information, and sending the routing information to the voice mail system;

a service control point for receiving the query message from the service switching point and in response, accessing a database associated with the service control point to obtain a voice mail access number corresponding to the subscriber identifier, and formulating a response message that includes the routing information, the routing information comprising the voice mail access number, an original called party number set to the subscriber identifier, and a last redirecting party number set to the subscriber identifier, whereby the call is identified as bound for the subscriber'"'"'s mailbox in the voice mail system, regardless whether the call integration information is derived using the original called party number or the last redirecting party number.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the voice mail indicator and the subscriber identifier comprise a custom dialing pattern.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the query message is an INFO_ANALYZED query message.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the response message is an ANALYZE_ROUTE response message.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the service switching point formulates a second query message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second query message is a TERMINATION_ATTEMPT query message.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the service control point formulates a second response message.

12. system of claim 11, wherein the second response message is a FORWARD_CALL response message.

13. A method for routing a voice mail call to a voice mail system, comprising:

receiving a call at a service node;

originating the voice mail call by sending a custom dialing pattern message that includes an access code identifying the voice mail call and a subscriber identifier to a service switching point;

in response to receiving the custom dialing pattern message, sending a first query message requesting routing information from the service switching point to a service control point;

in response to receiving the first query message at the service control point, sending a first response message including instructions to route the call to a directory number corresponding to the subscriber identifier and setting an original called party number to the directory number;

sending a second query message fron the service switching point to the service control point;

in response to receiving the second query message at the service control point, determining a voice mail access number corresponding to the subscriber identifier by searching a database associated with the service switching point and sending a second response message including the voice mail access number and setting a last redirecting party number to the directing number; and

in response to receiving the second response message at the service switching point, sending call integration information from the service switching point to the voice mail system that identifies both the original called party number and the last redirecting party number as the directory number such that the call is identified as bound for the subscriber'"'"'s mailbox in the voice mail system, regardless whether the call integration information is derived using the original called party number or the last redirecting party number.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the subscriber identifier is the directory number.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first query message is an INFO_ANALYZED query message.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first response message is an ANALYZE_ROUTE response message.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the second query message is a TERMINATION_ATTEMPT query message.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the second response message is a FORWARD_CALL response message.