Systems and methods for no-answer redial and connect

• US 6,754,324 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Contractor, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US09/734,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 379/56.3, 379/209.01, 379/386, 379/67.1, 379/100.08, 455/528, 455/417, 455/445
• US Class Current: 379/209.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/424 Arrangements for automatic redialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27
• 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

Abstract

A calling party dials a called party, a no-answer status is received, and the called number is automatically redialed at intervals until receiving an answer status or reaching a maximum limit. Prompting a user for redial options may be included. A called party may be requested to select connection before the call is connected to the calling party.

Claims

1. A system for automatic redialing and connecting a calling party to a called party having an associated called number comprising:

a wire line telephone system adapted to receive the called number from the calling party, determine that said called number has a no-answer status, receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number, redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number, and connect said calling party to said called party when said called number has an answer status.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said wire line telephone system comprises:

a service switching point connected to a plurality of telephone subscriber locations, each of said subscriber locations including a respective wire line telephone and associated with a respective calling party;

a signal transfer point adapted to communicate with said service switching point; and

a service control point adapted to communicate with said signal transfer point, said service control point containing a database.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said service control point is adapted to determine whether said calling party is permitted to initiate automatic redialing and connecting.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said wire line telephone system further comprises:

a service node connected to said service switching point through a first data link, and connected to said service control point through a second data link.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said wire line telephone system further comprises a third data link connected to said signal transfer point and adapted to communicate with a wireless telephone system.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said service node is adapted to receive said called number from the calling party, determine that said called number has a no-answer status, receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number, redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number, and connect the calling party and the called party when said called number has an answer status.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein said service switching point is adapted to receive said called number from the calling party, determine that said called number has a no-answer status, receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number, redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number, and connect the calling party and the called party when said called number has an answer status.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said service node is adapted to prompt said calling party for said indication of a time interval for redialing the called number.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the service node is adapted to receive the indication of the time interval selected by the calling party the via one of either telephone keypad entry and voice recognition.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein said service switching point is adapted to receive said called number from the calling party, determine that said called number has a no-answer status, receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number, redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number, and connect the calling party and the called party when said called number has an answer status.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein said service switching point is adapted to prompt said calling party for said indication of a time interval for redialing the called number.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the service switching point is adapted to receive, from the calling party, the indication of the time interval selected by the calling party the via one of either telephone keypad entry and voice recognition.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the service node is adapted to receive, from the calling party, an indication of a maximum number of attempts for redialing the called number.

14. The system of claim 4 wherein said service node is adapted to prompt said called party for a connection selection, the connection selection selectively allowing the connection of the calling party with the called party after an answer status has been received.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the service switching point is adapted to receive, from the calling party, an indication of a maximum number of attempts for redialing the called number.

16. The system of claim 4 wherein said service node is adapted to receive a connection selection via one of either telephone keypad entry and voice recognition, the connection selection selectively allowing the connection of the calling party with the called party after an answer status has been received.

27. The system of claim 2 wherein said service switching point is adapted to receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number and redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number.

17. A system for automatic redialing and connecting a calling party to a called party having an associated called number comprising:

a wireless telephone system adapted to receive the called number from the calling party, determine that said called number has a no-answer status, receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number, redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number, and connect said calling party to said called party when said called number has an answer status.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said wireless telephone system comprises:

a home location register adapted to communicate with a mobile switching center;

said mobile switching center adapted to communicate with a plurality of cell sites;

said plurality of cell sites adapted to communicate with a plurality of wireless telephones;

a signal transfer point adapted to communicate with said mobile switching centers and said home location registers; and

a service control point adapted to communicate with said signal transfer point.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said wireless telephone system further comprises a service node adapted to communicate with said signal transfer point and to communicate with said mobile switching center.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said wireless telephone system further comprises a data link connected to said signal transfer point and adapted to communicate with a wire line telephone system.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein said mobile switching center is adapted to receive, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number and redial said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number.

21. A method for automatic redialing and connecting a calling party to a called party associated with a called number, comprising:

receiving a called number from the calling party;

dialing said called number;

determining that said called number has a no-answer status;

receiving, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for periodically redialing the called number; and

redialing said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising prompting the calling party for the indication of a time interval for periodically redialing the called number.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein redialing said called number comprises dialing said called number until receiving an answer status associated with the called number, and thereafter connecting the calling party with the called party.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining whether said calling party is authorized to initiate redialing said called number prior to redialing said called number.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein determining if said calling number is authorized comprises comparing a calling number of said calling party to a predetermined plurality of authorized calling numbers.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein receiving, from the calling party, an indication of a time interval for redialing the called number and redialing said called number at periodic intervals based on the indication of the time interval for redialing the called number is preformed by one of a service control point and a mobile switching center.

23. The method 21 of claim further comprising receiving, from the calling party, an indication of a maximum number of attempts for redialing the called number.