System and method for customized telephone greeting annoucements

• US 6,795,530 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommWorks Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Lanny, Smets, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US09/606,062
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/207.02, 379/207.15, 379/211-1-2, 379/221-8-2, 379/76, 379/77, 379/69, 379/70, 379/71, 379/72, 379/85
• US Class Current: 379/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party

Abstract

A system and method for providing customized announcements to callers based on the called party telephone number and the calling party telephone number. The system comprises a server system and a messaging system. The server system detects that a customized announcement is to be delivered and the messaging system delivers the announcement to the caller. The customized announcements may be provided in conjunction with voicemail systems or other services for processing calls when a called party is not available. In a preferred embodiment the customized announcements are provided via a service node in an advanced intelligent network.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a subscriber to provide customized announcements to callers, said method comprising:

populating a database on a server system with a subscriber telephone number, a list of designated caller numbers, associated caller names, and associated announcements;

storing a plurality of announcements on a messaging system, wherein each announcement is associated with at least one caller number from the list of designated caller numbers;

determining a caller'"'"'s called party number and a caller'"'"'s calling party number;

providing an announcement associated with the calling party number when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, and the calling party number appears only once in the list of designated caller numbers, wherein the server system comprises a service node; and

providing the announcement associated with the calling party number and a caller name when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, the calling party number appears more than once in the list of designated caller numbers, and a caller has entered the caller name after being prompted, wherein the server system comprises a service node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising provisioning a trigger on the subscriber telephone number at a service switching point;

suspending a call to the subscriber telephone number; and

routing the call to the server system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the trigger is a termination attempt trigger.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a default announcement when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number and the calling party number is not in the list of designated caller numbers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the populating a database on a server system comprises:

receiving a call from the subscriber;

authenticating the subscriber; and

prompting the subscriber to enter a caller number, a caller name, and an announcement.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising updating the database according to an instruction received from the subscriber.

7. A method for allowing a subscriber to provide customized announcements to callers, said method comprising:

populating a database on a server system with a subscriber telephone number, a list of designated caller numbers, associated caller names, and associated announcements;

storing a plurality of announcements on a messaging system, wherein each announcement is associated with at least one caller number from the list of designated caller numbers;

determining a caller'"'"'s called party number and a caller'"'"'s calling party number;

providing an announcement associated with the calling party number when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, and the calling party number appears only once in the list of designated caller numbers, wherein the messaging system comprises a service node; and

providing the announcement associated with the calling party number and a caller name when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, the calling party number appears more than once in the list of designated caller numbers, and a caller has entered the caller name after being prompted, wherein the messaging system comprises a service node.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of providing a default announcement when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number and the calling party number is not in the list of designated caller numbers.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the populating a database on a server system comprises receiving a call from the subscriber, authenticating the subscriber;

and prompting the subscriber to enter a caller number, a caller name and an announcement.

10. A method for allowing a subscriber to provide customized announcements to callers, said method comprising:

populating a database on a server system with a subscriber telephone number, a list of designated caller numbers, associated caller names, and associated announcements;

storing a plurality of announcements on a messaging system, wherein each announcement is associated with at least one caller number from the list of designated caller numbers;

determining a caller'"'"'s called party number and a caller'"'"'s calling party number;

providing an announcement associated with the calling party number when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, and the calling party number appears only once in the list of designated caller numbers, wherein the server system and the messaging system comprise a service node; and

providing the announcement associated with the calling party number and a caller name when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers the calling party number appears more than once in the list of designated caller numbers, and a caller has entered the caller name after being prompted, wherein the server system and the messaging system comprises a service node.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a default announcement when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number and the calling party number is not in the list of designated caller numbers.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the populating a database on a server system comprises receiving a call from the subscriber, authenticating the subscriber;

and prompting the subscriber to enter a caller number, a caller name, and an announcement.

13. A method for allowing a subscriber to provide customized announcements to callers, said method comprising:

populating a database on a service node with a subscriber telephone number, a list of designated caller numbers, associated caller names, and associated announcements;

storing a plurality of announcements on the service node, wherein each announcement is associated with at least one caller number from the list of designated caller numbers;

provisioning a trigger on a service switching point for the subscriber telephone number;

sending a query from the service switching point to a service control point in response to a call to the subscriber telephone number, said query comprising a caller'"'"'s called party number and a caller'"'"'s calling party number;

sending a response from the service control point to the service switching point, said response instructing the service switching point to connect the call to a messaging system when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone numbers and the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, and the calling party number appears only once in the list of designated caller numbers, wherein said response identifies an announcement associated with the calling party number;

sending said response from the service control point to the service switching point, said response instructing the service switching point to connect the call to a messaging system when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, the calling party number appears more than once in the list of designated caller numbers and a caller has entered a caller name after being prompted, wherein said response identifies the announcement associated with the calling party number and the caller name;

connecting the call to the messaging system; and

providing the caller with the announcement.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the trigger is a termination attempt trigger.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the query and the response comprise transaction capabilities application part messages.

16. A system for allowing a subscriber to provide customized announcements to callers, said system comprising:

a database on a server system, said database comprising a subscriber telephone number, a list of designated caller numbers, associated caller names, and associated announcements;

a messaging system in communication with the server system, said messaging system comprising a plurality of announcements, wherein each announcement is associated with at least one caller number from the list of designated caller numbers; and

a module on the server system, wherein said module determines a caller'"'"'s called party number and a caller'"'"'s calling party number,

wherein when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, and the calling party number appears only once in the list of designated caller numbers, the server system instructs the messaging system to provide a caller with an announcement associated with the calling party number,

wherein when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, the calling party number appears more than once in the list of designated caller numbers and the caller has entered a caller name after being prompted, the server system instructs the messaging system to provide the caller with the announcement associated with the calling party number and the caller name,

wherein the server system is a service node.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number and the calling party number is not in the list of designated caller numbers the server system instructs the messaging system to provide the caller with a default announcement.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a voice mail system, wherein the subscriber telephone number is a voice mail number for the subscriber.

19. A system for allowing a subscriber to provide customized announcements to callers, said system comprising:

a database on a server system, said database comprising a subscriber telephone number, a list of designated caller numbers, associated caller names, and associated announcements;

a messaging system in communication with the server system, said messaging system comprising a plurality of announcements, wherein each announcement is associated with at least one caller number from the list of designated caller numbers; and

a module on the server system, wherein said module determines a caller'"'"'s called party number and a caller'"'"'s calling party number,

wherein when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, and the calling party number appears only once in the list of designated caller numbers, the server system instructs the messaging system to provide a caller with an announcement associated with the calling party number,

wherein when the called party number matches the subscriber telephone number, the calling party number is in the list of designated caller numbers, the calling party number appears more than once in the list of designated caller numbers and the caller has entered a caller name after being prompted, the server system instructs the messaging system to provide the caller with the announcement associated with the calling party number and the caller name,

wherein the messaging system includes a service node.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the database and module are on a service control point and wherein the messaging system is on a service node.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a voice mail system, wherein the subscriber telephone number is a voice mail number for the subscriber.