Network and method for call management

• US 6,804,716 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., Bilsel, Mustafa Sinasi
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/470,375
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/217, 709/219, 709/216, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A communications network for accessing a call management profile. The network includes a database storing the call management profile, a server in communication with the database for generating an interface document including the call management profile, and an AIN in communication with the server.

Claims

1. A communications network for accessing a call management profile by a user, comprising:

a database for storing the call management profile;

a server in communication with the database for generating in real-time an interface document including the call management profile when the user issues a database access request to the server; and

an AIN structure comprising an element, the AIN structure in communication with the server and for routing the database access request issued by the user to the server;

wherein the database, the server, and the interface document including the call management profile are located outside of the AIN structure;

wherein the server is further for generating the interface document in a text-based format when the user'"'"'s access mode is a browser and in an audio-based format when the user'"'"'s access mode is a telephone interface,

wherein the call management profile may be updated by the user directly in the interface document; and

wherein the server is further for providing data contained in the call management profile to the AIN element in response to a query therefrom.

2. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the text-based format includes a HTML document including the call management profile.

3. The communications network of the claim 1, wherein the audio-based format is a VoiceXML document including the call management profile.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the AIN includes:

a SSP switch; and

a SCP in communication with the SSP switch and the server, wherein the SCP retrieves the call management profile from the database via the server.

5. The network of claim 4, wherein the SCP is in communication with the server via a TCP/IP communications link.

6. The network of claim 4, wherein the SCP retrieves the call management profile from the database via the server in response to a TCAP query message from the SSP switch.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein the SSP switch sends the TCAP query message to the SCP in response to an originating trigger.

8. The network of claim 6, wherein the SSP switch sends the TCAP query message to the SCP in response to a terminating trigger.

9. The network of claim 4, wherein the AIN includes an intelligent resource server in communication with the SSP switch and the server for mapping an incoming call to an audio-based interface document generated by the server.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein the intelligent resource server is in communication with the server via a TCP/IP communications link.

11. The network of claim 9, wherein the intelligent resource server includes an audio-based interface interpreter for converting the audio-based interface document to a voice format.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the server generates a VoiceXML document including the call management profile, and the intelligent resource server includes a VoiceXML interpreter.

13. The network of claim 11, wherein the intelligent resource server includes a DTMF decoder.

14. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the text-based format is a XML document including the call management profile.

15. A method for accessing a call management profile by a user, comprising:

storing the call management profile in a database;

generating an interface document in real time with a server, the interface document containing the call management profile in a text-based format when the user'"'"'s access mode is a browser and in an audio-based format when the user'"'"'s access mode is a telephone interface in response to a database access request issued by the user via an AIN structure comprising an element, the AIN structure in communication with the server and for routing the database access request issued by the user to the server;

accessing the document via a TCP/IP communications link; and

updating the call management profile directly by the user in the interface document;

wherein the database, the server, and the interface document including the call management profile are located outside of the AIN structure;

wherein the call management profile may be updated by the user directly in the interface document; and

wherein the server is further for providing data contained in the call management profile to the AIN element in response to a query therefrom.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the interface document includes generating a VoiceXML document containing the call management profile.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein accessing the document includes routing a telephone call to an intelligent resource server in communication with the server.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the interface document includes generating a HTML document containing the call management profile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein accessing the document includes accessing the HTML document with a device including browsing software and in communication with the server.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying the call management profile.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein modifying the call management profile includes writing to the interface document via the TCP/IP communications link.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the text-based format includes a HTML document.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the text-based format includes a XML document.