Internet caller identification system and method

• US 6,816,481 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Culli, Laura Kay, Machacek, Michael Albert, Sabinson, Richard Everett, Adams, Thomas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RYMAN, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/545,459
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/352-356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/410, 370/522, 379/88-1-, 379/88-9-, 379/201.01, 379/201.12, 379/211.01, 379/215.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.1, 379/221.11, 379/221.12
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• 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 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing
• 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 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer

Abstract

The present invention is an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) based system and method that allows a subscriber connected to the Internet via a dial-up connection to receive caller identification information concerning an incoming telephone call. The information may be provided via a pop-up dialog box on the subscriber'"'"'s display, which includes but is not limited to a monitor of a personal computer (PC). The information displayed to the subscriber includes the name and number of the calling party, if available. In addition, several disposition options are presented to the subscriber solely via the Internet which, upon selection, determine the handling of the incoming call.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a subscriber connected to the Internet via a dial-up connection to receive notification and caller identification information associated with an incoming call from a calling party to the subscriber, the method comprising:

receiving the incoming call at a terminating switch;

suspending the call at the terminating switch;

launching a first query in response to a request from the calling party to establish a connection with the subscriber;

accessing a service control point (SCP) in response to the first query;

launching a second query from the SCP to a Registration Server (RS) to determine the subscriber'"'"'s Internet status, the subscriber'"'"'s Internet status comprising whether the subscriber is connected to the Internet;

receiving a response at the SCP from the RS indicating the subscriber'"'"'s Internet status is active, the response comprising an IP address, port number, and subscriber key information associated with the subscriber'"'"'s Internet session;

determining identification information associated with the calling party;

playing a first announcement to the calling party;

sending a message from an Internet Call Waiting Server (ICWS), solely via the Internet, to client software on the subscriber'"'"'s computer, including notification and caller identification information associated with the incoming call;

receiving the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection, solely via the Internet, at the ICWS;

playing a second announcement to the calling party; and

handling the call according to the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection,

wherein the subscriber is able to control disposition of calls while being connected to the Internet.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handling further comprises routing the call from the terminating switch to a destination.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a name and a telephone number of the calling party.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection is to accept the incoming telephone call, the client software sends a de-registration request to the RS and terminates the Internet dial-up connection, and the incoming call is terminated to the subscriber.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection includes forwarding the call to a voice mail service, the SCP instructs the switch to terminate the incoming telephone call to the subscriber, the call then being forwarded to the voice mail service.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection includes forwarding the call to another telephone line, the SCP instructs the switch to forward the incoming telephone call to the another telephone line.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection includes playing a message to the caller, the SCP instructs the switch to play a message to the caller.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the message comprises advising the calling party to attempt the call later.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the message comprises advising the calling party that the subscriber will return the call.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first announcement advises the calling party to hold the telephone line.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second announcement advises the calling party of the subscriber'"'"'s selected disposition of the telephone call.

12. A system for allowing a subscriber connected to the Internet via a dial-up connection to receive notification and caller identification information concerning an incoming call from a calling party to the subscriber, the system comprising:

a service control point (SCP) storing processing instructions for the subscriber;

a switch associated with the subscriber that receives the incoming call, the switch having an AIN trigger set to launch a query in response to a request from a calling party to establish a connection with the subscriber, the switch sending the query to the SCP in response to the trigger, receiving routing instructions from the SCP, and playing announcements in response to instructions from the SCP;

a Registration Server (RS) that receives registration requests from client software and stores information related to the subscriber'"'"'s online status, the RS responding to queries from the SCP with information about the subscriber'"'"'s online status;

a Heartbeat Server (HS) that updates the RS with the subscriber'"'"'s online status, receives heartbeat messages from the client software via the Internet, and receives deregistration requests from the client software, the HS comparing information associated with the received heartbeat messages with client registration information in a memory, and sending a message to the RS when there is an interruption of heartbeat messages from the client software; and

an Internet Call Waiting Server (ICWS) comprising a communications interface between the SCP and client software, the communications interface receiving information from the SCP and forwarding the information to the subscriber solely via the Internet, the communications interface receiving the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection solely from the Internet and forwarding the disposition selection to the SCP, the communications interface forwarding de-registration requests from the client software to the HS.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein in response to routing instructions received from the SCP, the switch routes the call in accordance with the instructions to its destination.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the client software communicates solely via TCP/IP utilizing the Internet with the RS, HS, and ICWS.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the HS communicates with the RS solely via TCP/IP utilizing the Internet.

16. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a terminal device storing the client software of the subscriber, the client software alerting the subscriber to the incoming call, sending registration and de-registration requests, and sending the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection to the ICWS.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein when the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection comprises accepting the call, the client software sends a de-registration request to the RS and terminates the Internet dial-up connection, the incoming call then being terminated to the subscriber.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein when the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection comprises forwarding the call to voice mail, the SCP instructs the switch to terminate the incoming telephone call to the subscriber, the incoming call then being forwarded to the voice mail service.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein when the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection comprises forwarding the call to another number, the SCP instructs the switch to forward the incoming telephone call to another telephone line.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein when the subscriber'"'"'s disposition selection comprises playing a message to the caller, the SCP instructs the switch to play a message to the caller.

21. The system according to claim 20, in which the message advises the calling party to attempt the call later.

22. The system according to claim 20, in which the message advises the calling party that the subscriber will return the call.