Method and system for using caller preferences to direct special call handling

• US 6,891,942 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Waller, Carol, Porter, Kelvin
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/397,214
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/127, 379/142, 379/201, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/215, 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/207.02, 379/207.11, 379/207.13, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/211.02, 379/212.01
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• 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 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A caller may establish preferences regarding special call handling of a call to a called. The caller may be notified when a special call handling option is about to be performed. The called may have the option of skipping the call handling option or aborting the call. In another alternative, the preferences of the caller are obtained and stored prior to the placement of the call. These preferences are then used to guide special call handling during the course of the call. In this fashion, the caller need not be a passive party relative to special call handling but may provide input so as to help guide special call handling.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller regarding special call handling;

receiving a call from the caller to a called;

determining that the call is subject to a special call handling plan, the special call handling plan including re-directing the call to an alternate destination based on the stored preferences established by the caller and including forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

providing the caller with a notification that the call is to be subject to special call handling and that the call is to be sent to voice mail;

prompting the caller for input; and

handling the call in accordance with the input provided by the caller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

asking the caller if the caller wishes to abort the call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input from the caller is DTMF input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the call is performed by a switching device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing comprises notifying the caller that the call is to be forwarded.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the caller that the call is on second call and that the second call is going to be interrupted.

7. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller regarding special call handling;

receiving a call from the caller to a called;

determining that the call is subject to a special call handling plan, the special call handling plan including re-directing the call to an alternate destination based on the stored preferences established by the caller and specifying forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

providing the caller with a notification that the call is to be subject to special call handling;

prompting the caller for input including asking the caller if the caller wishes to skip one of the forwarding options; and

handling the call in accordance with the input provided by the caller.

8. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller regarding special call handling;

receiving a call from the caller to a called;

determining that the call is subject to a special call handling plan, the special call handling plan including re-directing the call to an alternate destination based on the stored preferences established by the caller;

providing the caller with a notification that the call is to be subject to special call handling and that the call is to be sent to a voice mail;

prompting the caller for input, wherein the input from the caller is spoken input; and

handling the call in accordance with the input provided by the caller.

9. In telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller regarding special call handling prior to receiving a call from the caller to a called wherein the preferences include skipping a special call handling option in favor of another special call handling option and forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

performing special call handling on the call in accordance with the stored preferences established by the caller; and

identifying the stored preferences as the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding special call handling of the call.

10. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller regarding special call handling prior to receiving a call from the caller to a called;

performing special call handling on the call in accordance with the stored preferences established by the caller;

associating special call handling preferences with a phone number, the special call handling preferences including forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

determining a phone number of a phone where the call originated; and

identifying the stored preferences as the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding special call handling of the call based on the determined phone number from where the call originated.

11. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller regarding special call handling prior to receiving a call from the caller to a called, the preferences including aborting the call before a selected special call handling option takes place and including forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

performing special call handling on the call in accordance with the stored preferences established by the caller; and

identifying the stored preferences as the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding special call handling of the call.

12. A system for providing interactive call handling, comprising:

a special call handling unit for providing special call handling for a call from a caller to a called as configured for the called;

a caller preference identifier coupled to the handling unit for identifying the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding special call handling of the call and for conveying the caller'"'"'s preferences so as to affect the special call handling of the call, wherein the call preference identifier includes a notification generator coupled to the handling unit for generating a notification to the caller that a special call handling option is to be performed on the call prior to the special call handling option being performed; and

a storage for storing the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding the special call handling of the call and wherein the call preference identifier accesses the storage to identify the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding special call handling of the call, wherein the special handling includes attempting forwarding options in sequence until the call is answered.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the caller preference identifier interactively obtains the caller'"'"'s preferences regarding special call handling of the call.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the handling unit provides voice mail as a type of special call handling.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the handling unit provides call forwarding as a type of special call handling.

16. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller;

receiving a call from the caller to a called;

determining that the call is to be subject to a call handling plan, the call handling plan being associated with the preferences and including forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

handling the call in accordance with the call handling plan and based on the stored preferences established by the caller; and

notifying the caller that the call is to be sent to voice mail.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the call handling plan comprises redirecting the call to an alternative destination.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving the call is performed by a switching device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of providing comprises notifying the caller that the call is to be forwarded.

20. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller;

receiving a call from the caller to a called;

determining that the call is to be subject to a call handling plan, the call handling plan being associated with the preferences and including forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered, and wherein the call handling plan includes the option to skip one of the forwarding option; and

handling the call in accordance with the call handling plan and based on the stored preferences established by the caller.

21. In a telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:

storing preferences established by a caller;

receiving a call from the caller to a called;

determining that the call is to be subject to a call handling plan, the call handling plan being associated with the preferences;

handling the call in accordance with the call handling plan and based on the stored preferences established by the caller in response to a spoken input from the caller; and

notifying the caller that the call is to be sent to voice mail.

22. A method of providing special call handling of a call placed by a caller to a called, the method comprising:

determining whether the call is subject to special call handling based on stored preferences established by the caller, the special handling including forwarding options that are attempted in sequence until the call is answered;

notifying the caller that the call is to be subject to special call handling and selectively indicating that the call is forwarded to a voice mail system; and

prompting the caller for an input to determine how the call is to be processed.