Voice over IP method of determining caller identification

• US 6,996,211 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Douglas F., Brandt, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/328,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20040120478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215.01, 379/142.01, 379/142.02, 379/143.03, 379/143.04, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/211.02, 379/142.16, 370/356, 370/352, 455/415
• US Class Current: 379/88.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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 3/436 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 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols

Abstract

Before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device; caller identification information for the calling telephony device is obtained for the call. If standard caller identification information is not available, the caller is prompted to provide spoken caller identification information. The caller identification information is communicated to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol such as VoIP where a continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points. The called party is given call disposition options. The process which controls this operation may be located anywhere in the network, including at switching equipment and at the called telephony device.

Claims

1. A method for providing caller identification information, the method comprising:

before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device, determining if caller identification information for the calling telephony device can be provided;

obtaining the caller identification information and communicating the caller identification information to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol where continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points if the caller identification information can be provided;

if the caller identification information can not be provided, prompting the calling party associated with the calling telephony device via the connectionless protocol to provide spoken caller identification information, including

prompting the calling party to record a name;

storing data representative of the name;

converting the stored data into a plurality of data packets with each data packet including an Internet address of a source node and an Internet address of a destination node; and

transmitting the data packets in a random order from a gateway computer associated with the calling telephony device to a gateway computer associated with the called telephony device; and

communicating the spoken caller identification information via a plurality of data packets to the called telephony device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

via one or more data packets communicated to the calling telephony device, prompting the calling party to provide an access code;

validating the access code provided by the calling party; and

completing the call to the called telephony device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the caller identification information can not be provided, communicating a plurality of data packets according to the connectionless protocol to present a no solicitation message to the calling party.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the caller identification information can not be provided, communicating a plurality of data packets according to the connectionless protocol to prompt the calling party to unblock the caller identification information.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the caller identification information can not be provided, communicating a plurality of data packets according to the connectionless protocol to prompt the calling party to provide an access code; and

validating the access code if provided by the calling party.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the caller identification information can not be provided, communicating a plurality of data packets according to the connectionless protocol to prompt a called party associated with the called telephony device to select a call disposition option; and

processing the call according to the call disposition option selected by the called party.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the caller identification information can not be provided, communicating a plurality of data packets according to the connectionless protocol to block future calls from the calling telephony device.

7. A method for providing caller identification information, the method comprising:

before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device, determining if caller identification information for the calling telephony device can be provided;

obtaining the caller identification information and communicating the caller identification information to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol where continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points if the caller identification information can be provided;

if the caller identification information can not be provided, prompting the calling party associated with the calling telephony device via the connectionless protocol to provide spoken caller identification information, including

communicating a plurality of data packets according to the connectionless

protocol to present the called party options to

accept the call,

reject the call,

forward the call to voice mail,

present a no solicitation message to the calling party, and

block future calls from the calling telephony device; and

communicating the spoken caller identification information via a plurality of data packets to the called telephony device.