Services node routing service

• US 7,324,639 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ekstrom, Gayle R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr.; William J.
• Application Number:
  US10/634,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20040091094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.08, 379/201.01, 379/211.02, 379/229, 379/230, 379/219, 379/207.02, 379/220.01
• US Class Current: 379/221.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/545 with loop avoiding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

A method and system for treating telephone calls at a services node prior to completing the telephone call. The services node may provide a variety of services to treat the telephone call such as a Personal Access Service or playing a pre-recorded message. After treatment at the services node, the system recognizes that the telephone call has already been treated at a services node and the call is completed.

Claims

1. A method of providing a call to a telephone number, the method comprising:

querying a service control point regarding treatment of the call;

associating the telephone number with a services node;

routing the call to the telephone number when the service control point determines the call has been previously treated at the services node based on an originating telephone number of the call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the service control point comprises associating a Called Party Telephone Number with a terminating telephone number of the services node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the service control point comprises comparing a Calling Party Telephone Number with an originating telephone number of a services node to determine if the telephone call was originated from the services node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service control point is queried by a service switching point.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

treating the call at the service node; and

identifying the telephone number where the call will be completed by a personal access service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

treating the call at the service node;

wherein the treatment plays a message to callers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message comprises a pre-recorded announcement played for callers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a menu of choices for callers to select.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding of the telephone call is based on the time of the day.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding of the telephone call is based on the day of the week.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding of the telephone call is based on the Calling Party Telephone Number.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding of the telephone call is based on the station type of the calling party.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding of the telephone call is conditioned on a switch to enable/disable forwarding.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:

(a) receiving a call from a calling party to a called party;

(b) sending a query to a service control point;

(c) receiving an identification of a services node associated with the called party from the service control point;

(d) connecting the call to the services node; and

(e) routing the tcall to the called party when the service control point determines that the call has been previously treated at the service node based on an originating telephone number of the telephone call.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to perform acts of:

treating the call at the service node;

wherein treating the call comprises playing a message to the calling party.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to perform acts of:

treating the call at the service node;

wherein treating the call comprises playing a menu of options to be selected to the calling party.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to perform acts of:

treating the call at the service node;

wherein the treating the call comprises determining a terminating number for the telephone call.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the services node is identified using the calling party'"'"'s number.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein (d) is performed only if the call has not been previously treated by the services node.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to perform acts of:

determining whether the calling party is a subscriber to a services node treating service.

21. A system for treating a call, the system comprising:

a service switching point operative to receive a call from a calling party to a called party and to send a query to a service control point; and

the service control point coupled with the service switching point, the service control point operative to instruct the service switching point to route the call to a services node;

wherein the service switching point is further operative to route the call to the services node and to route the call to the called party when the service control point determines the call has been previously treated at the services node based on an originating telephone number of the call.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the services node is operative to play a message to the calling party.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the services node is operative to play a menu of options to be selected to the calling party.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the services node is operative to determine a terminating number for the call.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the service control point is further operative to instruct the service switching point to route the call to the services node only if the call has not been treated by the service node.

26. A method of providing a call to a destination address, the method comprising:

sending a query regarding treatment of the call;

associating the destination address with a node; and

routing the call to the destination address when it is determined that the call has been previously treated at the node based on an originating address of the call.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

forwarding the call to the node for treatment.

28. A computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions for providing a call to a destination address, the set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:

sending a query regarding treatment of the call;

associating the destination address with a node;

forwarding the call to the node for treatment; and

routing the call to the destination address when it is determined that the call has been previously treated at the node based on an originating address of the call.