Method and system of screening and control of telephone calls while using a packet-switched data network
First Claim
1. A method for playing an announcement to a calling party, the method comprising:
- receiving an incoming call from the calling party;
determining an identification of the calling party;
specifying one of a plurality of differing announcements to the calling party in accordance with the identification of the calling party upon receipt of the incoming call, wherein the specified announcement is a calling party specific announcement intended for the identified calling party;
determining with a service control point how to handle the incoming call, including determining with information from a gateway system whether a user is connected to the packet-based data network;
providing instructions from the service control point to a service switching point to supply a busy or call waiting signal to the calling party if the user is not connected to the packet-based data network;
otherwise, forwarding the incoming call to the gateway system if the user is connected to the packet-based data network; and
prompting the user to choose at least one call handling option if the user is connected to the packet-based data network, wherein the prompting allows rerouting the incoming call to an alternate communication line that differs from a communication line of the incoming call, and also allows a one-way voice connection to be established to allow a called party to listen to the calling party contemporaneous with the calling party leaving a message and while the called party maintains a connection with the packet-based data network, without answering the incoming call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Call Alerting and Control System is provided in a communication environment to allow an Internet user (“user”) approximately real-time monitoring of information about an incoming call from a calling party while maintaining a connection with the Internet. The monitored information can include the calling party'"'"'s name and telephone number. The system could also allow the user to provide an answering machine-type message to the calling party and the user to listen to the calling party'"'"'s response to the message while still connected to the Internet. The system can further allow the user to reroute, answer or otherwise treat the incoming call while, at the user'"'"'s discretion, either maintaining or disconnecting a connection to the Internet.
56 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for playing an announcement to a calling party, the method comprising:
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receiving an incoming call from the calling party; determining an identification of the calling party; specifying one of a plurality of differing announcements to the calling party in accordance with the identification of the calling party upon receipt of the incoming call, wherein the specified announcement is a calling party specific announcement intended for the identified calling party; determining with a service control point how to handle the incoming call, including determining with information from a gateway system whether a user is connected to the packet-based data network; providing instructions from the service control point to a service switching point to supply a busy or call waiting signal to the calling party if the user is not connected to the packet-based data network; otherwise, forwarding the incoming call to the gateway system if the user is connected to the packet-based data network; and prompting the user to choose at least one call handling option if the user is connected to the packet-based data network, wherein the prompting allows rerouting the incoming call to an alternate communication line that differs from a communication line of the incoming call, and also allows a one-way voice connection to be established to allow a called party to listen to the calling party contemporaneous with the calling party leaving a message and while the called party maintains a connection with the packet-based data network, without answering the incoming call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification