Methods and systems for enabling a reply call to voice mail message

• US 7,436,940 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adamczyk, Maria, Brand, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HEMANT SHANTILAL
• Application Number:
  US10/647,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.08, 379/88.11, 379/88.18, 379/88.24, 379/88.25, 379/88.19, 379/210.01, 379/212.01, 455/413
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53341 Message reply
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• 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: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

Methods and systems for enabling a subscriber to reply to a voice mail message that has been made available for the subscriber at a voice mail system (VMS). In response to an indication, the VMS transmits a release message with respect to the subscriber'"'"'s communication to the VMS, which communication then is terminated to an intelligent network element (INE). The INE originates a call to the party to whom the subscriber desires to reply. The subscriber'"'"'s communication and the INE'"'"'s call are bridged to form the reply call from the subscriber to the party. The VMS is not included in the call path. After the reply call is concluded, the bridge is dismantled, the IP is released, and the subscriber'"'"'s communication is returned to interaction with the VMS without the subscriber having to make a separate call into the VMS.

Claims

1. A method to make a reply call to a voice mail message, comprising:

receiving a communication request from a voicemail server, the communication request resulting from a subscriber accessing, from an accessing number, a voicemail message created by a caller via the voicemail server, the voicemail message accessed from a plurality of voicemail messages, further resulting from the voicemail server presenting the user with the plurality of voicemail messages, further resulting from, after presentation of the plurality of voicemail messages, providing a user prompt for a user to indicate which of the plurality of voicemail messages to call back, and further resulting from the subscriber indicating the voicemail message from the plurality of presented voicemail messages for connecting the subscriber with the caller;

connecting a communication between the subscriber and the caller without utilization of the voicemail server, wherein connecting a communication between the subscriber and the caller includes routing the communication through a directory number associated with the subscriber, such that the communication appears to originate from the directory number associated with the subscriber to facilitate creation of a billing record entry associated with the directory number, the directory number being different than the accessing number;

receiving a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal from the subscriber;

determining whether the received DTMF signal indicates a desire to reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server; and

in response to determining that the received DTMF signal indicates a desire to reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server, reconnecting the subscriber with the voicemail server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the subscriber and the caller without utilization of the voicemail server includes receiving a release message from the voicemail server, and wherein the release message includes a remote operation (RO) parameter including a reply telephone number for connecting the caller and the subscriber and an identifier communication.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the release message includes a GR-1129 message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the communication to a directory number associated with the subscriber includes utilizing an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) User Part (ISUP) message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating termination of the communication at an Intelligent Network Element (INE).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication request is received from a communication device.

6. A system for making a reply call to a voice mail message, comprising:

a receiving component configured to receive a communication request from a voicemail server, the communication request resulting from a subscriber accessing, from an accessing number, a plurality of voicemail messages, at least one of the messages created by a caller via the voicemail server, further resulting from, after presentation of the plurality of voicemail messages, providing a user prompt for a user to indicate which of the plurality of voicemail messages to call back, and further resulting from the subscriber sending a command to connect the subscriber with the caller;

a connecting component configured to facilitate a communication between the subscriber and the caller without utilization of the voicemail server, wherein facilitating a communication between the subscriber and the caller includes routing the communication through a directory number associated with the subscriber, such that the communication appears to originate from the directory number associated with the subscriber to facilitate creation of a billing record entry associated with the directory number, the directory number being different than the accessing number; and

a reconnecting component configured to, receive a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal from the subscriber, determine whether the received DTMF signal indicates a desire to reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server, and in response to determining that the received DTMF signal indicates a desire to reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server, reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein connecting the subscriber and the caller without utilization of the voicemail server includes receiving a release message from the voicemail server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the release message includes a remote operation (RO) parameter including a reply telephone number and an identifier for the communication.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the release message includes a GR-1129 message.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein routing the communication to a directory number associated with the subscriber includes utilizing an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) User Part (ISUP) message.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a termination component configured to facilitate termination of the communication at an Intelligent Network Element (INE).

12. A computer readable medium configured to facilitate initiation of a reply call to a voice mail message, comprising:

logic configured to receive a communication request from a voicemail server, the communication request resulting from a subscriber accessing, from an accessing number, a plurality of voicemail messages, at least one of the messages created by a caller via the voicemail server, further resulting from, after presentation of the plurality of voicemail messages, providing a user prompt for a user to indicate which of the plurality of voicemail messages to call back, and further resulting from the subscriber sending a command to connect the subscriber with the caller;

logic configured to facilitate a communication between the subscriber and the caller without utilization of the voicemail server, wherein connecting a communication between the subscriber and the caller includes routing the communication through a directory number associated with the subscriber, such that the communication appears to originate from the directory number associated with the subscriber to facilitate creation of a billing record entry associated with the directory number, the directory number being different than the accessing number; and

logic configured to receive a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal from the subscriber, determine whether the received DTMF signal indicates a desire to reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server, and in response to determining that the received DTMF signal indicates a desire to reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server, reconnect the subscriber with the voicemail server.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein connecting the subscriber and the caller without utilization of the voicemail server includes receiving a release message from the voicemail server.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the release message includes a remote operation (RO) parameter including a reply telephone number and an identifier for the communication.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the release message includes a GR-1129 message.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein routing the communication to a directory number associated with the subscriber includes utilizing an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) User Part (ISUP) message.