Method and system for providing enhanced caller identification information including total call control for all received calls

• US 7,580,515 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• 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: Tiliks, Dianna Inara, Book, Nancy Ann, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Gruchala, Carol Shifrin, Crockett, Susanne Marie, Moss, John Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/834,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20070269026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.02, 379/201, 379/201.07, 379/201.11, 379/207.03, 379/142.05, 379/230, 379/229, 379/196
• US Class Current: 379/210.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• 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 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

All calls terminating to a customer'"'"'s directory number are intercepted. If caller identification information can be presented, the call is forwarded to a service node for disposition. The service node reconfigures signaling information of the call so that the call is not intercepted, then forwards the call to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone. When the call is answered, the service node states the name or telephone number of the calling party which has been retrieved from the signaling information. The caller can decide whether to take the call, deny the call, send the call to voice mail or send a sales refusal message or other disposition option.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a call control service when processing a call in a telecommunications system, the call being from a calling party at a calling communication station having a calling party directory number, the call intended for a called party at a called communication station at a called party directory number, the method comprising:

receiving a termination attempt query at a controller from a switch associated with the called communication station;

determining, at the controller, if a redirecting element field is set to a specified directory number of network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service;

sending a forward call response message to the terminating switch if the redirecting element field is set to the specified directory number;

receiving a new terminating attempt query from the terminating switch to the controller, the new terminating attempt query produced by the terminating switch in response to receiving a new call at the terminating switch,

wherein the new call is directed to the called party directory number with a call setup message having a redirecting element field set to the specified directory number of the network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service;

determining, at the controller, if the redirecting element field is set to the specified directory number; and

sending an authorize termination message from the controller to the terminating switch for processing of the call to the called communication station if the redirecting element field is set to the specified directory number.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, at the controller and in response to the termination attempt query, if the called party associated with the called party directory number is a subscriber to the call control service.

3. A network device operable in a telecommunications system to implement a call control service, the network device comprising:

a processor in communication with a memory, the memory configured to store instructions executable by the processor, the instructions configured to;

receive a termination attempt query at a controller from a terminating switch associated with the called communication station;

determine if the called party associated with the called party directory number is a subscriber to the call control service;

determine if a redirecting element field is set to a specified directory number of network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service;

send a forward call response message to the terminating switch if the redirecting element field is set to the specified directory number; and

receive a new terminating attempt query from the terminating switch to the controller, the new terminating attempt query produced by the terminating switch upon receipt of a new call, the new call directed to the called party directory number with a call setup message having a redirecting element field set to the specified directory number of the network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service;

determine if the redirecting element field is set to the specified directory number; and

send an authorize termination message from the controller to the terminating switch for processing of the call to the called communication station.

4. A method for implementing a call control service when processing a call in a telecommunications system, the call originating from a calling party at a calling communication station having a calling party directory number to a called party at a called communication station at a called party directory number, the method comprising:

routing the call to a terminating switch associated with the called communication station;

transmitting a termination attempt query from the terminating switch to a controller;

receiving a forward call response message at the terminating switch, the forward call response message produced by the controller if a redirecting element field of the termination attempt query is set to a specified directory number of network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service;

routing the call, in response to the forward call response message, from the terminating switch to the network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service using a directory number of the called party directory number field of the forward call message;

receiving a new call at the terminating switch from the network equipment, the new call including a setup message with a redirecting element field set to the specified directory number of the network equipment designated to process calls for the call control service;

transmitting, in response to the received new call, a new terminating attempt query from the terminating switch to the controller; and

receiving an authorize termination message from the controller at the terminating switch for processing of the call to the called communication station if the redirecting element field of the terminating attempt query is set to the specified directory number.