Voice over IP method of determining caller identification

• US 7,639,788 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• 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: Reynolds, Douglas F., Brandt, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/244,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8819- 8821, 37914201-14206, 379/142.16, 379/211.01, 379/215.01, 370/352, 370/356, 370/415, 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. Apparatus for providing caller identification information associated with a calling communication station to a called party, the apparatus comprising:

a caller identification server means for obtaining the caller identification information for the calling communication station;

means for determining whether the caller identification associated with the calling communication station is blocked;

first prompting means for prompting a calling party associated with the calling communication station to record spoken caller identification information and to store data representative of the spoken caller identification information;

second prompting means for prompting the calling party to unblock the blocked caller identification information and to store data representative of the unblocked caller identification information;

packaging means for converting the data representative of spoken caller identification information or the data representative of the unblocked caller identification information into a plurality of data packets; and

a dispatch device to transmit the plurality of data packets to a device associated with an Internet protocol address via a network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

real time routing means for routing packets via different routes using a real time protocol (RTP) for timely transmission of the plurality of data packets.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the caller identification server means further comprises:

access means for retrieving from a database caller identification data for the calling communication station when the standard caller identification information is unblocked; and

facilities to communicate the caller identification data to the called party using a connectionless protocol.

4. A method for processing a call in a communications system which includes interconnected networks, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, at least one network of the communications system communicating according to an internet protocol standard;

determining if standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;

if standard caller identification information cannot be provided, formatting one or more internet protocol (IP) packets bearing a request for spoken caller identification information and transmitting the IP packets to the calling communication station;

storing data defining the spoken caller identification when provided;

if standard caller identification information can be provided, obtaining data defining the standard caller identification information;

formatting the stored data defining the spoken caller identification information or the data defining the standard caller identification as a plurality of IP packets; and

providing the plurality of IP packets to the called communication station to be reassembled for playback to a called party of the called communication station.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining if standard caller identification can be provided comprises:

determining if the call from the calling party includes signaling information defining the standard caller identification.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein determining if standard caller identification can be provided comprises:

retrieving the standard caller identification information from a name and number database of the communications system.

7. A method for operating a telephony device, the method comprising:

receiving telephone call packet data for a call from a caller over a connectionless network;

if the telephone call packet data defines caller identification information for the call, sounding an incoming call alert and presenting the caller identification information on a user interface of the telephony device;

if the telephone call packet data does not define caller identification information, formatting one or more packets for communication over the connectionless network to prompt a caller originating the call to provide spoken caller identification information;

subsequently, receiving over the connectionless network packet data defining the spoken caller identification information over the connectionless network;

providing the spoken caller identification information on the user interface of the telephony device; and

providing information on the user interface of the telephony device to give the user of 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.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

formatting one or more packets for communication over the connectionless network to prompt the caller to provide an access code;

receiving packet data defining the access code;

validating the access code; and

sounding the incoming call alert of the telephony device in response to validation of the access code.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

when sounding the incoming call alert, providing a user interface access call identification.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein formatting the one or more data packets comprises:

packetizing a caller prompt inviting the caller to either provide the spoken caller identification information or to unblock standard caller identification information.