Method and apparatus for notifying called and/or calling parties of a call placement

• US 7,724,884 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wunderlich, Eberhard F., Jurczak, Andrew, McGregor-Barnes, Karen, Bilder, Mitchell K., Wild, Cathleen Rucki, Burgess, Ardell, Gardner, Raymond G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/233,427
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 379/99.11, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/207.05, 379/207.08, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/93.01, 379/93.23, 379/93.24, 379/100.06, 379/102.07, 379/207.04, 379/207.09, 379/201.01, 379/201.02
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• 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 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing email notification for called and/or calling parties of a call placement are disclosed. The method enables a packet network service provider, e.g., a VoIP or SoIP service provider, to register customers for email notification service, to obtain the disposition of calls from Call Detail Records (CDRs), call control elements or application servers that have access to call signaling information in real time, to identify calls that resulted in ringing without an answer or busy disposition, and to determine whether or not the called and/or calling party subscribed to the email notification service. If the calling and/or called party subscribe to the notification service, the service provider sends an email notification to the calling and/or called party containing the caller and called party information, the time of the call, the disposition of the call and the like.

Claims

1. A method for providing a notification email for a call placement in a communication network, comprising:

determining that a call has resulted in a busy disposition or a ringing without an answer disposition;

determining whether a calling party associated with said call has subscribed to a notification for call placement service; and

sending at least one notification email automatically by an application server deployed in said communication network in response to said call resulting in a busy disposition or a ringing without answer disposition to said calling party, if said calling party has subscribed to said notification for call placement service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network or a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said call has resulted in a busy disposition or a ringing without an answer disposition is determined from at least one call detail record (CDR) or from an application server having access to signaling information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one call detail record (CDR) is gathered from at least one network element or at least one operating system of the communication network that facilitated the call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one notification email that is sent to said calling party comprises at least one of:

a called party name, a called party number, a time of said call, or a disposition of said call.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said disposition of said call contains information that further defines said ringing without an answer disposition as said called party being on another call or not available to answer said call.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for providing a notification email for a call placement in a communication network, comprising:

determining that a call has resulted in a busy disposition or a ringing without an answer disposition;

determining whether a calling party associated with said call has subscribed to a notification for call placement service; and

sending at least one notification email automatically by an application server deployed in said communication network in response to said call resulting in a busy disposition or a ringing without answer disposition to said calling party, if said calling party has subscribed to said notification for call placement service.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said communication network is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network or a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said call has resulted in a busy disposition or a ringing without an answer disposition is determined from at least one call detail record (CDR) or from an application server having access to signaling information.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said at least one call detail record (CDR) is gathered from at least one network element or at least one operating system of the communication network that facilitated the call.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said at least one notification email that is sent to said calling party comprises at least one of:

a called party name, a called party number, a time of said call, or a disposition of said call.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said disposition of said call contains information that further defines said ringing without an answer disposition as said called party being on another call or not available to answer said call.

13. An apparatus for providing a notification email for a call placement in a communication network, comprising:

means for determining that a call has resulted in a busy disposition or a ringing without an answer disposition;

means for determining whether a calling party associated with said call has subscribed to a notification for call placement service; and

an application server in said communication network configured to send at least one notification email to said calling party, if said calling party has subscribed to said notification for call placement service.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said communication network is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network or a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said call has resulted in a busy disposition or a ringing without an answer disposition is determined from at least one call detail record (CDR) or from an application server having access to signaling information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said at least one call detail record (CDR) is gathered from at least one network element or at least one operating system of the communication network that facilitated the call.

17. The apparatus of claim 13,

wherein said at least one notification email that is sent to said calling party comprises at least one of:

a called party name, a called party number, a time of said call, or a disposition of said call.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said disposition of said call contains information that further defines said ringing without an answer disposition as said called party being on another call or not available to answer said call.