Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting and caller identification

• US 7,961,859 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• 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: Bull, Rex Norman, Maciejewski, James Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/749,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/142.01, 379/142.02, 379/142.04, 379/142.08, 379/142.14, 379/205.01, 379/207.07, 379/207.13, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/207.16, 379/201.01, 379/207.4, 379/215.01, 379/211.01, 379/221.11
• US Class Current: 379/142.08
• 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 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• 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 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• 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: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 : Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

An efficient and effective method and system for providing to a customer an audible call notification of a current call and a subsequently received call waiting call. The present embodiments notify the customer that a current call is waiting in an effective manner that reduces confusion. Confusion is reduced by the combination of audible call waiting indicators and audible caller identification information associated with the calling telephone station. Additionally, both the indicator and the representation of the information can be provided automatically without significant delay. The indication is provided even when standard caller identification information is not available by prompting the caller to provide spoken caller identification information. The spoken caller identification information is provided to the called party along with call disposition options, such as options to accept or reject the call, route the call to voice mail or send a sales refusal message.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a service node/intelligent peripheral to process a call from a calling party at a calling station to a called party at a called station in which a service control point determines that standard caller identification cannot be provided for the call, the method comprising:

prompting the calling party at the calling station to provide spoken caller identification information;

storing the spoken caller identification information;

providing audible call waiting information including the stored spoken caller identification information if the called station is off hook; and

ringing the called station if the called station is on hook and, upon termination, providing at least the stored spoken caller identification information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the called station is off hook, providing the stored spoken caller information along with an audible call waiting indicator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein, providing the stored spoken caller information comprises sending a beepname-beep pattern in addition to the stored spoken caller identification information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing textual caller identification information.

5. A method for utilizing a service node/intelligent peripheral configured to process a call from a calling party at a calling station to a called party at a called station in a communication system, the method comprising:

prompting the calling party to provide spoken caller identification information;

storing the spoken caller identification information;

providing audible call waiting information including one of the stored spoken caller identification information and an audible representation of name data associated with the calling station if the called station is available; and

ringing the called station if the called station is unavailable and, upon termination, providing audible caller identification information to the called station.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, from a service control point in communication with the communication system, name data associated with the calling station.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, from a service control point associated with the communication system, call control information defining at least one of whether standard caller identification for the call is complete, and whether a presentation restriction indicator for the call is set to presentation restricted.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

providing an audible call waiting indicator to the called station; and

providing at least one of a text to speech representation of the standard caller identification information if the standard caller identification information can be provided, and the stored spoken caller identification information.