Call handling treatment for voicemail systems

• US 8,798,238 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sigmund, William Joseph, Zubas, Michael Robert, Rainer, Brian Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Zenati, Amal
• Application Number:
  US12/160,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,227 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.22, 379/201.02, 379/211.02, 379/88.08, 379/88.1, 379/88.18
• US Class Current: 379/88.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A voicemail system (100) can include at least one processor (104) and at least one communication interface (102) operatively linked and in communication with the at least one processor (104) that is configured to receive an incoming call. The voicemail system (100) can further include at least one memory (108) operatively linked and in communication with the processor (104), wherein the at least one memory (108) is configured to store a call treatment application (112) that includes at least one rule for determining call handling treatment of the incoming call. A method (400) for operating the voicemail system (100) can include receiving (406) an address message (200) at the voicemail system (100), wherein the address message (200) identifies at least a called party number (206) of the incoming call. The method (400) can further include analyzing (406) the address message (200) to determine (408) which of a plurality of call handling treatment rules to apply, and applying (410) at least one of the call handling treatment rules.

Claims

1. A voicemail system comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface that receives an incoming call and an address message comprising a called party number field, a calling party number field, an original called number field, and a redirecting number field; and

a memory having stored thereon a call treatment application that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising analyzing the address message to determine which rule, of a plurality of rules defined in a call nature table, to execute for handling the incoming call, the call nature table comprising a calling party number parameter, an original called party number parameter, a called party number parameter, a redirecting number parameter, a call nature parameter, and a scan parameter for each of the plurality of rules, and the plurality of rules comprising

a first rule that defines a first call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the redirecting number field of the address message being populated with a redirecting number, wherein the call nature parameter of the first rule comprises an indication to route the incoming call to a designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the first rule instructs the processor to scan the redirecting number field of the address message to obtain the redirecting number for use as a voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the first call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the redirecting number,

a second rule that defines a second call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the calling party number field and the original called number field of the address message being populated with a same number, wherein the call nature parameter of the second rule comprises an indication to route the incoming call to a designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval, the scan parameter of the second rule instructs the processor to scan the calling party number field of the address message to obtain the same number for use as a voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the second call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval using the same number,

a third rule that defines a third call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the original called number field of the address message being populated with an original called number, wherein the call nature parameter of the third rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the third rule instructs the processor to scan the original called number field of the address message to obtain the original called number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the third call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the original called number,

a fourth rule that defines a fourth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to a calling party mailbox and a called party mailbox being resident on the voicemail system and the calling party number field of the address message being populated with a calling party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the fourth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the fourth rule instructs the processor to scan the called party number field of the address message to obtain a deposit pilot number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the fourth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the deposit pilot number without requiring the calling party to reenter the calling party number,

a fifth rule that defines a fifth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the calling party number field of the address message being populated with a calling party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the fifth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval, the scan parameter of the fifth rule instructs the processor to scan the calling party number field of the address message to obtain the calling party number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the fifth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval using the calling party number, and

a sixth rule that defines a sixth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the called party number field being populated with a called party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the sixth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the sixth rule instructs the processor to scan the called party number field of the address message to obtain the called party number for use as the voicemail box number for the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the sixth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the called party number and to present an open tree greeting that requests the calling party to enter a new voicemail box number for a voicemail box the calling party is attempting to access.

2. The voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise applying the first rule.

3. The voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise applying the second rule.

4. The voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise applying the third rule.

5. The voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise applying the fourth rule.

6. The voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise applying the fifth rule.

7. The voicemail system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise applying the sixth rule.

8. A method for operating a voicemail system to determine call handling treatment for an incoming call, the method comprising:

receiving an address message at the voicemail system, the address message comprising a called party number field, a calling party number field, an original called number field, and a redirecting number field; and

analyzing, by the voicemail system, the address message to determine which rule, of a plurality of rules defined in a call nature table, to apply for handling the incoming call, the call nature table comprising a calling party number parameter, an original called party number parameter, a called party number parameter, a redirecting number parameter, a call nature parameter, and a scan parameter for each of the plurality of rules, and the plurality of rules comprising

a first rule that defines a first call handling treatment to be applied for handling the incoming call in response to the redirecting number field of the address message being populated with a redirecting number, wherein the call nature parameter of the first rule comprises an indication to route the incoming call to a designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the first rule instructs the voicemail system to scan the redirecting number field of the address message to obtain the redirecting number for use as a voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the first call handling treatment causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box using the redirecting number;

a second rule that defines a second call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the calling party number field and the original called number field of the address message being populated with a same number, wherein the call nature parameter of the second rule comprises an indication to route the incoming call to a designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval, the scan parameter of the second rule instructs the processor to scan the calling party number field of the address message to obtain the same number for use as a voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the second call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval using the same number,

a third rule that defines a third call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the original called number field of the address message being populated with an original called number, wherein the call nature parameter of the third rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the third rule instructs the processor to scan the original called number field of the address message to obtain the original called number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the third call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the original called number,

a fourth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to a calling party mailbox and a called party mailbox being resident on the voicemail system and the calling party number field of the address message being populated with a calling party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the fourth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the fourth rule instructs the processor to scan the called party number field of the address message to obtain a deposit pilot number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the fourth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the deposit pilot number without requiring the calling party to reenter the calling party number,

a fifth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the calling party number field of the address message being populated with a calling party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the fifth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval, the scan parameter of the fifth rule instructs the processor to scan the calling party number field of the address message to obtain the calling party number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the fifth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval using the calling party number, and

a sixth rule that defines a sixth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the called party number field being populated with a called party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the sixth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the sixth rule instructs the processor to scan the called party number field of the address message to obtain the called party number for use as the voicemail box number for the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the sixth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the called party number and to present an open tree greeting that requests the calling party to enter a new voicemail box number for a voicemail box the calling party is attempting to access.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying the first rule.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying the second rule.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying the third rule.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying the fourth rule.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying the fifth rule.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying the sixth rule.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a voicemail system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an incoming call;

receiving an address message comprising a called party number field, a calling party number field, an original called number field, and a redirecting number field; and

analyzing the address message to determine which rule, of a plurality of rules defined in a call nature table, to apply for handling the incoming call, the call nature table comprising a calling party number parameter, an original called party number parameter, a called party number parameter, a redirecting number parameter, a call nature parameter, and a scan parameter for each of the plurality of rules, and the plurality of rules comprising

a first rule that defines a first call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the redirecting number field of the address message being populated with a redirecting number, wherein the call nature parameter of the first rule comprises an indication to route the incoming call to a designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the first rule instructs the processor to scan the redirecting number field of the address message to obtain the redirecting number for use as a voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the first call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the redirecting number,

a second rule that defines a second call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the calling party number field and the original called number field of the address message being populated with a same number, wherein the call nature parameter of the second rule comprises an indication to route the incoming call to a designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval, the scan parameter of the second rule instructs the processor to scan the calling party number field of the address message to obtain the same number for use as a voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the second call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval using the same number,

a third rule that defines a third call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the original called number field of the address message being populated with an original called number, wherein the call nature parameter of the third rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the third rule instructs the processor to scan the original called number field of the address message to obtain the original called number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the third call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the original called number,

a fourth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to a calling party mailbox and a called party mailbox being resident on the voicemail system and the calling party number field of the address message being populated with a calling party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the fourth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the fourth rule instructs the processor to scan the called party number field of the address message to obtain a deposit pilot number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the fourth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the deposit pilot number without requiring the calling party to reenter the calling party number,

a fifth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the calling party number field of the address message being populated with a calling party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the fifth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval, the scan parameter of the fifth rule instructs the processor to scan the calling party number field of the address message to obtain the calling party number for use as the voicemail box number of the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the fifth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message retrieval using the calling party number, and

a sixth rule that defines a sixth call handling treatment to be executed by the processor in response to the called party number field being populated with a called party number, wherein the call nature parameter of the sixth rule comprises the indication to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit, the scan parameter of the sixth rule instructs the processor to scan the called party number field of the address message to obtain the called party number for use as the voicemail box number for the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit to which the incoming call is to be routed, and the sixth call handling treatment, when executed by the processor, causes the voicemail system to route the incoming call to the designated voicemail box for voicemail message deposit using the called party number and to present an open tree greeting that requests the calling party to enter a new voicemail box number for a voicemail box the calling party is attempting to access.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise applying the first rule.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise applying the second rule.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise applying the third rule.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise applying the fourth rule.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise applying the fifth rule or the sixth rule.