Call monitoring

• US 8,989,365 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• 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: Simpson, Anita Hogans, Nguyen, Hong T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elalee, Md Shafiul Alam
• Application Number:
  US11/879,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20080069313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,807 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.23, 379/207.11, 379/88.26, 379/88.22, 379/221.01, 379/221.08
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4563 Voicemail monitoring during recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring calls routed to a telephone network-based voice mail system. When a subscriber receives a telephone call, a determination is made as to whether the call should be routed to the voice mail system. If call monitoring services are activated, a three-way communication is set up between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber. The subscriber is bridged into the call on a listen-only basis, but upon command by the subscriber, the subscriber may answer the call.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring calls routed to a voice mail system, comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party directed to a directory number of a subscriber;

determining whether the call from the calling party is answered;

if the call from the calling party is not answered, then determining whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system;

if the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system, querying a first network element for call monitoring services, wherein the first network element is a Service Control Point (SCP) of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN);

at the SCP, providing call monitoring instructions to a second network element, wherein the second network element is a Services Node (SN) of the AIN and wherein the call monitoring instructions include the directory number of the subscriber, an access number associated with the voice mail system, and a directory number associated with the calling party;

at the SN, setting up a communication between the calling party and the voice mail system;

at the SN, calling the subscriber via the directory number of the subscriber;

at the SN, providing an announcement to the subscriber providing the subscriber a recorded instruction for interrupting the three-way communication in order to accept the call from the calling party; and

if the call from the SN is answered, setting up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system, and the subscriber wherein setting up the three-way call is initiated only by the call from the SN being answered;

wherein setting up the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber, includes allowing the subscriber to listen only to a voice message while the voice message is being recorded by the calling party into the voice mail system; and

wherein determining whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system includes determining whether the call is answered.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interrupting the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber; and

connecting the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the subscriber directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein connecting the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the subscriber directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber includes:

removing the voice mail system from the three-way communication; and

transferring the two-way communication away from the SN.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a call from a calling party directed to a subscriber directory number, includes receiving the call at a subscriber switch;

and wherein querying a first network element for call monitoring services includes firing a public office dialing plan (PODP) trigger at the subscriber switch to launch a query to the first network element.

5. The method of claim 1, prior to setting up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber, providing the subscriber a calling party identification associated with the call monitoring services to alert the subscriber that an incoming call from the second network element is associated with call monitoring services.

6. The method of claim 1, prior to setting up a three way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber, providing the subscriber a distinctive ring to alert the subscriber that an incoming call from the second network element is associated with call monitoring services.

7. A system for monitoring calls routed to a voice mail system, comprising:

a switch operative to receive a call from a calling party directed to a directory number of a subscriber;

to determine whether the call is answered;

to determine whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system if the call is not answered;

to query a first network element for call monitoring services if the call should be forwarded to the voice mail, system, wherein the first network element is a Service Control Point (SCP) of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN);

the SCP operative to provide call monitoring instructions to a second network element, wherein the second network element is a Services Node (SN) of the AIN and wherein the call monitoring instructions include the directory number of the subscriber, a directory number associated with the voice mail system, and a directory number associated with the calling party;

the SN operative to set up a communication between the calling party and the voice mail system;

to call the subscriber via the directory number of the subscriber;

to provide the subscriber recorded instructions for interrupting the three-way communication in order to accept the call from the calling party; and

to set up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber if the call from the second network element is answered wherein setting up the three-way call is initiated only by the call from the second network element being answered;

wherein the SN is further operative to allow the subscriber to listen only to a voice message while the voice message is being recorded by the calling party into the voice mail system; and

wherein the SCP is further operative to cause the switch to provide the subscriber a distinctive ring to alert the subscriber that an incoming call from the SN is associated with call monitoring services.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the SN is further operative to interrupt the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system and the subscriber;

and to connect the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the subscriber directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the SN is further operative to remove the voice mail system from the three-way communication;

and to transfer the two-way communication away from the second network element.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the switch is further operative to fire a public office dialing plan (PODP) trigger at the switch to launch a query to the SCP for call monitoring services if the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the SCP is further operative to provide the subscriber a calling party identification associated with the call monitoring services to alert the subscriber that an incoming call from the SN is associated with call monitoring services.

12. A method of monitoring calls routed to a voice mail system, comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party directed to a directory number of a subscriber, wherein the call from the calling party is associated with a first ring;

determining whether the call from the calling party is answered;

if the call from the calling party is not answered, then determining whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system;

if the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system, querying a first network element for call monitoring services;

at the first network element, providing call monitoring instructions to a second network element, wherein the call monitoring instructions include the directory number of the subscriber, an access number associated with the voice mail system, and a directory number associated with the calling party;

at the second network element, setting up a communication between the calling party and the voice mail system;

at the second network element, calling the subscriber via the directory number of the subscriber;

providing the subscriber a second ring associated with the call from the second network element to alert the subscriber that the call from the second network element is associated with the call monitoring services, wherein the second ring is distinct from the first ring;

at the second network element, providing the subscriber a recorded instruction in order to accept the call from the calling party, wherein the recorded instruction is sent by the second network element; and

if the call from the second network element is answered, setting up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system, and the subscriber wherein setting up the three-way call is initiated only by the call from the second network element being answered;

wherein determining whether the call should be forwarded to the voice mail system includes determining whether the call is answered; and

wherein the first network element is a Service Control Point (SCP) of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein setting up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system, and the subscriber, includes allowing the subscriber to listen only to a voice message while the voice message is being recorded by the calling party into the voice mail system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing an announcement to the subscriber providing the subscriber instructions for interrupting the three-way communication in order to accept the call from the calling party;

interrupting the three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system, and the subscriber; and

connecting the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the subscriber directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein connecting the call from the calling party to the subscriber at the subscriber directory number to allow a two-way communication between the calling party and the subscriber includes:

removing the voice mail system from the three-way communication; and

transferring the two-way communication away from the second network element.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving a call from a calling party directed to a subscriber directory number, includes receiving the call at a subscriber switch;

and wherein querying a first network element for call monitoring services includes firing a public office dialing plan (PODP) trigger at the subscriber switch to launch a query to the first network element.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second network element is a Service Node (SN) of the AIN.

18. The method of claim 12, prior to setting up a three-way communication between the calling party, the voice mail system, and the subscriber, providing the subscriber a calling party identification associated with the call monitoring services to alert the subscriber that an incoming call from the second network element is associated with call monitoring services.