Methods and apparatus for facilitating the interaction between multiple telephone and computer users

• US 20020034290A1
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Pershan, Barry Paul
• Granted Patent: US 6,920,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party-service or three-way-call computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/45 public-private interworking, e.g. centrex
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

AIN based call routing, transfer and conferencing methods and apparatus are disclosed. In various embodiments initial call routing is based on the availability of a party to service a call as determined from a computer system associated with the party selected to service the call. The party'"'"'s computer system supports a telephone programming application interface (TAPI) which allows a telephone network server to determine the availability of the party selected to service the call from, in part, TAPI obtained telephone line status information. The network server supplies call related data to the computer system of the party assigned to service the call. Call transfer and conferencing operations along with the transfer of call related data are also supported. AIN mid-call triggers are used in some embodiments to support call transfer and conferencing operations.

Claims

1. A method of providing a communications service in a system including a calling party, a first receiving party having a first computer and a first telephone device;

and a second receiving party having a second computer and a second telephone device, the method comprising;

detecting a hook flash;

in response to detecting a hook flash,

transmitting call related data, at least some of which was previously provided to the first computer, to the second computer; and

establishing a voice connection between the calling party and the second telephone device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the call related data includes sales information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a hook flash includes:

operating a telephone switch coupling the calling party to the first telephone device by a telephone line to monitor the telephone line for a hook flash.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of setting a hook flash mid-call trigger on said telephone line at the telephone switch prior to performing the step of detecting a hook flash.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of transmitting call related data to the second computer includes:

operating the telephone switch in response to activation of a mid-call trigger to send a message to a service control point;

operating the service control point to send a message to a server; and

operating the server to transmit said call related data to the second computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the telephone switch sends a telephone number received from the first receiving party with the message sent to the service control point, the method further comprising:

operating the service control point to determine the status of the telephone line identified by the telephone number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of operating the service control point to determine the status of the telephone line includes:

operating the service control point to transmit a monitor for change message to the telephone switch; and

receiving from the telephone switch a message indicating the status of the telephone line identified by said telephone number.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of establishing a voice connection between the calling party and the second telephone device includes:

operating the service control point to instruct the telephone switch to establish a telephone call between the first receiving party and the party identified by said telephone number;

operating the telephone switch to detect an additional hook flash; and

in response to detecting the additional hook flash, operating the telephone switch to add the calling party to the telephone call established between the first receiving party and the party identified by said telephone number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the party identified by said telephone number is the second receiving party.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting call related data to the second computer includes:

operating a server to receive a telephone number from the first receiving party;

operating the server to look-up an address of the second computer from the received telephone number; and

generating a message to the second computer including said address and said call related data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the generated message to the second computer using a communications network which support Internet Protocol communications.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising, prior to operating the server to receive said telephone number:

operating a telephone switch coupled to the first telephone device to transmit said telephone number to a service control point; and

operating the service control point to transmit said telephone number to the server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of establishing a voice connection between the calling party and the second telephone device includes:

operating the service control point to control the telephone switch to initiate a telephone call to the second telephone device using said telephone number.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of establishing a voice connection between the calling party and the second telephone device includes:

operating the telephone switch to initiate a telephone call to the second telephone device using said telephone number.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a voice connection between the calling party and the second telephone device includes:

determining the status of a telephone line coupled to the second telephone device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining the status of the telephone line includes:

operating a serve to determine the status of said telephone line from the second computer, the second computer being coupled to the second telephone device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the status of the telephone line includes:

operating a service control point to send a monitor for change message to a telephone switch; and

operating the service control point to receive telephone line status information in response to the monitor for change message.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of controlling the telephone switch includes:

establishing a call using the first telephone number if it is determined that the telephone line corresponding to the first telephone number is not busy.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

operating a server to transmit call related data to a computer identified as being associated with the first telephone number.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

operating the telephone switch to supply the determined line status to a service control point; and

wherein the step of controlling the telephone switch to perform a call routing operation includes;

operating the service control point to provide a second telephone number to the telephone switch to be used in said call routing operation if the determined line status indicates that said telephone line is busy.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of controlling the telephone switch to perform a call routing operation further includes:

operating the service control point to receive the second telephone number from a server including automated call distribution functionality.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

operating said server to transmit call related data to a computer identified as being associated with the second telephone number.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to transmitting a monitor for change message,

setting a hook flash mid-call trigger at the telephone switch on a telephone line.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the first telephone number over said telephone line; and

in response to the hook flash mid-call trigger being activated, sending the first telephone number to a service control point.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

operating the service control point to generate said monitor for change message; and

wherein the step of transmitting a monitor for change message to the telephone switch includes;

operating the service control point to transmit the monitor for change message including the first telephone number to the telephone switch.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

operating the service control point to transmit the first telephone number to a server; and

operating the server to transmit call related data to a computer associated with the first telephone number.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

operating the service control point to transmit the first telephone number to a server; and

operating the server to transmit call related data to a computer associated with the first telephone number.

30. The communication system of claim 29, wherein the telephone switch includes:

means for setting a hook flash mid-call trigger on a telephone line; and

means for transmitting a telephone number received by the switch to the service control point in response to activation of the hook flash mid-call trigger.

31. The communication system of claim 29, wherein the instructions to transmit a monitor for change message are stored in a call processing record.

32. The communications system of claim 29, further comprising:

a server including automated call distribution functionality coupled to said service control point.

33. The communications system of claim 32, further comprising:

a first computer system coupled to the server by a network which supports Internet Protocol communications; and

a first telephone device coupled to said telephone switch and said first computer system, the computer system including a telephone application programming interface for interfacing with said first telephone device.

34. The communications system of claim 33, further comprising:

a second computer system coupled to the server by said network which supports Internet Protocol communications; and

a second telephone device coupled to said telephone switch and said first computer system, the computer system including a telephone application programming interface for interfacing with said second telephone device.

35. The communications system of claim 34, wherein the server includes a database for each of a plurality of telephone service subscribers, the database including for each telephone service subscriber, a telephone number associated with a telephone device used by the service subscriber and a communications address which can be used to communicate with a computer system used by said service subscriber.

36. The communications system of claim 35, wherein the service control point further includes a call processing record for a plurality of the telephone service subscribers for which information is stored in the server database.

38. The communications system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the call processing records stored in said service control point includes instructions for sending a monitor for change message to said telephone switch in response to receiving a message from said telephone switch indicating that the hook flash mid-call trigger was activated.

40. The communication system of claim 39, further comprising:

a server including a routine for sending call related information to a computer system associated with a telephone number; and

wherein the call processing record in said service control point further includes instructions for controlling the service control point to transmit a telephone number, included in said message from said telephone switch, to said server.

18. A communications method, the communications method comprising:

transmitting a monitor for change message to a telephone switch, the monitor for change message including a first telephone number;

operating the telephone switch to determine the status of a telephone line corresponding to the first telephone number; and

controlling the telephone switch to perform a call routing operation as a function of the determined telephone line status.

29. A communications system, comprising:

a service control point including instructions to transmit a monitor for change message to a telephone switch, the monitor for change message including a first telephone number and including instructions to control initiation of a call as a function of telephone line status information received in response to the monitor for change message; and

a telephone switch including means for processing monitor for change messages, said means operating to control the telephone switch to determine the status of a telephone line corresponding to the first telephone number.

37. A communications system including:

a server including information on a plurality of telephone service subscribers, the information for each of the plurality of telephone service subscribers including a telephone number associated with the telephone service subscriber and a communications address corresponding to a computer used by the telephone service subscriber;

a service control point including a call processing record for each of at least some of the plurality of telephone service subscribers for which information is stored in the server, the service control point being coupled to the server by a first communications network; and

a telephone switch coupled to the service control point and to at least one telephone device associated with a telephone service subscriber, the telephone switch having a hook flash mid-call trigger set on at least one telephone line associated with a telephone service subscriber for which information is stored in said server.

39. A communications system, the communications system including:

a telephone switch having a hook flash midcall trigger set on a telephone line; and

a service control point coupled to the telephone switch, the service control point including a call processing record, the call processing record including instructions to send a monitor for change message to said telephone switch in response to the service control point receiving a message from said telephone switch that was generated in response to activation of said hook flash midcall trigger.