Automatic in-line messaging system

• US 6,718,178 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: McConnell, Von K., Sladek, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/459,206
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/464, 455/414.1, 455/433, 455/417, 455/412.2, 379/15.02, 379/93.01, 379/142.17, 379/211.01, 379/88.21
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/48 Sending information over a non-traffic network channel or another connection than the one actually used, e.g. signalling, D-channel, data and voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 : Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 : Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• 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 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0054 : Service creation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 : Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 : between backbone network devices

Abstract

An automatic messaging system for a telecommunications network is disclosed. A call processing entity such as a switch or central control point recognizes a call-processing event and responsively generates and sends an informational message to a specified destination. The informational message may be a text description of the event, such as an indication that “calling party just placed a call to called party” or may take other forms, such as a video message, an audio message or a fax message.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network of the type comprising a serving system and a call-processing entity, the serving system serving a plurality of subscriber stations and, in response to a call-processing event associated with a call involving at least two parties, the serving system sending a signaling message to the call-processing entity, the signaling message defining information about the call-processing event, and the call-processing entity receiving the signaling message and responsively consulting service logic associated with at least a given one of the parties, the improvement comprising:

connecting the call between the at least two parties; and

in accordance with the service logic, the call-processing entity generating a short message service (SMS) message and sending the SMS message to a predefined destination for receipt by a human at the destination, wherein the human is other than a party to the call,

wherein generating the SMS message comprises (i) translating at least a portion of the information defined by the signaling message from a first type of information including a subscriber number into a second type of information including a subscriber name so as to produce translated information, and then (ii) combining a predefined text message with at least the translated information so as to establish a customized text message that includes information about the call-processing event, wherein the SMS message comprises the customized text message.

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call-processing event is selected from the group consisting of an origination event, a termination event, and a call-activity threshold event.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein sending the SMS message to the destination comprises sending the SMS message via at least one intermediate entity to the destination.

4. The improvement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one intermediate entity is selected from the group consisting of a mobile switching center (MSC), a bulk messaging gateway, and a short message service center (SMSC).

5. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the destination comprises a mobile station.

6. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call-processing event relates to activity in one network domain, and the destination is a network address in another network domain.

7. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the given party operates a mobile station, and the destination is a landline station.

8. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call-processing event occurs in a circuit-switched network, and sending the SMS message to the destination comprises sending the SMS message via a packet switched network.

9. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein generating the SMS message comprises invoking an application on another entity to generate the SMS message.

10. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein sending the SMS message comprises invoking an application on another entity to send the SMS message.

11. In a telecommunications network of the type comprising a serving system and a call-processing entity, the serving system serving a plurality of subscribers and, in response to a call-processing event associated with a call involving at least two parties, the serving system sending a signaling message to the call-processing entity, the signaling message defining information about the call-processing event, and the call-processing entity receiving the signaling message and responsively consulting service logic associated with at least a given one of the parties, the improvement comprising:

connecting the call between the at least two parties; and

in accordance with the service logic, the call-processing entity generating an informational message and sending the informational message to a predefined destination for receipt by a human at the destination, the informational message including information about the call-processing event, wherein the human is other than a party to the call,

wherein generating the informational message comprises (i) translating at least a portion of the information defined by the signaling message from a first type of information including a subscriber number into a second type of information including a subscriber name so as to produce translated information, and then (ii) combining a predefined message with at least the translated information so as to establish a customized message that includes information about the call-processing event, wherein the informational message comprises the customized message.

12. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the call-processing event is selected from the group consisting of an origination event, a termination event, and a call-activity threshold event.

13. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the informational message comprises a text message.

14. The improvement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the real-time media message is selected from the group consisting of an audio message and a video message.

15. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the informational message comprises a real-time media message.

16. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the informational message comprises a fax message.