Method for use with caller ID system

• US 6,868,150 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morris Reese
• Original Assignee: Morris Reese
• Inventors: Reese, Morris
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US10/160,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215.01, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/142.08, 379/201.01, 379/201.11, 379/201.02, 379/201.12, 379/207.02, 379/207.04, 379/207.05, 379/207.06, 379/207.07, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/211.01, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for accessing telephone or cellular originating central office equipment to control the disclosure of a calling party directory telephone number or, if applicable or available, directory telephone number and name to a called party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID), which discloses the calling party directory telephone number or directory telephone number and name to the called party, by performing a desired one of a plurality of automatic and/or manual operations. Method is disclosed for connecting to a called station idle or busy telephone line with ringing signals or a call-waiting tone signal and then transmitting the calling party directory telephone number or, if applicable or available, directory telephone number and name to the called station during a silent interval between the ringing signals or after the call-waiting tone signal responsively to receiving the calling party directory telephone number flagged as public from originating central office equipment of the calling party indicating that the directory telephone number or the directory telephone number and name are to be disclosed at the called station.

Claims

1. A method for sending to a called station of a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party a directory telephone number (DN) of a third party calling a telephone number of the first party, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a terminating central office of the first party who subscribes to said CLASS service including said Caller ID and who is engaged in the telephone conversation with the second party the third party DN flagged as public from an originating central office of the third party indicating that said DN of the third party is to be disclosed at the called station of the first part;

(b) said terminating central office sending a call waiting (CW) tone signal to the first pay; and

(c) said terminating central office then transmitting said DN of the third party to the called station of the first party during a silent interval after said CW tone signal.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) receiving by an apparatus at the called station of the first party during the silent interval after said CW tone signal said DN of the third party from said terminating central office of the first party;

(e) generating and associating an identifier to said received DN of the third party;

(f) displaying said received DN of the third party in a display; and

(g) storing said received DN of the third party in memory.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the apparatus is a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said generated identifier is a number.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminating central office is telephone company terminating central office equipment.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminating central office is cellular company terminating central office equipment.

7. A method for sending to a called station of a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party a directory telephone number and name (DN) of a third party calling a telephone number of the first party, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a terminating central office of the first party who subscribes to said CLASS service including said Caller ID and who is engaged in the telephone conversation with the second party the third party DN flagged as public from an originating central office of the third party indicating that said DN of the third party is to be disclosed at the called station of the first party;

(b) said terminating central office sending a call waiting (CW) tone signal to the first party; and

(c) said terminating central office then transmitting said DN of the third party to the called station of the first party during a silent interval following said CW tone signal.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

(d) receiving by an apparatus at the called station of the first party during the silent interval following said CW tone signal said DN of the third party from said terminating central office of the first party and displaying said received DN of the third party in a display on the apparatus.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the apparatus is a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(e) generating and associating a number to said received DN of the third party; and

(f) storing said received DN of the third party in memory.

11. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said terminating central office is telephone company terminating central office equipment.

12. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said terminating central office is cellular company terminating central office equipment.

13. A method for sending to a called station of a first party who is engaged in a conversation with a second party via a local switching office (LSO) a directory telephone number (DN) of a third party calling a telephone number of the first party, comprising the steps of:

(a) after receiving at said LSO said DN of the third party marked as public from an originating central office of the third party, indicating that said DN of the third party is to be disclosed at the called station of the first party, sending a call waiting tone signal to the first party;

(b) said LSO then transmitting to the called station of the first party said DN of the third party during a silent interval after the call waiting tone signal cycle; and

(c) receiving by an apparatus at the called station of the first party during the silent interval after the call waiting tone signal cycle said DN of the third party from said LSO and displaying said received DN of the third party on a display of the apparatus.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said LSO is telephone company terminating central office equipment.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said LSO is cellular company terminating central office equipment.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

17. A method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

(d) generating and associating an identifier to said received DN of the calling party; and

(e) storing said received DN of the calling party in memory.

18. A method for transmitting to a called station of a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party a directory telephone number (DN) of a third party calling a telephone number of the first party, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a terminating central office (TCO) of the first party who subscribes to said CLASS service including said Caller ID and who is engaged in the telephone conversation with the second party the third party DN flagged as public from an originating central office of the third party;

(b) said TCO sending a call waiting tone signal to the first party; and

(c) said TCO then transmitting the third party DN to the called station of the fist party.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein said TCO is telephone or cellular company switching office equipment.

20. A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein step (c) comprises the step of transmitting a corresponding name along with said DN of the third party.

21. A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein said TCO transmits the third party DN to the called station of the first party during a silent interval after the call waiting tone signal.

22. A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein step (c) comprises the step of connecting to a voice channel of the first party busy telephone line before said DN of the third party is transmitted to the called station of the first party.

23. A method for indicating to a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party an incoming call from a third party calling a telephone number of the first party comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a terminating central office (TCO) of the fist party who subscribes to said CLASS service including said Caller ID and who is engaged in the telephone conversation with the second party the third party directory telephone number (DN) flagged as private from an originating central office of the third party, indicating that said DN of the third party is not to be disclosed at the first party called station; and

(b) said TCO then sending a call waiting (CW) tone signal to the first party, said CW tone signal indicates to the first party the incoming call from the third party.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said TCO is telephone or cellular company switching office equipment.

25. A method for transmitting to a called station of a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party a directory telephone number (DN) of a third party calling a telephone number of the first party, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a terminating central office (TCO) of the first party who subscribes to said CLASS service including said Caller ID and who is engaged in the telephone conversation with the second party the third party DN flagged as public from an originating central office of the third party, indicating that said DN is to be disclosed at the called station of the first party;

(b) said TCO sending a call waiting tone signal to the first party; and

(c) said TCO then transmitting said DN of the third party to the called station of the first party.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein step (c) comprises the step of transmitting a name along with said DN of the third party to the called station of the first party.

27. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein said TCO is telephone or cellular company switching office equipment.

28. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein said DN of the third party is transmitted to the called station of the first party during a call waiting tone signal cycle silent interval.

29. A method as set forth in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

(d) receiving by an apparatus of the first party said DN of the third party from said TCO and displaying said received DN in a display on the apparatus;

(e) generating and associating a number to said received DN of the third party; and

(f) storing said received DN of the third party in memory.

30. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein step (c) comprises the step of connecting to a voice channel of the first party busy telephone line before said DN of the third party is transmitted to the called station of the first party.

31. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein said TCO transmits the third party DN to the called station of the first party during the call waiting tone signal cycle silent interval.

32. A method for sending a call waiting (CW) tone signal only to a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a terminating central office (TCO) of the first party who subscribes to said CLASS service including said Caller ID and who is engaged in the telephone conversation with the second party a calling third party directory telephone number (DN) flagged as private from an originating central office of the calling third party indicating that said received DN of the calling third party is not to be disclosed at the first party called station; and

(b) said TCO then sending said CW tone to the first party.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32, wherein said TCO is telephone or cellular company switching office equipment.

34. A method for receiving at a busy telephone station during a call waiting tone signal cycle silent interval an incoming caller directory telephone number with a corresponding name (DN) from a terminating central office (TCO), comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at the busy telephone station during the call waiting tone signal cycle silent interval the incoming caller DN from said TCO and displaying said received DN of the incoming caller in a display;

(b) generating and associating a number to said received DN; and

(c) storing said received DN of the incoming caller in memory.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein the incoming caller is a third party (call waiting caller) calling a telephone number of a first party who subscribes to a Custom Local Area Signaling System (CLASS) service including Caller Identification (Caller ID) and who is engaged in a telephone conversation with a second party.

36. A method of providing to a first party who is already engaged in a conversation with a second party identifying information related to a third party who wishes to converse with the first party, comprising the steps of:

(a) after receiving at a local switching office (LSO) serving the first party said identifying information marked as public from an originating central office of the third party, indicating that said identifying information related to the third party is to be disclosed at the first party called station, sending a call waiting tone signal to the first party;

(b) said LSO then transmitting to said called station of the first party said identifying information related to the third party; and

(c) receiving by an apparatus at said called station of the first party said identifying information related to the third party from said LSO and displaying said received identifying information related to the third party on a display on the apparatus.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

(d) generating an identifier and associating said generated identifier to said received identifying information; and

(e) storing said received identifying information in memory.

38. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein step (e) comprises the step of storing said generated identifier in said memory along with said received identifying information related to the third party.

39. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information related to the third party is transmitted to said called station of the first party during the call waiting tone signal cycle silent interval.

40. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information related to the third party is received by the first party apparatus during the call waiting tone signal cycle silent interval.

41. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information related to the third party is transmitted to the first party only if said identifying information is received at telephone or cellular company terminating central office equipment of the first party flagged as public from telephone or cellular company originating central office equipment of the third party, indicating that said identifying information is to be disclosed at said called station of the first party.

42. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information is a directory telephone number of the third party.

43. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information is a directory telephone number and name of the third party.

44. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information is a directory name of the third party.

45. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said identifying information related to the third party is transmitted to said called station of the first party who subscribes to a CLASS service including Caller ID and who is engaged in an existing ongoing telephone conversation with a second party.

46. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

(d) the first party apparatus generating an identifier; and

(e) the first party apparatus storing said received identifying information in memory.

47. A method as set forth in claim 46, wherein step (d) comprises the step of the first party apparatus associating said generated identifier to said received identifying information.

48. A method as set forth in claim 46, wherein said generated identifier is a number, figure or digit which identifies and sets apart said received identifying information from other received identifying information.

49. A method as set forth in claim 46, further comprises the step of the first party apparatus recalling said stored identifying information from said memory and displaying said recalled identifying information in a display if a user presses a recall button on the first party apparatus.