Distributed network voice messaging for wireless centrex telephony

• US 6,961,559 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chow, Albert, Kim, Jinman, Wang, Spencer C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US09/630,941
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/414.1, 455/450, 455/461, 455/554.1, 455/555, 455/567, 370/522, 370/524, 379/229, 379/230, 379/207.02, 379/207.04, 379/207.05, 379/207.06, 379/207.08
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/45 public-private interworking, e.g. centrex
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A method and system for distributing voice prompts and messaging closer to the calling or called party via the Voice Access Port (VAP) of a wireless centrex system comprises the steps of transmitting a message request to the VAP from a network server platform, retrieving a selected message and forwarding the message, for example, to the calling party, for example, when the called party is not available or during conference call set-up, call hold or call screening. In accordance with a further embodiment, the voice prompt or message may be personalized with the calling/called party'"'"'s name, address or other personalized information as appropriate.

Claims

1. Network apparatus including a wireless centrex system for providing telecommunication informational messages responsive to an incoming communication directed to a mobile station in the wireless centrex system, comprising:

an intelligent radio transceiver in communication with the mobile station;

a network server platform for monitoring a status of the incoming communication in order to identify which incoming communication requires any informational messages associated with the mobile station, said network server platform having a communication interface with said intelligent radio transceiver for forwarding a message request for a particular class of informational message; and

;

wherein said intelligent radio transceiver comprises

a memory for storing said informational messages including message configuration features for the mobile station'"'"'s user; and

a controller unit for interfacing with the memory and selectively finding and generating for the communications sender and/or the mobile station a predetermined informational message upon receiving said message request from said network server platform.

2. The network apparatus according to claim 1, said intelligent radio transceiver further comprising:

a digital signal processor, responsive to said controller unit, for outputting said predetermined informational message.

3. The network apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said intelligent radio transceiver further comprises first and second digital signal processors, a first digital signal processor to control data and a second digital signal processor for traffic (voice) data to be used with an echo canceller.

4. The network apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an ISDN transceiver coupled to said controller and digital signal processor.

5. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory stores said telecommunications messages as compressed digital files.

6. The network apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said telecommunications message is received for storage in said memory in one of Linear PCM, ACELP and VSELP coding and is converted accordingly before being activated.

7. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular class of requested message comprises “

on hold” and

the telecommunications informational message is generated to an incoming communication sender and an alert is provided to the mobile station.

8. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular class of requested message comprises “

screening” and

the telecommunications informational message is generated to an incoming communication sender.

9. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular class of message comprises “

mobile station party not available” and

the telecommunications informational message is generated an incoming communication sender.

10. The network apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a time-of-day clock for determining the particular class of requested message.

11. The network apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the telecommunications message is a personal greeting and the time-of day and the identity of one of the mobile station and the incoming communication sender determine the particular class of requested message and the personal greeting.

12. The network apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said incoming communication comprises a voice communication, and said intelligent radio transceiver comprises a voice access port.

13. The network apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said incoming communication comprises a data and/or text communication.

14. The network apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said informational messages comprise one or more of the following:

prompt, announcement, time of day, personal greeting, text, numbers, music, visual indicator, audio indicator, forwarding number, forwarding destination.

15. The network apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said network server platform further comprises ISDN channels.

16. The network apparatus according to claim 1 which further includes interactive means for activating, deactivating and/or configuring any of the particular class of informational messages associated with the mobile station.

17. The network apparatus of claim 16 wherein said interactive means comprises an Internet web page.

18. A method for use with a wireless centrex system for generating telecommunications messages in a network comprising a network server platform and an intelligent radio transceiver in communication with a mobile station in the wireless centrex system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a need for a telecommunications message in response to a communication directed to the mobile station;

requesting from the intelligent radio transceiver an informational telecommunications message stored in a memory on the intelligent radio transceiver;

wherein the requesting step comprises requesting a class of particular messages associated with the mobile station and

generating, responsive to the message requesting step, from the memory on the intelligent radio transceiver one or more of the informational telecommunications messages for the communications sender and/or for the mobile station, said informational messages comprising one or more of the following;

prompt, announcement, time of day, personal greeting, text, numbers, music, visual indicator, audio indicator, forwarding number, forwarding destination.

19. The method according to claim 18, further including the step of storing different telecommunications messages for multiple mobile stations in memory of said intelligent radio transceiver.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said different message storing step comprises storing said messages as compressed digital files.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said different telecommunications messages are received for storage in the memory in one of Linear PCM, ACELP and VSELP coding and are converted accordingly before being activated.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the communication directed to the mobile station is on hold and the telecommunications messages is generated to a communications sender and an alert is provided to the mobile station.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of said intelligent radio receiver notifying said network server platform that an incoming call is on hold.

24. The method according claim 18, wherein the communication is directed to a mobile station that is not available and the telecommunications message is generated to a communications sender.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein the communication is directed to a mobile station that is screening and the telecommunications message is generated to a communications sender.

26. The method according to claim 18, wherein the communication is directed to a mobile station that is participating in a conference call and the telecommunications message is generated to a communications sender and an alert is provided to the mobile station.

27. The method according to claim 18, wherein the generating step further comprises generating said class of particular messages in response to a time-of-day determination.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the telecommunications message is a personal greeting and the time-of-day and the identity of one of the mobile station and the communications sender determine the class of particular messages and the personal greeting.