Call screening apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. A call processing method in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:
- receiving a call placed by a calling party for a called party at a called communication station;
retrieving a subscriber profile which defines call screening information for the called party;
playing to the calling party one of a called party-provided greeting and a greeting announcement;
if a recorded name screening feature is active,prompting the calling party for identification, andrecording the spoken identification provided by the calling party;
if the called party is engaged in a call, providing an announcement and entering a call waiting process;
otherwise, routing the call to a directory number in accordance with the subscriber profile;
playing to the called communication station one of a predefined announcement and the recorded spoken identification;
determining from the subscriber profile if caller ID screening is active for the called party;
if so, determining if a calling directory number is available for the call;
if so, providing the calling party directory number to the called communication station;
otherwise, if the calling directory number is \unknown, announcing an unavailable directory number to the called communication station;
prompting the called party to enter a call routing option;
detecting a call routing option entered at the called communication station;
if the entered call routing option corresponds to rejecting the call, routing the call to a reject-call default destination; and
if the entered call routing option corresponds to accepting the call, connecting the call between the calling party with the called party.
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Abstract
A method of screening incoming telephone calls and programming screening options and apparatus that allows incoming calls to be screened according to various criteria programmed by a subscriber.
28 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A call processing method in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:
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receiving a call placed by a calling party for a called party at a called communication station; retrieving a subscriber profile which defines call screening information for the called party; playing to the calling party one of a called party-provided greeting and a greeting announcement; if a recorded name screening feature is active, prompting the calling party for identification, and recording the spoken identification provided by the calling party; if the called party is engaged in a call, providing an announcement and entering a call waiting process; otherwise, routing the call to a directory number in accordance with the subscriber profile; playing to the called communication station one of a predefined announcement and the recorded spoken identification; determining from the subscriber profile if caller ID screening is active for the called party; if so, determining if a calling directory number is available for the call; if so, providing the calling party directory number to the called communication station; otherwise, if the calling directory number is \unknown, announcing an unavailable directory number to the called communication station; prompting the called party to enter a call routing option; detecting a call routing option entered at the called communication station; if the entered call routing option corresponds to rejecting the call, routing the call to a reject-call default destination; and if the entered call routing option corresponds to accepting the call, connecting the call between the calling party with the called party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A call processing method for a platform operating in a telecommunications system, the call processing method comprising:
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receiving a call at the platform, the call placed by a calling party for a called party at a called communication station; at the platform, retrieving a subscriber profile which defines call screening information for the called party; playing to the calling party one of a called party-provided greeting and a greeting announcement; determining from the subscriber profile if a screening list feature is active for the called party; if so, determining if a number associated with the calling party is available; if so, determining if the number associated with the calling party is on a screening list of the called party; if so, routing the call to a default destination at the platform; if the number associated with the calling party is not available or if the number associated with the calling party is not on the screening list, determining from the subscriber profile if a recorded name screening feature is active for the called party; if so, prompting the calling party for identification; recording the spoken identification provided by the calling party; determining status of the called party; if the called party is engaged in a call, providing an announcement and entering a call waiting process; otherwise, routing the call to a directory number in accordance with the subscriber profile; directing network equipment able to communicate with the called communication station to play to the called communication station one of a predefined announcement and the recorded spoken identification; determining from the subscriber profile if caller ID screening is active for the called party; if so, determining if a calling directory number is available; if so, announcing the calling party directory number to the called communication station; otherwise, if the calling directory number is not unknown, announcing an unavailable directory number to the called communication station; prompting the called party to accept or reject the call; detecting a call routing option entered at the called communication station; if the call routing option corresponds to rejecting the call, routing the call to a default destination; and if the call routing option corresponds to accepting the call, connecting the call between the calling party with the called party.
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Specification