Method and system for providing a continuous tone source using a network node

• US 7,489,769 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jasper Wireless LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lapierre, Stephen R., Knoerle, Joseph M., Zhang, Zeeman Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US10/453,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20030235283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215.01, 379/211.04, 379/265.02, 379/266.01, 379/88.26, 379/207.14, 379/266.03, 379/101.01, 379/266.05, 379/211.01, 370/354, 455/462
• US Class Current: 379/101.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold

Abstract

A system and method for providing an on-hold call with a selectable continuous tone source using a service node, comprising a service switching point of a central office connected to a service logic program provisioned on a service node. Using the capabilities of the service node, the service logic program plays a continuous tone through a permanent trunk line connecting the service node to the service switching point. When the service switching point puts a call on hold, the service switching point connects the call through the permanent trunk line to the service logic program that is playing the continuous tone. As a result, the caller hears the continuous tone while the service switching point has the call on hold. In addition, the present invention provides a dual tone multifrequency administrative interface on the service logic program of the service node, which enables a customer to dial the interface, enter a passcode for access, and then choose between a variety of tone types such as a dial tone, a busy signal, a normal ring tone, a reorder signal (fast busy signal), a continuous busy signal, and a continuous ring tone.

Claims

1. A system for providing a continuous tone in voice communication networks, comprising:

a network node including a tone service logic program and a call routing service logic program to provide the continuous tone and call routing/switching instructions, respectively; and

a switch configured to follow the call routing/switching instructions,

wherein the network node is connected to the switch through at least one line configured to pass an active call,

wherein the active call connections are transferred to the switch from the network node by the call routing service logic program,

wherein, during the transfer, the call routing service logic program directs the switch to place the active call on hold and the service logic program provides a continuous tone to at least one party of the active call through a permanent trunk line connected from the service node to the switch, and

wherein, after the transfer, the network node is only connected to the switch through the permanent trunk line.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service logic program includes an interface that allows a user to select a tone type from a plurality of tone types.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the interface is to operate with dual tone multifrequency dialing.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the service logic program includes a database that lists a particular tone type associated with each of a plurality of users.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the service logic program is to monitor each of the plurality of tone types for failures.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the service logic program is to identify and to notify the user when the tone type becomes unavailable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch includes a music-on-hold trunk.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the call is to be placed on hold by connecting the call to the music-on-hold trunk.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the music-on-hold trunk is to connect the call to the service logic program when the call is connected to the music-on-hold trunk.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the music-on-hold trunk is to be physically connected to the service logic program.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a connection between the service logic program and the switch is a multiple line hunt group (MLHG).

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the network node is a service node of an AIN and the switch is a service switching point of the AIN.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising a permanent trunk line configured to connect the continuous tone of the service logic program of the network node to the switch.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the first line is a basic rate interface (BRI) connection and the second line is a BRI integrated service digital network connection.

12. A system for providing a continuous tone in voice communication networks, comprising:

a switch configured to follow call routing/switching instructions; and

a network node including a first service logic program to provide the call routing/switching instructions and a second service logic program to provide the continuous tone to the switch,

wherein the switch is to receive an incoming call from a calling party and is to forward the incoming call to the network node,

wherein the network node is to receive the incoming call from the switch, to place an outgoing call to a called party in response to the incoming call, to connect the incoming call and the outgoing call, and to transfer the connected incoming call and the outgoing call to the switch,

wherein, during the transfer, when the network node is to direct the switch to place the incoming call and the outgoing call on hold, the second service logic program in the service node is to provide the continuous tone to the connected incoming call and outgoing call on the switch through a permanent trunk line configured to pass the continuous tone from the service logic program, and

wherein, after the transfer, the network node is only connected to the switch through the permanent trunk line.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the switch is a service switching point adapted to place the incoming call and the outgoing call on hold by connecting the incoming call and the outgoing call to a music-on-hold trunk.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein when the incoming call and the outgoing call are connected to the music-on-hold trunk, the music-on-hold trunk is to connect to the second service logic program through a foreign exchange trunk.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein when the transfer is completed, the service switching point is to disconnect the incoming call and the outgoing call from the music-on-hold trunk and is to connect the incoming call and the outgoing call to each other.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the network node is a service node of an AIN and the switch is a service switching point of the AIN.

29. The system of claim 12, further comprising a permanent trunk line configured to connect the continuous tone of the second service logic program of the network node to the switch.

31. The system of claim 12, wherein the first line is a basic rate interface (BRI) connection and the second line is a BRI integrated service digital network connection.

16. A method for providing a continuous tone to parties of a voice call, comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a calling party;

placing an outgoing call to a called party in response to the incoming call;

connecting the incoming call and the outgoing call; and

transferring the connected incoming call and the outgoing call,

wherein, during said transferring, a call routing service logic program directs the switch to place incoming call and outgoing call on hold and a service logic program provides a continuous tone to at least one of the incoming call and outgoing call through a permanent trunk line connected from the service node to the switch, and

wherein, after the transfer, the network node is only connected to the switch through the permanent trunk line.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the incoming call and the outgoing call are to be placed on hold by connecting the incoming call and the outgoing call to a music-on-hold trunk in a service switching point.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein when the incoming call and the outgoing call are connected to the music-on-hold trunk, the music-on-hold trunk is to be connected to the service logic program provisioned on a service node, and wherein the service logic program is to provide the continuous tone to said at least one party selected from the group consisting of the calling party and the called party.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

disconnecting the incoming call and the outgoing call from the music-on-hold trunk and connecting the incoming call and the outgoing call to each other at a service switching point when said transferring is completed.

32. The system of claim 16, wherein the first line is a basic rate interface (BRI) connection and the second line is a BRI integrated service digital network connection.

22. A computer-readable medium containing software code that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a method to provide a continuous tone to one or more parties of a voice communication call, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a calling party of the call to a called party of the call;

forwarding the incoming call to a call routing service logic program on a service node;

receiving, in a transfer from the service node, the incoming call and an outgoing call,

wherein, during said transferring, when a network node directs a switch to place the incoming call and the outgoing call on hold for a duration of at least one second, a service logic program is to provide the continuous tone to at least one party selected from a group consisting of the calling party and the called party through a permanent trunk line connected from the network node to the switch, and

taking the incoming call and the outgoing call off hold when the transfer is complete and disconnecting the at least one call from the continuous tone service logic program,

wherein, when the transfer is complete, the network node is only connected to the switch through the permanent trunk line.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said receiving includes:

connecting said at least one call to a music-on-hold trunk;

signaling from the music-on-hold trunk to a foreign exchange trunk; and

placing a call from the foreign exchange trunk to the continuous tone service logic program.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein the first line is a basic rate interface (BRI) connection and the second line is a BRI integrated service digital network connection.

24. A computer-readable medium containing software code that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a method to provide a continuous tone to one or more parties of a voice communication call, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call having a calling party and a called party from a switch;

placing an outgoing call to the called party;

transferring the incoming call and the outgoing call to said switch, wherein the incoming call and the outgoing call are placed on hold during said transferring; and

providing a continuous tone to at least one party selected from the group consisting of the calling party and the called party while the incoming call and the outgoing call are on hold for a duration of at least one second,

wherein, during said transferring, a network node is to direct the switch in communication with the network node to place a call on hold for a duration of at least one second, a service logic program is to provide the continuous tone to at least one party selected from a group consisting of the calling party of the call and the called party of the call while the call is on hold and while connecting the calling party to the called party to complete the call through the switch,

wherein, during said transferring, when a network node directs a switch to place the incoming call and the outgoing call on hold for a duration of at least one second, a service logic program is to provide the continuous tone to at least one party selected from a group consisting of the calling party and the called party through a permanent trunk line connected from the network node to the switch, and

wherein, when the transfer is complete, the network node is only connected to the switch through the permanent trunk line.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein said providing a continuous tone comprises:

providing a continuous tone via the switch.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the software code further includes instructions that, when executed by the computer, causes the method executed by the computer to further comprise:

receiving information from said at least one party to select a type of continuous tone; and

wherein said providing comprises providing the type of continuous tone selected by said at least one party.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein said receiving information comprises:

receiving said information via dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) signaling.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein the first line is a basic rate interface (BRI) connection and the second line is a BRI integrated service digital network connection.