System and method for forwarding selective calls

• US 7,649,987 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Contractor, Sunil H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US09/884,316
• Time in Patent Office: 3,136 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/221.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 455/445
• US Class Current: 379/221.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A forwarding telephone number in a programmable telephone number list associated with a called number is dialed in response to a busy or no answer signal at the called number. The programmable telephone number table may include preferred caller telephone numbers. The system and method may be may be implemented on an AIN based wire line system.

Claims

1. A selective call forwarding system implemented on an advanced intelligent network telephone system, comprising:

a subscription list comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers, wherein an entry in the subscription list indicates that a subscriber subscribes to the selective call forwarding system;

a programmable telephone number table linked to the subscription list by the subscriber telephone numbers, the programmable telephone number table comprising for each of the subscriber telephone numbers in the subscription list, a plurality of associated forwarding telephone numbers and a plurality of associated preferred callers, wherein for each preferred caller the programmable telephone number table has a first preferred caller telephone number and a second preferred caller telephone number;

logic to execute a service package application and a service node, the service node providing the subscriber with access to modify the programmable telephone number table; and

a telephone system having access to the subscription list and the programmable telephone number table, the telephone system;

determining that a call placed by a caller is to a subscriber having a corresponding subscriber telephone number entry in the subscription list and the programmable telephone number table;

determining that the caller is a preferred caller, the determining comprising verifying that a caller telephone number associated with the call matches a first preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller, and verifying that the caller telephone number matches a second preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller in response to the caller telephone number not matching the first preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller; and

selectively forwarding the call to one of a plurality of forwarding telephone numbers associated with the corresponding subscriber telephone number entry in the programmable telephone number table using a Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol to respond to a trigger,

wherein the telephone system provides an indication to the caller that the call is being forwarded to the forwarding telephone number, and

wherein the telephone system uses the trigger on the call to send a TCAP message to initiate searching to locate the corresponding subscriber telephone number entry in the subscription list and the programmable telephone number table.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the programmable telephone number table is editable by the subscriber via a website.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein access to the programmable telephone number table is restricted.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication provided to the caller is an audible voice notification.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication provided to the caller is an audible tone.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication provided to the caller is a lamp.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein different ones of the forwarding telephone numbers are associated with respective preferred caller telephone numbers and are also associated with the subscriber telephone number.

19. The method of claim 1, further associating the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers of the programmable telephone number table with respective preferred caller telephone numbers.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the corresponding subscriber telephone number entry in the programmable telephone number table is a wire line telephone number and the forwarding telephone number is a wireless telephone number for a wireless telephone, and forwarding to the forwarding telephone number is performed in response to determining that the wireless telephone is in an on-state.

4. A method implemented on an advanced intelligent network telephone system comprising:

providing a subscription list comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers to a selective call forwarding service in a telephone system;

receiving a first call to a called party telephone number from a first caller telephone number;

determining if the called party telephone number is a subscriber telephone number in the subscription list; and

in response to the called party telephone number being a subscriber telephone number in the subscription list;

providing a programmable telephone number table in a database of the telephone system comprising the subscriber telephone number, a plurality of forwarding telephone numbers, and a plurality of preferred callers associated with the subscriber telephone number, wherein, for each preferred caller the programmable telephone number table has a first preferred caller telephone number and a second preferred caller telephone number, the programmable telephone number table editable by a telephone subscriber to the selective call forwarding service;

executing a service package application and a service node, the service node providing the subscriber with access to modify the programmable telephone number table;

determining whether the first caller telephone number is one of the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number, the determining comprising verifying that the first caller telephone number matches a first preferred caller telephone number associated with a preferred caller, and verifying that the first caller telephone number matches a second preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller in response to the caller telephone number not matching the first preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller;

if the first caller telephone number is one of a plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers, forwarding the first call to a first forwarding telephone number of the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers;

if the first caller telephone number is not a preferred caller telephone number, processing the first call normally without forwarding the first call to the first forwarding telephone number;

if the first call is forwarded to a first forwarding telephone number, providing an indication, to the first caller, that the first call is being forwarded to the first forwarding telephone number;

receiving at least a second call made to the subscriber telephone number from at least a second caller telephone number;

determining whether the second caller telephone number is one of the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number;

if the second caller telephone number is one of the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers, forwarding the second call to a second forwarding telephone number of the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers;

if the second caller telephone number is not a preferred caller telephone number, processing the second call normally without forwarding the second call to the second forwarding telephone number; and

if the second call is forwarded to a second forwarding telephone number, providing an indication, to the second caller, that the second call is being forwarded to the second forwarding telephone number,

wherein the telephone system uses a Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol to respond to a trigger, sending a TCAP message to initiate searching to locate the subscriber telephone number in the subscription list and the programmable telephone number table.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether the first forwarding telephone number is associated with a wireless telephone, and wherein forwarding the first call to the first forwarding telephone number is performed in response to determining that the wireless telephone is in an on-state.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising enabling the subscriber to configure the programmable telephone number table to:

associate a plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers with the subscriber telephone number; and

associate with each of the preferred caller telephone numbers at least one respective forwarding telephone number.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the first caller telephone number is one of a plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number includes accessing the programmable telephone number table containing at least the subscriber telephone number and the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers and determining if the first caller telephone number is a preferred caller telephone number listed in the programmable telephone number table.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the second caller telephone number is one of a plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number includes accessing the programmable telephone number table containing at least the subscriber telephone number and the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers and determining if the second caller telephone number is a preferred caller telephone listed in the programmable telephone number table.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein providing an indication to the first caller includes providing an audible voice notification.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein providing an indication to the first caller includes providing an audible tone.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein providing an indication to the first caller includes providing the indication using a lamp.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein providing an indication to the second caller includes providing an audible voice notification.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein providing an indication to the second caller includes providing an audible tone.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein providing an indication to the second caller includes providing the indication using a lamp.

20. The method of claim 4, wherein forwarding the first call includes forwarding the first call to a first forwarding telephone number associated with the first caller telephone number.

21. The method of claim 4, wherein forwarding the second call includes forwarding the second call to a second forwarding telephone number associated with the second caller telephone number.

23. The method of claim 4, wherein the telephone system further comprises a service node, the service node providing the telephone subscriber with access to modify the programmable telephone number table.

24. A tangible computer readable storage medium for a selective call forwarding service in an advanced intelligent network telephone system, the tangible computer readable storage medium storing instructions for execution by a processing circuit, the instructions implementing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a first call to a called party telephone number from a first caller telephone number;

determining if the called party telephone number is a subscriber telephone number in a subscription list comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers; and

in response to the called party telephone number being a subscriber telephone number in the subscription list;

accessing a programmable telephone number table in a database of the telephone system comprising the subscriber telephone number, a plurality of forwarding telephone numbers, and a plurality of preferred callers associated with the subscriber telephone number, wherein for each preferred caller the programmable telephone number table has a first preferred caller telephone number and a second preferred caller telephone number, the programmable telephone number table editable by a telephone subscriber to the selective call forwarding service;

executing a service package application and a service node, the service node providing the subscriber with access to modify the programmable telephone number table;

determining whether the first caller telephone number is one of the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number, the determining comprising verifying that the first caller telephone number matches a first preferred caller telephone number associated with a preferred caller, and verifying that the first caller telephone number matches a second preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller in response to the caller telephone number not matching the first preferred caller telephone number associated with the preferred caller;

if the first caller telephone number is one of a plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers, forwarding the first call to a first forwarding telephone number of the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers;

if the first caller telephone number is not a preferred caller telephone number, processing the first call normally without forwarding the first call to the first forwarding telephone number;

if the first call is forwarded to a first forwarding telephone number, providing an indication, to the first caller, that the first call is being forwarded to the first forwarding telephone number;

receiving at least a second call made to the subscriber telephone number from at least a second caller telephone number;

determining whether the second caller telephone number is one of the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number;

if the second caller telephone number is one of the plurality of preferred caller telephone numbers, forwarding the second call to a second forwarding telephone number of the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers;

if the second caller telephone number is not a preferred caller telephone number, processing the second call normally without forwarding the second call to the second forwarding telephone number; and

if the second call is forwarded to a second forwarding telephone number, providing an indication, to the second caller, that the second call is being forwarded to the second forwarding telephone number,

wherein the telephone system uses a Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol to respond to a trigger, sending a TCAP message to initiate searching to locate the subscriber telephone number in the subscription list and the programmable telephone number table.