Automatic callback and caller ID method and system

• US 8,116,443 B1
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morris Reese
• Original Assignee: Morris Reese
• Inventors: Reese, Morris
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US12/587,823
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02, 379/210.01
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53341 Message reply

Abstract

The method of the present invention allows a voice mail recipient to activate an automatic callback to a previous caller whose calling telephone number and recorded voice message have been left in the voice mail recipient'"'"'s mailbox associated with a voice mail system coupled to an end office switch which serves the voice mail recipient. More particularly, the method of the present invention automatically delivers to the previous caller'"'"'s busy or idle station caller identifying information (i.e., a directory telephone number (DN) and/or name) related to the voice mail recipient after the voice mail recipient activates the automatic callback to the previous caller by pressing a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at the voice mail recipient'"'"'s station, or by saying a predetermined voice command, in response to an audible prompt from the voice mail system while or after listening to a verbal announcement of the previous caller'"'"'s calling telephone number and recorded voice message left in the voice mail recipient'"'"'s mailbox.

Claims

1. A method for sending to a busy station of a previous caller whose calling telephone number (destination directory number) and recorded voice message have been left in a voice mail recipient (VMR) mailbox a directory telephone number (DN) and/or name of said VMR after said VMR activates an automatic callback to the previous caller, said mailbox of said VMR is associated with a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of said VMR, comprising the steps of:

(a) said VMS sends to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing calling/called information such as said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR station to activate the automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of the previous caller destination directory number and recorded voice message left in said VMR mailbox;

(b) said SPCS of said VMR receives from said VMS the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR and stores said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnects from said VMS and connects audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translates area and office codes of said destination directory number stored in the call store into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of the previous caller, generates an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR, and then transmits said IAM message to said SPCS of the previous caller; and

(c) said SPCS of the previous caller, in response to receiving said destination directory number of the previous caller contained in said IAM message, stores said received IAM message in a call store of said SPCS, determines that the previous caller line is busy and has conventional call waiting ID service, sends a subscriber alerting signal (SAS) and a CPE alerting signal (CAS) to the previous caller busy station, and then sends said DN and/or name of said VMR from the call store of said SPCS to said busy station after an apparatus at said busy station mutes its own voice channel and generates an acknowledgement tone in response to said CAS.

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

(d) receiving by the apparatus at said busy station said DN and/or name of said VMR from said SPCS of said previous caller and displaying said received DN and/or name on a display; and

(e) storing said received DN and/or name of said VMR to memory for later recall and display.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the apparatus at said VMR station is a wired or wireless communication device such as a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the apparatus at said busy station is a communication device such as a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment for use with conventional services such as caller ID, caller ID with call waiting ID and other related services.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said SPCS of said VMR is telephone or cellular company central office equipment.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said SPCS of the previous caller is telephone or cellular company central office equipment.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of said VMR says a voice command to activate the automatic callback to the previous caller.

8. A method for sending to an idle station of a previous caller whose calling telephone number (destination directory number) and recorded voice message have been left in a voice mail recipient (VMR) mailbox a directory telephone number (DN) and/or name of said VMR after said VMR activates an automatic callback to the previous caller, said mailbox of said VMR is associated with a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of said VMR, comprising the steps of:

(a) said VMS sends to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing calling/called information such as said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR after said VMR enters on a keypad of an apparatus to activate the automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of said destination directory number and said recorded message that were left in said VMR mailbox by the previous caller;

(b) said SPCS of said VMR receives from said VMS the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR and stores said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnects from said VMS and connects audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translates area and office codes of said destination directory number stored in the call store into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of the previous caller, generates an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR, and then transmits said generated IAM message to said SPCS of the previous caller; and

(c) said SPCS of the previous caller receives said IAM message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR from said SPCS and then stores said IAM message in a call store of said SPCS, connects to the previous caller idle line with intermittent ringing signals, and then transmits said DN and/or name of said VMR from the call sore of said SPCS to the previous caller idle station during a silent interval between said ringing signals, preferably between first and second ringing signals.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(d) receiving by an apparatus at the previous caller idle station during the silent interval between said ringing signals said DN and/or name of said VMR from said SPCS of the previous caller and displaying said received DN and/or name on a display; and

(e) storing said received DN and/or name in memory for later recall and display.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the apparatus at the previous caller idle station is a communication device such as a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment capable for use with conventional telephone services such as caller ID, caller ID with call waiting and other related services.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said SPCS of said VMR is telephone or cellular company central office equipment.

12. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said SPCS of the previous caller is telephone or cellular company central office equipment.

13. A method for sending a directory telephone number and/or name of a voice mail recipient (VMR) to an idle station of a previous caller whose calling telephone number (destination directory number) and recorded voice message have been left in said VMR mailbox after said VMR activates an automatic callback to the previous caller, said mailbox of said VMR is associated with a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of said VMR, comprising the steps of:

(a) said VMS sends to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing calling/called information such as said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR station to activate the automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to said recorded voice message and a verbal announcement of said destination directory number of the previous caller that were left in said VMR mailbox;

(b) said SPCS of said VMR receives from said VMS the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR and then stores said destination directory number and said DN and/or name in a call store of said SPCS, disconnects from said VMS and connects audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translates area and office codes of said destination directory number into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to a wireless communication switch (WCS) of the previous caller, generates an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number and said DN and/or name, and then transmits said IAM message through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to said WCS of the previous caller;

(c) said WCS of the previous, in response to receiving said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR contained in said IAM message from said SPCS of said VMR, determines which wireless communication device (WCD) this call is for, determines that said destination directory number is associated with WCD “

571-1234”

, determines that said WCD “

571-1234”

is active and is located in cell site “

1”

, assigns a radio channel linking said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

, and then sends a message to said WCD “

571-1234”

informing it that the radio channel has been assigned;

(d) said WCD “

571-1234”

responds to the message from said WCS by sending an acknowledgement message back to said cell site “

1”

which, in turn, sends a message back to said WCD “

571-1234”

to start ringing; and

(e) said WCS of the previous caller sends said DN and/or name of said VMR over said assigned radio channel to said WCD “

571-1234”

at the previous caller station between ringing signals, preferably between first and second ringing signals.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

(f) receiving by said WCD “

571-1234”

at the previous caller station said DN and/or name of said VMR from said WCS of the previous caller and displaying said received DN and/or name on a display; and

(g) storing said received DN and/or name to memory for later recall and display.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said WCD “

571-1234”

at the previous caller station is a wireless device such as a cellular mobile telephone, a cellular car telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said WCS of the previous caller is cellular company central office equipment.

17. A method for sending to a busy station of a previous caller whose calling telephone number and recorded voice message have been left in a voice mail recipient (VMR) mailbox a directory telephone number (DN) and/or name of said VMR after said VMR activates an automatic callback to the previous caller, said mailbox is associated with a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of said VMR, comprising the steps of:

(a) said VMS sends to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing calling/called information such as said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR busy station to activate the automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of the previous caller destination directory number and recorded voice message left in said VMR mailbox;

(b) said SPCS of said VMR receives from said VMS the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR and stores said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnects from said VMS and connects audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translates area and office codes of said destination directory number stored in the call store into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to a wireless communication switch (WCS) of the previous caller, generates an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN and/or name of said VMR, and then transmits said IAM message to said WCS of the previous caller;

(c) said WCS of the previous caller, in response to receiving said destination directory number of the previous caller contained in said IAM message, determines which wireless communication device (WCD) this call is for, determines that said destination directory number is associated with WCD “

571-1234”

, determines that said WCD “

571-1234”

is active, is located in cell site “

1”

, assigns a radio channel linking said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

, determines that the previous caller line is busy and has conventional call waiting service, sends a call waiting alert via said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

which causes it to generate a call waiting tone signal, and then sends over said assigned radio channel via said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

said DN and/or name of said VMR.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

(d) receiving by said WCD “

571-1234”

at the previous caller busy station said DN and/or name of said VMR from said WCS of said previous caller following the call waiting tone signal and displaying said received DN and/or name on a display; and

(e) storing said received DN and/or name in memory for later recall and display.

19. A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said WCD “

571-1234”

is a wireless communication device such as a cellular mobile telephone, a cellular car telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

20. A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said WCS is cellular company central office equipment.

21. An automatic callback and caller ID system, comprising:

(a) a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of a voice mail recipient (VMR), which is connected via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of a previous caller;

(b) said VMS having means for sending to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing a calling telephone number (destination directory number) of the previous caller and a directory telephone number (DN) of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR station to activate an automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of said destination directory number and a recorded voice message of the previous caller that were left in said VMR'"'"'s mailbox associated with said VMS;

(c) said SPCS of said VMR having means for receiving the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said VMS and storing said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnecting from said VMS and connecting audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translating area and office codes of said stored destination directory number into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to said SPCS of the previous caller, generating an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR, and then transmitting said IAM message to said SPCS of the previous caller;

(d) said SPCS of the previous caller having means for receiving said IAM message from said SPCS of said VMR and storing said received IAM message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR in a call store of said SPCS, determining that the previous caller line is busy, sending a subscriber alerting signal (SAS) and a CPE alerting signal (CAS) to the previous caller busy station, and then transmitting said DN of said VMR from the call store to the previous caller busy station after an apparatus at said busy station mutes its own voice channel and generates an acknowledgement tone in response to said CAS; and

(e) the apparatus at said busy station of the previous caller having means for receiving said DN of said VMR from said SPCS of the previous caller, displaying said received DN on a display, and storing said DN to memory for later recall and display.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus at said busy station is a wired or wireless communication device such as a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus at said VMR station is a cellular phone or other receiving and sending equipment.

24. An automatic callback and caller ID system, comprising:

(a) a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of a voice mail recipient (VMR), which is connected via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of a previous caller;

(b) said VMS having means for sending to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing a calling telephone number (destination directory number) of the previous caller and a directory telephone number and/or name (DN) of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR station to activate an automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of said destination directory number and a recorded voice message of the previous caller that were left in said VMR'"'"'s mailbox associated with said VMS;

(c) said SPCS of said VMR having means for receiving the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said VMS and storing said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnecting from said VMS and connecting audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translating area and office codes of said stored destination directory number into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to said SPCS of the previous caller, generating an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR, and then transmitting said generated IAM message via the appropriate route to said SPCS of the previous caller;

(d) said SPCS of the previous caller having means for receiving said IAM message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said SPCS of said VMR and then storing said received IAM message in a call store of said SPCS of the previous caller, connecting to the previous caller idle line with intermittent ringing signals, and then transmitting said DN of said VMR from the call store to an apparatus at the previous caller idle station during a silent interval between said ringing signals, preferably between first and second ringing signals; and

(e) the apparatus at the previous caller idle station having means for receiving said DN of said VMR from said SPCS of the previous caller during the silent interval between said ringing signals, displaying said received DN on a display, and then storing said DN to memory for later recall and display.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the apparatus at said VMR station is a cellular phone or other receiving and sending equipment.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the apparatus at the previous caller idle station is a wired or wireless communication device such as a pushbutton telephone or other receiving and sending equipment.

27. An automatic callback and caller ID system, comprising:

(a) a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of a voice mail recipient (VMR), which is connected via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) of a previous caller;

(b) said VMS having means for transmitting to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing a calling telephone number (destination directory number) of the previous caller and a directory telephone number and/or name (DN) of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR station to activate an automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of said destination directory number and a recorded voice message of the previous caller that were left in said VMR'"'"'s mailbox associated with said VMS;

(c) said SPCS of said VMR having means for receiving the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said VMS and storing said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnecting from said VMS and connecting audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translating area and office codes of said stored destination directory number into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to said MTSO of the previous caller, generating an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR, and then transmitting said generated IAM message via the appropriate route to said MTSO of the previous caller;

(d) said MTSO of the previous caller having means for receiving said IAM message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said SPCS of said VMR, determining which wireless communication device (WCD) this call is for, determining that said destination directory number contained in said IAM message is associated with said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller, determining that said WCD “

571-1234”

is active and is located in cell site “

1”

, assigning a radio channel linking said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

, sending a message to said WCD “

571-1234”

informing it that the radio channel has been assigned after said WCD “

571-1234”

responds to the message from said MTSO by sending an acknowledgement message back to said cell site “

1”

which, in turn, sends a message back to said WCD “

571-1234”

to start ringing, and then transmitting said DN of said VMR over said assigned radio channel to said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller, preferably between first and second ringing signals; and

(e) said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller having means for receiving said DN of said VMR from said MTSO of the previous caller, displaying said received DN on a display, and storing said DN to memory for later recall and display.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller is a cellular phone or other receiving and sending equipment.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein the apparatus at said VMR station is a cellular phone or other receiving and sending equipment.

30. An automatic callback and caller ID system, comprising:

(a) a voice mail system (VMS) which is coupled to a stored program controlled switching system (SPCS) of a voice mail recipient (VMR), which is connected via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) of a previous caller;

(b) said VMS having means for sending to said SPCS of said VMR a data message containing a calling telephone number (destination directory number) of the previous caller and a directory telephone number and/or name (DN) of said VMR after said VMR enters a predetermined digit on a keypad of an apparatus at said VMR station to activate an automatic callback to the previous caller in response to a verbal announcement from said VMS after or while listening to a verbal announcement of said destination directory number and a recorded voice message of the previous caller that were left in said VMR'"'"'s mailbox associated with said VMS;

(c) said SPCS of said VMR having means for receiving the data message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said VMS and storing said received data message in a call store of said SPCS, disconnecting from said VMS and connecting audible ringing signals to said VMR line, translating area and office codes of said stored destination directory number into appropriate routing information to select a trunk line which is an appropriate route to said MTSO of the previous caller, generating an initial address message (IAM) which includes said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR, and then sending said generated IAM message via the appropriate route to said MTSO of the previous caller;

(d) said MTSO of the previous caller having means for receiving said IAM message containing said destination directory number of the previous caller and said DN of said VMR from said SPCS of said VMR, determining which wireless communication device (WCD) this call is for, determining that said destination directory number contained in said IAM message is associated with said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller, determining that said WCD “

571-1234”

is active and is located in cell site “

1”

, assigning a radio channel linking said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

, determining that said WCD “

571-1234”

is busy, sending a call waiting alert via said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

which causes it to generate a call waiting tone signal, and then sending said DN of said VMR over said assigned radio channel via said cell site “

1”

to said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller; and

(e) said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller having means for receiving said DN of said VMR from said MTSO of said previous caller, displaying said received DN on a display, and storing said DN to memory for later recall and display.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein said WCD “

571-1234”

of the previous caller is a cellular phone or other receiving and sending equipment.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein the apparatus at said VMR station is a cellular phone or other receiving and sending equipment.