Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-20
2001-04-10
Tsang, Fan (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
C379S069000, C379S088080, C379S088220, C379S212010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215857
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and methods for routing calls to voice mail systems, and specifically to enabling a calling subscriber to directly connect to a voice mail system of the called subscriber without ringing the called subscriber and to allowing a called subscriber to prevent a calling subscriber from directly accessing the called subscribers voice mail system.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Since the beginning of the telephone in the 1870's, signaling has been an integral part of telephone communications. Such signaling typically includes the call setup, such as ringing the called party, and teardown procedures. In modern telecommunications networks, signaling constitutes the distinct control infrastructure that enables provision of all other services. It can be defined as the system that enables stored program control exchanges, network databases, and other “intelligent” nodes of the network to exchange: (a) messages related to call setup, supervision, and tear-down; (b) information needed for distributed applications processing (inter-process query/response); and (c) network management information.
In addition, the Intelligent Network (IN) and the new Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) have made possible the transfer of all types of information through the telephone network without special circuits or long installation cycles. In the IN, everything is controlled or configured by workstations with user-friendly software. Telephone service representatives can, therefore, create new services and tailor a subscriber's service from a terminal while talking with the customer. These changes are immediately and inexpensively implemented in the switches, rather than by the more traditional method: expensive programming changes made by certified technicians.
The IN consists of a series of intelligent nodes, each capable of processing at various levels, and each capable of communicating with one another over data links. Currently, the IN relies on the Signaling System #7 (SS7) network, which provides the basic infrastructure needed for the various signaling points in the IN. SS7, in turn, relies on Common Channel Signaling, which uses a digital facility, but places the signaling information in a time slot or channel separate from the voice and data to which it is related. This allows signaling information to be consolidated and sent through its own network apart from the voice network.
The various signaling points in the IN both perform message discrimination (read the address and determine if the message is for that node), and route messages to other signaling points. The basic three types of signaling points are: (1) Service Switching Points (SSPs); (2) Signal Transfer Points (STPs); and (3) Service Control Points (SCPs), each of which are described in more detail hereinafter.
With reference now to
FIG. 1
of the drawings, the many Service Switching Points (SSPs)
100
serve as the local exchanges in a telephone network
90
, a portion of which is shown in FIG.
1
. The SSPs
100
preferably provide an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interface for the Signal Transfer Points (STPs)
110
, as is understood in the art. The signaling information is handed off to the SS7 network and transferred to an end office (another SSP) using SS7 ISDN User Part (ISUP) protocol, which is responsible for all call setup and tear down.
The STP
110
serves as a router, and switches messages received from a particular SSP
100
through the network
90
to their appropriate destinations (another SSP
100
). As is also understood in the art, the STP
110
receives messages in packet form from the SSPs
100
. These packets are either related to call connections or database queries. If the packet is a request to connect a call, the message must be forwarded to a destination end office (another SSP
100
), where the call will be terminated.
If, however, the message is a database query seeking additional information, the destination will be a database. Database access is provided through the Service Control Point (SCP)
120
, which does not store the information, but acts as an interface to a computer that houses the requested information, as is understood in the art.
Local service providers (SSPs) are currently providing centralized voice mail systems to subscribers as a substitute for individual answering machines. Increasingly, subscribers are opting for these centralized voice mail systems due to the flexibilities that they provide. In addition, most business group subscribers have voice mail systems implemented within their offices. Voice mail is provided to subscribers using one of the variants of a call forwarding feature, which is understood in the art. Typically, the called subscriber is assigned a “Call Forwarding Don't Answer” (CFD) feature and “Call Forwarding Busy” (CFB) feature, which will allow the call to be forwarded to the called subscriber's voice mail. Thus, the call will be forwarded to the called subscriber's voice mail if either the called subscriber does not answer the call or the called subscriber's line is busy.
In some cases, a calling subscriber may wish to leave a voice mail message for the called subscriber without disturbing the called subscriber. Existing technology allows a voice mail to be accessed only using call forwarding features without any control by the calling subscriber as to when the call forwarding feature is invoked. However, if the called subscriber is on the same voice mail system as the calling subscriber, the voice mail system may provide the ability to leave a message without disturbing the called subscriber.
Unfortunately, if the calling and called subscriber are not on the same voice mail system, it is not possible, at present, to leave a message without ringing the called subscriber, unless the called subscriber has instructed the local service provider to forward all calls directly to the voice mail system without ringing. Once again, this does not allow a calling subscriber to control whether or not the voice mail system should be directly accessed for that call.
In addition, if the voice mail system itself has a separate number associated with it, which can be accessed by a calling subscriber, the calling subscriber typically cannot enter the called subscriber's voice mail box without entering the voice mail box number, listening to the menu to pick up the correct choice, and then leaving a message. This process is cumbersome and inconvenient for a calling subscriber and requires the calling subscriber to remember the called subscriber's voice mail box number. In addition, this method of access does not provide any control on the part of the called subscriber to prevent direct voice mail access.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide direct access by the calling subscriber to the voice mail of the called subscriber without ringing (disturbing) the called subscriber.
It is a further object of the invention to allow the called subscriber to control when a calling subscriber can reach his/her voice mail directly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to telecommunications systems and methods for enabling a calling subscriber to invoke the forwarding of a call to a called subscriber to a voice mail system for the called subscriber on a call-by-call basis in order to leave a message for the called subscriber without disturbing the called subscriber. This “Direct Voice Mail Access” (DVMA) feature is particularly useful in business environments where, for example, the calling party either knows the called party is busy or does not have time for a conversation. This feature can also be useful in residential environments where, for example, the calling party needs to leave a message for the called party late at night.
The associated disadvantage with this DVMA feature is that the called party will lose control over his/her call forwarding to voic
Ericsson Inc.
Hoosain Allan
Jenkens & Gilchrist P.C.
Tsang Fan
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