Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-03
2002-09-17
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S417000, C455S456500, C455S461000, C455S566000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06453164
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention pertains to the telephone equipment art and, more particularly, to a Intelligent Telephone Control System which allows subscribers to remotely control a plurality of call handling utilities to predeterminedly direct incoming calls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Despite the availability of numerous telephone central exchange provided functions, such as “call-forwarding”, “three-way calling”, “call-waiting” and “speed-dialing”,as well as the advent and availability of paging and mobile telephone systems, the completion of a call to a system subscriber can often be a complicated, time consuming and tedious task. Unless the telephone subscriber is located at the telephone which receives calls to his assigned phone number, completion of a call from a calling party, despite the aforementioned services, generally involves the calling party leaving a message and awaiting a call back by the subscriber. Even if the subscriber is accessible via mobile telephone or a paging system, human intervention is commonly required to look up and dial specific mobile telephone or paging numbers to attempt to contact the subscriber. Thus, additional delays and costs are incurred.
In addition, even if the subscriber is on a paging system, the successful direction of a message to the subscriber requires that the subscriber manually inform the system of his whereabouts.
Finally, existing telephone control systems offer very limited control to either the subscriber or the calling party with respect to the processing of calls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In summary, the present invention is directed to an intelligent telephone control system which is connected to a telephone exchange and wherein each user of the system is assigned a unique telephone number with the control system routing calls to the user where ever they may be located. The control system comprises an input/output device which is adapted for connection to the telephone exchange trunks or lines to input and output telephone calls. A switching control means controllably connects a call on one line to a different line. Provided memory controllably stores and recalls electronic signals. An electronic processing means is provided for accessing the memory, switching control means and input/output device to direct the flow of input and output calls. The electronic processing means includes means for: a) identifying a call to the system from a caller directed to a specific user, b) testing to determine whether or not the subscriber's cellular telephone is available to receive calls, c) recalling a forwarding number from memory as a function of the result of the aforementioned test, d) implementing a call to the forwarding number, and e) switching the caller's call to the forwarding number. The system also preferably includes means for f) identifying a call to the system from a specific user, g) changing the specific user's memory stored forwarding number(s) responsive to a command from the specific user, h) processing calls to the system directed to a specific user in a selected one of a plurality of modes and, i) changing a users call processing mode responsive to a command from the user.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, the control system may forward incoming calls for a subscriber to a telephone number that has been preselected by the subscriber. How the call is forwarded may be a function of whether or not the subscriber's cellular telephone is turned on and may be a further function of a preprogrammed schedule and of other factors . The call may be directly forwarded, or may be preceded by a brief announcement informing the caller that the call is being forwarded. The call may be forwarded to a telephone apparatus or may be otherwise handled, such as forwarding it to a voice mail message center. This feature of the invention may be advantageously used as follows: A subscriber's call processing may be programmed to forward calls received prior to 7 AM to voice mail, unless the caller knows a VIP screening code, for example. After 7 AM and until 8:30 AM calls are automatically forwarded to the subscriber's home, unless the subscriber's cellular telephone has been turned on, indicating that the subscriber is in their automobile (assuming for the moment that the subscriber has an automotive cellular phone). From 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM calls are automatically sent to their office, again unless the cellular telephone is turned on. When the cellular telephone is energized, the telephone calls can be programmed to be sent to the cellular telephone instead, or can be sent elsewhere, such as to voice mail (perhaps the subscriber does not wish to receive telephone calls in their automobile). In any case, the system automatically changes how a call is handled depending on whether or not the subscriber's cellular telephone is available (i.e energized and within range of a cellular system). The subscriber's telephone number can follow them automatically from home to their automobile and then onto work without the necessity for the subscriber to telephone the system to inform the system how to forward calls each time they change their locale and without having to follow a rigorous schedule.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intelligent telephone control system may first screen incoming calls before causing them to be forwarded. The call may be screened by any of several methods, including a ‘priority-screen’ which allows the caller to determine whether or not the call should be forwarded to the subscriber, a ‘VIP code-screen’ which will only forward calls if the caller enters a preselected code, a ‘voice-screen’ which records the caller's name and business, places the caller on hold while contacting the subscriber, plays the recorded message, and allows the subscriber to determine if he wishes to be connected to the caller, and screening based on the telephone number of the calling party. With any of these screening methods, should the call not ultimately be forwarded to the subscriber, then the call may be delivered to a ‘message center’, where a message may be left for later pickup by the subscriber.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intelligent telephone control system may cause the subscriber's pager to be activated in conjunction with forwarding of a call. In this way, the subscriber is given notice that the call is being forwarded to the pre-selected telephone number.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control system may, prior to forwarding a call, provide a courtesy message to the caller such as “. . . when the call is answered, please ask for your party by name.”, or alternately inform the caller “. . . when the call is answered, please ask for extension number 1234.”
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control system may send all calls to a ‘message center’ where all messages may be left for later pickup by the subscriber. In this way the call is handled without disturbing the subscriber.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intelligent telephone control system may handle calls via a ‘branch-routing’ mode. In this mode, callers may choose from a directory of options. As an example, the caller may be told: “You have reached ABC Real Estate. Please touch 1 to speak to Mr. Smith, 2 to speak to Mr. Jones, or hold the line to speak to the receptionist.” Depending on the programming of the system, each of these selections may cause the call to be forwarded to a specific telephone number, or to another access number. No command may cause the system to follow a predetermined default method for disposing of the call.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control system may handle calls via a ‘meet-me’ mode. In this mode, the caller is placed on hold after being told that the user is being paged to a phone. The control system then pages the user. The user then may call the access system, and enter a code to be connected to the c
Epler Frederick A.
Fuller Robert M.
Aspect Communications Corporation
Ladas & Parry
Perez-Gutierrez Rafael
Trost William
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