Telephonic communications – Special services – Automatic directory service
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-13
2003-09-30
Deane, Jr., William J. (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Automatic directory service
C379S209010, C379S212010, C379S203010, C455S404200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06628772
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to systems for providing directory assistance services, and more particularly relates to the provision of directory assistance services in a network using out-of-band signaling.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Telephone directory assistance services have been available for the past century. While improvements have been made over the decades, such systems are still poorly suited for use by subscribers of wireless telephone services.
In prior art directory assistance services, a customer dials an operator and identifies the name and address of a party whose telephone number is desired. The operator then locates the number using printed directories or a computer database, and provides the number to the customer. (The provision of the number is sometimes done by the live operator, but more typically is done with a computerized voice response unit that provides connection to the operator is terminated.
While satisfactory for most customers, this arrangement is ill-suited for many wireless telephone customers. For one, such customers are usually away from their general work environments (e.g. in a vehicle), and thus may not have ready access to a pencil and paper in order to make a note of the desired number. (Even if such materials are available, the customer may not find it convenient to interrupt other activities, e.g. driving, in order to make a note.) In addition, the process of initiating a second call—to the desired party—entails further manual operations (e.g. hanging up, waiting for another dial tone, and dialing) which may be a hindrance to the customer's other activities.
The present assignee, in the prior art, has redressed certain of these difficulties by providing a directory assistance service that eliminates the need to make a note of the desired number, or undertake a redialing exercise. Instead, after determining the telephone number desired by the customer, rather than voicing it to the customer, the directory assistance operator goes ahead and initiates a call to the desired party, and connects the new outgoing call to the original customer. (The operator may stay on the line as a conferenced party so as to provide further assistance, or may withdraw from the connection, depending on the particular implementation.) This arrangement obviates the need for the customer to make a note of the voiced number, or to undertake a redialing exercise. However, if the initiated call is not completed (e.g. a “busy” tone is received), or if the customer desires further directory assistance, then the customer must again call the directory assistance operator for help.
The problems associated with providing directory assistance services to wireless customers are not limited to hardships on the customers; the directory assistance service and the wireless carrier also confront unique issues. In the assignee's prior art system, for example, the wireless carrier (which is typically responsible for billing of the customer) knows only that the customer has dialed the directory assistance operator, but does not know the number to which the customer is ultimately connected by the operator. Billing is thereby complicated. In the prior art system, the toll charges (assuming toll calls are permitted; often they are not) for the connection between the customer and the desired number are simply absorbed by the directory assistance service, and recouped by billing the wireless carrier a sufficiently large flat rate charge for each directory assistance call so as to cover these costs. The wireless carrier then bills the subscriber a fixed amount for each directory assistance inquiry, regardless of the toll charges of any further connection established for the customer by the directory assistance operator. This arrangement, however, has a number of disadvantages. In addition to increased cost, it also fails to provide the wireless carrier useful information about its customers' calling patterns, which may affect decisions relating to system expansion, etc.
The directory assistance method disclosed herein overcomes these problems of the prior art. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a customer who wishes directory assistance services is connected in the conventional manner to an operator who determines the destination telephone number desired by the customer. As in the prior art, the operator then initiates a call connecting the customer to the destination telephone number. However, rather than dropping all further involvement with the call, this embodiment is capable of detecting a command to reconnect to an operator issued by the customer, such as that obtained by pressing the “*” button or some other button. If such a signal is detected, the customer is transferred to a directory assistance operator, who can then provide whatever further assistance is needed (e.g. redialing a busy number, or providing further directory assistance). By this arrangement, the press of a single button by the customer summons further directory assistance, rather than the redialing procedure required by the prior art.
To achieve this type of customer-driven functionality, the present invention is responsive to commands issued by the customer, for example by pressing a key on the telephone. The commands can be detected at the directory assistance switch by a DTMF receiver, or alternatively, may appear at the directory assistance service center as out-of-band signals on an associated signaling channel, independent of the actual voice channel.
Out-of-band signaling, as is well-known in the art, involves separating the voice and signaling components of a call into two separate components. The signaling information is transmitted on a signaling data link, and the voice and data traffic components are transmitted over a voice trunk. A signaling data link is a two-directional transmission path (a typical carrier channel) for signaling, comprising transmit and receive data channels operating together in opposite directions at the same data rate. The signaling information typically contains connection-oriented signaling such as address information for call setup, supervision/call control signaling, tear down, information needed for distributed application processing and network management information.
Signaling data is typically transmitted in packets between network nodes in what is known as a Common Channel Signaling (“CCS”) system. One example of a standardized, general-purpose protocol for a CCS system is Signaling System 7, or “SS7.” SS7 is an open-architecture protocol that handles current communication requirements and accommodates future expansion of new applications. It is optimized for operation in a digital telecommunications network in conjunction with stored program control switches. SS7 meets present and future requirements for information transfer (circuit and non-circuit related) for interprocessor transactions within telecommunication networks for call control, network database access, and management and maintenance signaling. Furthermore, SS7 provides a reliable means of information transfer, correctly sequenced, without loss or duplication.
The SS7 standard for telecommunications is global, defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). The standard defines the procedures and protocol by which network elements in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) exchange information over a digital signaling network. The ITU definition of SS7 is designed to allow for national variants, such as the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and Bell Communications Research (Bellcore) standards used in North America, and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standard used in Europe. The naming conventions have been defined as follows: CCITT SS#7 indicates International Signaling system 7, and SS7 indicates the U.S. version of Signaling System 7. SS7 has been appropriately modified for use with and between U.S. networks. SS7 is inte
Cox Patrick M.
Elsey Nicholas J.
Filliger Paul W.
Kepler Michael A.
McGrath Adam J.
Deane, Jr. William J.
Kaye Scholer LLP
Metro One Telecommunications, Inc.
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