Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Call source identification
Reexamination Certificate
1995-06-07
2001-02-06
Weaver, Scott L. (Department: 2748)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Call source identification
C379S210010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185283
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The subject matter disclosed and claimed in copending and allowed U.S. application Ser. No. 06/841,931, entitled “Remote Access Telephone Control System”, invented by the same inventors and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application, is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to the telephone equipment art and, more particularly, to a telephone control system which allows subscribers to remotely control a plurality of call handling utilities to predeterminedly direct incoming calls.
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
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a telephone control system which allows subscribers to access the system, even remotely, and implement any of a number of utilities for the handling of subscriber directed calls.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a telephone control system wherein each subscriber is assigned one telephone number and calls to the system on that number are automatically directed to the subscriber regardless of his location.
It is a further object of the invention to provide the above described telephone control system wherein the system interfaces with callers and subscribers via courtesy messages which minimize or eliminate the need for users to recall complicated control commands.
It is a further object of the invention to provide the above described control system wherein subscribers are provided with portable pager-like communicators which include RF transmitters for transmission directly to the paging system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above described control system wherein the communicator devices automatically respond to remote locater transmitters to transmit back to the control system the phone number of a telephone proximate the user.
These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood with reference to the detailed description and claims herein below.
In summary, the present invention is directed to a 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 via a user controlled number. 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) recalling from the memory a forwarding number for the user, c) implementing a call to the forwarding number, d) switching the caller's call to the forwarding number, e) identifying a call to the system from a specific user, f) changing the specific user's memory stored forwarding number responsive to a command from the specific user, g) processing calls to the system directed to a specific user in a selected one of a plurality of modes and, h) 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. The call may be directly forwarded, or may be preceded by a brief announcement informing the caller that the call is being forwarded.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the 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, and 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. 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 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 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 caller. In addition, the caller may be given the opportunity to touch 9 to leave a message if he does not wish to wait. If the caller chooses to leave a message, then when the subscriber calls in, he will be informed that the caller did not wait and instead left a message. If the caller hangs up without leaving a message, then the subscriber will be so informed.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the call-handling modes
Epler Frederick A.
Fuller Robert M.
Manowski Maxwell E.
Aspect Telecommunications Corporation
Ladas & Parry
Weaver Scott L.
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