Abstract:
A caller may establish preferences regarding special call handling of a call to a called. The caller may be notified when a special call handling option is about to be performed. The called may have the option of skipping the call handling option or aborting the call. In another alternative, the preferences of the caller are obtained and stored prior to the placement of the call. These preferences are then used to guide special call handling during the course of the call. In this fashion, the caller need not be a passive party relative to special call handling but may provide input so as to help guide special call handling.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   The present invention relates generally to telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for using caller preferences to direct special call handling. 
   With conventional call handling, a caller initiates a telephone call to a callee (also refered to as a called by those skilled in the art of telephony; hereinafter “called”) and the called&#39;s phone rings if the called&#39;s phone is on-hook. The called&#39;s phone rings until either the phone is answered or the caller hangs up (i.e. goes on-hook). If the called is currently on another telephone call, the caller receives a busy signal. 
   Conventional telephone systems, however, also provide special call handling for calls directed to a called. The special call handling differs from the conventional call handling. For example, after a designated number of rings, the call may be directed to a voice mail system or an answering machine. The direction of the call to the voice mail system or answering machine is an example of special call handling. The called may also configure call handling so that calls directed to the called&#39;s phone are forwarded to another telephone number. Such call forwarding is another example of special call handling. “Find me” services are yet another example of special call handling. Such services ring a succession of different phones until the called is located or until the phone call is directed to a voice mail platform or other intelligent servicing platform. A called may configure the “find me” service, for example, so that the call initially rings at a called&#39;s office and after a designated number of rings at the called&#39;s home. If there is no answer after a designated number of rings at the called&#39;s home, the cellular phone of the called is rung. Finally, if this called does not answer the cellular phone after a designated number of rings, the call is directed to a voice mail system. 
   Special call handling may also entail the direction of calls to a paging system such that a numerical or textual page is generated to the called. Still further, calls may be directed to intelligent service platforms that cause the generation of electronic mail, video mail, or facsimile messages. 
   Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of special call handling in conventional systems is that the caller has no control over the special call handling options. The special call handling options are automatically performed. The caller may not wish to have the call handled in accordance with the special call handling options. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention addresses the above-described limitations of conventional systems relative to special call handling. In one embodiment, a caller is advised that a special call handling option is about to be performed, which was a default setting established by the called or the equipment. In this situation the caller has the option of moving sequentially through the special call handling sequence established by the called or skipping around within the established sequence. The caller may have the option of skipping the option or aborting the call. The caller may be prompted to provide a spoken response or to provide a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) input to state the preference of the caller relative to the option. In this fashion, the caller is able to provide added control of the call relative to special call handling options. 
   In another embodiment, the preferences of the caller are stored in the storage and are accessed at the time of placing the call to the called so as to direct special call handling according. 
   In accordance with another embodiment, prior to placing a call, the preferences of a caller regarding special call handling are identified. The call is placed from the caller to a called, and the special call handling is performed on the call in accordance with the identified caller&#39;s preferences. 
   In accordance with yet another embodiment, a system for providing interactive call handling includes a special call handling unit for providing special call handling for a call from a caller to a called as configured for the called. A caller preference identifier identifies the caller&#39;s preferences regarding special call handling of a call and conveys the caller&#39;s preferences so as to affect the special call handling of the call. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  depicts a telecommunications network in accordance with the teaching. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the steps that are performed in a first alternative of the illustrative embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  depicts the format of data held in storage for specifying special call handling options. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating the steps that are performed in a second alternative of the illustrative embodiment. 
       FIG. 5A  depicts an instance wherein caller preference records are indexed by customer name. 
       FIG. 5B  depicts an example where caller preference records are indexed by phone number. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Disclosed is an approach to facilitate interactive feedback from a caller regarding preferences for special call handling of a call. In a first embodiment, the caller is notified when a call from the caller to a called is to be subject to special call handling. For example, the caller may be advised that the call is about to be redirected to voice mail by presenting an audio message to the caller. The caller may then be given the option of aborting the call or skipping the special call handling option. Thus, for example, the caller may be presented with a voice message that asks the caller to decide whether the caller wishes to skip voice mail or terminate the call. The caller may be prompted to push a button on a push button phone to select the option or may be prompted to provide spoken input that is recognized by speech recognition technology. In this first alternative, the input provided by the caller is recognized and is used to guide the special call handling of the call. Suppose that the caller opts to skip voice mail. In such an instance, the next special call handling option may become the current call handling option (i.e. the active call handling option). The caller may then be notified of the new call handling option and prompted for input. 
   In a second embodiment, the caller does not directly provide interactive feedback. Instead, caller preferences regarding special call handling are gathered prior to placing a call and stored in a storage. When the caller places a call, these preferences are accessed to guide any special call handling. The caller preferences are automatically taken into account without requiring the caller to provide interactive feedback. 
     FIG. 1  depicts a telecommunications network  9  that includes a network  10  to which a switch  16  is interfaced. The network  10  may include a public switch telephone network (PSTN), computer network or other variety of network. One or more voice trunks may interface the switch  16  with the network  10 . The switch  16  may be any of a number of different types of switching devices that are commercially available. For purposes of the discussion below, it is presumed that the switch is a private branch exchange (PBX). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced in environments where the switch  16  is not a PBX. 
   The switch  16  receives calls from the network  10  and forwards calls out to the network  10 . In addition, the switch  16  directs internal calls between telephone sets  12 ,  14  and  24 . The switch  16  includes a storage  18  that holds information to guide direction of calls. As will be explained in more detail below, the storage  18  holds information regarding call handling for a caller and may hold additional information as well. The switch  16  is interfaced with an interactive voice response (IVR) unit  20 . The IVR unit  20  provides interactive voice response support. The IVR unit  20  is able to generate voice messages, receive spoken input and DTMF input. The IVR unit  20  may be programmed to perform certain application scripts that guide the voice messages and that are output to a caller and guide the collection of input. The IVR unit  20  may include speech recognition technology  21  for recognizing particular spoken input. The switch  16  may also be interfaced with a computer system  28  and a voice mail platform  22 . The voice mail platform  22  may have separate voice mail boxes for the respective parties. The facsimile machine  26  may be connected to the switch  16 . 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the depiction of the network  9  in  FIG. 1  is intended to be merely illustrative and not limiting of the present invention. The present invention may also be practiced with other telecommunication network configurations. In such alternative configurations different components than those shown in  FIG. 1  may be included. Moreover, the switch  16  may not be part of a telephone network but rather may be part of a computer network or a hybrid network that contains both telecommunications and computing components. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , at step  30 , initially the switch  16  receives a call from a caller. For purposes of illustration, suppose that a caller initiates a call from telephone set  12 , in FIG.  1 . The call is initially destined for the called at telephone set  14 . The called, however, has a call handling plan that designates special call handling of the call. Special call handling in the present context refers to call handling that differs from conventional call handling. Special call handling may entail redirection to alternative destinations as well as customized behavior, such as the interruption of calls, the generation of special messages to the called and the like. 
   At step  32 , it is determined that the call is to be subject to special call handling at the switch  16 . While the switch  16  receives the call from telephone set  12 , the switch accesses the storage  18  to determine how the call should be handled. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the storage  18  may hold special call handling options  54  for the called. In the example depicted in  FIG. 3 , each phone number  52  may have the associated special call handling options  54  for each extension  56  and  60 , such as extension  56  designated by the number  233 , the special call handling options  58  are configured as a sequence in accordance with a call handling plan. Initially, the phone is rung. If the phone has not been answered after a set number of rings, such as four rings, the call is redirected to extension  232 . If there is still no answer, the call is directed to voice mail. 
   It should be appreciated that different phone numbers may have different special call handling options. For example, for extension  60  designate by the number  234 , all calls result in the generation of a page that is sent to a pager  27  for the caller as shown by a special call handling option  62 . The call handling plan may include forwarding options that direct the call to alternative destinations, as mentioned above. The call handling options may also request custom behavior that otherwise would not be performed during conventional call handling. 
   At step  34 , a notification is generated and sent to the caller and the caller may be prompted for a response. This prompt may be via an audio message generated by the IVR unit  20 . This notification advises the caller that a special call handling option is about to be performed. Considering the case where the caller is calling extension  56  designated as  233  for the example depicted in  FIG. 3 , the phone is initially rung and after four rings, the caller is notified that the call is about to be redirected to extension  232 . The notification may be generated by the IVR unit  20 . For example, the IVR unit  20  may present an audio message to a caller advising the caller that the call is about to be redirected to extension  232 . 
   The caller may be prompted to provide DTMF input. For example, an audio message may advises the caller to press a first push button key to abort the call or a second push button key to skip a special call handling option. The caller may be prompted to push a third push button key to accept the special call handling option. Alternatively, the special call handling option may be automatically performed if the caller does not provide a negative response within a selected period of time. 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the notification need not be purely an audio message. For example, a facsimile may be sent to the facsimile machine  26  in  FIG. 1 , an electronic mail message may be sent to a computer system  28  or a video mail message may be sent to the computer system  28 . Still further, a page may be sent to the pager  27 . In a similar fashion, the response from the caller need not be purely via telephone but rather may be via computer system  28 , via facsimile  26 , or two-way pager  27 . 
   Continuing with  FIG. 2 , at step  36 , a response is obtained from the caller. The response may constitute, in some instances, no affirmative action by the caller. At steps  38  and  40 , based on this response, the switch  16  determines whether to abort the call or whether to skip to the next special call handling option, respectively. If the next special call handling option is not skipped, then at step  42 , special call handling proceeds in accordance with the call handling plan configured for the called. On the other hand, if the response is to skip the next special call handling option, then at step  44 , the next special call handling option is skipped and the next sequential special call handling option becomes the current call handling option. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when all of the special call handling options have been exhausted, the process may repeat at the beginning of the sequence of special call handling options or may simply no longer present the caller with the option to skip the special call handling options. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , at step  70 , a caller&#39;s preferences regarding special call handling are stored in the storage  18  of FIG.  1 . In this alternative, the storage  18  may hold the database identifying a caller&#39;s preferences regarding special call handling. At step  72 , prior to placing the call, the preferences are associated with the call. In particular, the switch  16  may access the storage  18  and access the records or other data structures stored therein to hold the caller&#39;s preferences regarding special call handling. The caller preferences may be indexed by customer name, as discussed with respect to FIG.  5 A. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5A , the storage  18  contains a database  80  of caller preferences including a customer name set  82  and corresponding preferences  84 . For example, a customer name  86  is identified as “Joe Smith” with preference  88 , which is to abort the call if the call is forwarded. These preferences may be actively associated with particular calleds or may be applicable to all calls generated by the caller. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5B , the storage  18  contains preferences held in a database  90  where the preferences  94  are indexed by corresponding phone number indexes  92 . In the first example, a preference  98  that is aborting the call if the call is forwarded. This is associated with an index position  96  containing a phone number “A” rather than a customer name. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the caller preferences may be associated with a number of different types of index fields and that the fields depicted in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are intended to be merely illustrative. 
   At step  74 , the call is placed. At step  76 , the call is handled by the switch  16  in accordance with the caller preferences. 
   In the illustrative embodiment, the switch  16  acts as a special call handling unit for providing special call handling for calls according to call handling plans configured for. calleds. The switch  16  and the IVR unit  20  act as a call preference identifier for identifying the caller&#39;s preferences and conveying the information to affect the special call handling of the call. 
   While the present invention has been described with reference to an illustrative embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the intended scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.