Patent Publication Number: US-8126132-B2

Title: Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/545,401, filed Oct. 10, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,388,952, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/978,207 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,139,383), filed Oct. 29, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/409,860 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,343), filed Apr. 8, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/716,169 (now abandoned), filed Nov. 17, 2000, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/044,574 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,414), filed Mar. 19, 1998, the entirety of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to telecommunications call processing and more particularly to call waiting service features. 
     Call waiting services are offered by numerous service providers and are well known by those skilled in the art. Call waiting services generally notify a customer that is busy on a previous call that a current call has been placed to the customer. Call waiting services commonly utilize an audible tone that is transmitted to the customer, to notify the customer that the current call is waiting. When the customer is notified that the current call is waiting, the customer can decide whether or not to suspend the previous call to take the current call. Accordingly, information about the current call aids in the customer&#39;s decision. U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,358 describes a system that provides an audible representation of the calling party&#39;s name to notify a customer that a call is waiting. This system substitutes the name in place of the tone commonly used to notify the customer. While substitution of the name in place of the tone provides the customer with additional information, delivering information in this format can result in confusion for the customer. For example, providing just the name of a caller can be confusing when the name is interjected in the middle of a conversation without warning. 
     Other systems provide additional information to the customer in varying formats. U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,512 describes a system that first provides a tone to indicate that a current call is waiting and then waits for a command from the customer. This system only provides the name of the calling party after receiving the command. To provide the required command, the customer completes a flash hook at his telephone station. The flash hook puts the previous caller on hold for a significant amount of time while the customer hears the name of the current caller and then decides whether or not to take the current call. Providing information in this format also creates additional problems for the customer. For example, the customer is not immediately provided with the information necessary to decide whether or not to take the current call. This results in an inconvenience for the both the previous caller and the customer, especially if the customer ultimately decides not to take the current call and returns to the previous call after a significant delay in the call. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system for processing a telephone call of a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is more detailed block diagram of the system depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an alternate embodiment of the system depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method for processing a telephone call of a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a more detailed flow chart of the method depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a more detailed flow chart of the method depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a more detailed flow chart of the method depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a more detailed flow chart of the method depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     By way of example,  FIG. 1  depicts a system  10  of a preferred embodiment. The system  10  comprises a network  20 , a called communication station  30  connected with the network  20  and a calling communication station  40  connected with the network  20 . The network  20  preferably comprises: means for determining whether the called communication station is busy  22 , means for obtaining information associated with the calling communication station  24 ; means for transmitting the information associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station  26 ; and means for transmitting a call waiting indicator to the called communication station  28 . 
     The system  10  is preferably implemented in a telecommunications network as known by those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the system  10  can be implemented in computer network or any other network that is adapted to store and retrieve information. Each of the means  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  described above is preferably implemented through the use of computer readable program code written in any suitable programming language and implemented on an analog or digital computer utilizing any suitable operating system as known by those skilled in the art. Alternatively, each of the means  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  can be implemented through the use of hardware in the form of a hardwired computer, an integrated circuit, or a combination of hardware and computer readable program code as known by those skilled in the art. The calling communication station  40  and the called communication station  30  preferably comprise an analog telephone station as known by those skilled in the art. According to an alternative embodiment, the communication stations  30 ,  40  can comprise any suitable communication station adapted for use in the present embodiments as known by those skilled in the art. 
     The system  10  enables a customer at the called communication station  30 , who is busy on a previous call, to be efficiently and effectively notified that a current call from calling communication station  40  is waiting. The system  10  provides an enhanced call waiting message that includes both the call waiting indicator and the audible representation of information associated with the calling communication station  40 . The call waiting indicator and the audible representation of information associated with the calling communication station can be automatically transmitted to the called communication station  30  prior to any commands from the customer. The combination of the call waiting indicator and the information associated with the calling communication station alerts the customer that the current call is waiting and provides the customer with information that assists the customer in deciding whether to take the current call. 
     By way of further example,  FIG. 2  depicts a preferred embodiment of the system described above. The system  110  comprises a service switching point (SSP)  120 , a service control point (SCP)  150 , an SCP database  152 , a service node (SN)  160 , a database  162 , central offices  130 ,  140  and telephone stations  122 ,  132 ,  142 . Intelligent network system components, commonly referred to as advanced intelligent network (AIN) components, suitable for implementing the present embodiment are commercially available from Lucent Technologies and are well know by those skilled in the art. AIN components can implement computer readable program code as known by those skilled in the art. Vendors of AIN components typically have a preferred programming language and operating platform as known by those skilled in the art. 
     SSP  120  preferably comprises an AIN switch that routes calls, generates queries to SCP  150  to obtain call control information and responds to call control information. SSP  120  connects called telephone station  122  with central offices  130 ,  140  to enable a customer at called telephone station  122  to place calls to and receive calls from telephone stations  132 ,  142 . SSP  120  preferably communicates with SCP  150 , central offices  130 ,  140 , and SN  160  in accordance with a signaling protocol such as Signaling System 7 (SS7) or other such signaling protocols as known by those skilled in the art. 
     SCP  150  preferably comprises an AIN element that stores call control information in SCP database  152  and accesses the stored call control information. SCP  150  receives queries generated by SSP  120  and preferably responds to the queries by performing database searches to locate the requested call control information. SCP  150  can forward the located call control information to SSP  120 . SCP  150  preferably comprises an AIN element as well known by those skilled in the art. 
     SN  160  preferably comprises a network element that stores call control information and performs call related functions as known by those skilled in the art. SN  160  receives calls forwarded from SSP  120 , performs searches or other requested functions and returns information or data to SSP  120 . In an alternate embodiment, SN  160  can be configured to produce call waiting indicators as described herein. SN  160  preferably includes a text to speech module  164  that performs text to speech conversions to produce an audible representation of the text. Such modules and conversions are well known by those skilled in the art. 
     Database  152  preferably comprises a data storage element for use with SCP  150  as well known by those skilled in the art. Database  15  preferably stores call control information that can be implemented by SSP  120  to control calls. Such call control information is well known by those skilled in the art. 
     Database  162  preferably comprises a caller identification with name database as known by those skilled in the art. Database  162  preferably stores information associated with a telephone number that is associated with calling telephone station  142 . The information associated with the telephone number preferably comprises the identity of a caller in the form of the caller&#39;s name. Alternatively, the information associated with the telephone number can comprise the identity of a caller in the form of the caller&#39;s name and the telephone number for calling telephone station  142 . The telephone number preferably comprises a 10 digit telephone number as known by those skilled in the art but can also comprise any type of identification format used to identify telephone stations. Database  162  can alternatively comprise a caller assistance database as known by those skilled in the art. While database  162  is depicted within a telecommunications system, database  162  can comprise any suitable database containing information adapted for use in the present embodiment and is not limited to databases located within a telecommunications network. 
     Central offices  140 ,  150  preferably comprise AIN network switches as well known by those skilled in the art. Central offices  140 ,  150  comprise network switches that connect telephone stations  132 ,  142  with SSP  120  to enable callers at telephone stations  132 ,  142  to place calls to and receive calls from the customer at called telephone station  122 . Alternatively, central offices  140 ,  150  can comprise non-AIN network switches as known by those skilled in the art. 
     Telephone stations  122 ,  132 ,  142  preferably comprise analog telephone sets as known by those skilled in the art. Alternatively, telephone stations  122 ,  132 ,  142  can comprise wireless, PCN, ISDN or any other form of communication station known by those skilled in the art. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an alternate embodiment of the system of  FIG. 2  is shown. The system  180  comprises: an SSP  120 ; a called telephone station  122 ; central offices  130 ,  140 ; a telephone station  132 ; a calling telephone station  142 ; an SCP  150 ; an SCP database  152 ; a database  162 ; and a text-to-speech module  164  all as described above in reference to  FIG. 2 . The system also includes an intelligent peripheral (IP)  161  that communicates with SSP  120 , database  162  and test-to-speech module  164  and performs the same functions as the SN  160  as described herein. The IP  161  preferably comprises an AIN element that acts on instructions from SCP  120 . In an alternate embodiment, IP  161  can be configured to generate call waiting indicators as described herein. 
     The systems depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  can be utilized to implement the method  200  depicted in  FIG. 4 . For purposes of illustration, assume that a customer at called telephone station  122  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ) is on a previous call with a previous calling party at telephone station  132 . Connections are established between: telephone station  132  and central office  130 ; central office  130  and SSP  120 ; and SSP  120  and called telephone station  122 ; to enable the previous call to be connected. Also, assume that after the previous call has been commenced, a current calling party at calling telephone station  142  places a current call to the customer at called telephone station  122 . In an attempt to connect the current call, central office  140  routes the current call to SSP  120 . 
     The method  200  of processing a current call from a calling telephone station  142  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ) to a called telephone station  122  generally includes the steps of determining whether the called telephone station is busy on a previous call (step  210 ,  FIG. 4 ); obtaining information associated with the calling telephone station (step  220 ); transmitting a call waiting indicator to the called telephone station  122  to signify that the current call is waiting (step  250 ); and automatically transmitting the information associated with the calling telephone station (step  270 ) to the called telephone station  122 . Each of these steps is discussed in more detail below. 
     The step of determining whether the called telephone station is busy on a previous call (step  210 ,  FIG. 4 ), preferably comprises the following steps as depicted in  FIG. 5 . SSP  120  receives the current call (step  212 ,  FIG. 5 ) and attempts to terminate the call to called telephone station  122  (step  214 ). Because the customer at called telephone station  122  is busy on a previous call, the current call cannot be terminated to called telephone station  122  and SSP  120  determines that the customer at called telephone station  122  is busy on a previous call. 
     The step of obtaining information associated with the calling telephone station (step  220 ,  FIG. 4 ) preferably comprises the following steps as depicted in  FIG. 6 . When SSP  120  determines that the customer at called telephone station  122  is busy on a previous call, SSP  120  generates a query to SCP  150  (step  222 ,  FIG. 6 ) in accordance with a call forward on busy feature, or other similar function, to obtain call control information from SCP  150 . Call forward on busy features and other similar functions are well known by those skilled in the art. The call control information instructs SSP  120  where to route the current call when called telephone station  122  is busy. After receiving the query from SSP  120 , SCP  150  identifies the relevant call control information (step  224 ) and forwards it to SSP  120  (step  226 ). The relevant call control information has been created to enable SSP  120  to forward the current call to SN  160  or IP  161  when called telephone station  122  is busy. In accordance with the call control information, SSP  120  routes the current call to SN  160  or IP  161  (step  228 ). SN  160  or IP  161  examines the telephone number associated with calling telephone station  142  and identifies information corresponding to the telephone number by performing a database search (step  230 ). The information corresponding to the telephone number preferably comprises the identity of the current caller at calling telephone station  142  in the form of the name of the current caller. Database  162  preferably comprises a caller identification with name database as known by those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the database  162  can comprise a caller assistance database as known by those skilled in the art. 
     In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the step of obtaining information associated with the calling telephone station  142  (step  220 ,  FIG. 4 ) further comprises the following steps as depicted in  FIG. 7 . If SN  160  or IP  161  cannot identify and return information associated with the telephone number, SSP  120  generates a query to SCP  150  (step  232 ,  FIG. 7 ) requesting further call control information. SCP  150  locates and returns call control information to SSP  120  (step  234 ) that enables the creation of audible caller input directions that direct the calling party at calling telephone station  142  speak his or her name. SSP  120  transmits the caller input directions to calling telephone station  142  (step  236 ). When the calling party speaks their name, the spoken name is digitized and recorded by SN  160  or IP  161  (step  238 ). The recorded name can be played back to the customer at called telephone station  122  through the use of the speech processing capabilities of SN  160  or IP  161 . SN  160  or IP  161  preferably provides the recorded name to the called telephone station  122  between the call waiting indicators as described herein. 
     According to an alternative of the above embodiment, when the caller at calling telephone station  142  speaks his or her name, the spoken name can be directly provided to the customer at called telephone station  122  through central office  140  and SSP  120 . The name is preferably provided between the call waiting indicators as described herein. 
     In accordance with a further alternative embodiment, the step of obtaining information associated with the calling telephone station (step  220 ,  FIG. 4 ) further comprises the following steps. When the user input directions, as described above, are transmitted to calling telephone station  142  (step  236 ,  FIG. 7 ), additional user input instructions can be transmitted to calling telephone station  142 . The additional user input instructions can request the calling party to provide additional information relating to the handling of and/or the content of the information associated with the calling telephone station  142 . These directions preferably include requests for information from the calling party regarding the priority of the message to be delivered to called telephone station  122 . For example, if the caller believes that the message is urgent, the caller may enter appropriate instructions that enable the SN  160  or IP  161  to generate standard or customized messages that are included in the information associated with calling telephone station  142  that is transmitted to called telephone station  122  (step  270 ,  FIG. 4 ). The user can, for example, utilize a dual-tone-multi-frequency (DTMF) signal to provide information as known by those skilled in the art. This alternative can be implemented in conjunction with the methods depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7  and described herein. 
     In accordance with a further alternative embodiment, the step of obtaining information associated with calling telephone station  142  (step  206 ,  FIG. 4 ) further comprises the following steps. When SSP  120  determines that called telephone station  122  is busy and generates a query to SCP  150  requesting call control information, SCP  150  identifies and returns call control information to SSP  120 . The call control information directs SSP  120  to generate instructions that ask the calling party at calling telephone station  142  to speak his or her name. The instructions are sent to a caller at calling telephone station  142  without attempting to locate a name associated with the telephone number in a database. The spoken name can be recorded or delivered as described above. 
     According to a preferred embodiment as depicted in  FIG. 8 , SSP  120  preferably generates the call waiting indicator comprising a tone or other similar indicator that is transmitted to called telephone station  122  to signify the start of the call waiting message (step  252 ,  FIG. 8 ). The call path of the previous call is temporarily interrupted to temporarily place the previous call on hold (step  254 ) while the SN  160  or IP  161  automatically transmits an audible representation of the name associated with a caller at calling telephone station  142  to called telephone station  122  (step  256 ). SN  160  or IP  161  implements the text to speech module  164  to generate an audible representation of the name associated with calling telephone station  142 . The audible representation of the name is preferably transmitted to called telephone station  122  within a predetermined amount of time after the call waiting indicator is transmitted. The previous call is restored after the name has been transmitted to called telephone station  122  (step  258 ). SSP  120  preferably generates a second call waiting indicator comprising a tone or other similar indicator that is sent to called telephone station  122  (step  260 ). The second call waiting indicator is preferably transmitted to called telephone station  122  within a predetermined amount of time after the name is transmitted. According to an alternative embodiment, the steps of transmitting a call waiting indicator (step  250 ,  FIG. 4 , steps  252 ,  260 ,  FIG. 8 ) comprise transmitting a plurality of tones to called telephone station  122 . According to a further alternative embodiment, the call waiting indicators are generated by SN  160  or IP  161  and transmitted to called telephone station  122 . 
     According to an alternate embodiment, the information associated with calling telephone station  142 , described in conjunction with  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  comprises the identity of a caller at calling telephone station  142  and the telephone number associated with calling telephone station  142 . 
     The present embodiments provide an efficient and effect method and system for providing an audible call waiting notification to a customer who is busy on a previous call. The present embodiments notify the customer that a current call is waiting in an effective manner that reduces confusion. Confusion is reduced by the combination of audible call waiting indicators and an audible representation of information associated with the calling telephone station. Additionally, both the indicator and the representation of the information can be provided automatically without significant delay and without any input from the caller. 
     It is to be understood that a wide range of changes and modifications to the embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are contemplated. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of the invention.