Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6266524?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-03-13 07:50:43
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Matched Legal Cases: ['arty 20', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 20', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 20', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 20']

Patent US6266524 - Method and system for call screening - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA method and system are disclosed for providing call screening in conjunction with a variety of network-based call services. An exemplary method for providing a called party at a called party station with call screening includes: (a) forwarding a call to the called party station (CPS) to a voice mailbox...http://www.google.com/patents/US6266524?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6266524 - Method and system for call screeningAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6266524 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/596,223Publication dateJul 24, 2001Filing dateJun 14, 2000Priority dateNov 21, 1996Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2213365A1, CA2213365C, DE69736509D1, DE69736509T2, EP0844779A2, EP0844779A3, EP0844779B1, US5835573, US6115602Publication number09596223, 596223, US 6266524 B1, US 6266524B1, US-B1-6266524, US6266524 B1, US6266524B1InventorsHeather C. Dee, Bruce L. Hanson, Kenneth M. Huber, Eugene J. Joseph, Steven C. SalimandoOriginal AssigneeAt&T CorpExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (14), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (6), Classifications (27), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod and system for call screeningUS 6266524 B1Abstract A method and system are disclosed for providing call screening in conjunction with a variety of network-based call services. An exemplary method for providing a called party at a called party station with call screening includes: (a) forwarding a call to the called party station (CPS) to a voice mailbox so that a caller can leave a message for the called party; (b) initiating a simplex call to the CPS; and (c) bridging the call forwarded to the voice mailbox and the simplex call to the CPS so that the called party can hear the caller leaving a message for the CPS; (d) initiating a duplex call to the CPS in response to signaling received from the CPS; and (e) bridging the call forwarded to the voice mailbox and the duplex call so that the caller and the called party are in communication with one another. In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of initiating a simplex call includes the step of delivering a distinctive ring to the CPS indicating that the caller is leaving a message for the CPS. In another embodiment of the present invention, the step of initiating a simplex call includes the step of transmitting a call waiting indicator to the CPS. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the step of initiating a simplex call includes the step of transmitting a signal to the CPS indicating that the calling party station will pay for cellular charges associated with the call.
We claim: 1. A method of providing a called party at a called party station with the ability to screen calls, comprising the steps of:
determining whether the calling party will pay for cellular charges associated with a call to the called party station; and after the called party answers the call, transmitting a call charge type identifier to the called party station to indicate that the call is a calling party pays call. 2. A method of providing a called party at a called party station with the ability to screen calls, comprising the steps of:
after the called party answers a call, transmitting a call charge type identifier to the called party station to indicate that the call is a calling party pays call; and receiving an indication from the called party station that the called party will accept the calling party's call. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:
imposing cellular charges associated with the call on the calling party. 4. A method of providing a called party with the ability to screen calls, comprising the steps of:
forwarding a call to the called party to a voice mailbox so that a calling party can leave a message for the called party; initiating a call to the called party; after the called party answers the call, transmitting a call charge type identifier to the called party to indicate that a telephone connection between the calling party and the called party is a calling party pays call; and bridging the call forwarded to the voice mailbox and the call to the called party so that the called party can hear the calling party leaving a message for the called party. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting a call charge type identifier to the called party includes the step of transmitting a distinctive tone to the called party.
6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of muting called party voice signals.
receiving a request from the called party station for a telephone connection between the calling party and the called party; and completing a telephone connection between the calling party and the called party.
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/167,119 filed Oct. 6, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,602 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/754,662 filed Nov. 21, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,573.
BACKGROUND Consumers have traditionally used telephone answering machines to ensure that callers can leave a message when the called party is unable to get to the phone. Recently, consumers have also been turning to an ever increasing number of network-based services to ensure that they get all of their calls. The growing number of subscriptions to call waiting service and call answer service (CAS), both offered today by many local telephone companies, are good examples of this �I've got to get my calls� phenomena.
Call waiting is a custom calling service that uses a short tone or a �click� to let a subscriber know someone else is calling while the subscriber is on the phone. The subscriber can then put the first call �on hold� to talk to the second caller. CAS is a custom calling service that redirects all calls encountering either a ring-no-answer or busy condition to a network voice messaging platform where the caller can record a message for the called party. The called party is then provided with a message waiting indicator in the form of a stutter dial tone or a flashing light on the called party's telephone. The called party, upon detection of this indicator, can dial into the voice messaging platform to retrieve the recorded message from his/her mailbox.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numbers refer to like parts, FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a calling party 20 and a called party 40 are coupled to a network switch 60. The switch 60 may be local to both the calling and called parties (e.g., for intra-LATA or local calls), or local only to one of the parties (e.g., for calls other than local calls such as inter-LATA or long-distance calls). In the latter case, the switch 60 may thus be either an originating switch or a terminating switch. Moreover, the switch 60 may be either a central office switch or an interexchange carrier switch (e.g., an AT&T 4ESS toll tandem). The switch 60 may also be a private branch exchange (PBX). Although not intended to be limiting, the switch 60 in FIG. 1 is depicted as a central office switch local to both the calling and called parties. The switch 60, in turn, is coupled to an autobridge module 80 whose functionality (described in detail below) can be implemented in software located either internally to the switch 60 or as an adjunct thereto.
The switch 60 is also coupled to a voice mailbox 100 assigned to me called party 40. The voice mailbox 100 is typically, but not necessarily, located in a voice messaging platform remote from the switch 60. Traditionally, the called party 40 has been able to access his or her mailbox 100 to retrieve messages, administer greetings and send voice messages to other subscribers. In accordance with the present invention, the called party 40 can also access the mailbox 100 to activate call screening. To illustrate, upon accessing the mailbox, the called party may be presented with an inventory of messages followed by a main menu of available options (e.g., retrieve messages, administer greetings, send voice messages, etc.). In accordance with the present invention, one of the options available is call screening. A user is also able to set the call screening feature to automatically activate/deactivate at certain times of the day. Once the called party 40 has selected call screening (e.g., via touch-tone input), the switch 60 is appropriately informed and, all calls to the called party 40 are thereafter automatically redirected to the voice mailbox 100 irrespective of whether a ring-no-answer or busy condition is encountered. As will be described more fully below in connection with FIG. 2, the autobridge module 80 provides the called party 40 with the ability to screen such calls while the calling party 20 is leaving a message.
FIG. 2 shows a call flow for the embodiment of FIG. 1. The call flow assumes that the called party 40 has already accessed his or her mailbox 100 to activate the call screening service of the present invention. The call flow further assumes that the switch 60 has been informed of this and has changed the status of the called party's 40 line or associated number with respect to call screening accordingly (e.g., call screening �ON� ). Although not intended to be limiting; the switch 60 in the call flow of FIG. 2 is local to both the calling and called parties (i.e., the call flow is for an intra-LATA or local call).
At the same time that the autobridge 80 places a call to the called party 40, the autobridge 80 also initiates a simplex or �send only� call to the called party 40. (Step 6). A �send only� call is a call during which voice signals generated by the called party 40 are muted on the call. For reasons discussed below, DTMF signals generated by the called party 40, in contrast, are not muted on a �send only� call. The switch 60 �rings� the called party's phone. (Step 7). The ring signal may be a distinctive ring that alerts the called party 40 that a caller 20 is currently leaving a message in the called party's mailbox 10. For calls waiting, the autobridge 80 will instead request the switch 60 to send a short tone or �call waiting click� to the called party 40. The called party 40 answers the call and the switch 60 connects the called party 40 to the autobridge 80. (Step 8). For call waiting, the called party 40 can answer the call by pressing and releasing the receiver button on his or her phone. The called party is thus bridged onto the call-in-progress between the caller 20 and the mailbox 100, however, as previously stated, any voice signals generated by the called party 40 are muted during the call. Ideally, the called party 40 is bridged onto the call as the caller 20 is either listening to a personal/system greeting or, as the caller is beginning to leave a message for the called party 40 in the called party's mailbox 100. In this manner, the called parry 40 can screen the call. (Step 9).
The call screening feature of the present invention is implemented in a similar manner for calls involving cellular telephone users except that a call �charge type� identifier, described below, is also employed. It is known in the art to provide a �Calling Party Pays� CPP) service whereby a calling party can pay for all transport and access cellular charges associated with a call terminated to a cellular user. On a CPP call, in accordance with the present invention, the autobridge 80, upon answer by the called party 40 (Step 8), transmits a call charge type identifier to the called party 40, for example, in the form of a distinctive tone, indicating that the call is a CPP call. The autobridge 80 is informed by the appropriate CPP service provider (e.g., via SS7 signaling) of whether the calling party 20 is a subscriber to such a service and thus, knows whether to transmit the call charge type identifier to the called party 40. On a CPP call, although the called party 40 may incur an initial cellular charge for picking up and screening the call, any charge imposed after the parties are connected would be incurred by the calling party 20. Accordingly, the call charge type identifier provides cellular users with additional call screening information�in particular, whether the calling party is paying for the call�to further assist them in deciding whether to talk with the calling party.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5471519Feb 26, 1993Nov 28, 1995Bellsouth CorporationCommunications monitoring and control systemUS5473671Mar 11, 1994Dec 5, 1995At&T Corp.Selective screening of incoming calls for cellular telephone systemsUS5511111Nov 1, 1993Apr 23, 1996Engineering And Business Systems, Inc.Caller name and identification communication system with caller screening optionUS5548636Jun 6, 1995Aug 20, 1996Northern Telecom LimitedMethod and apparatus for providing user controlled call management servicesUS5557664Mar 31, 1995Sep 17, 1996At&TCalling party-paid wireless telephone serviceUS5579379Oct 18, 1994Nov 26, 1996Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc.Personal communications service having a calling party pays capabilityUS5623536Jun 27, 1994Apr 22, 1997The Telephone Connection, Inc.Anonymous interactive telephone systemUS5651054Apr 13, 1995Jul 22, 1997Active Voice CorporationMethod and apparatus for monitoring a message in a voice mail systemUS5835573Nov 21, 1996Nov 10, 1998At&T CorpMethod and system for call screeningUS5960064Aug 29, 1995Sep 28, 1999At&T CorpCall screening method and apparatus for use in completing telephone callsUS6115602 *Oct 6, 1998Sep 5, 2000At&T Corp.Method and system for call screeningEP0688126A2May 26, 1995Dec 20, 1995Gpt LimitedA voice messaging systemWO1996020571A1 *Dec 21, 1995Jul 4, 1996Risto JanhonenA method for improving charging criteria in a mobile telephone networkWO1996032803A1Apr 10, 1996Oct 17, 1996Active Voice CorpMethod and aparatus for monitoring a message in a voice mail system* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1Worrall, D.P., "1A Voice Storage System: New Custom Calling", Bell Syst. Tech. J. (USA), May-Jun. 1982, vol. 61, No. 5, pp. 821-839.Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6839414 *Jan 10, 2002Jan 4, 2005Bellsouth Intellectual Property CorporationCall prevention device and methodUS6868155 *Oct 5, 1999Mar 15, 2005Agere Systems Inc.Off-hook visual message waiting indicatorUS7035385 *Mar 29, 2002Apr 25, 2006Bellsouth Intellectual Property CorporationMethod and system for screening calls during voicemail messagingUS7277445Jul 2, 2002Oct 2, 2007Integra5 Communications Inc.Call management via televisionEP1621002A1 *Apr 27, 2004Feb 1, 2006Icepeak ABMethod and arrangement in a communication systemEP1652369A1 *Jul 28, 2004May 3, 2006Nortel Networks LimitedAudio call screening for hosted voicemail systems* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification455/406, 455/408, 455/414.1, 455/567, 455/415International ClassificationH04M3/50, H04M3/42, H04W84/04, H04M3/428, H04M3/533, H04M15/00, H04M3/20, H04M3/56, H04M3/54, H04M3/436, H04W76/02Cooperative ClassificationH04M3/428, H04W84/042, H04M3/533, H04M15/00, H04M3/436, H04M3/20, H04M2203/4563, H04M3/54, H04W76/02European ClassificationH04M3/533, H04M3/436Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 2, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12Sep 30, 2008FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Dec 27, 2004FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google