Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0844779B1/en
Timestamp: 2019-12-14 20:40:09
Document Index: 307421870

Matched Legal Cases: ['arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 20', 'arty 40', 'arty 40', 'arty 20']

EP0844779B1 - Method and system for call screening - Google Patents
EP0844779B1
EP0844779B1 EP97118819A EP97118819A EP0844779B1 EP 0844779 B1 EP0844779 B1 EP 0844779B1 EP 97118819 A EP97118819 A EP 97118819A EP 97118819 A EP97118819 A EP 97118819A EP 0844779 B1 EP0844779 B1 EP 0844779B1
EP97118819A
EP0844779A2 (en
EP0844779A3 (en
1996-11-21 Priority to US754662 priority
1998-05-27 Publication of EP0844779A2 publication Critical patent/EP0844779A2/en
1999-03-03 Publication of EP0844779A3 publication Critical patent/EP0844779A3/en
2006-08-16 Publication of EP0844779B1 publication Critical patent/EP0844779B1/en
In one further prior attempt, described in European Patent Application 0 688 126 A2, a voice messaging system is described for a telecommunication exchange that includes a call screening facility, as set forth in the precharacterizing portion of claim 1. According to European Patent Application 0 688 126 A2, subscribers are identified and diverted to the call screening facility in a way such that, when a caller leaves a message at a voice mailbox, the called party may screen the call with or without the knowledge of the caller. A one-way communication session is established between the calling party and the called party (e.g, to the voice mail box) and, at the option of the called party, a duplex communication session is then established. Nevertheless, the system of European Patent Application 0 688 126 A2 lacks the capability to provide further information from the calling party to the called party.
The above-identified problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved in the art by providing a method and system for call screening in conjunction with a variety of network-based call services, as defined in claims 1 and 6.
Other and further aspects of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims and will become apparent during the course of the following description and by reference to the attached drawings.
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.
The many features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.
A method of providing a called party at a called party station (40) with the ability to screen calls, comprising the steps of:
forwarding a call to the called party station (40) through an autobridge means (80) to a voice mailbox (100) so that a calling party (20) can leave a message for the called party (40);
initiating, at the autobridge means (80), a simplex call to the called party station (40); and
bridging, through the autobridge means (80), the call forwarded to the voice mailbox (100) and the simplex call to the called party station (40) so that the called party (40) can hear the calling party (20) leaving a message for the called party station (40),
characterized in that the step of initiating the simplex call includes transmitting a signal to the called party station (40) indicating that the calling party station (20) has elected to pay for cellular charges associated with the call.
initiating, at the autobridge means (80), a request to a switch (60) to establish a duplex call between called party station (40) and the autobridge means (80) in response to signaling received from the called party station (40); and
bridging the call forwarded to the voice mailbox (100) and the duplex call.
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the step of initiating a simplex call includes the step of delivering a distinctive ring to the called party station (40) indicating that the calling party is leaving a message for the called party station (40), or
wherein the step of initiating a simplex call includes the step of transmitting a call waiting indicator to the called party station (40).
The method of claims 2 or 3 wherein a duplex call to the called party station (40) is initiated in response to DTMF signaling received from the called party station (40) via the simplex call, and/or
wherein the step of bridging the call to the voice mailbox (100) and the simplex call occurs as the calling party is listening to a system/personal greeting
wherein the step of bridging the call to the voice mailbox (100) and the simplex call occurs as the calling party is beginning to leave a message for the called party station (40).
A system for providing a called party at a called party station (40) with a call screening capability from a calling party station (20), wherein the calling party station (20) and the called party station (40) can be coupled to a switch (60), the system comprising:
a voice mailbox (100) for storing voice messages; and
an autobridge means (80);
wherein the switch sends (60) a first call from the calling party station (20) destined for the called party station (40) to the autobridge means (80), the autobridge means (80) being adapted to (a) forward the first call to the voice mailbox (100) so that a caller at the calling party station (20) can leave a message for the called party station (40), (b) initiate a simplex call to the called party station (40), and (c) bridge the first call and the simplex call so that the called party can listen to the calling party leaving a message for the called party station (40),
characterized in that the autobridge means (80) is adapted to initiate the transmission of a signal to the called party station (40) indicating that the calling party station (20) has elected to pay for cellular charges associated with the call.
The system of claim 6 wherein the autobridge means (80) is further adapted to:
initiate a request to the switch (60) to establish a duplex call between the called party station (40) and the autobridge means (80) in response to DTMF signaling received from the called party station (40) via the simplex call; and
bridge the first call and the duplex call so that the calling party and the called party are in communication with one another.
The system of claim 6 or 7 wherein the autobridge means (80) is internal to the switch (60).
The system of claim 6 or 7 wherein the autobridge means (80) is located as an adjunct to the switch (60).
The system of claims 6 or 7, wherein the autobridge means (80) is adapted to initiate the delivery of a distinctive ring to the called party station (40) indicating that the calling party is leaving a message for the called party station (40).
The system of claims 6 or 7, wherein the autobridge means (80) is adapted to initiate the delivery of a call waiting indicator to the called party station (40).
EP97118819A 1996-11-21 1997-10-29 Method and system for call screening Expired - Lifetime EP0844779B1 (en)
US754662 1996-11-21
EP0844779A2 EP0844779A2 (en) 1998-05-27
EP0844779A3 EP0844779A3 (en) 1999-03-03
EP0844779B1 true EP0844779B1 (en) 2006-08-16
EP97118819A Expired - Lifetime EP0844779B1 (en) 1996-11-21 1997-10-29 Method and system for call screening
Ipc: H04M 3/436 20060101AFI20060116BHEP
Ipc: H04M 3/533 20060101ALI20060116BHEP
Ref document number: 69736509