Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8036364?oq=5%2C787%2C449
Timestamp: 2018-03-17 11:42:40
Document Index: 726943988

Matched Legal Cases: ['arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 14', 'arty 12', 'arty 14', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12', 'arty 12']

US8036364B1 - Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system - Google Patents
Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US8036364B1
US8036364B1 US11615209 US61520906A US8036364B1 US 8036364 B1 US8036364 B1 US 8036364B1 US 11615209 US11615209 US 11615209 US 61520906 A US61520906 A US 61520906A US 8036364 B1 US8036364 B1 US 8036364B1
US11615209
Azhar I Khan
Navneet A Patel
A messaging system includes a messaging platform for storing a message from a calling party or transferring the calling party to a transfer station, a switching mechanism for receiving a call from the calling party to a subscriber, and a routing application at a server. The call from the calling party is connected to the messaging platform and the calling party signals to be transferred to the transfer station. In response, the messaging platform sends a transfer message to the routing application and the routing application directs the switching mechanism to disconnect the calling party from the messaging platform and connect the calling party to the transfer station.
The present invention relates to a telephone system with a messaging platform that stores a message from a caller for a subscriber, and a transfer function that allows the caller to opt to be transferred to a station designated by the subscriber. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a system where the transfer function is more efficiently implemented.
In recent years, a number of new telephone service features have been provided by an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The AIN evolved out of a need to increase the capabilities of the telephone network architecture in order to meet the growing needs of telephone customers or users. Additionally, as the number of people who rely on the Internet for communication increases, so too does the demand for the electronic transfer of data.
The present invention satisfies the aforementioned need by providing a system and method in connection with a messaging system implemented as a service to a subscriber by a telephone service provider of the subscriber. The messaging system stores a message from a calling party calling the subscriber or transfers the calling party to a transfer station designated by the subscriber. In the messaging system, a switching mechanism receives the call from the calling party to the subscriber, and is connected to a network. An application server is also connected to the network and runs a routing application. The switching mechanism notifies the routing application that the calling party is to be connected to a messaging platform. The messaging platform stores the message from the calling party or transfers the calling party to the transfer station, and is also connected to the network. The notified routing application directs the switching mechanism to establish communication between the calling party and the messaging platform by way of the network, and the switching mechanism establishes such communication. Accordingly, the calling party stores the message or signals for the transfer to the transfer station.
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in FIG. 2 a messaging system 10 for providing a message service with a transfer function in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. When actuated, a call from a calling party 12 to a called party/subscriber 14 is forwarded to a messaging platform 15. The messaging platform 15 presents the calling party 12 with an opportunity to leave a voice message or the like for the called party 14, and records and stores such voice message and perhaps also the telephone number of the calling party 12, the call time, etc. The called party 14 may then call into the messaging platform 15 and retrieve the voice message. Typically, the called party 12 determines when the system 10 is actuated therefor.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the routing application 26, the SSP 105, and the messaging platform 15 all employ an enhanced hosting environment to enable packet-based communication by way of the network 18. For example, the environment may be the PACKETIN application hosting environment, available from LUCENT Technologies, Inc. of Murray Hill, New Jersey. As may be appreciated, such environment is a next-generation, converged-services platform that enables delivery of a wide variety of enhanced wire line and wireless services for converged voice and data networks, and that provides the infrastructure for new Internet Protocol (IP) and multimedia services.
Bearing in mind that the subscriber has actuated the messaging platform 15 to collect and store voice messages therefor and has also actuated the messaging platform 15 to allow the calling party 12 to opt to be transferred to a designated transfer station 17, the process begins by the calling party 12 calling the subscriber 14 (step 301). In response thereto, the calling party is to be connected to the messaging platform 15. In particular, the SSP 105 of the subscriber 14 notifies the routing application 26 by way of the gateway 20 and the network 18 that the calling party 12 is to be connected to the messaging platform 15 (step 303.), and the routing application 26 directs the setup of the messaging connection by appropriately instructing the SSP 105 how to establish communication between the calling party 12 and the messaging platform 15 by way of the gateways 20 and the network 18 (step 305). Accordingly, the SSP 105 in fact establishes such messaging connection according to the instructions from the routing application 26 (step 307), and the calling party 12 upon being connected with the messaging platform 15 is prompted to leave a message or to signal to be transferred to the transfer station 17 (step 309). In the meantime, the routing application 26 awaits any messages that may be generated therefor by the messaging platform 15 and sent thereto by way of the direct link 24 and the network 18 (step 311).
Presuming that the calling party 12 in fact signals to be transferred to the transfer station 17 (step 313), and in one embodiment of the present invention, the messaging platform 15 sends a transfer message to the routing application 26 by way of the direct link 24 and the network 18 (step 315). Note that the messaging platform 15 may or may not have any further involvement with the calling party 12 in connection with the present transaction. If the calling party 12 is to be transferred to the transfer station 17 without anything more, then the transfer message from the messaging platform 15 need only include the corresponding transfer telephone number, plus any other necessary information. However, if the calling party 12 is to be transferred to the transfer station 17 with the option of being returned to the messaging platform 15 if the transfer station 17 fails to answer, for example, then the transfer message from the messaging platform 15 should include the corresponding transfer telephone number and also ‘bookmark’ information relating to the current state of the messaging platform 15 with regard to the calling party 12. Such bookmark information may include an identifier of the subscriber 14 and/or a mailbox thereof at the messaging platform 15, an identifier of the calling party 12, the telephone number of the calling party 12, and the like.
1. A messaging system implemented as a service to a subscriber by a telephone service provider of the subscriber, the messaging system for enabling a calling party calling the subscriber to opt to be transferred to a transfer station designated by the subscriber and to leave a voice message for the subscriber, the messaging system comprising:
a calling party switching mechanism for receiving a call from the calling party to the subscriber, the calling party switching mechanism being connected to a network;
an application server connected to the network and running a routing application, the calling party switching mechanism for notifying the routing application that the calling party is to be connected to a messaging platform;
the messaging platform for transferring the calling party to the transfer station, the messaging platform being connected to the network, the routing application for directing the switching mechanism to establish communication between the calling party and the messaging platform by way of the network, the calling party switching mechanism for establishing such communication, whereby the calling party stores a signal for transferring the calling party to the transfer station, the messaging platform in response to the signal for transferring the calling party to the transfer station sending a transfer message to the routing application by way of the network, the transfer message including a transfer telephone number corresponding to the transfer station and bookmark information relating to a current state of the messaging platform with regard to the calling party, the routing application for receiving the transfer message and directing the calling party switching mechanism to disconnect the calling party from the messaging platform and connect the calling party to the transfer station by way of the transfer telephone number and including a billing function for billing the subscriber in connection with use of the messaging platform and transfer station, and the messaging platform for enabling the subscriber to determine when the calling party may opt to be transferred to the transfer station and configured to announce to the calling party that the calling party may opt to be transferred to the transfer station in response to the subscriber indicating that the calling party may opt to be transferred.
2. The system of claim 1, the routing application for receiving and storing the bookmark information, the calling party switching mechanism for determining that the calling party is to be re-connected to the messaging platform and thereafter notifying the routing application of same, the routing application for directing that the calling party be re-connected with the messaging platform and sending the bookmark information back to the messaging platform and the messaging platform employing such bookmark information to re-establish the current state.
3. The system of claim 1 at least partially implemented at one of a service switching point and central office administered by the telephone service provider.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the messaging platform is connected to the network by way of a messaging platform switching mechanism, whereby the call from the calling party to access the stored message is connected to the messaging platform through a subscriber switching mechanism, the network, and the messaging platform switching mechanism.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the calling party switching mechanism is the messaging platform switching mechanism.
6. The system of claim 4 further comprising a direct link between the messaging platform and the network, whereby the routing application can communicate with the messaging platform by way of the direct link.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the routing application, the calling party switching mechanism, and the messaging platform all employ an enhanced hosting environment to enable packet-based communication by way of the network.
8. A method in connection with a messaging system implemented as a service to a subscriber by a telephone service provider of the subscriber, the messaging system for enabling a calling party calling the subscriber to opt to be transferred to a transfer station designated by the subscriber and to leave a voice message for the subscriber, the messaging system including a switching mechanism for receiving a call from the calling party to the subscriber, a messaging platform for storing the voice message from the calling party and for transferring the calling party to the transfer station, and an application server running a routing application for routing communications between the calling party, the messaging platform, and the transfer station, the switching mechanism, the messaging platform, and the application server all being connected to a network, the method comprising:
the routing application directing the switching mechanism to establish communication between the calling party and the messaging platform by way of the network;
the switching mechanism establishing such communication, whereby the calling party one of stores the message and a signals for transferring the calling party to the transfer station;
the messaging platform announcing to the calling party that the calling party may opt to be transferred to the transfer station in response to the subscriber indicating that the calling party may opt to be transferred;
the messaging platform in response to the signal for transferring the calling party to the transfer station sending a transfer message to the routing application by way of the network, the transfer message including a transfer telephone number corresponding to the transfer station and bookmark information relating to a current state of the messaging platform with regard to the calling party, wherein the messaging platform is for enabling the subscriber to determine when the calling party may opt to be transferred to the transfer station;
the routing application receiving the transfer message and directing the switching mechanism to disconnect the calling party from the messaging platform and connect the calling party to the transfer station by way of the telephone number and billing the subscriber in connection with use of the messaging platform and the transfer station.
the routing application directing that the calling party be re-connected with the messaging platform and sending the stored bookmark information back to the messaging platform, and the messaging platform employing such bookmark information to re-establish the current state.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the bookmark information includes an identifier of the calling party at the messaging platform.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the messaging platform is connected to the network by way of the switching mechanism and by way of a direct link, the method comprising the routing application communicating with the messaging platform by way of the direct link.
12. The method of claim 8 comprising the routing application, the switching mechanism, and the messaging platform all employing an enhanced hosting environment to enable packed-based communication by way of the network.
US11615209 2002-11-14 2006-12-22 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system Active 2026-07-03 US8036364B1 (en)
US10294368 US7149300B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2002-11-14 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US11615209 US8036364B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2006-12-22 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US11960672 US8194846B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2007-12-19 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US10294368 Continuation US7149300B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2002-11-14 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US11960672 Continuation US8194846B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2007-12-19 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US8036364B1 true US8036364B1 (en) 2011-10-11
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US10294368 Expired - Fee Related US7149300B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2002-11-14 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US11615209 Active 2026-07-03 US8036364B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2006-12-22 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
US11960672 Expired - Fee Related US8194846B1 (en) 2002-11-14 2007-12-19 Transfer function for messaging platform in public telephone system
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US8194846B1 (en) 2012-06-05 grant
US7149300B1 (en) 2006-12-12 grant