Patent EP0676884A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0676884A2
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EP
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Selective screening of incoming calls for cellular telephone systems
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1995-02-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-02-28
Abstract
Abstract The prior art deficiencies are solved, in accordance with the disclosure herein, by maintaining a list (24,25,26) of caller identities and by determining, via reference to this list, the type of call treatment that an incoming call should receive. This technique may be termed "divergent call treatment". The caller identities may be telephone numbers. The list of telephone numbers may be stored in the telephone company's switching facilities (12) or in the subscriber's telephone instrument. A wide range of call treatment options are provided, and these options can be performed regardless of whether the list is maintained in the telephone company's switching facilities or in the subscriber's telephone instrument. In connection with cellular telephones (e.g. 28), the divergent call treatment technique of the present invention is used to particular advantage. In accordance with one of the embodiments disclosed below, for example, the list maintained is a list of accepted callers, and it is maintained by the telephone service supplier. When a call comes in, a determination is made as to whether the caller is an "accepted" caller. If so, the call is forwarded to the cellular telephone (28). Otherwise, the caller is offered the option to pay for the call. A willingness on the part of the caller to pay for the call is indicated by a signal from the caller. This signal may be, for example, the pressing of one or more keys on a standard DTMF touch-tone pad, such as #1. In response to such a signal, the call is forwarded to the cellular telephone. In the absence of such a signal, the call is disconnected or diverted, for example, to the land line phone of the cellular telephone subscriber. When the list of accepted callers is maintained in the subscriber's telephone instrument, means are included to attenuate the ringing signal for an interval sufficient to provide appropriate call treatment for the call and, optionally, means are included for call forwarding, and/or recording of incoming messages.
Inventors
- 👤 B. Waring Partridge Iii
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M1/00; H04M1/66; H04M1/663; H04M3/436; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/22; H04M3/42025; H04M3/42034; H04M3/42042; H04M3/42059; H04M3/42229; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of selective telephone call switching characterized by the steps of: (a) maintaining a list of one or more caller identities, each caller identity corresponding to one or more potential incoming telephone calls directed to a first switching destination, each incoming telephone call having a ringing signal; (b) associating each of the caller identities with a call switching destination setting forth at least one of (a) the first switching destination, and (b) a second switching destination different from the first switching destination; (c) upon receipt of an incoming telephone call ringing signal directed to the first switching destination, identifying any caller identity corresponding to the incoming telephone call, such caller identity characterized by an incoming caller identity; and (d) upon identification of an incoming caller identity, switching the incoming telephone call to the call switching destination associated with the incoming caller identity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of selective telephone call switching characterized by the steps of: (a) maintaining a list of one or more caller identities, each caller identity corresponding to one or more potential incoming telephone calls, each incoming telephone call having a ringing signal; (b) associating each of the caller identities with a call switching specification setting forth a specific switching destination for the caller identity; (c) upon receipt of an incoming telephone call ringing signal, identifying any caller identity corresponding to the incoming telephone call, such caller identity characterized by an incoming caller identity; and (d) upon identification of an incoming caller identity, switching the incoming telephone call to the specific switching destination set forth by the call switching specification associated with the incoming caller identity.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of selective telephone call switching as set forth in any of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that, upon receipt of an incoming telephone call having no caller identity, the incoming telephone call is switched to a default switching destination setting forth a specific switching destination for the incoming telephone call.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of selective telephone call switching as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the second switching destination includes at least one of a cellular telephone network, a message recording device, a message delivery device, a POTS telephone device, and an interactive voice response network.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of selectively diverting incoming telephone calls directed towards a first switching destination to a second switching destination, the incoming telephone calls each including a ringing signal, the method characterized by the steps of: (a) maintaining a caller identity list of one or more caller identities, each caller identity corresponding to a potential incoming telephone call; (b) associating each of the caller identities with a call switching specification setting forth at least one of the first and the second switching destinations; (c) upon receipt of an incoming telephone call ringing signal, searching the caller identity list for any caller identity and associated call switching specification corresponding to the incoming telephone call; and (d) if any such caller identity is found in step (c), switching the incoming telephone call to the switching destination set forth in the call switching specification.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of selectively diverting incoming telephone calls directed towards a first switching destination and having a ringing signal, the method characterized by: (a) maintaining a caller identity list of one or more caller identities, each caller identity corresponding to a potential incoming telephone call and specifying a second switching destination; (b) upon receipt of an incoming telephone call ringing signal, searching the caller identity list for any caller identity corresponding to the incoming telephone call; and (c) if any such caller identity is found in step (b), switching the incoming telephone call to the second switching destination; or (d) if no such caller identity is found in step (b), switching the incoming telephone call to the first switching destination.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of selectively diverting incoming telephone calls directed towards a first switching destination and having a ringing signal, the method characterized by: (a) maintaining a caller identity list of one or more caller identities, each caller identity corresponding to a potential incoming telephone call and specifying the first switching destination; (b) upon receipt of an incoming telephone call ringing signal, searching the caller identity list for any caller identity corresponding to the incoming telephone call; and (c) if any such caller identity is found in step (b), switching the incoming telephone call to the first switching destination; or (d) if no such caller identity is found in step (b), switching the incoming telephone call to a second switching destination different from the first switching destination.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for screening incoming telephone calls characterized by the following steps: (a) storing an accepted callers table including at least one telephone number corresponding to an accepted caller; (b) upon receipt of an incoming call ringing signal directed to a subscriber telephone, identifying the incoming telephone number using a telephone number identification means; (c) comparing the incoming telephone number with each of the telephone numbers in the accepted callers table to ascertain whether or not the incoming telephone number matches at least one of the telephone numbers in the accepted callers table; and (d) when the comparing step finds a match, activating the call forwarding means to forward the incoming call to the subscriber telephone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a system including a calling telephone, a subscriber telephone, a cellular telephone, a central switching office, call forwarding means for forwarding an incoming call to the cellular telephone, and incoming telephone number identification means including accepted callers table memory means for storing at least one telephone number and telephone number comparison means for comparing a first telephone number with a second telephone number to determine whether or not said first and said second telephone numbers are identical, a method for selectively screening incoming telephone calls characterized by the following steps: (a) storing an accepted callers table including at least one telephone number corresponding to a preferred caller; (b) upon receipt of an incoming call ringing signal directed to a subscriber telephone, identifying the incoming telephone number using the telephone number identification means; (c) comparing the incoming telephone number with each of the telephone numbers in the accepted callers table to ascertain whether or not the incoming telephone number matches at least one of the telephone numbers in the accepted callers table; and (d) if the comparing step finds a match, activating the call forwarding means to forward the incoming call to the cellular telephone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
153 words
Apparatus for selectively screening incoming telephone calls characterized by: a calling telephone having a calling telephone number; a subscriber telephone; an accepted callers table including at least one telephone number; calling telephone number identification means for identifying a calling telephone number; processing means including telephone number comparison means for comparing the calling telephone number with at least one telephone number in the accepted callers table, first signal generation means for generating a first signal in response to the comparison means detecting a match between the calling telephone number and at least one telephone number in the accepted callers table, and second signal generation means for generating a second signal in response to the comparison means detecting no match between the calling telephone number and each of the telephone numbers in the accepted callers table; and a central switching office responsive to the first signal for connecting the calling telephone to the subscriber telephone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus for selectively screening incoming telephone calls as set forth in claim 10, characterized by an interactive voice response device responsive to the calling telephone for providing at least one menu option including a calling charge reversal option for billing the incoming call to the calling party prior to connecting the calling party to the called party.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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