Method to provide voice call notification and control messaging over a data path

IS 2 183 124 T3

DESCRIPTION

Voice call notification procedure and message control through a data path.

Field of the invention

This invention refers generically to telecommunications systems over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) that provide telephone subscribers with notification, identification and management facilities for incoming telephone calls. More specifically, this invention relates to a computer-telephone interface and to procedures for providing the subscriber with notification, identification and control of incoming telephone calls that are blocked (call attempts) when the subscriber is using the telephone link for speech. between computers in a dial-up data network to which the subscriber is connected either directly or indirectly.

Background of the invention

A subscriber can connect directly to a data network, such as the Internet, by establishing a dial-up telephone connection with a Data Transmission Service (DCS) which is an Internet Service Provider (ISP). A subscriber can also indirectly connect to a data network such as the Internet by establishing a dial-up telephone connection with a Data Transmission Service (DCS) that is a commercial online data service, such as CompuServe or America Online, and then accessing to the Internet using the commercial online data service's own interconnection facilities with the Internet. In either case, the subscriber establishes a dialogue between computers with the Data Transmission Service (DCS) through a dial-up connection using a telephone link connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

The telephone link used by the subscriber can be used for voice communication with other telephone subscribers or for data communication with a data transmission service. The use of the telephone link for voice or data transmission occupies the telephone link and subsequent attempts to call the subscriber's telephone link are blocked.

Various types of dial-up connections are possible depending on the type of connection to the service that the subscriber has with the telephone service provider or telephone carrier through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). For example, the subscriber may have a telephone link that communicates over an analogue wired line, the so-called old normal telephone service or POTS. Alternatively, the subscriber may have a telephone link that communicates over a digital wired line, such as the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) service offered by telephone carriers. As a further alternative, the subscriber may have a telephone link that communicates over a wireless radio band, such as a mobile telephone or a Personal Communication Service (PCS).

The Internet is a network of computers spread throughout the world whose popularity has increased in recent years. Commercial online data services such as CompuServe and America Online are examples of private data transmission networks that have also become very popular in recent years. There are numerous procedures used by consumers and businesses to connect to these data transmission services. The two most popular procedures are through a temporary connection with a dial-up modem over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or through a dedicated connection, either through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or through a private telephone connection. In either case, the user must connect to a Data Transmission Service (DCS) to access the Internet directly through the connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or indirectly through a commercial service online. Once connected to the Data Transmission Service (DCS), the user's computer has access to the resources of the Data Transmission Service (DCS) and the user's computer literally becomes part of the Transmission Service provider's network. Data (DCS).

If the user was connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) through a temporary dial-up modem connection, the telephone link used to make this connection between the user's computer and the telephone company remains off-hook, typically for a period of time. long period of time. For example, in a normal telephone call, the holding time of the call is of the order of 3 minutes, while the normal holding time of a data call to access the Internet is greater than 20 minutes. In addition to the longer holding time, the use of a telephone line for a data call requires exclusive use of the line. Unlike a conventional voice telephone call between two telephones, a connection between two modems over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) cannot be interrupted or put on hold while one of the parties to the call accepts a second incoming call. When the off-hook state is due to a voice telephone interconnection, the caller who receives a second call attempt can be notified of the existence of a blocked call by means of a device known as "call waiting", in which case the person who receives the call waiting notice can suspend the conversation with the first caller and initiate a conversation with the second caller. However, when the subscriber's telephone link is busy for a data dialogue, the computers and modems that manage the data dialogue are unable to understand any audio prompts from the "call waiting" device about the existence of another attempt. call. Also, computers or modems are not able to interrupt the ongoing data dialogue to initiate another voice or data communication with the incoming call. An attempt to do so aborted the existing connection between the two modems and the

ES 2 183 124 T3 computers, since the communication protocol between modems in a dial-up connection does not support a prolonged lack of point-to-point communication.

This system has a significant drawback, namely that a subscriber using the telephone link for a data logger puts his telephone link in an off-hook, busy or communicating state, typically for a long period of time, thus being difficult or impossible to notify the subscriber of the existence of an incoming telephone call.

The vast majority of people who connect to a Data Transmission Service (DCS) do so through a temporary dial-up connection from their residence. The vast majority of residences have only one telephone link and, when this link is used to dial the Data Transmission Service (DCS) number, the residence is unreachable for other incoming telephone calls. People attempting to call that residence during a Dial-Up Session with the Data Transmission Service (DCS) will receive the busy signal, typically for a long period of time. What is more, it is possible that people who access the Data Transmission Service (DCS) from an apartment building may not be able to receive the notice that a person was waiting at the gate, since many apartment buildings use the Internet. Telefóonica Commutada Puóblica (PSTN) as a communication system between the gate and each individual apartment.

A particularly negative result of the previous situation is that people are untraceable in emergencies and important situations, unless there is an intervention by the telephone company. Furthermore, the telephone network suffers from the overload of people who make numerous call attempts to communicate with the party whose telephone link is busy and in off-hook state while it is connected to the Data Transmission Service (DCS).

Various systems have been developed to notify a person, who was having a voice telephone conversation, that there is a second call trying to enter through the same telephone link. One such system is commonly known as "call waiting" and has already been briefly described above. The announcement is made topically by a series of audible tones sent to the telephone receiver of the subscriber who was receiving the incoming call. The subscriber can interrupt the conversation in progress to start another conversation with the calling party. To do this, if he wishes to accept the second call, the subscriber must put the first call on hold. This step was carried out topically by sending the subscriber to the telephone company a momentary signal to hang up the device. This feature can only be used during a voice phone call. An improvement of the basic call waiting just described consists of an indicator installed in the subscriber's telephone apparatus in which the telephone number of the person who was calling is displayed. This service is commonly known as visual call waiting, and requires the subscriber to have special telephonic equipment capable of receiving and presenting the telephone number of the caller.

The IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 3, n ° 9, of September 1, 1994, describes a device for interconnecting a private telephone exchange (PABX) to a telephone system and a central computer, which supports a digital electronic mail network, so that the host computer acts as an answering machine providing announcements and greetings and so that the caller's message can be stored in an electronic mailbox of the central computer which can be subsequently accessed by the user using the telephone set keypad. With this device, the user has other options to retrieve text, image or audio messages.

The previous systems all have the disadvantage that they cannot be used while the telephone link is busy in a dial-up connection with a Data Transmission Service (DCS), since they are designed to be used only in a voice telephone connection.

Summary of the invention

In the appended claims 1 and 26 methods are defined for operating a subscriber apparatus used with a public switched telephone network according to the present invention.

In the appended claim 14 a method is defined for operating a delegate apparatus used with a public switched telephone network, also according to the present invention.

In the appended claims 43 to 45 apparatuses used with a public switched telephone network are defined, all of them according to the invention.

Computer-readable means are also provided to perform all the steps of each of the aforementioned procedures that are in accordance with the invention, respectively, as defined in the attached claim 46.

The present invention provides an improved telephonic call announcement system, caller identification and call control, which allows subscribers connected to a Data Transmission Service (DCS), through a dial-up connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), receive in real time visual and / or audible notification of the call, and responding to the caller through selections made using computer input peripherals. This procedure provides subscribers with advantages over the current situation in which there is no announcement, identification or control of the call, by suppressing the sending of the busy signal to the caller and providing an instantaneous announcement to the subscriber called, even while the called subscriber's telephone link is in an off-hook state because it is connected to a Data Transmission Service (DCS).

In another operating mode, the subscriber may be away from home, for example on the job.

ES 2 183 124 T3 low. Any call to the subscriber's residence will go unanswered. With the present invention the subscriber, from this second place, will be able to remotely monitor unanswered calls by configuring his personal work computer and connecting it to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) that interconnects with the delegated apparatus of the present invention. Following an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a subscriber receives on his computer screen an incoming call notice from a Message Transfer Point (MTP), while maintaining the dial-up connection with the Data Transmission Service ( DCS). The subscriber will receive the notification of the call on their computer screen, and optionally can also receive information about the caller, such as their phone number and name, as well as messages selected or sent by the caller through an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) existing at the Message Transfer Point (MTP). The procedure provides the called subscriber with the possibility of informing the caller, through the Message Transfer Point (MTP), that the telephone link of the called subscriber is busy with a dial-up connection with the Data Transmission Service. (DCS). The subscriber can, if so selected, acknowledge the call and control the incoming call through the interaction of the computer with the Message Transfer Point (MTP), through input and output peripherals that communicate to the caller that the call has been acknowledged. Audible messages can be sent to the caller through subscriber interaction with the Message Transfer Point (MTP) that is connected to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), or that could be the same computer as the Interactive Voice Response System. Voice Response (IVRS). The subscriber can ignore the incoming call, accept the incoming call after finishing the dial-up connection, forward the incoming call to a voicemail system, or forward the incoming call to another telephone number over the Public Switched Telephone Network ( PSTN).

In one of its aspects, and for a public switched telephony network that provides call forwarding due to the telephone link being blocked, the invention provides a procedure that allows the notification and control of calls forwarded by a data transmission network, the method including the steps of activating the sending of the blocked call to a subscriber telephone link that has an associated dialing number; providing a second dialing number corresponding to a subscriber delegate to forward blocked calls to said subscriber telephone link; using said telephoanic link to connect a computer to a data network and receive from it an exclusive address of the data network; establishing a data path through said data network to said subscriber delegate and supplying said delegate with said subscriber dialing number and said unique address of the data network; storing said subscriber dialing number and said unique address of the data network; whereby the blocked calls on said telephone link will be forwarded to the subscriber's delegate.

The present invention is especially suitable (although not exclusively) for allowing subscribers to a service, such as the Internet or other commercial online service, to be notified of the existence of telephone calls attempting to enter the subscriber telephone being used. to connect to the service, and so that subscribers can have management control over them.

The present invention allows remote control of a telephone link. The subscriber is given the ability to control calls directed to another location from one location. The subscriber can also monitor and control calls to several lines simultaneously.

One embodiment of the present invention allows the subscriber connected to the Data Transmission Service (DCS) to be notified of the existence of the incoming call to their computer while still maintaining an active connection with the Data Transmission Service (DCS). The present invention also provides the procedure to send the notification of the incoming call and control the messages over the same telephone link used by the subscriber to connect to the Data Transmission Service (DCS), without the subscriber having to hang up to free the telephone link.

Furthermore, the person trying to call the subscriber does not receive a busy signal and can optionally leave a message to the subscriber via this service, or interact with the subscriber in the manner described below.

It is obvious that through the service you can access additional notification and call control devices. For example, incoming calls may receive different treatments depending on the originating number.

Brief description of the drawings

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood by referring to the rest of the technical specification and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the phasing components and the telecommunications network that is used to support the preferred procedures and processes of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating the logos of a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a sequence diagram showing the incoming call handling process.

Figure 4 is a sequence diagram showing a non-responsive management process.

Figure 5 is a sequence diagram showing a call management process in which the call occupies the telephone link with a data network call.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates a telecommunications system that includes central offices of

ES 2 183 124 T3 local exchange 30 and 42 connected by a junction line 20. The central offices 30 and 42 support a plurality of subscribers who each have a telephone link associated with a telephone. telephone 34A, 34B, 44A, 44B, being identified the link by 32, 36 and 41. The modem 33 was also in communication with the central office through the telephone link 36. The central offices 30 and 42 also support dedicated communication channels such as 18 and 54. Headquarters 30 and 42 may belong, for example, to telecommunication companies such as Northern Telecom DDS-100 (registered name) or AT&T 5ESS (registered name).

An Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 is coupled to a central office 30 via the telephone link 10. The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) includes playback and recording capabilities that allow you to send recorded voice messages to the telephone. 44A from a caller and collect and save tone entries from callers using push-button telephones.

The central office 30 is connected by the telephone link 10 to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14. The telephone link is associated with a signaling channel 10A. The signaling channel was designed to communicate to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) the number of the called subscriber so that the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) can personalize the interaction that has to refer to the subscriber's line from the which call was transferred.

There are several options for delivering the called subscriber number to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS). The information on the called number can be delivered during the call establishment through the call establishment signaling of the Integrated Services Digital Network. In the case of telephones or switchboards of the old telephone service (POTS), the information about the called number could be provided using the Simplified Message Dispatch Interface (SMDI). Other options are available using the Advanced Smart Network Interface. Any of these options can be advantageously used by a person skilled in the art to achieve delivery of the named number in order to carry out the process of the present invention.

The central office 30 is also connected to the Data Center (DH) 16 by the dedicated communications channel 18 and to the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 by the telephone link 52. The central office 42 was connected to the Transmission Service Data (DCS) over dedicated communications channel 54.

A Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 was directly connected to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 and the Data Center (DH) 16 and works as an intermediary translating and transferring messages between the Data Center (DH) 16 and the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14. The Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 accesses the subscriber records from the customer record file 26 which contains the records of the subscribers authorized to use the service. In addition, each subscriber record of the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS) contains real-time information regarding the status of the subscriber's telephone link (eg link 36). Each subscriber link has a real-time record stored in the data warehouse accessed by the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12, so that when the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 receives a message or a On the call, the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 can control the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 to process the message or call in one way or another according to the state of the telephone link 36 of the subscriber.

The Data Center (DH) 16 is a central computer with a dedicated communication link with the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 through the central office 30, which is coupled to the central office 42 that has a communication channel. 54 dedicated communications with the Data Transmission Service (DCS). The dedicated link allows the Data Center (DH) and the Data Transmission Service (DCS) to communicate through a continuous communication path.

The Data Transmission Service (DCS), through a data channel such as telephone link 52, also allows a subscriber using a dial-up data channel, such as telephone link 36, to establish temporary data connections. by dialing with the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Table 1 is a sequential listing that provides an overview of the stages associated with providing the options for notification and control of incoming calls according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The steps in Table 1 should be considered in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2 to get a visual perspective of the elements and the steps.

TABLE 1 (1) A subscriber 31 wishes to make a data connection with a Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50, such as that provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or a Commercial Service In Lonea (COS).

(2) Subscriber 31, using a computer 35, a modem 33 and a telephone link 36 connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), connects to the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 that was connected to the telephone network public switched through a Commercial Office (CO) 30, dialing a predetermined Telephone Number (DN).

(3) Subscriber 31 initiates a call to Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 over modem 33 telling computer 35 to dial a predetermined Telephone Number (DN).

(4) The subscriber's local Commercial Office (CO) 30 directs the call to the Telephone Number (DN) of the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 service point through a telephone link 52 that connects the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 to the Commercial Office (CO) 30.

ES 2 183 124 T3 (5) The Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 responds by accepting the call and goes off-hook, thereby establishing a circuit 53 through the Commercial Office (CO)

30.

(6) The modem 33 and the computer 35 of the subscriber 31 and the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 negotiate a protocol and a connection speed on a circuit 53 that put the telephone link 36 of the subscriber in communication with a telephone link 52 of the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50.

(7) After successfully establishing the protocol and connection speed through circuit 53, the subscriber is requested to enter the user's identification and password information in the computer 35 that is communicated with the Data Transmission Service (DCS) fifty.

(8) Once this information is received, the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 verifies the authenticity of the subscriber's computer 35 and, if positive, allows the subscriber's computer 35 to access the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 .

(9) Immediately after having verified the authenticity of the information provided by the subscriber, the access to the data path is assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address or another type of alphanumeric identifier of the network address chosen by the Service. Data Transmission System (DCS) 50. Any form of numerical address identifier is used to correctly route information between the subscriber's computer 35 and the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50.

(10) The subscriber's computer 35 transmits a message from the modem 33 to the main computer of the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50, through circuit 53, and from this to the Data Center (DH) 16 located in the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12, by means of the dedicated communications channel 54, indicating that the subscriber's computer 35 has successfully initiated a connection with the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50. The message may contain a subscriber identifier in addition to the subscriber's network address assigned by the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50.

(11) The Data Center (DH) 16 in turn transmits a message to the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 to verify its authenticity in a customer record file 26. If the subscriber's identifier appears in the customer record file 26 of the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12, a message is transmitted to the subscriber's computer 35, through the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50, indicating that the Subscriber information has been received correctly and is authentic.

(12) Then, in the event that a telephone call is directed to the Telephone Number (DN) of the subscriber's telephone link 36, the Commercial Office (CO) 30 to which that Telephone Number (DN) belongs is prepared to forward the call, through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to the call forwarding number for occupation of the link of the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14.

(13) The Commercial Office (CO) 30 sends information on the original destination of the call through signaling channel 10A through a service known as the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS). The Commercial Office (CO) 30 can also deliver information that identifies the origin of the call through a service known as Automatic Number Identification (ANI). Both the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS) and the Automated Number Identification System (ANI) are known and will not be described in this document.

(14) After receipt of the information from the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS) and any information provided by the Automated Number Identification (ANI), and before the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 accepts the call, The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) validates the information from the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS) against the existing subscriber records in the customer records file 26 of the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12, to Make sure that the subscriber's Telephone Number (DN) is authorized to use the service. The Telephone Number (DN) is also used to validate the existence of an active modem connection between the subscriber's computer 35 and the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50.

(15) If the information from the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS) has been validated, the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 transmits a message through signaling channel 10A to the Commercial Office (CO) 30 recognizing and accepting the call.

(16) If the existence of an active modem connection on circuit 53 has been verified, the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14, while accepting the call, sends to the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 notified that a call has been established with the caller's phone 44A, and also delivers the Automatic Number Identification (ANI) of the caller's phone 44A.

(17) The Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 once again validates the existence of a modem connection on circuit 53 between the subscriber and the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50.

(18) If circuit 53 is still established, the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 sends a message through the Data Center (DH) 16 to the subscriber's computer 35 through the dedicated network circuit that connects each other. dedicated communication channels 18 and 54. This can be done through a Commercial Office (CO) 30 or through a plurality of them, such as the Commercial Office (CO) 30 and the Commercial Office (CO) 42, which are coupled with each other through the connection line 20 as illustrated. in Figure 1.

(19) Once the call is accepted, a voice call is established over the telephone link 10 between the

ES 2 183 124 T3 telephone 44A of the caller and the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14.

(20) The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14, immediately after acceptance of the call, delivers an audio message to the caller's telephone 44A, which can optionally be previously recorded by the subscriber.

(21) In the event that the Commercial Office (CO) 30 has not provided any Automated Identification of Numbers (ANI) information, or that this is not available, the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 may create an audio message heard on the caller's telephone 44A asking the caller to enter their telephone number using a push-button telephone. The entry from the caller replaced the information from the Automatic Numbers Identification (ANI) that did not exist.

(22) Once the notification message is delivered to the subscriber's computer 35, the software resident in the subscriber's computer 35 alerts the subscriber 31 by means of visual or auditory notification. The auditory notification could consist of a tone signal, while the visual notification would include the presentation of the Automatic Numeric Identification (ANI) information captured and delivered by the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS).

14.

(23) After the information about the caller is presented, the subscriber 31 can use a computer input device to select or enter a response that will be sent to the caller's telephone 44A. The input device used by the subscriber 31, together with the subscriber software, can select from various predefined options. Each option was directly correlated with a specific identifier that was sent to the Data Center (DH) 16.

(24) After the correct reception of the identifier in the Data Center (DH) 16, it delivers it to the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12. The Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12 validates the identifier and determines if the The identifier is correlated with an audio message or with a call handling instruction.

(25) In the event that the identifier is correlated with an audio message, a signal is transmitted to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 from the Message Transfer Point (MTP) 12, which executes the delivery to the caller from a specific audio file by voice voice that consists of a bridge between the telephone link 10 and the telephone link 41 through the Commercial Offices (CO) 42 and 30 connected by the junction line 20 .

(26) If the identifier is correlated with a call management instruction, a signal is transmitted to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 that redirects the voice path to a voice mail system of the Interactive Voice Response System. Voice (IVRS) 14 or to another destination number through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

(27) In the event that the call management instruction requires that the voice path be redirected to the same Telephone Number (DN) of the subscriber link 36 that was being used by the subscriber's computer 35 and modem 33, the redirection of the voice path between the caller's telephone 44A and the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 is delayed until the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50 transmits to the Data Center (DH ) 16 a message indicating that the modem 33 has been disconnected from the Data Transmission Service (DCS) 50.

Reference is now made to Figure 2, which shows a functional block diagram of the logical network elements, interconnected with a called party delegate 38 that is advantageously used to provide an interactive voice response to a caller to a subscriber whose telephone link is busy. Elements similar to those in Figure 1 are identified by the same reference numbers.

When operating a telephone system, the first call to a subscriber's telephone number is notified to the subscriber by the ringing of the telephone set 34A located in the subscriber's office 28. The caller receives a dial tone to indicate that the called party's phone is ringing. When the subscriber is already using the telephone link 36, the second caller's telephone 44a is told that it is locked and a blocking tone is sent to the second caller. This blocking tone is commonly referred to as a "busy signal" and alerts the caller that the called party is using their telephone link 36 for another communication. The caller can wait and try to call later in the hope that the subscriber has cleared the phone link to receive other calls.

Telephone service operators have improved the availability of the telephone system by providing a "call forwarding because terminal is busy or not answering" feature so that the call remains in the telephone system and provides an alternative to the blocked calls described above. Subscribers have the possibility to direct the caller to another telephone number in the event that his number is busy or has not answered after a previously selected number of rings. When a caller using telephone 44a tries to communicate with a subscriber whose telephone link 36 is busy, as indicated by dashed line 40, the caller is automatically redirected to a second subscriber telephone number served by telephone link 10 . To employ the present invention, the subscriber can provide a forwarding number per busy / no answer terminal that directs blocked or unanswered calls to a delegate of the called person who was connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) over the link. telephone 10. As can be seen, the invention can be used to advantage without the

ES 2 183 124 T3 telephone service provider has to do any direct programming or installation other than providing the subscriber's telephone link with the "call forwarding busy / no answer" feature. When a subscriber has the busy / no answer call forwarding feature enabled, all calls directed to that subscriber's phone number are automatically routed to the alternate phone number that the subscriber selected when they activated the call forwarding feature by handset. busy / not responding. Thus, a subscriber can provide the corresponding telephone number to his delegate when he activates the call forwarding feature for busy / no answer terminal, with which the following people who call his telephone number will be automatically addressed to the delegate without further intervention from the delegate. subscriber and without additional stages or intervention of the caller.

In cases where a subscriber has activated the call forwarding feature for a busy / no answer terminal, and the subscriber was using his telephone link 36 and a second call arrives at the subscriber's telephone number, the call is automatically directed to the telephone link Delegate 10. An Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 was connected to the delegate 10 telephone link, which receives the incoming call. The delegate has many ways of handling such incoming calls, as exemplified in this document for clarity.

The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) 14 requires information about the original destination of the call to properly handle the incoming call. The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) knows the original destination of the call thanks to a standard service of the telephone company known as the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS). The original destination of the call is the subscriber with whom the caller tried to communicate but could not do so since the subscriber was using his telephone link 36, for which his call was forwarded to the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS ).

The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), which acted as the subscriber's delegate, processes the incoming call in the way generically represented in the sequence diagram of Figure 3. In box 310 the subscriber's telephone number is received according to the process of the Identification System of Telephone Numbers (DNIS). In box 312 it is checked whether the telephone number thus obtained appears in the store of registered telephone numbers contained in the customer records file 26 to know if this subscriber is served by a delegate. If there is no match, the call can be ignored, that is, the link can continue to ring without answering and the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) limited itself to waiting for the next entry from the Telephone Number Identification System ( DNIS), as shown by the ascending dashed line 314. Alternatively, an unmatched call could be answered (ie, going off-hook and establishing communication with the caller) using an audible standard greeting to say that "the number you called is busy or not answering, please try again." As shown in box 316. The Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) then hung up the link to disconnect the caller as shown in box 318.

If the verification of the Telephone Number Identification System (DNIS) is positive, the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) looks at the details of the information referring to the subscriber in box 320. In particular, it examines the status field or record 322 of the OCCUPATION DATA^or N whose field is set to YES when the called party is engaged in a data dialog. The OCCUPATION DATA field^or N was set to NO on all other occasions. When the state of the OCCUPANCY DATA field^or N is YES, additional call handling devices come into play to process the incoming call. It should be understood that the YES / NO status of the OCCUPANCY DATA^or N can be represented in any suitable way such that 1/0, S / N, or any other equivalency.

When the status of the OCCUPANCY DATA^or N is NO, it is that the subscriber is talking on the phone or is not there to answer the caller's phone call. In this case, indicated by 324, the delegate can process the call in the exemplary manner shown in Figure 4. This call handling can be similar to that of an answering machine and can simply provide a greeting as indicated in box 410 (“hello, I'm on the phone or can't take your call now, please leave a message ... .. ”) and receive a 412 message from the caller. The exemplary call handling sequence diagram in Figure 4 has the additional and optional step of interrogating the caller, after the message is completed, to ask if they are satisfied with the message and to give them the opportunity to record a substitute message. in the event that the first one had not been satisfactory. This is depicted in box 414. Once the message is received, the delegate ends the phone call simply by hanging up the link, as indicated in box 416.

Optionally and also by way of example, the subscriber can have an announcement service that can be accessed by callers. When the subscriber has this service, the caller receives a greeting in box 410 and has the option of contacting the subscriber through a pager (“Hello, I am on the phone or I cannot answer your call now, please leave a message to let me know ”). A 416 contact notice process is then initiated for the caller.

Referring back to Figure 3, when the OCCUPANCY DATA status^or N is YES, preferably a confirmation process of the

ES 2 183 124 T3 status 326 to confirm that the subscriber is still busy with the data dialog. The delegate's message transfer point initiates the confirmation process by having the delegate's data manager send over the data network, such as the Internet, an inquiry message to the subscriber's computer. The subscriber's computer, automatically and without user intervention, will prepare a confirmation response message that it will return to the delegate's data manager. When the delegate's data manager sends an inquiry message, the confirmation response message must be received within a maximum time 328 previously selected. This confirmatory process 326 and 328 tries to ensure that the YES state has not been forgotten in a previous session of the computer or due to some error. Confirmation of the status of the OCCUPANCY DATA^toN initiates a process of management of occupation data 330 which is described with reference to Figure 5. In the event that the exchange of messages of the confirmation process is not completed correctly, the caller is directed to the process of Busy / No Answer 324, previously described with reference to Figure 4.

Figure 5 provides a sequential diagram of the OCCUPANCY DATA process^toN to which the caller is addressed when the called subscriber is using their telephone link for data transmission. In this communications state, the person whose call is blocked and directed to the subscriber's delegate now has many more options for contacting the subscriber. The delegate's call handling process will now be able to include not only the message and warning options described with reference to Figure 4, but also the delivery of notification messages to the subscriber to obtain subscriber interaction as shown in box 512 Notification messages are sent in real time to the subscriber's computer over the data network, such as the Internet.

Notification messages received at the subscriber's computer can be handled by the subscriber's computer in several different ways. The subscriber's computer can process the notification message and convert it into a visually perceptible message that appears on the subscriber's computer screen. The visually perceptible message indicates that an incoming call has been directed to the delegate. The subscriber's computer may further process the notification message by initiating a notification audibly perceptible by the subscriber. The audible notification may be simply a bell, a bell, or a tone and may be combined with the visually perceptible message.

Once the presence of a person interacting with the subscriber's delegate is perceived, the subscriber can initiate one of several steps. The subscriber may not take any action, and in such a case the delegate's data manager may not send the message transfer point a reply message from the subscriber as indicated in box 514. The message transfer point will process the lack of notification of subscriber instructions by the subscriber's computer as an indication that the subscriber is not currently interacting with the computer and therefore cannot provide the delegate with instructions or messages to the caller. By default, the delegate's message transfer point will tell the message manager in box 516 that there is no answer, and to receive the message from the caller in the same way as previously described with reference to Figure 4.

If the subscriber does not interact with his computer to send messages over the data network, such as the Internet, to the delegate's data center, the delegate will act by providing audible messages to the caller. For example, the subscriber may decide to disconnect the computer from the telephone link, leaving it free to receive incoming calls. The subscriber will interact with his computer to enter this intention in the computer, which will send the delegate a message to that effect via the data network or the Internet, as indicated in box 516.

Upon receipt of such a message, the delegated Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) will provide the caller with an audible message such as “I am going to clear my phone line in a moment, please hang up and call again. to speak to me directly ”. In this way the caller can make another call to the subscriber. Another more convenient and preferred procedure for managing the call will be for the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) to transfer the incoming call to the subscriber when the subscriber's line is free. This stage can be carried out by making the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) wait a predetermined time, for example 15 seconds, to give the subscriber time to disconnect and free the line to receive the transferred call. Alternatively, instead of the delegate waiting a predetermined time such as 15 seconds, the subscriber's PC may be configured to repeatedly send notification messages to the delegate at predetermined short time intervals, for example every 2 seconds. When the notification messages stop reaching the delegate, this indicates that the subscriber has disconnected and is ready to accept the transfer of the call.

In another option, the subscriber's computer can be configured to include a voice input, such as a microphone 22, and a voice output, such as headphones 24 or speakers connected to suitable computer equipment such as a card. sound. To process the voice signal, the subscriber's computer 35 will also need an Internet telephony system program capable of sending messages over the Internet carrying digital representations of a voice conversation. Such software programs are already available and include, by way of example, the Webphone (registered trademark).

IS 2 183 124 T3

The delegate Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) would also be equipped with the necessary software and hardware to interface the caller with the delegate's sound equipment. The subscriber could enter orders on his computer indicating his intention to have a telephone conversation over the Internet using the Webphone software (registered trademark), and messages for this purpose were transmitted to the delegate to establish the path and necessary data interconnections, as indicated in box 518, so that the caller remains in communication with the subscriber through a message channel capable of maintaining a voice conversation between the caller and the subscriber, and all this without the subscriber having to disconnect from the data service that was using. To inform the caller of the subscriber's intention to establish an audio communication over the Internet, the delegate could send an informational audio message to the caller so that the caller remains on the phone long enough to establish the calls. necessary connections. An example of an audible message delivered by the delegate while connections are taking place could be "Please wait a moment while I prepare my phone to speak with you."

Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited thereto but to all constructions and substitutions that can be made and that are within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended thereto. .