Qwest Communications International Inc.

U.S. West Communications, Inc.

U S West, Inc.

Mediaone Group, Inc.

Qwest Communications Int'l., Inc.

Martin R Marks

John Verbil

Peggy S Schwend

William C Catellier

Brent V Bell

Gloria E Davy

Roberto Yslas

R Eric Pflum

Michael S Crum

Ferial Parsa

John T Peketz

Lotus A Mardick

Karen A Parry

Douglas F Reynolds

Peggy E Moore

An inexpensive alternative for call queuing is provided by queuing calls at an intelligent peripheral within an AIN telecommunication system. A call to the subscriber line is detected at a local switch supporting the subscriber line. If the subscriber line is busy, the call to the subscriber is queued in the intelligent peripheral.

AIN call queuing

Call queuing is implemented in a telecommunications advanced intelligent network. A determination is made that the call has been queued for a determined amount of time. The caller is requested to perform an action to remain in a queue. If the caller does not perform the requested action, the call is dequeued.

Call queuing service termination

A subscriber's line is associated with a prepaid long distance account. When the subscriber attempts a long distance call, it is determined from the dialed digits whether the attempted call is a long distance call. If a long distance call is attempted, the subscriber's prepaid account is checked to determine whether it has any remaining credits. If no credits are remaining, the subscriber is so informed, and the call is disconnected. If the subscriber has credits remaining, the call is connected as long as credits are remaining in the prepaid account.

Prepaid long distance call system and method

A Service Switching Point in an advanced intelligent network includes a trigger associated with a specific digit string and activated by a call to the specific digit string at the SSP. The SSP queries a Service Control Point (SCP) for a forwarding instruction based upon the trigger. In response to the query, the SCP sends the SSP a forward-to telephone number. The SSP then forwards the call to the forward-to telephone number.

Method and system for forwarding calls

Disclosed is a caller identification system that provides unblocking or audible identification on telephone calls from calling parties having blocked or unknown numbers. Calling parties from blocked numbers are given the option of unblocking their name and telephone number for the current call, or to record their name for delivery to the caller ID subscriber. Calling parties from unknown numbers are given the option of recording their name for audible identification. The system provides an audibly distinct ring on a caller ID subscriber's telephone and visually displays a special message on a caller ID subscriber's visual display unit to alert the subscriber that the incoming telephone call will be audibly announced, since the telephone number and possibly the name of the calling party are not available to the caller identification system.

Caller identification system with announcement capability

Data-only telephone service is supported by determining if a call placed from a telephone line, designated as data-only, is to a validated data line. If not, the call is disconnected.

Data-only telephone service

A method of routing a telephone call from a Caller to a Subscriber telephone line in an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) equipped with Terminating Attempt Trigger (TAT) and Terminating Next Event List (NEL) functionality and having at least one Central Office Switch (COS) and a Service Control Point (SCP) in electrical communication with a plurality of Subscriber switches via a signalling method and system. The system includes an intelligent peripheral in electrical communication with the COS and the SCP and which is equipped with queuing functionality for each of the Subscribers and operative to place a call to the COS for receipt by a Subscriber having a call placed in queue in response to a determination that the Subscriber's line is idle.

System and method for routing telephone calls

A method and system is disclosed for configuring a telecommunication switch which controls a telecommunication line. The telecommunication switch is programmed to create a usage record for each outgoing call. The method includes the step of creating in the switch at least one service record for identifying optional features associated with the telecommunication line. The at least one service record includes a line class code field and a service feature code field. The method also includes the steps of receiving a signal representing line class code data enabling the telecommunication switch to create a usage record for each incoming call, and storing the line class code data in the line class code field. The method finally includes the steps of receiving a signal representing service feature code data for identifying usage records, and storing the service feature code data in the service feature code field. The telecommunication switch configured according to the present invention creates usage records for reporting both incoming and outgoing calls associated with the telecommunication line.

Method and system for configuring a telecommunication switch and

A telephone routing system for use with a programmable central office switch and a voice messaging system, wherein the programmable central office switch is of the type that provides prioritized features such as queuing, call forward busy line and call forward don't answer to the voice messaging system. The telephone routing system comprises a hunt group having one or more incoming telephone lines each having an individual hunt group telephone number associated with it. Each of the individual hunt group telephone numbers has a call forward busy line and call forward don't answer to the voice messaging system feature enabled but does not have a queuing feature enabled. A hunt group directory number is associated with the entire hunt group and has queuing, call forward busy line, and call forward don't answer to the voice messaging system features enabled. Calls are received by the hunt group on one of the individual hunt group telephone numbers. If all the telephone lines in the hunt group are busy, the call is forwarded to a common hunt group mailbox in the voice messaging system. The common hunt group mailbox plays a message asking if the caller wishes to leave a message or be placed in a queue If the caller wants to be placed in a queue, the call is forwarded from the hunt group mailbox to the hunt group directory number. If all the telephone lines in the hunt group are still busy and an empty slot exists in the queue, then the call is placed in the queue. If all the telephone lines in the hunt group are still busy and there are no empty slots in the queue, the call is retrieved by the voice messaging system back to the common voice message mailbox, where the caller is instructed to leave a message or call again later.

Growing community of inventors

Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Martin R Marks