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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. A voice message service method available to a caller at a calling
station for storing and delivering voice messages from the caller over a
telephone system having a plurality of telephone stations serviced by
central office means, said calling station being one of said telephone
stations, said central office means including central office switch means,
each said telephone station being coupled to said central office switch
means via a line connection, comprising the steps of:
entering at the calling station, a called telephone number identifying a
called station,
transmitting the called telephone number from the calling station to the
central office switch means via said line connection through an Intercept
Processing Subsystem remote from the telephone stations to initiate a call
to the called station,
storing the called telephone number in the Intercept Processing Subsystem,
evaluating whether the called station remains on-hook for a predetermined
number of ring tones or a busy signal has occurred,
if the called station remains on-hook for the predetermined number of ring
tones or the busy signal has occurred, determining if the caller desires
to accept and has accepted the voice message service,
splitting the line connection from calling station to the central office
switch means at the Intercept Processing Subsystem only if and after the
caller has accepted the voice message service,
dialing a Voice Processing Subsystem from the Intercept Processing
Subsystem after splitting the line connection,
if the Intercept Processing Subsystem connects with the Voice Processing
Subsystem, transmitting call parameters, including the stored called
telephone number, from the Intercept Processing Subsystem to the Voice
Processing Subsystem,
re-establishing the line connection between the calling station and central
office switch means, and
passing a voice message from the caller at the calling station through the
Intercept Processing Subsystem to the Voice Processing Subsystem for
recording thereat for subsequent delivery to the called station.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
while transmitting the call parameters, sending a voice prompt from the
Intercept Processing Subsystem to the calling station for the caller to
record the voice message.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step comprises the steps
of:
superimposing a voice announcement on the line connection to the calling
station offering the voice message service to the caller prior to said
splitting step, and
monitoring the line connection by the Intercept Processing Subsystem for a
service acceptance signal from the caller.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the determining step further includes the
step of:
reducing the volume on the line connection of the ring tones or busy signal
simultaneously with performing the step of superimposing the service
offering announcement.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the dialing step comprises:
speed dialing the Voice Processing Subsystem from the Intercept Processing
Subsystem.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the Voice Processing Subsystem has a sent
paid telephone number and a non-sent paid telephone number and wherein the
dialing step comprises:
speed dialing the sent paid telephone number for sent paid telephone calls,
or
speed dialing the non-sent paid telephone number for non-sent paid
telephone calls.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the dialing step further includes the
following steps if the Intercept Processing Subsystem does not connect
with the Voice Processing Subsystem:
sending a voice announcement from the Intercept Processing Subsystem to the
calling station that the acceptance of service cannot be processed, and
re-establishing the line connection from the central office switch means to
the calling station through the Intercept Processing Subsystem so that
return voltage from the central office switch means passes through to the
calling station in response to the caller placing the calling telephone
on-hook.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting parameters step further
includes the steps of:
verifying the call parameters at the Voice Processing Subsystem, and
if the call parameters pass verification, acknowledging the validity of the
call parameters by transmitting a validity signal from the Voice
Processing Subsystem to the Intercept Processing Subsystem.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting parameters step further
includes the following steps if a call parameter fails verification during
the verifying step:
applying an on-hook condition by the Intercept Processing Subsystem to the
central office switch means while the line connection is split at the
Intercept Processing Subsystem so as to prevent collect voltage from
reaching the calling station,
re-establishing the line connection from the central office switch means to
the calling station through the Intercept Processing Subsystem,
applying an off-hook condition to the line connection by the Intercept
Processing Subsystem, and
applying an on-hook condition to the line connection by the Intercept
Processing Subsystem so that the central office switch means transmits
return voltage to the calling telephone.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting parameters step
includes:
transmitting identification signals from the Intercept Processing Subsystem
to the Voice Processing Subsystem.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the transmitting parameters step further
includes the steps of:
verifying the identification signals at the Voice Processing Subsystem, and
if the identification signals pass verification, acknowledging validity by
transmitting a validity signal from the Voice Processing Subsystem to the
Intercept Processing Subsystem so as to permit said voice message service
to be provided to said caller.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said identification signals comprise an
identification number of the Intercept Processing Subsystem and a
password.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the splitting step comprises the step of
splitting the line connection by the Intercept Processing Subsystem into a
first line connection portion from the calling telephone to the Intercept
Processing Subsystem and a second line connection portion from the
Intercept Processing Subsystem to the central office switch means, said
method comprising:
simultaneously effecting communication between the Intercept Processing
Subsystem and the calling telephone station over the first line connection
portion and between the Intercept Processing Subsystem and the central
office switch means over the second line connection portion.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said simultaneously effecting
communication step comprises simultaneously sending a voice announcement
from said Intercept Processing Subsystem to said calling telephone station
instructing said caller to deposit a message while performing said
transmitting call parameters step.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said telephone stations comprise pay
telephone stations and said central office means includes a pay telephone
serving central office, wherein
said Intercept Processing Subsystem is located at said pay telephone
serving central office.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said
Voice Processing Subsystem is located at the pay telephone serving central
office.
17. An Intercept Processing Subsystem for use in the method of claim 1,
said Intercept Processing Subsystem being remotely located with respect to
said telephone stations, comprising:
loop control means interposed in said line connection from said calling
station to said central office switch means,
said loop means operative to switchably split and establish said line
connection between said calling station and said central office switch
means, thereby splitting said line connection into a first line connection
portion from said calling telephone to said loop control means and a
second line connection portion from said loop control means to said
central office switch means, and
processor means including memory means for storing said called number,
said processor means operative to control said loop control means to split
and establish said line connection and, while said line connection is
split, to simultaneously effect communication with said calling station
and said central office switch means over said first and second line
connection portions, respectively.
18. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 17 wherein:
said loop control means is constructed and arranged to couple signals
existing on said line connection to said processor means, and
said processor means is operative, with said line connection established,
to evaluate whether said predetermined number of ring tones or said busy
signal has occurred, to monitor for a service acceptance signal from said
caller when said predetermined number of ring tones or said busy signal
has occurred and to control said loop control means to split said line
connection from said calling station to said central office switch means
when said caller accepts said voice message service.
19. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 18 further comprising:
means for dialing said Voice Processing Subsystem, and
voice chip means for providing voice prompts and announcements,
said processor means being operative, with said line connection split, to
transmit said call parameters to said Voice Processing Subsystem, via said
second line connection portion, and simultaneously to send a voice prompt
to said calling station, via said first line connection portion, for said
caller to record a voice message,
said processor means being operative, after transmitting said call
parameters and sending said voice prompt, to control said loop control
means to re-establish said line connection between said calling station
and said central office switch means for passing said voice message from
said caller at said calling station to said Voice Processing Subsystem for
recording thereat for subsequent delivery to said called station.
20. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 wherein said dialing
means comprises speed dialing means.
21. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 20 wherein:
said processor means is operative, when said line connection is split and
said dialing means does not connect with said Voice Processing Subsystem,
to send a voice announcement, via said first line connection portion, to
said calling station that the acceptance of service cannot be processed,
and
said processor means is further operative to control said loop control
means to re-establish said line connection from said central office switch
means to said calling station, whereby return voltage from said central
office switch means passes through to said calling station in response to
said caller placing said calling station on-hook.
22. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 further including
blocking tables, stored in said memory means, of telephone numbers
precluded from being accessed by said voice message service.
23. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 wherein said telephone
stations comprise pay telephone stations and said central office means
includes a pay telephone serving central office, said Intercept Processing
Subsystem being located at said pay telephone serving central office.
24. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 23 wherein said Voice
Processing Subsystem is located at said pay telephone serving central
office.
25. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 wherein said processor
means is operative, with said line connection established, to superimpose
on said line connection via said loop control means, a voice announcement
to said calling station offering said voice message service to said caller
and to monitor said line connection for said service acceptance signal
from said caller.
26. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 25 wherein:
said loop control means is constructed and arranged to reduce the volume on
said line connection, and
said processor means is operative to control said loop control means to
reduce the volume on said line connection of said ring tones or busy
signal while superimposing said service offering announcement.
27. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 wherein said Voice
Processing Subsystem includes means for verifying said parameters of said
call and transmitting a validity signal to said Intercept Processing
Subsystem in accordance therewith,
said processor means being operative to acknowledge validity of said
parameters of said call in accordance with said validity signal.
28. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 27 wherein:
said loop control means is constructed and arranged to effect on-hook and
off-hook conditions with respect to said line connection,
said processor means is operative, if a call parameter fails verification,
to control said loop control means to apply a first on-hook condition/an
off-hook condition/a second on-hook condition sequence to said line
connection,
said first on-hook condition being applied to said central office switch
means while said line connection is split, thereby preventing collect
voltage from reaching said calling station, and
said processor means is further operative to control said loop control
means to re-establish said line connection from said central office switch
means to said calling station during said off-hook condition and said
second on-hook condition,
said second on-hook condition being applied to said line connection whereby
said central office switch means transmits return voltage to said calling
station.
29. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 28 wherein said processor
means is operative, when transmitting said call parameters to said Voice
Processing Subsystem, to transmit identification signals to said Voice
Processing Subsystem.
30. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 29 wherein said Voice
Processing Subsystem includes means for verifying said identification
signals and transmitting a validity signal to said Intercept Processing
Subsystem in accordance therewith,
said processor means being operative to acknowledge validity of said
identification signals in accordance with said validity signal, thereby
permitting said voice message service to be provided to said caller.
31. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 30 wherein said
identification signals comprise an identification number of said Intercept
Processing Subsystem and a password.
32. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 31 wherein said processor
means is operative, when transmitting said call parameters to said Voice
Processing Subsystem, to transmit said called telephone number stored in
said memory means to said Voice Processing Subsystem.
33. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 wherein said processor
means is operative to control said loop control means to establish said
line connection between said calling station and said central office
switch means and to send voice announcements from said voice chip means to
said calling station via said line connection.
34. The Intercept Processing Subsystem of claim 19 wherein said processor
means is operative to control said loop control means to split said line
connection between said calling station and said central office switch
means and to send voice announcements from said voice chip means to said
calling station via said first line connection portion. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to telephone communication systems, particularly with
respect to voice messaging systems for pay phone networks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Voice messaging systems are generally known in the art and have various
applications. For example, systems are available for use in premises
environments such as networks for single buildings or campus environments
such as complexes involving multiple buildings. Such systems capture the
calling line when a busy signal or a predetermined number of unanswered
rings are detected (Busy/RNA (Ring No Answer)). The system then provides a
sequence of voice prompts to the caller that, inter alia, instructs the
caller to re-key the number and to depress one or more keys for
verification purposes. The calling party is then prompted by the system to
leave a brief message for the called party. The system thereafter delivers
the stored message in accordance with system protocol.
Another system currently in limited experimental use in pay telephone
networks involves an appropriate voice prompt followed by a return of the
deposited coinage to the caller in response to a Busy/RNA condition after
the caller goes on-hook. The caller then redeposits appropriate coinage
and dials a toll free number to connect with the voice messaging system.
The system prompts the caller to re-key the called number and to leave a
voice message to be later delivered to the called party by the voice
messaging system when the Busy/RNA condition is no longer in effect.
Still another voice messaging system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,766,604, issued Aug. 23, 1988. The system of said U.S. Pat. No.
4,766,604 is designed for use in a multiple pay station telephone
installation operated from a central office. The system is predicated on
pay stations that include microprocessors and associated memory for
supporting various computer programs. Such telephones are often referred
to as "smart" pay stations. The system of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604
stores the called telephone number at the calling pay station. In response
to a Busy/RNA condition, the system defaults to a routine that disables
the handset, disconnects the original call from the trunk and dials a
voice message center. The voice message center then prompts the caller
with a message requesting the caller to accept or reject the service. If
the caller accepts the service, the deposited coinage is collected and the
called number is transmitted to the voice message center along with a
security code. The voice message center performs a validity test on the
code and if the test is failed, the caller is disconnected. If the calling
pay station is valid, the voice message center issues a prompt to the
calling party for the voice message and the caller leaves the message for
later delivery to the called party.
It is a desideratum in the telecommunication art to ubiquitously provide
voice messaging system service on pay station networks. None of the
available prior art systems are entirely satisfactory for this purpose.
The above-described premises and campus environment system requires a
lengthy, time consuming protocol involving re-keying the number. Such
systems would tend to usurp an undesirable amount of time when accessed
from a pay phone thereby significantly reducing the revenue that the pay
station is otherwise capable of collecting. Additionally, it is believed
that re-keying the called telephone number may engender annoyance on the
part of the pay phone caller which in turn may cause ill will with respect
to the regional, national or international pay station network operating
companies that may be using the system. The experimental pay station
network voice messaging system described above also suffers from the
requirement of telephone number re-keying with the attendant disadvantages
as described. In addition, this system further requires return and
redepositing of coinage further exacerbating the disadvantages of the
prior art.
The system of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604 requires the use of smart pay
stations which currently have only experienced limited installation. The
system of the patent cannot be utilized over the telephone company
networks servicing the vast majority of "dumb" pay stations which number
in the tens of millions. Utilization of the system of the patent would
require that each dumb pay station from which such service is desired be
retrofitted with a microprocessor and associated memory. The retrofitting
may also require an additional line to be installed. Such retrofitting
would be prohibitively expensive in that a cost of approximately $800.00
per retrofit may be required. Additionally, the system of said patent
disables the handset and disconnects the call from the trunk in response
to a Busy/RNA condition. Since, at this point, the call is disconnected
from the trunk, the called party ring is terminated preventing the called
party from responding to the call. From this point of disconnect, 15 to 20
seconds are required to offer the voice messaging service to the caller
via an appropriate prompt and for the caller to accept the service. During
this time, the called party may go off-hook in response to the original
ring signal but will now only hear a dial tone although the calling party
still has the handset off-hook. This voice messaging system protocol may
tend to engender annoyance and ill will on the part of the telephone
company customers affected by the service.
The system of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604 collects the deposited coinage
immediately upon acceptance of the service. The system then transmits the
called number and a security code to the voice message center. If the
calling station is determined by the system to be invalid, the caller is
disconnected. Since the coinage has already been collected, further
annoyance and ill will may be engendered by customers endeavoring to
utilize the system. In the system of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604, the
called number and the security code are transmitted to the voice message
center but only the security code is validated. In systems of this type,
credit or calling card information may also be transmitted. Since the
system does not perform validation on the called number or on any credit
or calling card number, incorrect data can be transmitted and processed.
For example, the voice message center of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604 may
endeavor to leave messages for the wrong people at the wrong place or
charge the wrong credit or calling card. Additionally, the system of said
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604 sequentially performs the elements of the system
protocol such as transmitting call parameters including the called number
and a security code to the voice message center and thereafter issuing a
prompt from the voice message center to the calling station advising the
caller that a voice message may be submitted. This sequential performance
of required functions usurps an undesirable amount of traffic time
decreasing the revenue that the pay station may otherwise collect. It is
further appreciated that the system of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,604
performs a substantial number of the elements of the system protocol
before inquiring if the caller desires the service. When the caller
rejects the service, a significant amount of traffic time has been wasted
that could otherwise be utilized for revenue generation.
Although not necessarily part of the prior art, it is believed that other
voice messaging systems currently under consideration transmit the call
parameters to the voice message center after the calling party goes
on-hook. This protocol occupies the resources thereby introducing
unuseable dead space on the line of approximately seven seconds after each
request for voice messaging service, which dead time would otherwise be
useable by the pay station for generating revenue.
It is appreciated from the foregoing, that it is a desideratum in the
telephone system art to provide an automatic, time efficient, fully
verifying, easy to use, inexpensive voice messaging system for use over
any pay station telephone network, including dumb pay stations or
otherwise, without effecting any retrofit to the pay stations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above disadvantages of the prior art are obviated by a voice messaging
service method for storing and delivering voice messages over a telephone
system having a plurality of telephone stations serviced by one or more
interconnected central offices. A called telephone number identifying a
called station is entered at a calling station. The called telephone
number is transmitted from the calling station to a central office via a
line connection through an intercept processing subsystem remote from the
telephone stations in order to initiate a call to the called station. The
called telephone number is stored in the intercept processing subsystem.
The intercept processing subsystem evaluates whether the called station
remains on-hook for a predetermined number of rings or is busy. If the
called station remains on-hook for the predetermined number of rings or is
busy, the intercept processing subsystem determines if the caller has
accepted the voice messaging service. If the caller has accepted the voice
messaging service, the intercept processing subsystem splits the line
connection between the calling station and the central office switch and
then dials a voice processing subsystem to enable the caller to record a
voice message thereat for subsequent delivery to the called station.
Preferably, when the call is established between the intercept processing
subsystem and the voice processing subsystem, the intercept processing
subsystem transmits the call parameters to the voice processing subsystem
while sending a prompt to the calling station for the caller to record the
voice message. The voice message from the caller at the calling station is
passed through the intercept processing subsystem to the voice processing
subsystem and recorded thereat.
The invention includes disposing the intercept processing subsystem in the
line connections between the telephone stations and the central office
switch for performing the described functions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a multiple station telephone system
configured in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 1a is a schematic block diagram illustrating details of the Voice
Processing Subsystem of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart diagram illustrating part of the calling routine
utilizing the method of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the normal completion procedure
of the routine of FIG. 2 for a telephone call placed from a station of the
system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the "Busy/No Answer" path in
accordance with the present invention for the calling routine of FIG. 2
when the call is not completed.
FIGS. 5a and 5b together comprise a flow chart diagram illustrating the
voice messaging service procedure utilized when the service in accordance
with the present invention is accepted by the caller.
FIG. 6 is a chart of the Interface protocol between the IPS and the VPS.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a telephone system including a
pay telephone network is illustrated. A pay telephone serving central
office (CO) 10 services a plurality of pay telephones 11-13. The CO 10 may
be the central office of a telephone system regional operating company,
such as a Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC). The CO 10 includes a
conventional CO switch 14 for receiving, routing, rating and otherwise
processing telephone calls. The switch 14 receives conventional CO power
as schematically represented at 15. The pay telephones 11-13 may, for
example, be conventional Bell System instruments such as coin operated
telephones and credit card responsive telephones. Such telephones are
often referred to as "dumb" phones. The present invention is primarily
configured to service dumb phones but could also be utilized with
so-called "smart" phones as well as with non-pay phones such as subscriber
residential and business telephones.
A Voice Processing Subsystem (VPS) 16 is located at the CO 10 for providing
voice, store and forward functions in accordance with the system of the
present invention. The VPS 16 is a commercially procurable system
available from numerous sources. For example, Unisys Corporation of Blue
Bell, Pa. provides a unit denoted as the Unisys Voice Processing
Subsystem. The VPS 16 is available from Unisys Corporation in a personal
computer (PC) version denoted as PC/Vips supported by a UNIX system host
processor (UNIX is a trademark of AT&T). The PC/UNIX version of the VPS 16
is provided for entry level usage. Unisys Corporation also provides
Network Applications Platform (NAP) with a resident application to support
the VPS 16 functions as well as Intercept Processing Subsystem (IPS)
functions to be later described. Numerous commercially procurable voice
messaging systems are available for implementing the VPS 16. The VPS 16 is
coupled to the CO switch 14 via a conventional loop or trunk connection
17.
The CO switch 14 from the CO 10 communicates with one or more distant end
COs or trunk exchanges such as a distant end CO 18. The trunk connections
between the switch 14 and the CO 18 are schematically represented at 19. A
representative called telephone 20 is coupled to the CO 18 via a
conventional line connection or loop 21.
Each of the pay telephones 11-13 is coupled to the CO 10, and particularly
the CO switch 14, via a conventional line connection or loop 22, 23 and
24, respectively. In accordance with the present invention, an Intercept
Processing Subsystem (IPS) 25 is interposed in each of the loops 22-24
between the telephones 11-13 and the CO switch 14. Preferably, the IPS 25
is located at the CO 10 but could be located at any other convenient site
remote from the telephones 11-13 and interposed between the telephones
11-13 and the CO 10. The operation and interaction of the IPS 25, in
accordance with the invention, with respect to the loop 22 is identical to
the operation and interaction thereof with respect to the loops 23 and 24.
The invention will be described with respect to the loop 22. In this
regard, the loop 22 is comprised of a telephone side loop portion 26
extending from the telephone 11 to a loop input port 27 of the IPS 25 and
a CO side loop portion 28 extending from the IPS 25 to the CO switch 14.
It is appreciated that the IPS 25 services a predetermined number of the
telephones served by the CO 10. The remaining pay phones are serviced by
further IPS units configured in a manner identical to that described
herein with respect to the IPS 25.
The functionality of the IPS 25 is performed and controlled by a
microprocessor 30 included therein. The IPS unit 25 is described herein as
concurrently performing functions with respect to the calling telephone 11
and with respect to the VPS unit 16 and the CO switch 14. Because of the
high speed of present day microprocessors, sequentially programmed and
executed functions are in effect simultaneously performed with respect to
telephone system user real time. The microprocessor 30 may effectively
perform concurrent functions with respect to the telephone 11 and with
respect to the VPS 16 and the CO switch 14 by concurrency techniques such
as interleaved instruction multi-tasking. Alternatively, dual
microprocessors may be utilized for concurrently performing the functions.
The microprocessor 30 is coupled to a memory 32 via a bus 33. The memory 32
includes routines 34 to be performed by the microprocessor 30, in
accordance with the present invention, in a manner to be described. The
memory 32 also includes a blocking table 35 containing telephone numbers
loaded by the user that are to be excluded from the voice messaging
service.
The memory 32 further includes a conventional automatic number
identification (ANI) function 36 as well as a conventional dialed number
identification (DNI) function 37. As is well understood in the art, the
ANI 36 effectively functions to capture the telephone number of the
calling station. Data relative to the calling number is transmitted to the
VPS 16. This function is performed by the microprocessor 30 storing the
identification (ID) of the input port of the IPS 25 to which the calling
telephone is connected. For example, if the serviced call is from the
telephone station 11, the microprocessor 30 stores the ID of the input
port 27 in the ANI 36. If the caller accepts the voice messaging service,
the microprocessor 30 transmits the port ID from the ANI 36 to the VPS 16.
The VPS 16 contains user supplied look-up tables that correlate the port
IDs of the IPS units with the telephone numbers of the serviced stations.
Similarly, the DNI 37 functions, in a well known manner, to capture the
called telephone number entered at a calling station. For example, if a
call is placed from the telephone station 11, the microprocessor 30
captures the called number and stores it in the DNI 37. Traditionally, the
called number is in the form of DTMF (Dual Tone Multi-Frequency) digits.
If service is accepted, the called DTMF digits are transmitted from the
DNI 37 via the microprocessor 30 to the VPS 16, in a manner to be
described.
The IPS 25 includes a voice prompt function 38 accessible by the
microprocessor 30 for generating and delivering predetermined voice
prompts and announcements to a calling telephone station, in a manner to
be described. For example, if a call is placed from the telephone station
11, the microprocessor 30 utilizes the voice prompt function 38 to deliver
appropriate voice announcements to the caller at the station 11 via the
loop 26. The voice prompt function 38 may be implemented in any convenient
manner by utilizing, for example, announcer or voice chip coders and the
like.
The IPS 25 further includes a speed dialer 39 that is utilized by the
microprocessor 30 for speed dialing the VPS 16 via the loop portion 28 and
the CO switch 14. The speed dialer 39 dials one or more telephone numbers
of the VPS 16 utilizing DTMF digits, in a manner to be further explained.
The IPS 25 also includes a coin tone generator 40 utilized by the
microprocessor 30 for sending conventional coin tones to the CO switch 14,
in a manner and for reasons to be described.
Devices are well-known and available in the art for implementing the voice
prompts 38, the speed dialer 39 and the coin tone generator 40. Such
devices may be implemented to provide digital outputs and thus are
directly connectable as inputs to the microprocessor 30, as illustrated.
The IPS 25 includes loop control circuit 41 responsive to the telephone
side loop portion 26 and the CO side loop portion 28 of the loop 22 and to
the CO power 15 for performing various functions with respect to the loop
22, in accordance with the present invention. The loop control circuit 41
is in two-way communication with and controlled by the microprocessor 30
to perform the functions as follows:
1. Under control of the microprocessor 30, the loop control circuit 41
forms a straight through connection between the loop portions 26 and 28 to
complete the loop 22 between the telephone station 11 and the CO switch
14. The microprocessor 30 monitors the loop 22 with respect to busy tone
signals, RNA signals, coin tone signals, capturing and storing credit and
calling card numbers for non-sent paid calls, capturing and storing the
called telephone number and, recognizing a service acceptance signal from
the caller.
2. Under control of the microprocessor 30, the loop control circuit 41
reduces the signal level of the busy signal or the RNA signal on the loop
22 and the microprocessor 30 superimposes a predetermined voice
announcement from the voice prompts function 38 on the loop 22 offering
the voice messaging service to the caller, in a manner to be described.
3. Under control of the microprocessor 30, the loop control circuit 41
splits the line connection between the loop portions 26 and 28 thereby
breaking the connection between the calling station 11 and the CO switch
14. The loop control circuit 41 is responsive to CO switch power 15 to
maintain switch power to the calling station 11 via the loop portion 26
when the line connection is split.
4. While the line connection is split, the loop control circuit 41
maintains communication between the microprocessor 30 and the telephone
station 11 via the loop portion 26 for providing predetermined voice
prompts and announcements to the caller from the voice prompts function
38.
5. While the line connection is split, the loop control circuit 41
maintains communication between the microprocessor 30 and the loop portion
28 so that the microprocessor 30 can controllably effect an on-hook or
off-hook condition with respect to the loop portion 28. The microprocessor
30 goes off-hook with respect to the loop portion 28 for transmitting coin
deposit tones to the CO switch 14 utilizing the coin tone generator 40,
for dialing the VPS 16 utilizing the speed dialer 39 and for passing call
parameters to the VPS 16, in a manner to be described.
6. While the line connection is split, the loop control circuit 41 can
re-establish the straight through connection between the loop portion 26
and the loop portion 28 under control of the microprocessor 30.
It is appreciated from the foregoing that the monitoring functions and the
message superimposition functions performed by the microprocessor 30 with
respect to the loop 22 by the loop control circuit 41 are performed in a
well known manner by conventional bridge connections until service
acceptance when the split connection is effected. The loop control circuit
41 includes standard telephone equipment relays implemented in combination
with standard known devices in well-known configurations to perform the
functions described. It is further appreciated that when the line
connection is split by the loop control circuit 41, the IPS 25 appears to
the telephone 11 as a CO switch and to the CO switch 14 as a calling
telephone.
The present invention is applicable to sent paid telephone calls where the
caller deposits coinage at the calling station as well as to non-sent paid
telephone calls where the caller utilizes a credit or calling card. With
respect to sent paid calls, the voice messaging service is paid for by the
initial deposit of the caller and any additional deposit requested by the
IPS 25 or the CO switch 14, in a manner to be described. For non-sent paid
calls, the VPS 16 includes conventional credit and calling card rating and
billing apparatus for billing the caller for the service. It is
anticipated that in the present embodiment of the invention, each RBOC
will include a voice processing subsystem such as the VPS 16 for providing
the voice messaging service. It is appreciated that pay telephone calls
placed within the area serviced by an RBOC require the same initial
deposit. The invention is, however, also readily applicable to service
that extends across RBOC boundaries. In other words, the invention applies
to both local and long distance telephone service.
FIGS. 2-5 provide flow charts of the routines 34 utilized in performance of
the invention. In the descriptions to follow of FIGS. 2-5, it is assumed
that a caller places a telephone call at the pay station 11 to the
telephone 20. The flow charts of FIGS. 2-5 are structured with respect to
sent paid calls. The operations and functions appropriate to non-sent paid
calls will be explained at the appropriate points in the description.
Normally, the caller endeavoring to call the telephone 20 from the pay
station 11 will experience one of three different call dispositions; viz,
call completion, busy tone or RNA.
Referring to FIG. 2, a calling routine 50 is illustrated. During the
quiescent on-hook condition of the telephone station 11, the
microprocessor 30 controls the loop control circuit 41 to maintain the
straight through connection between the loop portions 26 and 28. Pursuant
to a block 51, when the calling station 11 goes off-hook, communication is
effected with the CO switch 14 through the IPS 25 via the loop 22 with the
microprocessor 30 monitoring the loop 22. Pursuant to a block 52, the CO
switch 14 returns dial tone to the calling station 11 which passes through
the IPS 25. For sent paid calls, the coin tones generated in response to
the initial coin deposit of the caller are monitored by and passed through
the IPS 25 to the CO switch 14 as indicated in a block 53 and, pursuant to
a block 54, the CO switch 14 recognizes the deposit. The microprocessor 30
monitors the coin tones and stores the amount of the deposit in memory 32.
For non-sent paid calls, conventional apparatus associated with the CO
switch 14 validates and processes credit and calling card numbers in a
well known manner. The microprocessor 30 also stores the card number in
memory 32 for later transmission to the VPS 16 if voice messaging service
is accepted.
At a block 55, the caller at the telephone station 11 dials the called
telephone number. Pursuant to a block 56, the DTMF digits of the called
telephone number pass through the IPS 25 to the CO switch 14. The
microprocessor 30 monitors the loop 22 storing the dialed digits in memory
32. At a block 57, the CO switch 14 recognizes the DTMF digits of the
called telephone number and sets up the call to the distant end CO 18. If
the disposition of the call will be call completion, a normal completion
routine 58 is followed.
Referring to FIG. 3, the normal completion routine 58 is illustrated.
Pursuant to a block 59, the distant end CO 18 sets up the call to and
power rings the called telephone 20. The distant end CO 18 returns an
audible ring to the trunk 19 and the ring back signal from the CO switch
14 is passed through the IPS 25 to the calling station 11. It is
appreciated that the microprocessor 30 is monitoring the loop 22 with
respect to the ring back signal to detect an RNA condition or a call
completion condition. These ring back procedures are depicted by blocks 60
and 61. It is appreciated that the microprocessor 30 recognizes the call
completion condition by, fo | | |
