WO2003019920A1

WO2003019920A1 - Call handling in a telecommunications system

Info

Publication number: WO2003019920A1
Application number: PCT/IE2001/000111
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francis Hackett; Shane Joseph Buckley
Original assignee: Fournir Limited
Priority date: 2001-08-31
Filing date: 2001-08-31
Publication date: 2003-03-06
Also published as: GB2395861B; GB0404321D0; GB2395861A

Abstract

There is provided a system and method of handling phone calls from a call phone (2) within a telecommunications network (1) in which a server has means to convert a caller line identifier (CLI) to its alphabetic identification so that when an incoming call is received, the incoming call is diverted to the server (3). The server (3) then, in accordance with various rules, queries the CLI and converts the CLI to its alphabetical identification and sends the alphabetical identification to the called phone (2). There are various rules provided as to the manner in which the server (3) will handle incoming calls, depending on the availability or otherwise of the CLI and also on the particular CLI of the caller phone.

Description

"Call Handling in a Telecommunications System"

Introduction

The present invention relates to a method and system of handling phone calls for a called phone in a telecommunications network in which the phone has means to receive and transmit text messages and in which the network has a sever connected thereto, the network having means to convert a caller line identifier (CLI) to its alphabetic identification.

As the usage of phones and, in particular, mobile phones which can receive text messages, increases, the number of calls that people are receiving is increasing at an exponential rate. This poses major problems for those having mobile phones in that they are continually receiving calls throughout the day that they may or may not want to receive. Most people will recognise the phone numbers of some of the calls they will want to receive but many of the other calls will be effectively unrecognisable.

Further, there will always be some calls that people will want to take either in particular circumstances or as a general rule. It would be very useful if a person who is called could identify the caller and quickly decide whether they wish to take the call or not, whether they wish to reject the call or whether, for example, they wish to send the call in the circumstances, to a messaging service or even themselves send a short message back to the caller phone to explain why the call was not being taken at that particular moment.

The present invention is directed towards achieving this aim.

Statements of Invention

According to the invention there is provided a method of handling phone calls for a called phone in a telecommunications network in which the phone has means to receive and transmit text messages and in which the network has a server connected thereto, the server having means to connect a caller line identifier (CLI) to its alphabetic identification in which, on sending a call to a called phone: - the incoming call is diverted to a server;

the server queries the CLI;

the server converts the CLI to its alphabetic identification; and

sends the alphabetic identification to the called phone.

The advantage of this will be immediately apparent in that when receiving a phone call the person receiving the phone call now knows the identificatio n of the caller and thus is in a position to accept or reject the call.

In one aspect of the invention if the server is unable to convert the CLI of the incoming call to its alphabetic identification, it causes an SMS message to be sent to the called phone. In this way the person operating the called phone can direct it if it is impossible to provide the alphabetic identification of the caller that notification of this should be sent to the called phone. This again allows the called phone the possibility of accepting the call.

Further if the server is unable to convert the CLI to its alphabetic identification, the server requests the caller phone to transmit its alphabetic identification and subsequently, depending on the reply, the server causes an appropriate SMS message to be sent to the called phone. This can be arranged between the server and the caller phone such that the caller phone can comply with the server request to the caller phone to transmit its alphabetic identification and therefore the called phone has the opportunity of rejecting calls where there is no alphabetic identification.

In another aspect of the invention the server converts the CLI to its alphabetic identification by consulting a database of CLIs and their alphabetic identifiers. This can be very useful because of the information built-up by the server it will be in a position to send the alphabetic identification of a calling phone automatically to a called phone. It also avoids any conversion or the like taking place on a regular basis and it further prevents the necessity for the server to have to contact a caller phone when the CLI cannot be converted to its alphabetic identification. Thus, ideally the server on first converting a CLI to its alphabetic identification, stores the information in an associated server database for subsequent retrieval.

Further according to the invention the server may store a list of phone calls which are to be automatically connected to a messaging service and in which, on receivi ng such a call, the call is diverted to the messaging service. This further improves the service for the called phone as the called phone can ensure what calls can be sent to a messaging service automatically and which cannot. Further it is also possible that the server stores a set of rules in a rules database established by the called phone which determines whether, on receipt of a call having a specified CLI, the call is to be transmitted onwards to the called phone or to be sent to the messaging servi ce and on receipt of a call, the CLI of the call is compared to the CLIs stored in the rules database and if the CLI is stored, the call is handled in accordance with the stored rules. In this way the called phone can have total control over the calls that are transmitted to it.

In the latter method of carrying out the invention the rules include a rule for the handling of all calls who's CLIs are not stored in the rules database. With either of these two methods it is optional that on sending a call to the messaging service, the server sends a text message to the caller phone detailing the reasons for the diversion to the messaging service.

Further when on receiving a call when the server does not have an alphabetic identification of the CLI, the server may

send a text message to the caller phone requesting alphabetic identification;

on receiving the identification, send the alphabetic identification to the called phone; and

store the CLI and its alphabetic identification for future use.

In one embodiment of the invention when the server does not have an alphabetic identification of the CLI, the server sends a text message with the CLI in numeric form to the called phone.

With this latter way of carrying out the invention the text message may state why the alphabetic identification is not supplied.

Alternatively, it is possible that when on receiving a call for which the server does not have an alphabetic identification of the CLI and the caller phone refuses to supply such alphabetic identification, the server rejects the call.

Ideally subsequent to rejecting the call, the server sends a text message to the called phone detailing the rejection including the numeric CLI of the caller phone.

In another aspect of the invention when the called phone has means to record missed calls, the record of the missed call includes an alphabetic identification of the caller line. This may also be an alphanumeric or numeric identification of the caller line for calls rejected.

Further the invention provides a system for handling incoming phone calls to a called phone in a telecommunications network comprising a server comprising: -

means to accept an incoming call from a caller phone;

means to convert the incoming call to its alphabetic identification; and

means to send the alphabetic identification to the called phone .

In this latter system, it may further comprise a database for the storage of CLIs and their corresponding alphabetic identification.

Ideally such a database stores rules for the handling of incoming calls and the server includes means for consulting the rules and for handling incoming calls in accordance with the rules. The invention may be carried out by a computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to perform the method as laid out above, or can be by way of a program comprising program instructions which when loaded into a computer constitute the processing means as laid out above. Such a computer program can be embodied on a record medium, computer memory, read only memory or carried on an electrical signal carrier.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Fig. 1 is a layout of a system according to the invention, and

Figs. 2 to 4 show a flowchart of some methods of carrying out the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a telecommunications system 1 having connected thereto a plurality of phones 2 which are both mobile phones and fixed line phones, all of which are capable of receiving and transmitting text messages.

Connected to the telecommunications system 1 is a server 3 having an associated database 4. The server 3 could be housed, for example, in a call centre where all calls to telephones 2, within the telecommunications system availing of the service, would be diverted. Alternatively, the server 3 could be within a telephone exchange itself.

In operation, the server is programmed to convert a caller line identifier (CLI) to its alphabetic identification for onward transmission to a called phone.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, in step 10, an incoming call is received. In step 11, the CLI is obtained and the alphabetic ID is queried in step 12. This may be done automatically or it may be done through a database of CLIs and their alphabetic identification such as the database 4. In step 13, it is queried as to whether the alphabetic ID is available. If the alphabetic ID is available, then in step 14, the alphabetic ID is sent to the call phone and in step 15, the called phone accepts or rejects the call. If the called phone accepts the call, then the session ends as far as the system and se rver is concerned in step 16 as the connection has been made between the caller phone and the called phone. If, however, the called phone decides to reject the call, then, in step

17, the called phone can have the call diverted to a messaging service when , in step

18, the session ends. Alternatively, in step 19, the called phone can have an SMS message sent to the calling phone. In step 20, the session ends.

Alternatively, in step 25, where the alphabetic ID is available, the server checks the database 4 of CLIs and their alphabetical identification. In accordance with the rules stored in the database, a decision is made how to handle the call in step 26. Then, if the rules allow to be transmitted, then in step 27, the alphabetic identification is sent to the called phone and steps 15 to 20 may be repeated. Alternatively, after consultation of the database, the call is rejected in step 28 and the session ends. Alternatively, the call is again rejected and in step 29, the alphabetic ID is sent as an SM S message to the called phone. In step 30, the session ends. Alternatively, in step 31, on rejecting the call in accordance with the rules, the call is diverted to a messaging service and in step 32, the session again ends.

If, after the alphabetic ID is checked in step 13 and is not available, then in step 35, an SMS message is sent to the called phone giving the reasons for rejection and the session ends in step 36. Alternatively, in step 37, an SMS message is sent to the called phone querying the alphabetic ID. Then, in step 38, an SMS message is received back from the caller phone which either gives the alphabetic ID or not. If the alphabetic ID is received, then in step 40, an SMS message is sent to the called phone and in step 41, the session ends or alternatively, the alphabetic ID, in step 45, is sent to the called phone. In step 46, the session ends. Presuming the caller phone refuses or in some way does not give the alphabetic ID corresponding to a CLI, in step 47, the call is rejected and in step 48, the session ends. Alternatively, when the call is rejected, in step 49, an SMS message is sent to the called phone and in step 50, the session ends.

It will be appreciated that the above method shows many variations in which the invention can be carried out and there are many other ways in which it could be carried out. It is also envisaged that databases can be provided which will allow the server to have rules to govern the manner in which calls are handled. Similarly, these rules may be varied by the called phone as the called phone desires. Further, effectively what it does do is, by converting phone numbers into their alphabetic identification, the users, particularly of mobile phones, can have the option of having unknown numbers converted. If the number is not converted, the users have the option to either accept the call, reject the call, divert the call to voicemail or any other system or send a message to the caller that the call will not be accepted for various reasons such as, for example, until an alphabetic ID is received.

It is envisaged that a call centre would store a person's personal call list in such a database and automatically allow through calls from persons on that list but interrogate other calls and either translate them, depending on the option chosen by the person operating the called phone, divert or reject, or send a message to callers who did not allow their number to be converted.

The invention is particularly directed to mobile phones because mobile phones t end to be used by only the one person and therefore most calls to a mobile phone are directed to one individual.

It will be appreciated that the server according to the present invention does not have to be located in the same jurisdiction as the phone for the incoming call since the phone taking the incoming call, that is to say, the called phone, can have arranged to have its calls diverted to a server located outside the jurisdiction.

It will be appreciated that various aspects of the invention may be embodied on a computer that is running a program or program segments originating from a computer readable or usable medium, such medium including but not limited to magnetic storage media (e.g. ROMs, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.), optically readable media (e.g. CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc.) and carrier waves (e.g., transmissions over the internet). A functional program, code and code segments, used to implement the present invention can be derived by a skilled computer programmer from the description of the invention contained herein. It will be appreciated therefore that a computerised program may be provided providing program instructions which, when loaded into a computer, will constitute the means in accordance with the invention and that this computer progra m may be embodied on a record medium, a computer memory, a read only memory or carried on an electrical carrier signal.

In the specification the terms "comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising" or any variation thereof and the terms "include, includes, included and including" or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described but may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

1. A method of handling phone calls for a called phone in a telecommunications network in which the phone has means to receive and transmit text messages and in which the network has a server connected thereto, the server having means to connect a caller line identifier (CLI) to its alphabetic identification in which, on sending a call to a called phone: -

the incoming call is diverted to a server;

the server queries the CLI;

the server converts the CLI to its alphabetic identification; and

sends the alphabetic identification to the called phone.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , in which if the server is unable to convert the CLI of the incoming call to its alphabetic identification, it causes an SMS message to be sent to the called phone.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which if the server is unable to convert the CLI to its alphabetic identification, the server requests the caller phone to transmit its alphabetic identification and subsequently, depending on the reply, the server causes an appropriate SMS message to be sent to the called phone.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the server converts the CLI to its alphabetic identification by consulting a database of CLIs and their alphabetic identifiers.

A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the server, on first converting a CLI to its alphabetic identification, stores the information in an associated server database for subsequent retrieval.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the server stores a list of phone calls which are to be automatically connected to a messaging service and in which, on receiving such a call, the call is diverted to the messaging service.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , in which the server stores a set of rules in a rules database established by the called phone which determines whether, on receipt of a call having a specified CLI, the call is to be transmitted onwards to the called phone or to be sent to the messaging service and on receipt of a call, the CLI of the call is compared to the CLIs stored in the rules database and if the CLI is stored, the call is handled in accordance with the stored rules.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 , in which the rules include a rule fo r the handling of all calls who's CLIs are not stored in the rules database.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8 , in which, on sending a call to the messaging service, the server sends a text message to the caller phone detailing the reasons for the diversion to the messaging service.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which, on receiving a call when the server does not have an alphabetic identification of the CLI, the server-

sends a text message to the caller phone requesting alphabetic identification;

on receiving the identification, sends the alphabetic identification to the called phone; and

stores the CLI and its alphabetic identification for future use.

11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which, on receiving a call for which the server does not have an alphabetic identification of the CLI, the server sends a text message with the CLI in numeric form to the called phone.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , in which the text message states why the alphabetic identification is not supplied.

13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which on receiving a call for which the server does not have an alphabetic identification of the CLI and the caller phone refuses to supply such alphabetic identification, the server rej ects the call.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , in which subsequent to rejecting the call, the server sends a text message to the called phone detailing the rejection including the numeric CLI of the caller phone.

15. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which when the called phone has means to record missed calls, the record of the missed call includes an alphabetic identification of the caller line.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which when the called phone has means to record missed calls, the record of missed calls includes the alphanumeric identification of the caller line for calls rejected.

17. A system for handling incoming phone calls to a called phone in a telecommunications network (1) comprising a server (3) comprising:-

means to accept an incoming call from a caller phone (2);

means to convert the incoming call to its alphabetic identification; and

means to send the alphabetic identification to the called phone (2).

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, in which the system further comprises a database (4) for the storage of CLIs and their corresponding alphabetic identification.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18, in which the database (4) stores rules for the handling of incoming calls and the server (3) includes means for consulting the rules and for handling incoming calls in accordance with the rules.

20. A computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 16.

21. A computer program comprising program instructions which when loaded into a computer constitute the processing means of any of claims 17 to 19.

22. A computer program as claimed in claim 20 or 21 embodied on a record medium.

23. A computer program as claimed in claim 20 or 21 stored in a computer memory.

24. A computer program as claimed in claim 20 or 21 embodied in a read only memory.

25. A computer program as claimed in claim 20 or 21 carried on an electrical signal carrier.