GB2381992A

GB2381992A - Subscriber-based calling name database

Info

Publication number: GB2381992A
Application number: GB0126802A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Hagyard; Carole F Quirk
Original assignee: Mitel Knowledge Corp
Current assignee: Mitel Knowledge Corp
Priority date: 2001-11-07
Filing date: 2001-11-07
Publication date: 2003-05-14
Also published as: GB0126802D0

Abstract

At a switch, 110, each individual subscriber's line is provided with a subscriber-based calling name database, 150, thus providing personalised pre-assignment of calling names to designated calling numbers. The pre-assigned names are provided for display at the Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), 130, whenever the subscriber's line receive calls from the designated calling numbers, regardless of any conditions, which otherwise prevail. If a calling number is not in the subscriber-based calling name database, 150, then the switch, 110, accesses a centralised database of names and numbers, 125, for an associated name. The subscriber-based calling name database, 125, can be configured and maintained by mail ballot, secured web access or by direct access to the switch from the customer premise equipment, 130.

Description

SUBSCRIBER-BASED CALLING NAME DATABASE Field of Invention This invention relates to the calling name delivery feature of telephone systems and in particular to a subscriber-based calling name database Background of the Invention The calling name delivery feature provides a caller's name for display on a subscriber's Customer Premise Equipment ("CPE"), usually a telephony device.

The CPE has caller id display equipment. In a normal call, a switch initially receives the call from trunks connected to a calling switch. Signaling associated with the call includes a calling (telephone) number unless such is otherwise suppressed. Where the call is to a subscriber who has the calling name delivery feature enabled, the switch launches a query to a service control point to search for a name associated with the calling number from a centralized database. The name is then transmitted to the called subscriber's line where the CPE detects and interprets this transmitted information, and converts it to text for display.

If the caller's name is not programmed in the centralized database, or if the database is temporarily inaccessible, or if the caller has suppressed calling name delivery, then the caller's name is not transmitted to, or displayed by the CPE. A further problem occurs with a centralized database in that the centralized database is limited to supplying only one name for an associated number and therefore all calls from the associated number supplies the same name to all called parties.

It is therefore desirable to provide a subscnber-based calling name database, which addresses of the shortcomings of providing calling name delivery noted above.

Summary of Invention At a switch, each individual subscriber's line is provided with a subscriberbased calling name database, thus providing personalized pre-assignment of calling names to designated calling numbers. The pre-assigned names are provided for display whenever the subscriber's line receives calls from the designated calling numbers, regardless of any conditions, which may otherwise prevail. If a calling number is not In the subscnber-based calling name database, then the switch accesses a centralized database of names and numbers for an associated name.

According to an aspect of the invention, there IS provided a switch having a calling name delivery feature, comprising a main control module for controlling switch processes; a subscriber's register for interfacing customer premise equipment of a subscriber with the switch ; and a subscriber-based calling name database connected to said subscriber's register for storing pre-assigned calling names associated with designated calling numbers; wherein a call having a calling number received by the switch is processed so that a pre-assigned calling name is provided to the customer premise equipment with the call where the calling number matches a designated calling number.

According to another aspect of the invention, there IS provided a method of providing a calling name delivery feature for a switch, comprising receiving a call which has a calling number for a subscriber ; determining If there is a match for the calling number to a designated calling number from a subscriber-based calling name database ; if there is a match, then extracting a pre-assigned name from the subscriber-based calling name database, and sending the call with the preassigned name to customer premise equipment of the subscriber ; and If there is no match, then sending the call to customer premise equipment of the subscriber.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts, and In which

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a telephone system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a flowchart of the telephone system of Figure 1 handling the receipt of a call ; and Figure 3 is a block diagram of one subscnber-based calling name database of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1, there IS shown a block diagram of a telephone system 100 according to the present invention. The telephone system 100 comprises a PBX switch 110 with access to a service control point 120, a plurality of CPEs 130 connected to the PBX switch 110, and trunks 140 from other switches. The service control point 120 comprises a centralized database 125 for names and telephone numbers. The PBX switch 110 compnses a main control module 112 for controlling switch processes including a register 114 for each subscriber. Each CPE 130 IS connected to one register 114. Each register 114 IS further associated with a subscriber-based calling name database ("SDB") 150.

Referring to Figure 2, there IS shown a flowchart of the telephone system 100 handling the receipt of a call. When the PBX switch 110 receives a call for a subscriber, a called (telephone) number is also received. At step 210, a determination is made as to whether the called number has enabled the calling name delivery feature, If the determination yields a NO, then the next step 212 IS to end any further processing for calling name delivery. If the determination yields a YES, the called number has enabled the calling name delivery feature, then next step 214 determines whether the calling number of the call available If NO, then the next step 216 transmits unknown name or number to the CPE 130 of the called number and ends 218 any further processing for calling name delivery.

A YES at step 210 indicates that the calling number of the call is available.

At step 220, a determination IS made as to whether there IS an associated SDB 150. If YES, then the next step 222 determines whether the SDB 150 has a

designated calling number matching the calling number to obtain an associated pre-assigned name. If YES, then the next step 224 retrieves the pre-assigned name in the SDB 150 associated with the calling number and places such In the call information to transmit to the CPE 130 of the subscriber (Step 226) before ending the processing of the calling name delivery feature (Step 228).

If at step 220, the SDB 150 IS not available, or if at step 222, the calling number is not in the SDB 150; then step 230 finds the name (If any) associated with the calling number In the centralized database 125. If YES then the name IS transmitted to the CPE 130 of the subscriber (step 226) before ending the processing of the calling name delivery feature (step 228). If NO, there is no name associated with the calling number in the centralized database 125, whereupon further processing of the calling name delivery feature IS terminated (step 228).

Referring to Figure 3, there IS shown a block diagram of one subscnberbased calling name database 150, which comprise calling number and name registers. Each calling number and name register has one calling number and its associated pre-assigned name. The same caller number may thus appears In the registers of more than one subscriber and a different name may be assigned in each case. Thus, calls from a specific calling number to different subscribers may cause different names to be displayed to the different subscribers.

There are a number of methods to configure the SDBs 150 for the preassignment of calling names to designated calling numbers. One method IS to send a ballot by mail where on subscribing for calling name delivery, a subscriber is sent by mail a form, which has his own number (for confirmation) and a set of calling number and name slots. The subscriber then fills out each slot with a number and a name that he wishes to see displayed on his CPE The ballot IS then returned by mall to the administrative office of the service provider, where It IS entered by a craftsperson into a SDB 150 for the subscriber. The subscriber uses a similar form to add, delete or change the list of calling names and numbers.

Another method to configure the SDBs 150 is by secured web site access as described in U. S. Patent no. 5, 958,016. Secured access IS provided to a web site, which has the options that subscribers wish to configure. The web pages of the web site allow a subscriber the option of adding, deleting or editing the list of calling names and numbers, and then sends the modifications to the switch where it is entered into the subscriber's SDB.

A further method to configure the SDBs 150 is by allowing a subscnber direct access to a switch from a standard telephone where, using voice recognition technology, a calling number and name list IS then prepared for his SDB.

It will be understood that a calling name delivery feature may be provided using only subscriber-based calling name databases without a service control point or a centralized database for names and numbers.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that vanatlons may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention or the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A switch having a calling name delivery feature, comprising a main control module for controlling switch processes, a subscnber's register for interfacing customer premise equipment of a subscriber with the switch; and a subscriber-based catting name database connected to said subscriber's register for storing pre-assigned calling names associated with designated calling numbers; wherein a call having a calling number received by the switch IS processed so that a pre-assigned calling name is provided to the customer premise equipment with the call where the calling number matches a designated calling number.
2. The switch of claim 1, further comprising an access point for accessing a service control point with a centralized database of names and numbers so that, when the subscriber-based calling name database is unable to provide the calling name, a name from the centralized database is provided to the customer premise equipment where the calling number matches an associated number in the centralized database.
3. The switch of claim 1, wherein the subscriber-based calling name database is configured by mail ballot.
4. The switch of claim 1, wherein the subscriber-based calling name database is configured by secured web site access.
5. The switch of claim 1, wherein the subscriber-based calling name database IS configured by direct access to the switch from the customer premise equipment.
6. A method of providing a calling name delivery feature for a switch comprising receiving a call which has a calling number for a subscriber; determining if there IS a match for the calling number to a designated

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calling number from a subscriber-based calling name database; if there is a match, then extracting a pre-assigned name from the subscriber-based calling name database, and sending the call with the pre-assigned name to customer premise equipment of the subscriber ; and if there is no match, then sending the call to customer premise equipment of the subscriber.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein if there is not a match, then accessing a service control point for a name from a centralized database of names and numbers which matches an associated number in the centralized database; and sending the call with the name to customer premise equipment of the subscriber.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the subscriber-based calling name database by mail ballot.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the subscriber-based calling name database by secured web site access.
10. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the subscnber-based calling name database by direct access to the switch from the customer premise equipment.