JP2001230857A - Method and system for allowing messaging system to process phone call whose caller id number is not clear - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and system that can efficiently process a phone call whose caller is not clear without taking much time. SOLUTION: When the system of this invention cannot confirm an ID of a caller of a phone call, this system requests the phone caller to enter a password in a DTMF(Dual Tone Multi-Frequencies). This system collates the entered password in this tone with a password programmed in this system. When the entered password is coincident with the password programmed in this system, the speech is processed depending on how this system is programmed to process the speech with respect to the password. There are a custom greeting (habitual greeting) method, a message limit method, and a screening on/off method or the like as possible processing methods. If the passwords are not coincident, this system rejects the acceptance of the speech.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and system for determining how to handle an incoming unknown call. In particular, the present invention relates to the identification (ID) of a caller (caller).
on: An identification) method and system for determining how to handle an incoming call when the number is unknown.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The caller's ID number provides information about how the recipient should handle the call.
However, there are many cases where the caller cannot be identified by the ID number. This may be the case where the call is blocked (blocked), out of area, or the caller's ID number is unknown. It is desirable to be able to handle such unknown calls.

[0003] Ameritech C
orp) offers a sales call filter (s
In an ares call filter, the caller will be told that their ID number is unknown, and after a buzzer sounds, will identify themselves in a pre-recorded message Required. The caller identifies himself and the recipient hears the recorded message and receives one of three push-button options: accept the call; do not accept the call; privacy without accepting the call You can choose to have the administrator notify the caller not to call again. It is not known whether this system is prior art to the present invention. This system was described in an AP release article on September 23, 1999.

[0004]

In this method, the recipient must be actively involved in handling the incoming call and the options are limited to the three options shown above. In addition, the caller needs to record the message and play the message to the recipient, which can be quite time consuming.

[0005] It would be desirable to provide a time-efficient multi-option method and system for handling unknown calls.

[0006] Thomson Consumer Electronics is currently producing the Thomson 2-9992 Call Manager. This device is 2-9992
Product Spec TOCOM No. Fifteen
298900 or 2-992 Customer
It is described in Care Book. The device determines how to handle an incoming call based on the caller's ID. The present invention is an improvement and advance of this device which processes a telephone which cannot be identified by the caller's ID. Thoms
on 2-9992 Call Manager System is based on the previously mentioned Ameritech Privacy Manager.
ger).

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and system for handling unknown calls.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a telephone caller ID.
It is to provide a method and a system for handling unknown numbers.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for handling unknown telephone calls based on priority.

[0010]

According to an aspect of the present invention,
A method and system for handling a telephone call that cannot be identified by a caller ID number is provided, the system comprising a storage means for storing at least one programmed password, and a password stored by an unknown caller. Input means for receiving, means for comparing the entered password with at least one stored password, and said identification not being possible if the entered password matches the stored password in at least one programmed processing mode. A system is provided for instructing the system to process a call, and means for rejecting the call if the entered password does not match the stored password. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention provides a telephone caller identification number (CID: Ca).
If the Identifier cannot be identified (eg, because the call is blocked, out of area, or the CID is unknown), let the messaging system decide what to do and handle the call. Methods and systems are provided.

Exemplary hardware in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be configured as a system including a CID device, a messaging system, and a central processing unit. For example, the hardware system for the Thomson 2-9992 call manager may be used and modified. Thomson 2-9992
The manager handles the call identified by the CID device. If the caller cannot be identified by ID,
Instead of D, the call is processed based on the password entered into the system. This change in the Thomson 2-9992 Call Manager is a programmable change in software. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention can be incorporated as a feature added to the Thomson 2-9992 Call Manager.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the configuration of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the system 10 includes a CID device 12,
In addition, it is preferable to include a messaging system 13 and a CPU 14. First, the system 10 receives a call from the caller's telephone 11. This phone is CID
It is sent to the device 12. If the CID device 12 is unable to identify the caller, the system 10 proceeds with the messaging
The system 13 automatically requests the caller to provide a password to a DTMF (Dual Tone Multi-F).
requests). This part of the system response corresponds to steps 1 and 2 of the flowchart of FIG. Next, the caller calls DTMF (D
ual Tone Multi-Frequency
In s), enter your password. Or,
The caller can also enter his or her telephone number or other alphanumeric character stored in the system and is identified by the entered information. Next, the system 10 sends the password to the CPU 14. The CPU 14 compares the input password with a password stored in the memory 17 of the CPU 14. CPU 14 performs a comparison to see if the entered password matches the password stored in system 10, as shown in block 3 of FIG. If not, the call is terminated as shown in the block of FIG. If the passwords match, the CPU 14 determines how to handle the call according to one of several (n) programmed processing modes, as shown in block 5 of FIG.

As shown in block 1 of FIG. 1, the system receives a call that cannot be identified by the CID. block
At 2 , the messaging system of the present invention requires the caller to enter a password that has been distributed to the potential caller by the owner of the system (block 3 ). . If the caller does not enter a password, the system will not accept the call and the call will be terminated, as shown in block 4 .

The password is DTMF (Dual To
Ne. Multi-Frequencies), which can be performed with a keypad of a push-button telephone. The password entered by the unknown caller is then, as shown in block 3 ,
It is compared to one or more passwords stored in the system. For this operation, ordinary memories and comparison circuits are used. If the system is programmed to accept and store telephone numbers for comparison when processing calls that cannot be identified by the CID, the password may be the telephone number of the caller, as described above. Confirming a password match confirms the identity of the caller. Also, not only is it determined whether or not the phone should be handled by a password match, but if desired, the system can manipulate how the phone should be handled, as described below (block 5). ). If the passwords do not match, the call will not be accepted and will be terminated.

When processing an incoming call, the matching password indicates how the call should be processed. One of the several (n) programmed processing modes is selected by the system based on the matched password. The processing modes programmed include custom greetings (cus
tom greeting, message limit (me
sage limit, and screening on / off. This choice is by no means restrictive, and it allows you to prioritize various calls (e.g.,
It illustrates various ways of handling private, business, emergency, non-emergency calls.

A password is distributed from the owner of the system to select potential callers to the system. These passwords include secret passwords and numbered passwords, which represent private, emergency, business, and everyday calls. Calls are handled based on how the system owner programmed the system. Passwords are prioritized based on owner choice, and different calls are handled differently.

It is understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are merely illustrative, and that those skilled in the art can make various modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0019]

According to the present invention, when the identification (ID) number of the caller is unknown, the incoming call can be efficiently processed under many options without spending time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the method and system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 This system 11 Telephone caller's telephone 12 CID (caller's identification number) apparatus 13 Messaging system 14 CPU (central processing unit) 16 Telephone of the owner of this system 17 Memory (storage device)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (71) Applicant 300000708 46, Quai A, Le Gallo F-92648 Boulogne Cedex France

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A system for processing a call whose ID number is unknown, comprising: a storage device for storing at least one programmed password; and receiving a password input from the unknown caller. An input device for comparing the input password with the at least one stored password; and processing the unknown phone when the input password matches the at least one stored password. A processing unit that rejects the call if it does not match. 2. A method for processing a call that cannot be identified by the caller ID, the method comprising: storing at least one programmed password in a storage means; and receiving a password from an unknown caller. And comparing the entered password with the stored password by comparing means. If the entered password matches the stored password, process the unknown phone call and enter Rejecting the unknown phone by an exclusion means if the stored password and the stored password do not match.