MXPA97007677A - Method and apparatus for providing an alias for subscriber id - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus that provides the ability to present alias information instead of public name information to support calling subscriber ID services. A calling subscriber name database is modified to include alias information. The local terminating exchange interrogates the network for information from the calling party. The appropriate information field within the database is accessed based on an indication of whether the calling party selects the public name or alias information that is provided to the calling party

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AN ALIAS FOR SUBSCRIBER ID THAT CALLS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for providing alias information associated with the identification information corresponding to a calling party (a subscriber ID). who calls). More specifically, the present invention is directed to providing separate alias information that is associated with a calling party number in a database, wherein the calling party can designate the identification information that will be provided when an interrogation seeks the Caller ID. It is well known to provide a service referred to as calling party ID in telecommunication systems. The function of this service is to allow the calling party to receive information that identifies the calling party, without having to answer the call. This feature has been very useful in environments such as emergency services, where an emergency response team is the calling party and receives information that identifies the calling party and that information can be cross-referenced to other database information , which identifies the location of the calling party. The utility of this function has also increased in the telecommunications consumer market since REF: 25752 many subscribers are interested in sorting telephone calls to determine if the calling party is the party with whom the called party wishes to speak at any given time . An example of a known configuration for implementing the calling subscriber ID function is illustrated in FIGURE 1. For purposes of this example, it is considered that the calling subscriber in the telephone 102 wishes to make a connection with the party in question. the telephone 113. It is further assumed that the party in the telephone 113 has subscribed to a calling subscriber ID service. In this way, the subscriber in the telephone 113 will be provided with the calling party identification information for each telephone call that is directed to that telephone. When the part in the telephone 102 initiates the call through its originating switch 100 and the call is routed through a network, represented by the line 140, and the data line 141, to the terminating switch LEC 110, the The terminating switch recognizes that the call is routed to the subscriber in the telephone 113. The switch also recognizes that the subscriber in the telephone 113 has the calling party ID functionality. Therefore, the terminating switch sends an interrogation to a name database 120 on the data line 115. The name database will send back a public name that is associated with the calling party.

Typically, this public name is the billing name for the subscriber in the telephone 102. The calling party number and the accessed name from the name database 120 are then transferred from the terminating switch to the telephone 113 and displayed for revision by the subscriber to the telephone 113 or in an adjacent device that is provided to perform the service. The subscriber can then make a decision as to whether or not to answer the phone call, have an answering machine respond or allow the call to go unanswered. The calling party's ID functionality recognizes that a number of parties in the system may have what is commonly referred to as unlisted phone numbers or have requested that their part name call part be kept private. In these circumstances, when the terminating switch requests caller ID information from the name database, the name database will provide information back to the terminating switch indicating that the number is not listed or that the who calls is from a state of permanent private. The terminating switch will not provide the called party with a name but with an indication of name unavailability, for example "anonymous" or "unknown".

It is also known as allowing the calling party to choose, on a per-call basis, whether or not access to the name information in the database is blocked for a normally available calling subscriber ID or to allow access to the base of the call. Name data even when the calling party normally has a permanent private status. This can be achieved by having the calling party provide a specific code in the telephone keypad, for example * 69 or * 82 and have that code associated with the telephone call as it is routed through the network. When the terminating switch receives the code, for example a code indicating that access to the name database is blocked (* 69) the terminating switch will not even attempt an interrogation to the database but instead will will provide the "private" or "anonymous" information to the called party. Alternatively, if the calling party chooses to allow the transmission of information for this call only, then the calling party provides a special "allowed presentation" code, indicative of that fact (* 82). The terminating switch provides the "allowed presentation" code to the centralized name database, to indicate that the name database shall provide the calling party identification information despite the normal private status of that information in the database.

In the cellular communications environment, stations or mobile phones that have a display can also take advantage of the calling party number function. Stations referred to as terminals IS-136 have said merchandiser. In the mobile environment, an example of which is illustrated in FIGURE 2, a calling party 200 seeks to establish a communication with the mobile station 209. In this example, the call is initiated through a private exchange (PBX = Prívate Branch Exchange) 201 to a local carrier (LEC) 202. The call is routed to an inter-exchange carrier (IXC) 204 through a long-distance network to another IXC 205. The call is then routed to the appropriate LEC 206 and continues to a mobile switching center (MSC = Mobile Switching Center) 207. Alternatively, the call can be sent directly from the IXC to the MSC surpassing the LEC. The terminating MSC analyzes the calling party number (CPN = Calling Party Number) that is received and the information transmitted with that CPN to determine if that number is that which can be displayed, ie if the number is a private number. This is typically indicated by a code number such as "00" or "01" associated with the CPN. If the CPN is not a private number (code "00") then the terminating MSC sends a return interrogation through the data line 215, the LEC 202 and the data line 211 to the subscriber database 203 which is associated with the LEC 202. The calling party number is used to access the public name of the calling party and that public name is transmitted through the network to the terminating MSC 207 and associated with the CPN. Then, the CPN and the calling party name are transmitted to the mobile station 209 for display. The public name for a non-listed number can be deleted, such that only the calling number is presented to the mobile station 209. An example of a display for said mobile station is provided in FIGURE 3. Station 300 has a keypad 301 and an exhibitor 302. The exhibitor has at least two display lines 302a and 302b. The mobile station will display the calling party number on a line such as line 302a and the calling party ID that is accessed from the database on the other line such as 302b. If the determination MSC on the contrary receives the CPN and a code denoting that the calling party number is private, for example "01", then the terminating MSC does not send any interrogation back through the network and instead simply provides the information to the mobile station to display either "anonymous" or "private" without displaying the telephone number. When the terminating MSC does not receive the calling party number, the mobile station exhibits "empty" or "not available".

The existing caller ID settings limit the information that can be transmitted by the calling party to the called party. It is difficult for a calling party to tailor information to identify the calling party to a particular called party because the access to the calling party's information and the amount of information associated with the calling party are limited . COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an ability for callers to provide alias information to a called party instead of simply identifying the calling party by some expression such as private or anonymous. In accordance with the present invention, a calling party ID database can store multiple calling party information fields for each calling number.

For example, a first identification field associated with a calling number may be designated as a public name field to be provided in those circumstances where the calling party is not available from any private state or alias functionality. A second identification field can be associated with the calling party number and that second field can store tailor-made information. Such information may take the form of an alias identification of the calling party, such as an envelope name or alternate name, or may contain other message information such as an alternate telephone number for return call. A terminating LEC or MSC would send a return interrogation for all received telephone calls, whether the called calling party number has been associated with a status indicator that identifies the call with a public status call or a call of private status. The interrogation will then access the appropriate identification field in the database using the status indicator associated with the calling party number. For example, if the status indicator shows that the calling party should receive the public name then the public name field is accessed. However, if the status code indicates that the calling party has designated a private state, then the alias information field may be accessed by the interrogation and provided to the terminating LEC or MSC. In an alternate configuration, the present invention provides two calling party ID databases: one addressed to private information and the other directed to public name information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 illustrates a known configuration for providing calling party identification service.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a known configuration for providing calling party identification information in a cellular environment. FIGURE 3 provides a diagram illustrating display capabilities of a mobile station in the cellular environment of FIGURE 2. FIGURES 4A and 4B illustrate database assemblies to implement an embodiment of the present invention. nP! .g RTPrtnw nBTAT.TAnA As described in the known configuration, especially in the cellular environment, a terminating LEC or MSC receives an indicator with a calling party number (CPN) and that indicator identifies that information, WHAT have to be displayed in the mobile station display. For example, a "00" indicator that is sent all the way to the mobile switching center (MSC) means that if the calling party ID is to be implemented, the public name of the calling party is accessible. The indicator signals the MSC to send an interrogation all the way back to the information database associated with the calling party. The interrogation includes the CPN. This information is used to examine the subscriber database to obtain the public name information of the calling party from the database and transfer it to the terminating LEC or MSC where it is associated with the calling party number . The calling party number and public name information are then transferred to the mobile station and displayed at that station. Under those circumstances, where the called party has a "private" state, the indicator associated with the CPN can be "01". Upon receiving this indicator, the MSC or the LEC of the prior art does not send any interrogation back through the network and the only identification information that is passed to the mobile station is "private" or "anonymous". In accordance with the present invention, the MSC will always send an interrogation back to the information database associated with the calling party. That is, if the status indicator is "OO" or "01", the MSC will send a return status interrogation that includes both the CNP and the status indicator. These two pieces of information are then used to determine what identification information will be supplied by the information database associated with the calling party. As an example, in FIGURE 4A, the information database may include a plurality of identification information fields for each calling number. The database 400 may have a first field that identifies the numbers they call 401. Then, for each number that calls there may be multiple identification fields. Such an identification field is the Public Name Field 402. A second identification field is the alias information field 403. If the status indicator that is included in the interrogation is "00" indicating that the public name is going to employ, then the identification information from the public name field 402 is accessed and transmitted to the terminating LEC through the network. If on the other hand, the indicator received in the database in the interrogation is "01" to indicate that the private or other information is to be transmitted, the alias information field 403 corresponding to that status indicator is accessed and the information contained in that field is transmitted as the identification information. For example, in the database illustrated in FIGURE 4A, for the calling number (908) XXX-XXXX there are two identification fields shown. In the field of public name, the subscriber who calls with that number is identified with J. Johnson. The second identification field associated with the calling party, the alias information field contains the identification information "Sonny". In this way, if this calling number originates a telephone call to the mobile station and the indicator "00" is associated with the CPN, then upon receiving an interrogation, the database will provide the J. Johnson information to the MSC and both. The CPN as the public name will be displayed on the target mobile station display. If the CPN is transmitted with the status indicator "01", then interrogation for the identification information will result in an alias information access such that the "Sonny" information is transmitted to the terminating MSC and only that alias information is transmitted. will transfer to the mobile station. Of course, the information stored in the alias information field does not need to be limited to name information. Conversely, the caller may provide message information, for example, a doctor may call a patient from home while he is within reach, but he wants to have the patient return the call to the doctor's office. In such circumstances, the alias information field for the doctor in the database can be populated with the alternate telephone number. Then, the call would proceed with the private status indicator "01" such that a resulting interrogation would access the alias information, that is, the alternate telephone number. This alternate telephone number will then be transmitted via the network to the mobile station and only that number will be displayed on the mobile station. This structure provides the calling party with a tremendous amount of flexibility to identify different called parties. When selecting the appropriate privacy state, that is to say public or private, with the appropriate indicator such as "00" or "01", the calling party can previously define which identification field in the identification database will be the source of identification information. In this way, the calling party can choose whether the called party receives the public name or some alias information. It is possible to modify the present invention in such a way that the identification information database includes multiple identification fields for each calling party number. Under those circumstances, the calling party will be able to choose between more than just an alias information field and a public name field. On the contrary it is conceivable that the calling party can create two or more tailored messages or aliases and then designate which of those messages should be displayed to the called party by sending the appropriate privacy status indicator with the NPC, for example "02", "03", etc,). Or a characteristic code * XY can be marked to alternate between an alternating number and an alias of between two aliases or two alternate numbers for the privacy state 01. In an alternate configuration illustrated in FIGURE 4B, separate databases are provided for the diverse identification information that is associated with a certain calling party number. For example, in database 410, only public names are associated with callers. A second database 420 lists the same numbers that they call but with alias information for each number that it calls.

In this way, the privacy status indicator that is included in the interrogation from the terminating LEC will then be used to choose the appropriate database to access identification information. Once the database is chosen, the calling party number will then be used to identify the identification information that will be transmitted to the terminating LEC. In accordance with the present invention, callers will be provided with the flexibility to identify or select from among different identifications or messages that will be transmitted to a party for whom the calling party identification number is displayed. This will allow callers to tailor their IDs to meet needs as they arise for different callers at different times. The present invention is not limited in its applicability to the cellular environment although a modality of the invention has been described in that environment. It is also applicable to other 'telephony networks where caller identification information can be transferred to the called party. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (17)

1. RIGIVIWPICA IOWES 1. - A method for operating a telecommunication network, to provide identifying information of a selected calling party to a called party, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving a subscriber identification record calling in a termination access switch, the register includes a first data part and a second data part wherein the first data part includes information identifying a calling party number; in response to receiving the record, the terminating access switch accesses a database using the first data part and the second data part to retrieve the identifying information from the calling party; and present calling party identification information retrieved to the called party; wherein the second part of the data indicates a calling party selection of the identifying information of the party to be presented.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identification information of the calling party to be presented includes a calling party number.
3. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the calling party identification information includes a calling party identifier adjusted to the measure.
4. 4. - The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the calling party identifier adjusted to the measure includes a number different from the calling party number.
5. 5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the calling party identifier adjusted to the measure includes a calling party alias.
6. 6. A method for operating a telecommunications network, to provide calling party identification information to a called party, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: associating calling subscriber identification information with a calling subscriber number in a database, the calling subscriber identification information includes a calling subscriber name and at least one alternate calling subscriber identifier; receiving a request to identify a calling party from a terminating access switch, the request includes a calling party number and an identifier selection parameter; accessing the database in response to the request and constructing a message identifying a calling subscriber based on the calling party number and the identification selection parameter; and send the message to a termination access switch.
7. 7. - The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the message includes a calling party identifier adjusted to the measure.
8. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the calling party identifier adjusted to the measure includes a number different from the calling party number.
9. 9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the calling party identifier adjusted to the measure includes a calling party alias.
10. 10. A telecommunication system for providing identification information of the called calling party to a called party, characterized in that it comprises: a database that stores multiple calling subscriber identifiers associated with a calling subscriber number, each identifier calling subscriber for a given call number is chosen as a designated identifier; a terminating access switch, which responds to a calling party connection request, which interrogates the database using a calling party number and an identification status code; wherein the terminating access switch receives a calling subscriber identifier designated in response to the interrogation and presents the calling subscriber identifier designated to a called party.
11. 11. - The system in accordance with the claim 10, characterized in that the database includes a plurality of identifier fields associated with each calling subscriber number assigned to the database.
12. 12. The system in accordance with the claim 11, characterized in that the identification status code identifies one of the plurality of identifier fields.
13. 13.- The system in accordance with the claim 12, characterized in that the identification status code distinguishes an identifier field that maintains an alias identifier of the calling party.
14. 14. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that the identification status code included in the code is included in the connection request.
15. 15. A telecommunications system for providing caller-party identification information to a called party, characterized in that it comprises: a first database that stores a first caller ID associated with a calling subscriber number; a second database storing a second calling subscriber identifier associated with the calling subscriber number; a terminating access switch that responds to a calling party connection request that interrogates one of the first and second databases using a calling party number and an identification status code included in the connection request, wherein the identification status code is associated with one of the first and second databases.
16. 16.- The system in accordance with the claim 15, characterized in that the second calling subscriber identifier associated with the calling subscriber number is a calling subscriber identifier set to the measure.
17. 17. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that the calling subscriber identifier adjusted to the measure includes a calling party alias.