Audible calling line identification

Apparatus for providing audible calling line identification to subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) initially in an on-hook condition, the apparatus comprising:

• means for directing the subscriber CPE to establish an off-hook condition and activate a speaker in response to a call call setup message;
• means for obtaining calling line identification data;
• means for sending the calling line identification data to a service node containing a text-to-speech translation system;
• means for passing the calling line identification data to the text-to-speech translation system;
• and
• means for connecting the text-to-speech translation system to the subscriber CPE so that audio calling line identification is played over the speaker at the subscriber CPE while the subscriber CPE is in the off-hook condition;
• means for placing the subscriber CPE back into the on-hook condition prior to completing the call associated with the call setup message;
• and
• means for allowing the subscriber CPE to be placed in an off-hook condition to complete the call associated with the call setup message.

Subscriber apparatus for providing audible calling line identification by subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) in an on-hook condition, while responding to a setup message containing digitized audible calling line identification information encapsulated into the setup message;

• the apparatus comprising:
• means for activating a speaker in response to the setup message;
• and
• means for playing the digitized audible calling line identification from the setup message while the subscriber CPE is in the on-hook condition and before a call associated with the call setup message is established to the subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE).

A computer program product for enabling a switching system to provide audible calling line identification to subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) initially in an on-hook condition in conjunction with sending a call setup message, the computer program product including a computer program comprising:

• computer program code for directing the subscriber CPE to establish an off-hook condition and activate a speaker in response to a call call setup message;
• computer program code for obtaining calling line identification data;
• computer program code for sending the calling line identification data to a service node containing a text-to-speech translation system;
• computer program code for passing the calling line identification data to the text-to-speech translation system;
• and
• computer program code for connecting the text-to-speech translation system to the subscriber CPE so that audio calling line identification is played over the speaker at the subscriber CPE while the subscriber CPE is in the off-hook condition;
• computer program code for placing the subscriber CPE back into the on-hook condition prior to completing the call associated with the call setup message;
• and
• computer program code for allowing the subscriber CPE to be placed in an off-hook condition to complete the call associated with the call setup message.

A programmed switching system having a computing module and computer program code for enabling the switching system to provide audible calling line identification to subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) initially in an on-hook condition in conjunction with sending a call setup message, by performing the steps of:

• directing the subscriber CPE to establish an off-hook condition and activate a speaker in response to the call setup message;
• obtaining calling line identification data;
• sending the calling line identification data to a service node containing a text-to-speech translation system;
• passing the calling line identification data to the text-to-speech translation system;
• connecting the text-to-speech translation system to the subscriber CPE so that audio calling line identification is played over the speaker at the subscriber CPE while the subscriber CPE is in the off-hook condition;
• placing the subscriber CPE back into the on-hook condition prior to completing the call associated with the call setup message;
• and
• allowing the subscriber CPE to be placed in an off-hook condition to complete the call associated with the call setup message.

A method of providing audible calling line identification information to a called party in connection with an incoming telephone call before customer premises equipment in an on-hook condition associated with the called party is placed in an off-hook condition to answer the incoming telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating audible calling line identification information from caller ID information;
• sending the audible calling line identification information to the called party customer premises equipment;
• directing the called party customer premises equipment to establish an off-hook condition and activate a speaker to play the audible calling line identification information, and directing the called party customer premises equipment to resume the on-hook condition after playing the audible calling line identification information, prior to the called party customer premises equipment is placed in an off-hook condition to answer the incoming telephone call;
• receiving a spoken response from the called party;
• and
• disposing of the incoming telephone call by selectively placing the called party customer premises equipment in the off-hook condition to answer the incoming telephone call according to the spoken response from the called party.

A method of providing audible calling party identification information to a called party in connection with an incoming telephone call before customer premises equipment in an on-hook condition associated with the called party is placed in an off-hook condition to answer the incoming telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating audible calling party identification information from caller ID information associated with the calling party;
• sending the audible calling party identification information to the called party customer premises equipment in a call setup message associated with the incoming telephone call;
• directing the called party customer premises equipment to activate a speaker prior to the called party customer premises equipment being placed in the off-hook condition to play the audible calling line identification information from the call setup message associated with the incoming telephone call;
• receiving an indication from the called party as to how the incoming call should be disposed;
• and
• generating a spoken response to the calling party indicating that the called party has not accepted the incoming telephone call if the indication received from the called party is that the incoming telephone call should not be connected.