Access code enhancement for caller preview service

#The present invention relates generally to telecommunications services. More particularly, the present application relates to a method and system for providing enhanced caller identification information including screening invalid calling party numbers.

#Telecommunications service providers typically offer services that attempt to provide customers with information that enables them to determine whether or not to accept a call before answering the call. One service that provides such information is caller identification (“Caller ID”). Standard Caller ID services generally provide a customer with an indication of who is calling without requiring the customer to answer the call. These systems typically retrieve information about the calling party from a database and provide that information to the called party. Customer premise equipment (CPE) in the form of a display device is generally used to provide the called party with a visual readout of the name and/or telephone number associated with the calling party.

#However, the effectiveness of Caller ID systems can be reduced due to a number of different occurrences. One such occurrence is the inability of a service provider to provide the standard Caller ID information for a particular incoming call. A service provider may not be able to provide the standard Caller ID information if the Caller ID information is blocked by the calling party, or if the Caller ID information is unavailable or incomplete. This may occur, for example, if the calling party pressed *67 when initiating the call.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunications system; and

#FIGS. 2-5 form a call flow diagram illustrating a method for processing a call in the telecommunications system of FIG. 1.

#By way of introduction, the embodiments disclosed herein may be enhancements to the previous caller preview service to allow access code calls to display correctly on a subscriber's Customer Premise Equipment and, if appropriate, connect to the subscriber's voice mailbox. Also, if calls to the subscriber's directory number are forwarded to another line, the caller will not have to interact with the privacy service a second time. The voice mail interaction occurs when the subscriber has activated Call Forwarding Busy and Call Forwarding Don't Answer, with calls forwarded to the subscriber's voice mail Directory Number.

#The preferred embodiments below include a method and system for providing a called party with audible caller identification information when standard caller identification information cannot be provided. In one embodiment, calls for which standard caller identification information is blocked, unavailable or incomplete are prevented from being connected to the called party.

#Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunications system 100. The telecommunications system 100 in the illustrated embodiment includes one or more integrated service control points (ISCP) such as ISCP 102, one or more service switching points (SSP) such as SSP A 104, SSP B 106, SSP C 108 and a service node or intelligent peripheral (SN/IP) 110. These are components of the industry standard Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). AIN components communicate using Signalling System 7 (SS7), Transaction Capabilities Applications Part (TCAP), or Integrated System Digital Network User Part (ISDN-UP). While AIN components are particularly well suited for implementing the system and method of the present disclosure, other equipment may be substituted or combined with AIN components. For example, all or a portion of the telecommunications system 100 may be implemented using the internet using a suitable communication protocol such as Transaction Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).