Method and system for providing enhanced caller identification

Abstract

A method and system provide enhanced caller identification information to a called party. The system determines whether or not standard caller identification information associated with a calling party can be provided to the called party. The system preferably determines whether the standard caller identification information is unavailable, incomplete or has been blocked. When the system determines that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided, the system transmits a request for audible caller identification information to the calling party. If the calling party provides the requested audible caller identification information, the audible caller identification information is transmitted to the called party. The called party is thus provided with information about the calling party that can assist the called party in deciding whether or not to answer the call.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station; and    (d) canceling the call in response to input from the called communication station.    
     
     
         2 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station; and    (d) transferring the call to a voice mail system in response to input from the called communication station.    
     
     
         3 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station; and    (d) transferring the call to another location in response to input from the called communication station.    
     
     
         4 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station; and    (d) transmitting a message to the calling communication station in response to input from the called communication station.    
     
     
         5 . The method of claims  1 ,  2 ,  3 , or  4 , wherein the input from the called communication station comprises dual tone multi-frequency tones.  
     
     
         6 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station; and    (d) transmitting a text message to the called communication station.    
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 6   , wherein the text message identifies the name of present service.  
     
     
         8 . The method of claims  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , or  6 , wherein step (c) comprises the steps of recording the audible caller identification information and transmitting the recorded audible caller identification information to the called telephone station.  
     
     
         9 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) determining whether a human is available to answer the call; and    (d) connecting the calling communication station to the called communication station in response to a determination that a human is not available to answer the call.    
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 9   , wherein step (c) comprises the steps of: 
 connecting a service node with the called communication station;    transmitting a request for input to the called communication station; and    determining whether input was transmitted from the called communication station.    
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 10   , wherein step (d) comprises the steps of disconnecting the service node and the called communication station; and 
 placing a second call to the called communication station.    
     
     
         12 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) determining whether a human is available to answer the call; and    (d) connecting the calling communication station with a voice mail system in response to a determination that a human is not available to answer the call.    
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 12   , wherein step (c) comprises the steps of: 
 connecting a service node with the called communication station;    transmitting a request for input to the called communication station; and    determining whether input was transmitted from the called communication station.    
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 12   , wherein step (d) comprises the steps of disconnecting the service node and the called communication station; and 
 placing a second call to the called communication station.    
     
     
         15 . A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) using an advanced intelligent network to determine whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    (b) transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station;    (c) transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.    
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein step (a) comprises the step of determining whether caller identification information for the calling communication station is unavailable.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein step (a) comprises the step of determining whether the caller identification information for the calling communication station is incomplete.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein step (a) comprises the step of determining whether caller identification information for the calling communication station has been blocked.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein step (b) comprises the step of transmitting a request for the calling party to speak his/her name.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein step (b) comprises the step of transmitting a request for the calling party to speak the name of the party upon whose behalf he/she is calling.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of transmitting a message to the called communication station, the message comprising accept and reject options and a request for input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         22 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step determining whether a human is available to answer the call.  
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of connecting the call in response to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of canceling the call in response to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         25 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of transferring the call to a voice mail system in response to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of transferring the call to another location in response to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         27 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of transmitting a message to the calling communication station in response to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         28 . The method of    claim 15   , further comprising the step of transmitting a text message to the called communication station.  
     
     
         29 . The method of    claim 27   , wherein the text message identifies the name of the present service.  
     
     
         30 . A system for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising: 
 means for determining whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    means for transmitting a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station; and    means for transmitting the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.    
     
     
         31 . A system for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising: 
 a service control point operative to determine whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    a service node coupled with the service control point, the service node being operative to transmit a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station and being operative to transmit the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.    
     
     
         32 . The system of    claim 31   , wherein the service control point is operative to determine whether the standard caller identification information for the calling communication station is unavailable.  
     
     
         33 . The system of    claim 31   , wherein the service control point is operative to determine whether the standard caller identification information for the calling communication station is incomplete.  
     
     
         34 . The system of    claim 31   , wherein the service control point is operative to determine whether the standard caller identification information for the calling communication station has been blocked.  
     
     
         35 . The system of    claim 31   , wherein the service node is operative to transmit audible messages to the calling communication station.  
     
     
         36 . The system of    claim 31   , wherein the service node is operative to transmit audible messages to the called communication station.  
     
     
         37 . The system of    claim 31   , wherein the service node is operative to receive and respond to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         38 . A system for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising: 
 a service control point operative to determine whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    an intelligent peripheral coupled with the service control point, the intelligent peripheral being operative to transmit a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station and being operative to transmit the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.    
     
     
         39 . The system of    claim 38   , wherein the service control point is operative to determine whether the standard caller identification information for the calling communication station is unavailable.  
     
     
         40 . The system of    claim 38   , wherein the service control point is operative to determine whether the standard caller identification information for the calling communication station is incomplete.  
     
     
         41 . The system of    claim 38   , wherein the service control point is operative to determine whether the standard caller identification information for the calling communication station has been blocked.  
     
     
         42 . The system of    claim 38   , wherein the intelligent peripheral is operative to transmit audible messages to the calling communication station.  
     
     
         43 . The system of    claim 38   , wherein the intelligent peripheral is operative to transmit audible messages to the called communication station.  
     
     
         44 . The system of    claim 38   , wherein the intelligent peripheral is operative to receive and respond to input from the called communication station.  
     
     
         45 . A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station, the computer readable program code comprising: 
 a first computer readable program code for causing a computer to determine whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;    a second computer readable program code for causing a computer to transmit a request for audible caller identification information to the calling communication station in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station; and    a third computer readable program code for causing a computer to transmit the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.