CA2085905A1 - Telephone paging system for connecting calling and paged parties - Google Patents
Telephone paging system for connecting calling and paged partiesInfo
- Publication number
- CA2085905A1 CA2085905A1 CA002085905A CA2085905A CA2085905A1 CA 2085905 A1 CA2085905 A1 CA 2085905A1 CA 002085905 A CA002085905 A CA 002085905A CA 2085905 A CA2085905 A CA 2085905A CA 2085905 A1 CA2085905 A1 CA 2085905A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- party
- signal
- paged
- paging
- paging signal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
- H04M11/02—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with bell or annunciator systems
- H04M11/022—Paging systems
Abstract
A method and system for establishing a telephone connection between a calling party and a paged party. When a calling party initiates a telephone call to the telephone system a PBX (4) serving the system transfers the call to voice processing equipment ("VPM") (6). The VPM sends a voice menu to the caller which provides the caller an option to page the called party, and also provides other options typically available in conventional voice mail and automated attendant systems. In response to selection of the paging option, an RF paging signal is transmitted to the paged party by a set of radio transmitters (12, 14, 15, 18, 20). The paged party carries a badge (22) designed to vibrate (44) (or otherwise signal the badge holder) upon reception of the paging signal. In response, the paged party may go to the nearest telephone (24, 26), and use the key pad to instruct the VPM to establish a direct connection between the paged party's line and the caller's line.
Description
WO 91/20147 ;~5~ r3 PCI'/US91/04452 TELEPHONE PAGING SYSTEM FOE~ CONNECTING
CALLING AND PAGE~D PARTIES
Field of the Invention The invention is a method and system ~or establishing a telephone connf~ction between a calling party and a paged party. More par~icularly, the inventive system is a local area telephone network, including an automatic :;
10 radio paging means having a range limited to a local area and which can operate in conjunction with a voice processing unit, and also including a means for establishing a direct telephone connection between a caller and a paged party.
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15 Background of the Invention In one type of conventional paging system, described for exampie in :
United Kingdom Patent Application 2,208,777A, published April 12, 1989, a -~
voice mail unit automatically pages a subscriber each time the ~ioice mail unit records a message for the subscriber from a caller. More specifically, the .
20 voice mail unit commands a paging unit to send a radio signal to the subscriber. The paging signal may indicate the telephone number of the caller, or may merely indicate that an unidentified caller has recorded a voice message for the subscriber. However, in such conventional systems, the .
caller hangs up his (or her) telephone after causing a message to be recorded .-in the voice mail unit. . .
- . ...
Until the present invention, it has not been known how automatically to establish a direct telephone connection between a caller and a paged party .j .
using radio signals restricted to a specific local area. Nor has it been known how a caller may access a local area telephone network (sometimes denoted herein as a "PBX" system since many conventional local area telephone :~`
networks employ private branch exchange, or "PBX," equipment), command :
an element of the PBX system to send a limited-range low power RF paging ;
signal to a party, and remain connected to the system until the paged party initiaies a simple cross-connection (typically, an analog cross-conneetion) to :-establish a direct telephone connection with the caller.
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WO gl/20147 '~ 9~5 P~/US91/04452 Summar~ of the Invention -The invention is a method and system for establishing a direct telephone connection between a calling party and a paged party (a subscnber S or user) through the use of a low power, site-specific RF pag~ng network and a PBX telephone network operahng in parallel with the paging network.
When an internal or external calling party initiates a telephone call to a telephone network embodying the invention, the network transfers the call to a voice signal processing means ("VPMn), which may be an adjunct 10 processing unit ("APU"j or may include both a ~oice processing unit (`'VPU") and an APU. The VPM responds by sending a voice menu to the caller over a telephone line. The voice menu may provide the caller an option to "page" the called party and, preferably, also provides the other options typically available in conventional voice mail and automated attendant 15 systems.
In response to selection of the "paging" option by the caller, the APU
sends a paging signal to a site-specific radio transmission means (which may be positioned to provide limited coverage to an office, a ~actory, or the like).20 In an embodiment which includes both an APU and a VPU, the ~IPIJ
transfers the caller to the APU and preferably also transmits additional informa~ion causing the APU-to transmit the paging-signal, and the VPU may also send pertinent in-band or out-of-band in~ormation to the APU. The paging signal may indicate the telephone number (or PBX extension) of the 2~ paging party and a code identifying the paged party. The paged party carries a badge designed to vibrate (or otherwise signal the badge holder) upon reception of a radio frequency paging signal including the paged party's identification code.
In response to the paging signal, the page~ par~ may go to the nearest telephone ~within the specific local telephone area network), and use the telephone key pad to access the APU and identify himself (or herself) as the paged party. In response to this action by the paged party, the APU
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wo gl/20147 ~5~5 P~/US91/04~52 es~blishes a direc~ connection between the paged party's line and the caller's line.
If the paged party fails to respond to the paging signal within a selected peliod of time ~for example, thirty seconds), the VPM will send another voice menu to the caller (for example, ~ voice menu prompting the caller to hold while the APU continues to try to locate the paged party, to transfer to a voice box to record a message ~or the paged party, or to transfer ~ -to a human operator).
An important benefit of the invention is that it enables a PBX system with only a few shared telephones to serve many people efficiently, since the inventive APU allows those people sharing the telephones to configure their badges so that they will be alerted whenever they receive an incoming call ~regardless of their proximity to any par~icular telephone). The invention is not merely a paging system. Instead, the invention enables more complete integration of PBX
system users with a telecommunications/voice system, and enables employers to remain in close contact with their employees. No human operator is required to perfo~n the functions of the inven~e system. Employees need not wear bulky conventional beepers to use the inventive system. Rather, they need only wear a modified version of their ;~
company badge.
Brief Description of the Drawing~
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Figure 1 is a block diagram o~ a preferred embodiment of the inventive system.
Figure 2 is a block diagram of a paged party's badge that is suitable for use in the system of Figure 1.
. ;, Figure 3 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the voice processing means of the Figure 1 system.
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W~ 91/~0147 PC~ S91/0~452 ~5~ 4_ Figure 4 is a flow diagram showing the principal seeps performed in a preferred embodiment of the inventive method.
Figure S is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the voice processing u~it of the system of Figure 3.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments An impor~ant objec~ive of the inven~ion is to enable a telephone caller to cause a paging signal to be transmitted by a radio network (which operates in parallel with one or more local area telephone networks) to a "paged party," and enable the paged party to respond to the paging signal by establishing A direct telephone connection with the caller. The paged party may respond to the paging signal by cau~ing an adjunct pro~essing un~t (described below) to execute a direct cross-connection ~typically a direct analog cross-connection) with the caller, while the caller remains on a line within one of the local area telephone networks. Once a caller is connected with the inventive system, the caller is never disconnected until he or she is given the option to page the called party by radio, and is preferably also given the option ~o record a voice message for the paged party in the event that the paged party does not respond to the radio page.
In the embodiment shown in Figure l, the invention includes exchange means 4 (which may be a priva~e branch exchange or computeri~ed branch exchange, and will be referred to herein interchangeably as "pAvate branch exchange" 4, "PBX" 4, and computeri~ branch exchange 4), and voice processing means 6 (sometimes referred to herein as "YPM" 6) connected to PBX 4~ VPM 6 performs conventional voice menu generation functions in addition to the new, inventive functions to be described below.
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YPM 6 may be a conventional adjunct processing unit ("APU"), of the type sapable of being programmed to generate and send a voice menu, and to control peripheral equipment (such as a set of radio transmitters), either in W~ 91/20147 ~ 5 PCI/US91/~152 response to commands entered by a caller in response to the voice menu, or automatically after sending the voice menu Alternatively, VPM ~ may include the components shown 5 in Figure 3~ As shown in Figure 3, VPM 6 includes a conventional voice processing unit 7 connected to PBX 4 and an adjunct processing unit ("APU") 8 connected to VPU 7. Preferably, YPU 7 and APU 8 are connected together by an RS232 seri3;1 input/output I;nk. VPU 7 performs conventional voice mail and automated attendant 10functions for the telephones connected to PBX 4 (such as telephones 24, 26, and 28 shown in Figure 1), in additiorl to the new, inventive functions of VPM 6 to be described below. Each of VPU 7 and APU is directly connected to PBX 4.
lSWith reference again to Figure l, telephones 24, 26, and 28 (and any nurnber of additional telephones not shown in Figure l) connected to PBX 4 ;
and served by VPU 6 will sometimes be referred to herein as stations "on"
the local area telephone network, or "internal'1 stations. In contrast, telephones that may access PBX 4 only through telephone company central - 20 office equipment 3 will sometimes be referred to herein as stations "of~' the local area telephone network, or "external" stations.
The local area telephone network of the invention will sometimes be referred to herein as a "PBX" network, ialthough exchange means 4 may be a 25 computerized branch exchange, rather than a private branch exchange. When an external calling party dials an extension on the PBX network using external station 2, central office equipment 3 and PBX 4 connect station 2 with VPM 6, and VPM 6 sends a voice menu (to be described below with reference to Figure 4) to station 2. Preferably, PBX 4 includes telephone 30 ports and a telephone line cross-connec~on means (not shown) for connecting pairs of the ports, and pre~erably includes processing means S which may b~
programmed either to route all incoming calls initially to VPM 6, or otherwise to route incoming calls. ;
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WO ~1/20147 ~ PCI`/US91/04452 ~6--In a preferred embodiment in which VPM 6 includes a VPU having automated attendant capability, in response to enh~ of an e;ctension by a caller, the automated attendant rmeans within VPM 6 rings the extension. If VPM 6 determines that this attempt results in a ring no answer (RNA) or a 5 busy signal, VPM 6 provides the caller with a second voice menu, which prompts for the caller to select an automated paging option, and preferably also prompts the caller to record a voice message, enter another extension, or reach an operator.
Often, the caller will be satisfied to record a voice message for an unava lable party, or to transfer to another party. However, in certain circumstances (such as when dealing with ~ime critical in~ormation), neither alternative is desirable. In such cases, the caller may wish to cause a limited-range radio paging signal (having a range restricted to the area served by a 15 PBX network, for example) to be sent to the unavailable party while the caller remains on the telephone line.
If the caller selects the "paging'i option on the second voice menu, YPM 6 keeps the caller on hold while it commands APU 8 to send a radio 20 ~requency paging signal to a radio transmission means ~sllch as point transmitters 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 connected along coaxial cable 10.
Transmitters 12-20 pre~erably operate at low power ~avoiding the need for FCC licenses for each site), so as to emit an FCC compliant radio signal that may be received by badge 22, which is worn by the paged party. The 25 inven~ive radio transn~ission means need not include point transmitters (suchas point transmitters 12, 149 16, 18, and 20), and instead may comprise a distributed transmitter and antenna means (which may inc}ude, for example, a leaky cable).
In the Figure 3 embodiment in which VPM 6 includes VPU 7 and APU 8, in response to the caller's selel tion of the paging option, VPU 6 transfers the caller to APU 8, and APU 8 holds the caller while it sends the radio frequency paging signal to the radio transmission means (for example, to the radio transmitters along coaxial cable l0).
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WO 91/~0147 PCI`/US~1/04452 -7~ 5 ~:
A preferred embodiment of badge 22 is shown in Figure 2.
Throughout the specification~ ;ncluding in the claims, the term "badge" is used to denote any portable unit capable of being worn by a paged par~y, S which includes a processing means and a transducer of the type described herein. In one preferred embodiment, the badge has roughly the same length and width as a conventional employee identification badge, and has a thiclcness no more than about four to five times greater than ~he thickness of aconventional credit card. In such preferred embodiment, the necessary 10 electronic circuitry and processing means is preferably laminated within the badge, and conventional visual (and/or magnetically encoded) identification information is preferably printéd on the badge surface. In another preferred embodiment, the badge consists of electronic circuitry enclosed within a housing, and the housing is shaped and dimensioned for convenient 15 attachment to a conventional employee identification badge.
Throughout this specification, including in the claims, the phrase :
"external RF network" denotes an RF network vther than the local RF
network including the inventive transmission means (i.e., transmit~ers 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 in Figure 1) whose range is limited to the area of the PBX
telephone network. .
13adge 22 pre~erably includes a radio re~iver 40, ~or re~eiving and ,~
demodulating the RF paging signal. Receiver 4û is connected to microprocessor 42, whieh receives and processes the demodulated paging signal ~om receiver 40. Alternatively, microprocessor 42 may be replaced by one or more PAL integrated circuits which perfo~n the same functions as would the microprocessor. ~A radio transmitter 46, and a transducer 44 are also connected to microprocessor 42. Transducer 44 may be a loudspeaker for producing an audible llbeep'l signal, a vibrating transducer ~or producing anon^audible vibrating signal that the badge wearer will feel, a display means for displaying visual information, or a combination of two or more of these three types of transducers. Power supply 48 (which may be a battery) WO 91/20147 ;2~5~'~S ` PCI/US91/04452 --8-- . .
supp}ies electric power ~o receiver 40, microprocessor 42, transducer 44, and transmitter 46.
If microprocessor 42 determines that the paging signal includes a S prestored address signal (i.e., if the paging signal is addressed to the badgewearer), it will send a control signal causing transducer to vibrate (or otherwise) indicate that the badge wearer is being paged. The paging signal may include additional infonnation, such as an indication whether the paging party is at an external or an internal station. In this latter embodiment, 10 microprocessor 42 is preferably programmed to cause transducer to emit a continuous signal to inform the badge wearer that the paging party is an external caller, or a stutter signal to inforrn the badge wearer that ~he pagingparty is an internal caller. Of course, it is contemplated that any two distin-guishable transducer signals may be employed to distinguish between pages 15 by external and internal callers.
Badge 22 may also include display means 437 operating under control of microprocessor 42, for displaying the telephone number (or other identifying rode) of the paging party, or for displaying the status of the 20 wearer's voice mail box, fax rnail box, or any other local area network based information system.
In a prefierred embodiment, microprocessor 42 generates status signals in response ~o recepdon of RF command signals a~ receiver 40. Such status 25 signals indicate such informatiorl as the location of the badge, and are transmitted in the form of radio signals from transmitter 46. In this embodiment, transmitters 12-20 along cable 10 are transceivers, and each includes rneans for receiving the radio status signals. The demodulated status signals propagate from transceivers 12-20 through cable 10 to APU 8 for 30 subsequent processing.
In another class of preferred embodiments, badge ~2 is passive, in the sense that it does not include a radio transmitter 46, and does not t;ransmit RFstatus signals to remote transceivers.
W~ ~1/20~t7 ;~ 35 PCr~u~sl/0~1452 _9 _ In order to responG o the radioed paging signal, the badge wearer goes to the nearest telephone (telephone 24, in l~igure l) and initiates a direct cross-connection (typically a direct analog cross-connectiorl) with the caller S (who has been kept on hold during the paging operation). In one preferred embodiment, the paged party uses the telephone key pad to access VPM 6 (or, in an embodiment in which VPM includes a VPU and an APU, to access the APU within VPM 6) and identify himself as a paged party by entering a control character (for example, an # or * character) and his current teIephone extension (and optionally also a passcode). Alternatively, the VPM (or APU) :
may be programmed so that the paged party need not enter such an identifying control character to initiate a direct cross-connection with the paging party. In response to the information en~ered by the paged party, the VPM (or APU) will execute direct 1~ cross-connect operation to connect the st~tions of the caller and the paged party. The system perforrns the cross-connection equally well regardless of whether the caller is an external caller (connected to PBX 4 through cenkal ~ .
office 3) or an internal caller (connected direc~ly to PBX 4). ! ' ,~
Preferably, receiver 40 is normally maintained in an inactive state, and processor 42 is programmed to "walce up" receiver 40 periodic~lly (i.e., :
cause power supply 48 to supply power periodically to receiver 40 to activate the receiver). Preferably, following each period of ina tivity, power is supplied to receiver 40 for a short duration in response to a demodulated 2~ paging signal having a first code (received during a previous "active`' period of the receiver), and power is supplied to receiver 40 for a longer duration in response to a demodulated paging signal having a second code (received durin~ a previous "active" period of the receiver3.
, It is con~emplated that an active period having the mentioned short duration will be sufficient to enable badge 22 to scan a small number (for example, fi~teen3 of transmitt~ paging signal address codes, while an active period with said longer duration will be necessary to enable badge 22 to scan a larger .. . .. .... . .. ., , .. . :, .. , , . .. - .. ... .. . --: , .
wo g~/21)147 ~ 5~5 -10- PCI'/US91/04452 number (for example, twenty) of transmitted paging address codes. The system may transmit the first code to indicate that it will transmi~ only short sequences of radio paging sign~s (for example, sequences of no more than fifteen consecutive address codes), and may ~ransmit the second code to S indicate that it will transmit longer sequences of radio paging signals (for example, sequences of up to twenty consecutive address codes). In this embodiment, badge 22 will operate in a low power consumption mode when VPM 6 is transmitting only short sequences of radio paging signals, and badge 22 will automatically enter a higher power consumption mode when 10 VPM 6 is transmitting longer sequences of radio paging signals.
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-In another preferred embodiment, VPM 6 normally transmits a short ;
address code for each badge, but VPM 6 may be commanded to transmit a long address code to any desired badge. For example, when a badge 22 is in its home local area (i.e., the area served by PBX 5, near transmitters 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20, and near telephones 24, 26, and 28), it will respond to a short address code in the paging signals from VPM 6. If then badge 22 is taken to a remote local area (for example, a local area served by another PBX, Dot shown in Fig. 1, connected to central office equipment 3), the :
badge is scanned (for example, using a scanning input dev;re 38 of the type described below with reference to Figure S) to input relevant long address information into the local VPM. In response, ~he VPM transmits a long :
address code to identify the badge in response to each paging request for the badge. This is desirable since the likelihood of misidentification of any given badge (a "first" badge) is typically greater in the case ~hat the first badge is ;
Iocated in a remote local area twhere other badges may be programmed to respond to the same short address code as the first badge), than in the case that the first badge is located in its home local area (where, typically, no other badges will be programmed to respond to the same short address code as the first badge). When the badge is returned to its home local area, VPM
6 will again transmit the short address code, and the badge will revert to its norrnal operating mode in which it responds to the short address code.
wo 9~/2~7 ~i5~ Pcr/llS9l/04452 In an alternative embodiment in which the badge includes a transmitter 46, and un~ts 12-20 along cable 10 are transceivers capable of receiYing radio status signals from the badge, VPM 6 is programmed to monitor the badge's position by processing address and position signals transmitted from the 5 badge, and to transmit long address codes tQ a badge located away from its home local area.
In another implementation, a subscriber can be reached in any site-specific paging network which can be connected to VPM 6. Such an RF
10 paging network can be at a site remote from the subscriber's base or "home"
site and might be a separate building within an industrial facility or a different corporate location. The remote site could be close to or thousands of miles ' away from the home site as long as there is a local transmitting facility which can reach the subscriber's receiving device. ;
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The "home" system can be apprised of the location of a subscribe} in several ways. The home system may presume that a subscriber will be within range of the home transmitter at all-times. The home system might look for a response to a page in the home network area9 and if there is no 20 response then page throughout all connectible paging systems.
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A subscriber can inform the home system that he or she is at a remote site but still accessible through the paging network by "checking in" with a remote network. A subscriber can check in to a remote site in many ways, 2~ includin~g entering location information on a computer or through a telephonewhich can access the home VPM 6. A remote location could have a scanning device which detects or analyzes a subscriber's badge and can notify VPM
6 in the subscriber's home location of the subscnber's specific or general location in the remote network. The scanner might read a bar code or 30 holographic information~ or might interact with some form of radio transponder. One useful scanning unit includes an interrogating transmitter which triggers some or all subscriber badges upon entry into a facility.
Alternati~ely, a scanner cou!d test many or all transponding badges , ' .
~Y~ gl/20147 ~ 5~ PCTt7~91/04452 periodically throughout a facility whereupon a subscriber's badge responds with the long address identifying the subscriber.
Another means of using the present badge and system includes a S scanner at one or more locations accessible to the home network~ A
subscriber can approach a local scanner in response to a page or simply to check in at a local area. A subscriber might also check in at a specific location so the VPM 6 can forward telephone calls or facsimile transmissions to that location.
The ability to configure RF receivers to respond to short or long address codes and to control a flexible wake state to match the current RF
traffic conditions experienced at the VPM can greatly reduce badge power consumption. Local area networks embodying the invention, whether 15 separated by a half mile or nine ~housand miles, may operate in the same or different wake state or address code mode, and each of their paging signal reception devices (badges) will enter an appropriate operating mode upon receiving appropriate control signals from the nearest VPM.
A preferred embodiment of VPU 7 (o~ Figure 3) will next be described with reference to Figure 5. In this embodiment, VPU 7 includes microprocessor 30 (which may be a Model 80386 integrated circuit, available from Intel Corporation3, memory means 32, telephone interf~ce 33 (for inter~acing with PBX 4), display means 37, input device 38 ~which may be a keyboard), and input/output port 39 (for inter~acing with APU 8~. Port 39 may be a serial port or a non-serial port.
Microprocessor 30 is programmed to perform conven~onal voice mail and automated attendant operations (as indicated schematically by the presence of voice mail module 34 and auto attendant module 36 within mieroprocessor 30), and to perform the inventive method steps to be descnbed with reference to Figure 4. Input device 3~ and display means 37 are provided in order to enable users to control operation of the sys~em, for example by changing ... . . . . . . ... .. .. . .. . . . . . . . .. .
WO 91/20147 P~/US91/1)44$2 -13~
user-configurable paging access levels or other~,rise repro~ramming microprocessor 30. Alternatively, user-configurable access levels may be configured directly on APU 8 (and other administrative information provided directly to APU 8.)~
A subscriber may choose to set different paging access levels for certain callers or groups of callers. Different access levels include different menu options, such as dif~erent levels of priority in paging the su!bscriber.
For example, a subscriber may choose to give a higher priori~y to his or her 10 supervisor or to certain officers of the company. A subscriber may be expecting a certain important call and may choose menu options for incorning callers which will enable the expected caller to reach the paged party in an efficient manner. VPM 6 can present menus asking a caller for cert-~in identification or password inforrnation or, alternahvely, VPM 6 may access 15 any infonnation available to the PBX which iden~ifies the phone number or extension of the calling par~y and then provide appropriate menus according to the paging access levels set by the subscriber.
Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the principal steps of the in~entive 20 method. In response to an ex~ernal or internal t~lephone call (i.e., when YPM 6 is connected to an external or internal caller by PBX 4), the initial step (step 50) is to send the caller a first voice menu. Preferably the first ~-menu is generated by an automated attendant means within a ~PU of the type shown in Figure 5), and the first menu prompts the caller to select (pre~er~ly 25 by entering DTMF tones using a telephone keypad) one of several options such as: to dial the called party's extension, to store a voice message in a specified voice message file (mailbox), or to page the cciller by radio.
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The caller selects one of the menu options at step ~. If the caller 30 does not select the pag~ng option, he receives one or more voice menus prompting additional action (at step 54). If the caller selects ~he paging op~ion, he designates the telephone extension (or other identification number) of the party to be paged. In response, the caller is placed "on hold" and a radio paging signal is ~ransmitted to the paged party over an RF link (at step ., - - . - ~ . -: ................ . . ~ - - .. .:
- . . ~ - . -. -. .. .- ~-. ~.. ,- ,. .. . . . . .
WO 91/20147 ~ 5'~)~5 P~/US91/04452 56). The system's VPM initiates transmission of the paging signal in step 56.
Preferably, the VP~I includes a VPU which commands a separate APU
(linked to the VPU by a communications link) to transmit the paging signal.
The paging signal includes the telephone extension of the paged party (or another identification of the paged party), and may include the telephone number (or PBX extension) of the paging party. If the paged party determines that the paging signal is addressed to hirn (such as if the paged party carries a comparator/beeper circuit which identifies and announces a 10 match between the transmitted identification and an identification stored in the cornparator), the paged party will elect whether to respond to the page (at step 58). In one pref~rred embodiment, the paged party learns the telephone number of the paging party before deciding whether to respond to the page.
If the paged par~y fails to respond to the page within a predetermined time 15 period (such as 30 seconds), step 60 is perfonned to send the caller an additional voice menu (or voice menus) prompting additional action, such as recording a voice message for the paged party or commanding the automated attendant to transfer him to another extension. If the paged par~y elects to respond to the page, he commands the VPM ~or the APU within the VPM~ to 20 establish a direct telephone connection between him and the caller (at step 62), such as by operating the nearest telephone handset in order to enter such command.
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This system can accommodate multiple users for a single telephone 25 number or an extension. This could include a group of employees each of whom can provide equivalent services, such as manufacturing group, a messenger group, or a group handling ceirtain types of aecounts, etc. When a calling party places a call to a group a phone number, VPM 6 can page multiple subscribers and transfer the incoming call to the first subscriber to 30 contact VP~ 6.
Another application of the current invention is useful for conventions or even for an office environment. The subscribers have unique identification numbers but single subscribers generally have no s~cific telephone assigned ;.. . - .. : .. - - . . . ~ -. "~ - . - . . . . ... . .
wo ~ 7 -15- ;?~ 5~?~5 P~r/Ussl/04~5 ~o them. In a preferred embodiment, the number ~f subscribers exceeds the number of incoming phone lines by a significant factor~ which might be 3, 10, 100 or more. The number of lines required depends on the anticipated or actual loading on the system.
A caller dials a number which is shared by multiple subscribers. -The caller is then presented with a voice menu which asks the caller to identify the party they are trying to reach. This might involve knowing a number for the called party or might require the calling party to enter some mlmber of letters of the subscriber's name. Once the calling party has communicated the identity of the called party to VPM 6, VPM 6 pages that party according to the method described herein. A party receiving the page can then pick up any convenient telephone which is connectible to the system and the system-will connect the calling and the called par~ies.
: :.
A subscriber may have more than one incoming call at a time. Each calling party can be presented with menus appropriate to the caller's access level. VPM 6 can notify a subscriber with one or more page signals which identify different callers or types of callers. When the subscriber calls back to VPM 6, the called party is presented with information about each calling ~;
party which can include the identity or impo~ance of one or more callers.
VPM 6 may automatically assign priority of calls based on access levels by ~he subscriber or may ~llow a paged subscnber to select which of ~he waiting calls to take and in which order. VPM 6 can deliver appropriate messages to waiting callers which might include infonnation that the called party will be available within a certain time and invite the calling party to continue to holdor to leave a voice message.
The system of this invention has been described generally as a PBX, but the method of this invention can be practiced w;th other devices as well.
The key feature of the telephone answering portion of ~e system is ~at it can handle a number of incoming calls and can cross-connect two or more of those calls under control of VPM 6.
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w~ n~47 -16- PCI /IJS91/04452 Various modific~tions and alterations in the s~lcture and method of operation of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without depa~in, from the scope and spirit of this invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it S should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments.
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CALLING AND PAGE~D PARTIES
Field of the Invention The invention is a method and system ~or establishing a telephone connf~ction between a calling party and a paged party. More par~icularly, the inventive system is a local area telephone network, including an automatic :;
10 radio paging means having a range limited to a local area and which can operate in conjunction with a voice processing unit, and also including a means for establishing a direct telephone connection between a caller and a paged party.
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15 Background of the Invention In one type of conventional paging system, described for exampie in :
United Kingdom Patent Application 2,208,777A, published April 12, 1989, a -~
voice mail unit automatically pages a subscriber each time the ~ioice mail unit records a message for the subscriber from a caller. More specifically, the .
20 voice mail unit commands a paging unit to send a radio signal to the subscriber. The paging signal may indicate the telephone number of the caller, or may merely indicate that an unidentified caller has recorded a voice message for the subscriber. However, in such conventional systems, the .
caller hangs up his (or her) telephone after causing a message to be recorded .-in the voice mail unit. . .
- . ...
Until the present invention, it has not been known how automatically to establish a direct telephone connection between a caller and a paged party .j .
using radio signals restricted to a specific local area. Nor has it been known how a caller may access a local area telephone network (sometimes denoted herein as a "PBX" system since many conventional local area telephone :~`
networks employ private branch exchange, or "PBX," equipment), command :
an element of the PBX system to send a limited-range low power RF paging ;
signal to a party, and remain connected to the system until the paged party initiaies a simple cross-connection (typically, an analog cross-conneetion) to :-establish a direct telephone connection with the caller.
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WO gl/20147 '~ 9~5 P~/US91/04452 Summar~ of the Invention -The invention is a method and system for establishing a direct telephone connection between a calling party and a paged party (a subscnber S or user) through the use of a low power, site-specific RF pag~ng network and a PBX telephone network operahng in parallel with the paging network.
When an internal or external calling party initiates a telephone call to a telephone network embodying the invention, the network transfers the call to a voice signal processing means ("VPMn), which may be an adjunct 10 processing unit ("APU"j or may include both a ~oice processing unit (`'VPU") and an APU. The VPM responds by sending a voice menu to the caller over a telephone line. The voice menu may provide the caller an option to "page" the called party and, preferably, also provides the other options typically available in conventional voice mail and automated attendant 15 systems.
In response to selection of the "paging" option by the caller, the APU
sends a paging signal to a site-specific radio transmission means (which may be positioned to provide limited coverage to an office, a ~actory, or the like).20 In an embodiment which includes both an APU and a VPU, the ~IPIJ
transfers the caller to the APU and preferably also transmits additional informa~ion causing the APU-to transmit the paging-signal, and the VPU may also send pertinent in-band or out-of-band in~ormation to the APU. The paging signal may indicate the telephone number (or PBX extension) of the 2~ paging party and a code identifying the paged party. The paged party carries a badge designed to vibrate (or otherwise signal the badge holder) upon reception of a radio frequency paging signal including the paged party's identification code.
In response to the paging signal, the page~ par~ may go to the nearest telephone ~within the specific local telephone area network), and use the telephone key pad to access the APU and identify himself (or herself) as the paged party. In response to this action by the paged party, the APU
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.. , ..... . . . . . ,. - .. .~.. - - . . . - . ~ .: .. . : . . .
wo gl/20147 ~5~5 P~/US91/04~52 es~blishes a direc~ connection between the paged party's line and the caller's line.
If the paged party fails to respond to the paging signal within a selected peliod of time ~for example, thirty seconds), the VPM will send another voice menu to the caller (for example, ~ voice menu prompting the caller to hold while the APU continues to try to locate the paged party, to transfer to a voice box to record a message ~or the paged party, or to transfer ~ -to a human operator).
An important benefit of the invention is that it enables a PBX system with only a few shared telephones to serve many people efficiently, since the inventive APU allows those people sharing the telephones to configure their badges so that they will be alerted whenever they receive an incoming call ~regardless of their proximity to any par~icular telephone). The invention is not merely a paging system. Instead, the invention enables more complete integration of PBX
system users with a telecommunications/voice system, and enables employers to remain in close contact with their employees. No human operator is required to perfo~n the functions of the inven~e system. Employees need not wear bulky conventional beepers to use the inventive system. Rather, they need only wear a modified version of their ;~
company badge.
Brief Description of the Drawing~
:
Figure 1 is a block diagram o~ a preferred embodiment of the inventive system.
Figure 2 is a block diagram of a paged party's badge that is suitable for use in the system of Figure 1.
. ;, Figure 3 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the voice processing means of the Figure 1 system.
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. ~ .
W~ 91/~0147 PC~ S91/0~452 ~5~ 4_ Figure 4 is a flow diagram showing the principal seeps performed in a preferred embodiment of the inventive method.
Figure S is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the voice processing u~it of the system of Figure 3.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments An impor~ant objec~ive of the inven~ion is to enable a telephone caller to cause a paging signal to be transmitted by a radio network (which operates in parallel with one or more local area telephone networks) to a "paged party," and enable the paged party to respond to the paging signal by establishing A direct telephone connection with the caller. The paged party may respond to the paging signal by cau~ing an adjunct pro~essing un~t (described below) to execute a direct cross-connection ~typically a direct analog cross-connection) with the caller, while the caller remains on a line within one of the local area telephone networks. Once a caller is connected with the inventive system, the caller is never disconnected until he or she is given the option to page the called party by radio, and is preferably also given the option ~o record a voice message for the paged party in the event that the paged party does not respond to the radio page.
In the embodiment shown in Figure l, the invention includes exchange means 4 (which may be a priva~e branch exchange or computeri~ed branch exchange, and will be referred to herein interchangeably as "pAvate branch exchange" 4, "PBX" 4, and computeri~ branch exchange 4), and voice processing means 6 (sometimes referred to herein as "YPM" 6) connected to PBX 4~ VPM 6 performs conventional voice menu generation functions in addition to the new, inventive functions to be described below.
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YPM 6 may be a conventional adjunct processing unit ("APU"), of the type sapable of being programmed to generate and send a voice menu, and to control peripheral equipment (such as a set of radio transmitters), either in W~ 91/20147 ~ 5 PCI/US91/~152 response to commands entered by a caller in response to the voice menu, or automatically after sending the voice menu Alternatively, VPM ~ may include the components shown 5 in Figure 3~ As shown in Figure 3, VPM 6 includes a conventional voice processing unit 7 connected to PBX 4 and an adjunct processing unit ("APU") 8 connected to VPU 7. Preferably, YPU 7 and APU 8 are connected together by an RS232 seri3;1 input/output I;nk. VPU 7 performs conventional voice mail and automated attendant 10functions for the telephones connected to PBX 4 (such as telephones 24, 26, and 28 shown in Figure 1), in additiorl to the new, inventive functions of VPM 6 to be described below. Each of VPU 7 and APU is directly connected to PBX 4.
lSWith reference again to Figure l, telephones 24, 26, and 28 (and any nurnber of additional telephones not shown in Figure l) connected to PBX 4 ;
and served by VPU 6 will sometimes be referred to herein as stations "on"
the local area telephone network, or "internal'1 stations. In contrast, telephones that may access PBX 4 only through telephone company central - 20 office equipment 3 will sometimes be referred to herein as stations "of~' the local area telephone network, or "external" stations.
The local area telephone network of the invention will sometimes be referred to herein as a "PBX" network, ialthough exchange means 4 may be a 25 computerized branch exchange, rather than a private branch exchange. When an external calling party dials an extension on the PBX network using external station 2, central office equipment 3 and PBX 4 connect station 2 with VPM 6, and VPM 6 sends a voice menu (to be described below with reference to Figure 4) to station 2. Preferably, PBX 4 includes telephone 30 ports and a telephone line cross-connec~on means (not shown) for connecting pairs of the ports, and pre~erably includes processing means S which may b~
programmed either to route all incoming calls initially to VPM 6, or otherwise to route incoming calls. ;
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, " , ":" ;, ,;, ",~, , ;,,, , ~, ,: ,:, , "
WO ~1/20147 ~ PCI`/US91/04452 ~6--In a preferred embodiment in which VPM 6 includes a VPU having automated attendant capability, in response to enh~ of an e;ctension by a caller, the automated attendant rmeans within VPM 6 rings the extension. If VPM 6 determines that this attempt results in a ring no answer (RNA) or a 5 busy signal, VPM 6 provides the caller with a second voice menu, which prompts for the caller to select an automated paging option, and preferably also prompts the caller to record a voice message, enter another extension, or reach an operator.
Often, the caller will be satisfied to record a voice message for an unava lable party, or to transfer to another party. However, in certain circumstances (such as when dealing with ~ime critical in~ormation), neither alternative is desirable. In such cases, the caller may wish to cause a limited-range radio paging signal (having a range restricted to the area served by a 15 PBX network, for example) to be sent to the unavailable party while the caller remains on the telephone line.
If the caller selects the "paging'i option on the second voice menu, YPM 6 keeps the caller on hold while it commands APU 8 to send a radio 20 ~requency paging signal to a radio transmission means ~sllch as point transmitters 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 connected along coaxial cable 10.
Transmitters 12-20 pre~erably operate at low power ~avoiding the need for FCC licenses for each site), so as to emit an FCC compliant radio signal that may be received by badge 22, which is worn by the paged party. The 25 inven~ive radio transn~ission means need not include point transmitters (suchas point transmitters 12, 149 16, 18, and 20), and instead may comprise a distributed transmitter and antenna means (which may inc}ude, for example, a leaky cable).
In the Figure 3 embodiment in which VPM 6 includes VPU 7 and APU 8, in response to the caller's selel tion of the paging option, VPU 6 transfers the caller to APU 8, and APU 8 holds the caller while it sends the radio frequency paging signal to the radio transmission means (for example, to the radio transmitters along coaxial cable l0).
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WO 91/~0147 PCI`/US~1/04452 -7~ 5 ~:
A preferred embodiment of badge 22 is shown in Figure 2.
Throughout the specification~ ;ncluding in the claims, the term "badge" is used to denote any portable unit capable of being worn by a paged par~y, S which includes a processing means and a transducer of the type described herein. In one preferred embodiment, the badge has roughly the same length and width as a conventional employee identification badge, and has a thiclcness no more than about four to five times greater than ~he thickness of aconventional credit card. In such preferred embodiment, the necessary 10 electronic circuitry and processing means is preferably laminated within the badge, and conventional visual (and/or magnetically encoded) identification information is preferably printéd on the badge surface. In another preferred embodiment, the badge consists of electronic circuitry enclosed within a housing, and the housing is shaped and dimensioned for convenient 15 attachment to a conventional employee identification badge.
Throughout this specification, including in the claims, the phrase :
"external RF network" denotes an RF network vther than the local RF
network including the inventive transmission means (i.e., transmit~ers 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 in Figure 1) whose range is limited to the area of the PBX
telephone network. .
13adge 22 pre~erably includes a radio re~iver 40, ~or re~eiving and ,~
demodulating the RF paging signal. Receiver 4û is connected to microprocessor 42, whieh receives and processes the demodulated paging signal ~om receiver 40. Alternatively, microprocessor 42 may be replaced by one or more PAL integrated circuits which perfo~n the same functions as would the microprocessor. ~A radio transmitter 46, and a transducer 44 are also connected to microprocessor 42. Transducer 44 may be a loudspeaker for producing an audible llbeep'l signal, a vibrating transducer ~or producing anon^audible vibrating signal that the badge wearer will feel, a display means for displaying visual information, or a combination of two or more of these three types of transducers. Power supply 48 (which may be a battery) WO 91/20147 ;2~5~'~S ` PCI/US91/04452 --8-- . .
supp}ies electric power ~o receiver 40, microprocessor 42, transducer 44, and transmitter 46.
If microprocessor 42 determines that the paging signal includes a S prestored address signal (i.e., if the paging signal is addressed to the badgewearer), it will send a control signal causing transducer to vibrate (or otherwise) indicate that the badge wearer is being paged. The paging signal may include additional infonnation, such as an indication whether the paging party is at an external or an internal station. In this latter embodiment, 10 microprocessor 42 is preferably programmed to cause transducer to emit a continuous signal to inform the badge wearer that the paging party is an external caller, or a stutter signal to inforrn the badge wearer that ~he pagingparty is an internal caller. Of course, it is contemplated that any two distin-guishable transducer signals may be employed to distinguish between pages 15 by external and internal callers.
Badge 22 may also include display means 437 operating under control of microprocessor 42, for displaying the telephone number (or other identifying rode) of the paging party, or for displaying the status of the 20 wearer's voice mail box, fax rnail box, or any other local area network based information system.
In a prefierred embodiment, microprocessor 42 generates status signals in response ~o recepdon of RF command signals a~ receiver 40. Such status 25 signals indicate such informatiorl as the location of the badge, and are transmitted in the form of radio signals from transmitter 46. In this embodiment, transmitters 12-20 along cable 10 are transceivers, and each includes rneans for receiving the radio status signals. The demodulated status signals propagate from transceivers 12-20 through cable 10 to APU 8 for 30 subsequent processing.
In another class of preferred embodiments, badge ~2 is passive, in the sense that it does not include a radio transmitter 46, and does not t;ransmit RFstatus signals to remote transceivers.
W~ ~1/20~t7 ;~ 35 PCr~u~sl/0~1452 _9 _ In order to responG o the radioed paging signal, the badge wearer goes to the nearest telephone (telephone 24, in l~igure l) and initiates a direct cross-connection (typically a direct analog cross-connectiorl) with the caller S (who has been kept on hold during the paging operation). In one preferred embodiment, the paged party uses the telephone key pad to access VPM 6 (or, in an embodiment in which VPM includes a VPU and an APU, to access the APU within VPM 6) and identify himself as a paged party by entering a control character (for example, an # or * character) and his current teIephone extension (and optionally also a passcode). Alternatively, the VPM (or APU) :
may be programmed so that the paged party need not enter such an identifying control character to initiate a direct cross-connection with the paging party. In response to the information en~ered by the paged party, the VPM (or APU) will execute direct 1~ cross-connect operation to connect the st~tions of the caller and the paged party. The system perforrns the cross-connection equally well regardless of whether the caller is an external caller (connected to PBX 4 through cenkal ~ .
office 3) or an internal caller (connected direc~ly to PBX 4). ! ' ,~
Preferably, receiver 40 is normally maintained in an inactive state, and processor 42 is programmed to "walce up" receiver 40 periodic~lly (i.e., :
cause power supply 48 to supply power periodically to receiver 40 to activate the receiver). Preferably, following each period of ina tivity, power is supplied to receiver 40 for a short duration in response to a demodulated 2~ paging signal having a first code (received during a previous "active`' period of the receiver), and power is supplied to receiver 40 for a longer duration in response to a demodulated paging signal having a second code (received durin~ a previous "active" period of the receiver3.
, It is con~emplated that an active period having the mentioned short duration will be sufficient to enable badge 22 to scan a small number (for example, fi~teen3 of transmitt~ paging signal address codes, while an active period with said longer duration will be necessary to enable badge 22 to scan a larger .. . .. .... . .. ., , .. . :, .. , , . .. - .. ... .. . --: , .
wo g~/21)147 ~ 5~5 -10- PCI'/US91/04452 number (for example, twenty) of transmitted paging address codes. The system may transmit the first code to indicate that it will transmi~ only short sequences of radio paging sign~s (for example, sequences of no more than fifteen consecutive address codes), and may ~ransmit the second code to S indicate that it will transmit longer sequences of radio paging signals (for example, sequences of up to twenty consecutive address codes). In this embodiment, badge 22 will operate in a low power consumption mode when VPM 6 is transmitting only short sequences of radio paging signals, and badge 22 will automatically enter a higher power consumption mode when 10 VPM 6 is transmitting longer sequences of radio paging signals.
,:
-In another preferred embodiment, VPM 6 normally transmits a short ;
address code for each badge, but VPM 6 may be commanded to transmit a long address code to any desired badge. For example, when a badge 22 is in its home local area (i.e., the area served by PBX 5, near transmitters 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20, and near telephones 24, 26, and 28), it will respond to a short address code in the paging signals from VPM 6. If then badge 22 is taken to a remote local area (for example, a local area served by another PBX, Dot shown in Fig. 1, connected to central office equipment 3), the :
badge is scanned (for example, using a scanning input dev;re 38 of the type described below with reference to Figure S) to input relevant long address information into the local VPM. In response, ~he VPM transmits a long :
address code to identify the badge in response to each paging request for the badge. This is desirable since the likelihood of misidentification of any given badge (a "first" badge) is typically greater in the case ~hat the first badge is ;
Iocated in a remote local area twhere other badges may be programmed to respond to the same short address code as the first badge), than in the case that the first badge is located in its home local area (where, typically, no other badges will be programmed to respond to the same short address code as the first badge). When the badge is returned to its home local area, VPM
6 will again transmit the short address code, and the badge will revert to its norrnal operating mode in which it responds to the short address code.
wo 9~/2~7 ~i5~ Pcr/llS9l/04452 In an alternative embodiment in which the badge includes a transmitter 46, and un~ts 12-20 along cable 10 are transceivers capable of receiYing radio status signals from the badge, VPM 6 is programmed to monitor the badge's position by processing address and position signals transmitted from the 5 badge, and to transmit long address codes tQ a badge located away from its home local area.
In another implementation, a subscriber can be reached in any site-specific paging network which can be connected to VPM 6. Such an RF
10 paging network can be at a site remote from the subscriber's base or "home"
site and might be a separate building within an industrial facility or a different corporate location. The remote site could be close to or thousands of miles ' away from the home site as long as there is a local transmitting facility which can reach the subscriber's receiving device. ;
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The "home" system can be apprised of the location of a subscribe} in several ways. The home system may presume that a subscriber will be within range of the home transmitter at all-times. The home system might look for a response to a page in the home network area9 and if there is no 20 response then page throughout all connectible paging systems.
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A subscriber can inform the home system that he or she is at a remote site but still accessible through the paging network by "checking in" with a remote network. A subscriber can check in to a remote site in many ways, 2~ includin~g entering location information on a computer or through a telephonewhich can access the home VPM 6. A remote location could have a scanning device which detects or analyzes a subscriber's badge and can notify VPM
6 in the subscriber's home location of the subscnber's specific or general location in the remote network. The scanner might read a bar code or 30 holographic information~ or might interact with some form of radio transponder. One useful scanning unit includes an interrogating transmitter which triggers some or all subscriber badges upon entry into a facility.
Alternati~ely, a scanner cou!d test many or all transponding badges , ' .
~Y~ gl/20147 ~ 5~ PCTt7~91/04452 periodically throughout a facility whereupon a subscriber's badge responds with the long address identifying the subscriber.
Another means of using the present badge and system includes a S scanner at one or more locations accessible to the home network~ A
subscriber can approach a local scanner in response to a page or simply to check in at a local area. A subscriber might also check in at a specific location so the VPM 6 can forward telephone calls or facsimile transmissions to that location.
The ability to configure RF receivers to respond to short or long address codes and to control a flexible wake state to match the current RF
traffic conditions experienced at the VPM can greatly reduce badge power consumption. Local area networks embodying the invention, whether 15 separated by a half mile or nine ~housand miles, may operate in the same or different wake state or address code mode, and each of their paging signal reception devices (badges) will enter an appropriate operating mode upon receiving appropriate control signals from the nearest VPM.
A preferred embodiment of VPU 7 (o~ Figure 3) will next be described with reference to Figure 5. In this embodiment, VPU 7 includes microprocessor 30 (which may be a Model 80386 integrated circuit, available from Intel Corporation3, memory means 32, telephone interf~ce 33 (for inter~acing with PBX 4), display means 37, input device 38 ~which may be a keyboard), and input/output port 39 (for inter~acing with APU 8~. Port 39 may be a serial port or a non-serial port.
Microprocessor 30 is programmed to perform conven~onal voice mail and automated attendant operations (as indicated schematically by the presence of voice mail module 34 and auto attendant module 36 within mieroprocessor 30), and to perform the inventive method steps to be descnbed with reference to Figure 4. Input device 3~ and display means 37 are provided in order to enable users to control operation of the sys~em, for example by changing ... . . . . . . ... .. .. . .. . . . . . . . .. .
WO 91/20147 P~/US91/1)44$2 -13~
user-configurable paging access levels or other~,rise repro~ramming microprocessor 30. Alternatively, user-configurable access levels may be configured directly on APU 8 (and other administrative information provided directly to APU 8.)~
A subscriber may choose to set different paging access levels for certain callers or groups of callers. Different access levels include different menu options, such as dif~erent levels of priority in paging the su!bscriber.
For example, a subscriber may choose to give a higher priori~y to his or her 10 supervisor or to certain officers of the company. A subscriber may be expecting a certain important call and may choose menu options for incorning callers which will enable the expected caller to reach the paged party in an efficient manner. VPM 6 can present menus asking a caller for cert-~in identification or password inforrnation or, alternahvely, VPM 6 may access 15 any infonnation available to the PBX which iden~ifies the phone number or extension of the calling par~y and then provide appropriate menus according to the paging access levels set by the subscriber.
Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the principal steps of the in~entive 20 method. In response to an ex~ernal or internal t~lephone call (i.e., when YPM 6 is connected to an external or internal caller by PBX 4), the initial step (step 50) is to send the caller a first voice menu. Preferably the first ~-menu is generated by an automated attendant means within a ~PU of the type shown in Figure 5), and the first menu prompts the caller to select (pre~er~ly 25 by entering DTMF tones using a telephone keypad) one of several options such as: to dial the called party's extension, to store a voice message in a specified voice message file (mailbox), or to page the cciller by radio.
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The caller selects one of the menu options at step ~. If the caller 30 does not select the pag~ng option, he receives one or more voice menus prompting additional action (at step 54). If the caller selects ~he paging op~ion, he designates the telephone extension (or other identification number) of the party to be paged. In response, the caller is placed "on hold" and a radio paging signal is ~ransmitted to the paged party over an RF link (at step ., - - . - ~ . -: ................ . . ~ - - .. .:
- . . ~ - . -. -. .. .- ~-. ~.. ,- ,. .. . . . . .
WO 91/20147 ~ 5'~)~5 P~/US91/04452 56). The system's VPM initiates transmission of the paging signal in step 56.
Preferably, the VP~I includes a VPU which commands a separate APU
(linked to the VPU by a communications link) to transmit the paging signal.
The paging signal includes the telephone extension of the paged party (or another identification of the paged party), and may include the telephone number (or PBX extension) of the paging party. If the paged party determines that the paging signal is addressed to hirn (such as if the paged party carries a comparator/beeper circuit which identifies and announces a 10 match between the transmitted identification and an identification stored in the cornparator), the paged party will elect whether to respond to the page (at step 58). In one pref~rred embodiment, the paged party learns the telephone number of the paging party before deciding whether to respond to the page.
If the paged par~y fails to respond to the page within a predetermined time 15 period (such as 30 seconds), step 60 is perfonned to send the caller an additional voice menu (or voice menus) prompting additional action, such as recording a voice message for the paged party or commanding the automated attendant to transfer him to another extension. If the paged par~y elects to respond to the page, he commands the VPM ~or the APU within the VPM~ to 20 establish a direct telephone connection between him and the caller (at step 62), such as by operating the nearest telephone handset in order to enter such command.
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This system can accommodate multiple users for a single telephone 25 number or an extension. This could include a group of employees each of whom can provide equivalent services, such as manufacturing group, a messenger group, or a group handling ceirtain types of aecounts, etc. When a calling party places a call to a group a phone number, VPM 6 can page multiple subscribers and transfer the incoming call to the first subscriber to 30 contact VP~ 6.
Another application of the current invention is useful for conventions or even for an office environment. The subscribers have unique identification numbers but single subscribers generally have no s~cific telephone assigned ;.. . - .. : .. - - . . . ~ -. "~ - . - . . . . ... . .
wo ~ 7 -15- ;?~ 5~?~5 P~r/Ussl/04~5 ~o them. In a preferred embodiment, the number ~f subscribers exceeds the number of incoming phone lines by a significant factor~ which might be 3, 10, 100 or more. The number of lines required depends on the anticipated or actual loading on the system.
A caller dials a number which is shared by multiple subscribers. -The caller is then presented with a voice menu which asks the caller to identify the party they are trying to reach. This might involve knowing a number for the called party or might require the calling party to enter some mlmber of letters of the subscriber's name. Once the calling party has communicated the identity of the called party to VPM 6, VPM 6 pages that party according to the method described herein. A party receiving the page can then pick up any convenient telephone which is connectible to the system and the system-will connect the calling and the called par~ies.
: :.
A subscriber may have more than one incoming call at a time. Each calling party can be presented with menus appropriate to the caller's access level. VPM 6 can notify a subscriber with one or more page signals which identify different callers or types of callers. When the subscriber calls back to VPM 6, the called party is presented with information about each calling ~;
party which can include the identity or impo~ance of one or more callers.
VPM 6 may automatically assign priority of calls based on access levels by ~he subscriber or may ~llow a paged subscnber to select which of ~he waiting calls to take and in which order. VPM 6 can deliver appropriate messages to waiting callers which might include infonnation that the called party will be available within a certain time and invite the calling party to continue to holdor to leave a voice message.
The system of this invention has been described generally as a PBX, but the method of this invention can be practiced w;th other devices as well.
The key feature of the telephone answering portion of ~e system is ~at it can handle a number of incoming calls and can cross-connect two or more of those calls under control of VPM 6.
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w~ n~47 -16- PCI /IJS91/04452 Various modific~tions and alterations in the s~lcture and method of operation of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without depa~in, from the scope and spirit of this invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it S should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments.
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Claims (39)
1. A system for establishing a telephone connection between a calling party and a called party, including:
a local telephone network including a plurality of phone lines, which includes an exchange means and serves a local area;
radio paging equipment for transmitting a limited-range radio paging signal having range limited to the local area, wherein the radio paging signal identifies the called party;
voice processing means connected between the radio paging equipment and the exchange means, wherein the voice processing means includes menu means for sending a voice menu to the calling party to prompt the calling party with a plurality of optional actions, said menu means including the optional action of paging the called party so that the called party is also a paged party, a means for placing the calling party on hold and commanding the radio paging equipment to transmit the radio paging signal, in respect to a paging command generated by the voice processing means.
a local telephone network including a plurality of phone lines, which includes an exchange means and serves a local area;
radio paging equipment for transmitting a limited-range radio paging signal having range limited to the local area, wherein the radio paging signal identifies the called party;
voice processing means connected between the radio paging equipment and the exchange means, wherein the voice processing means includes menu means for sending a voice menu to the calling party to prompt the calling party with a plurality of optional actions, said menu means including the optional action of paging the called party so that the called party is also a paged party, a means for placing the calling party on hold and commanding the radio paging equipment to transmit the radio paging signal, in respect to a paging command generated by the voice processing means.
2. The system of claim 1, also including a paging signal reception device, including a means for receiving the paging signal and signalling the paged party upon reception of the paging signal.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the paging signal reception device includes:
a radio receiver for receiving and demodulating the paging signal;
a power supply connected to the radio receiver;
a processing means connected to the radio receiver and the power supply, for receiving and processing the demodulated paging signal from the radio receiver, wherein the processing means is programmed to cause the power supply to power the radio receiver for a first duration in response to a demodulated paging signal having a first code and to cause the power supply to power the radio receiver for a second duration longer than the first duration in response to a demodulated paging signal having a second code; and a transducer connected to the processing means, for signalling the paged party in response to a signalling command from the processing means, wherein the processing means is programmed to cause the transducer to emit the signalling command in response to a demodulated paging signal having a first address code.
a radio receiver for receiving and demodulating the paging signal;
a power supply connected to the radio receiver;
a processing means connected to the radio receiver and the power supply, for receiving and processing the demodulated paging signal from the radio receiver, wherein the processing means is programmed to cause the power supply to power the radio receiver for a first duration in response to a demodulated paging signal having a first code and to cause the power supply to power the radio receiver for a second duration longer than the first duration in response to a demodulated paging signal having a second code; and a transducer connected to the processing means, for signalling the paged party in response to a signalling command from the processing means, wherein the processing means is programmed to cause the transducer to emit the signalling command in response to a demodulated paging signal having a first address code.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the exchange means includes a means for connecting the calling party to the voice processing means upon connection of the calling party to the exchange means, and wherein the voice processing means includes a means for performing voice mail and automated attendant operations.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for the paged party to dial into said system from any phone connectable to said system, means for identifying the paged party, and means for connecting the paged party with the calling party.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the paged party dials into said system from a phone directly connected to the system.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein a single telephone number is assigned to a plurality of called parties.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein there are fewer telephone lines than the number of parties which may be called using those lines.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the number of telephone lines is less than 25% of the number of parties who may be called.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice processing means includes an adjunct processing unit and a voice processing unit, and wherein the adjunct processing system generates the radio paging signal in response to a control signal from the voice processing unit, and wherein the radio paging equipment includes a transmitting means connected to the adjunct processing unit for transmitting the radio paging signal.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the adjunct processing unit is connected to the voice processing unit by a serial input/output link.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice processing means includes:
processing means programmed to perform voice mail and automated attendant operations; and telephone interface means for interfacing with the exchange means.
processing means programmed to perform voice mail and automated attendant operations; and telephone interface means for interfacing with the exchange means.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the voice processing means also includes:
a display means under control of the processing means; and a keyboard for controlling operation of the processing means.
a display means under control of the processing means; and a keyboard for controlling operation of the processing means.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein the voice processing means includes:
processing means programmed to perform voice mail and automated attendant operations; and telephone interface means for interfacing with the processing means.
processing means programmed to perform voice mail and automated attendant operations; and telephone interface means for interfacing with the processing means.
15. The system of claim 1, also including:
a badge;
a radio receiver mounted on the badge for receiving and demodulating the paging signal;
processing means mounted on the badge for receiving and processing the demodulated paging signal from the radio receiver; and a transducer connected to the processing means, for signalling the paged party in response to a signalling command from the processing means.
a badge;
a radio receiver mounted on the badge for receiving and demodulating the paging signal;
processing means mounted on the badge for receiving and processing the demodulated paging signal from the radio receiver; and a transducer connected to the processing means, for signalling the paged party in response to a signalling command from the processing means.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the badge also includes:
a radio transmitter for transmitting a radio status signal in response to a command from the processing means; and a display means for displaying visual information in response to a signalling command from the processing means.
a radio transmitter for transmitting a radio status signal in response to a command from the processing means; and a display means for displaying visual information in response to a signalling command from the processing means.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the paging signal indicates whether the calling party is on hold at an external or an internal station, and wherein the processing means is programmed to cause the transducer to emit a first signal when the calling party is on hold at an external station, and to emit a second signal when the calling party is on hold at an internal station.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the first signal and the second signal is a continuous signal, and the other of the first signal and the second signal is a stutter signal.
19. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for handling a plurality of calling parties seeking to reach a single called party.
20. A method for establishing a telephone connection between a calling party and a called party, including the steps of:
(a) prompting the calling party to send a paging command to page a called party as a paged party, (b) in response to reception, at a voice processing means, of a paging command from the calling party, placing the calling party on hold and transmitting a radio paging signal which identifies the paged party;
(c) receiving the paging signal at a reception device adjacent to the paged party; and (d) in response to reception of the paging signal, commanding an adjunct processing unit, connected to an exchange means of a local area telephone network serving a local area, to establish a direct telephone connection between the paged party and the calling party, wherein the radio paging signal has a range limited to the local area.
(a) prompting the calling party to send a paging command to page a called party as a paged party, (b) in response to reception, at a voice processing means, of a paging command from the calling party, placing the calling party on hold and transmitting a radio paging signal which identifies the paged party;
(c) receiving the paging signal at a reception device adjacent to the paged party; and (d) in response to reception of the paging signal, commanding an adjunct processing unit, connected to an exchange means of a local area telephone network serving a local area, to establish a direct telephone connection between the paged party and the calling party, wherein the radio paging signal has a range limited to the local area.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising transmitting a signal which identifies a plurality of paged parties;
receiving the paging signal at a plurality of reception devices; and in response to reception of the paging signal, commanding said adjunct processing unit to establish a direct telephone connection between a paged party and said calling party.
receiving the paging signal at a plurality of reception devices; and in response to reception of the paging signal, commanding said adjunct processing unit to establish a direct telephone connection between a paged party and said calling party.
22. The method of claim 20, also including the steps of:
processing the paging signal to determine whether the paging signal identifies the paged party;
upon determining that the paging signal identifies the paged party, signalling the paged party by producing an audible signal.
processing the paging signal to determine whether the paging signal identifies the paged party;
upon determining that the paging signal identifies the paged party, signalling the paged party by producing an audible signal.
23. The method of claim 20, also including the steps of:
processing the paging signal to determine whether the paging signal identifies the paged party;
upon determining that the paging signal identifies the paged party, signalling the paged party by producing a non-audible vibrating signal.
processing the paging signal to determine whether the paging signal identifies the paged party;
upon determining that the paging signal identifies the paged party, signalling the paged party by producing a non-audible vibrating signal.
24. The method of claim 20, also including the steps of:
causing the reception device to enter a high power consumption mode in response to extraction of a first mode control code from the paging signal; and causing the reception device to enter a low power consumption mode in response to extraction of a second mode control code from the paging signal.
causing the reception device to enter a high power consumption mode in response to extraction of a first mode control code from the paging signal; and causing the reception device to enter a low power consumption mode in response to extraction of a second mode control code from the paging signal.
25. The method of claim 20, also including the steps of:
scanning the reception device to extract a long address signal therefrom; and supplying the long address signal to the voice processing means, wherein upon receiving the long address signal, the voice processing means transmits a radio paging signal including a long address which identifies the paged party in response to the paging command.
scanning the reception device to extract a long address signal therefrom; and supplying the long address signal to the voice processing means, wherein upon receiving the long address signal, the voice processing means transmits a radio paging signal including a long address which identifies the paged party in response to the paging command.
26. The method of claim 20, also including the steps of:
supplying location information and long address informationg to the voice processing means when a paged party takes a receiving device to a remote local area, wherein, following a call to the paged party, the voice processing means includes in the radio paging signal a long address code which identifies the paged party, rather than the short address code which identifies the paged party.
supplying location information and long address informationg to the voice processing means when a paged party takes a receiving device to a remote local area, wherein, following a call to the paged party, the voice processing means includes in the radio paging signal a long address code which identifies the paged party, rather than the short address code which identifies the paged party.
27. The method of claim 20, wherein the radio paging signal normally includes a short address code which identifies the paged party, and also including the steps of:
scanning the reception device to generate a long address signal;
supplying the long address signal to the voice processing means;
wherein, following reception of the long address signal, the voice processing means includes in the radio paging signal a long address code which identifies the paged party, rather than said short address code which identifies the paged party.
scanning the reception device to generate a long address signal;
supplying the long address signal to the voice processing means;
wherein, following reception of the long address signal, the voice processing means includes in the radio paging signal a long address code which identifies the paged party, rather than said short address code which identifies the paged party.
28. The method of claim 20, wherein the paging signal includes an identification of the calling party, and including the steps of:
processing the paging signal to generate a calling party identification signal; and displaying the calling party identification signal.
processing the paging signal to generate a calling party identification signal; and displaying the calling party identification signal.
29. The method of claim 20 wherein the calling party indentification signal is reproduced on or by the reception device.
30. The method of claim 20, wherein the paging signal indicates whether the calling party is on hold at an external or an internal station, and including the steps of:
processing the paging signal to generate a calling party location signal; and then producing a continuous audible signal when the calling party location signal indicates that the calling party is on hold at a first one of the external station and the internal station, and producing a stutter signal when the calling party location signal indicates that the calling party is on hold at a second one of the external station and the internal station.
30. The method of claim 20, wherein the paging signal indicates whether the calling party is on hold at an external or an internal station, and including the steps of:
processing the paging signal to generate a calling party location signal; and then producing a continuous audible signal when the calling party location signal indicates that the calling party is on hold at a first one of the external station and the internal station, and producing a stutter signal when the calling party location signal indicates that the calling party is on hold at a second one of the external station and the internal station.
30. The method of claim 20, also including the step of sending a voice menu to the calling party to prompt the calling party to generate the paging command.
31. The method of claim 20, also including the step of sending a voice menu to the calling party to prompt the calling party to further identify the called party.
32. The method of claim 20, also including the step of automatically connecting the calling party to the adjunct processing unit upon connection of the calling party to the exchange means.
33. The method of claim 20 further comprising a preliminary step of a called party establishing a plurality of access levels for selected types of calling parties, whereby the menu and actions available to a specific calling party depends on the access level appropriate for the type of calling party.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein certain types of calling parties are allowed to page the called party and other types of calling parties are not allowed to page the called party.
35. The method of claim 20 wherein a plurality of calling parties are allowed to page the called party.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the called party is provided with a list of incoming calls.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein the called party is connected to a first calling party according to the access level appropriate for the calling party.
38. A method for a calling party to signal a paged party, including the steps of:
(a) establishing a short address and a long address for a paged party;
(b) in response to reception, at a voice processing means, of a paging command from the calling party, transmitting a short address radio paging signal which identifies the paged party;
(c) receiving the paging signal at a plurality of reception devices responsive to the short address signal;
(d) detecting a plurality of confirmation signals, each from a responsive reception device;
(e) transmitting a long address radio paging signal which identifies the paged party;
(f) receiving the paging signal at a reception device adjacent to the paged party; and (g) scanning to detect a confirmation signal from the reception device.
(a) establishing a short address and a long address for a paged party;
(b) in response to reception, at a voice processing means, of a paging command from the calling party, transmitting a short address radio paging signal which identifies the paged party;
(c) receiving the paging signal at a plurality of reception devices responsive to the short address signal;
(d) detecting a plurality of confirmation signals, each from a responsive reception device;
(e) transmitting a long address radio paging signal which identifies the paged party;
(f) receiving the paging signal at a reception device adjacent to the paged party; and (g) scanning to detect a confirmation signal from the reception device.
39. A system for establishing a telephone connection between a calling party and a called party, including:
a local telephone network including a plurality of phone lines, which includes an exchange means and serves a local area, radio paging equipment for transmitting a limited-range radio paging signal, having range limited to the local area, wherein the radio paging signal identifies the called party;
voice processing means connected between the radio paging equipment and the exchange means, wherein the voice processing means includes means for a called party to establish a plurality of access levels for selected types of calling parties, and a means for placing the calling party on hold and commanding the radio paging equipment to transmit the radio paging signal, in respect to a paging command generated by the voice processing means, whereby the menu and actions available to a specific calling party depends on the access level appropriate for the type of calling party.
a local telephone network including a plurality of phone lines, which includes an exchange means and serves a local area, radio paging equipment for transmitting a limited-range radio paging signal, having range limited to the local area, wherein the radio paging signal identifies the called party;
voice processing means connected between the radio paging equipment and the exchange means, wherein the voice processing means includes means for a called party to establish a plurality of access levels for selected types of calling parties, and a means for placing the calling party on hold and commanding the radio paging equipment to transmit the radio paging signal, in respect to a paging command generated by the voice processing means, whereby the menu and actions available to a specific calling party depends on the access level appropriate for the type of calling party.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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| US541,843 | 1990-06-21 | ||
| US07/541,843 US5140626A (en) | 1990-06-21 | 1990-06-21 | Paging system for establishing telephone connection between calling party and paged party |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
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| CA2085905A1 true CA2085905A1 (en) | 1991-12-22 |
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| CA002085905A Abandoned CA2085905A1 (en) | 1990-06-21 | 1991-06-20 | Telephone paging system for connecting calling and paged parties |
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| EP (1) | EP0537286A4 (en) |
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1990
- 1990-06-21 US US07/541,843 patent/US5140626A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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| JPH06500672A (en) | 1994-01-20 |
| EP0537286A1 (en) | 1993-04-21 |
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| AU654963B2 (en) | 1994-12-01 |
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| AU8282191A (en) | 1992-01-07 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |