System and Method for Forwarding Selective Calls

Abstract

A selective call forwarding system implemented on an advanced intelligent network telephone system. The system includes a subscription list and programmable telephone number table that includes, for subscriber telephone numbers in the subscription list: a plurality of associated forwarding telephone numbers and a plurality of associated preferred caller telephone numbers. The system also includes logic to execute a service package application and a service node, the service node providing subscribers with access to modify the programmable telephone number table. The system further includes a telephone system for: determining that a call placed by a caller is to a subscriber; determining that the caller is a preferred caller; and selectively forwarding the call to one the forwarding telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number. The telephone system also provides an indication to the caller that the call is being forwarded to the forwarding telephone number.

1 . A selective call forwarding system implemented on an advanced intelligent network telephone system, comprising:
 a subscription list comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers;   a programmable telephone number table linked to the subscription list by the subscriber telephone numbers, the programmable telephone number table comprising for subscriber telephone numbers in the subscription list, a plurality of associated forwarding telephone numbers and a plurality of associated preferred caller telephone numbers;   logic to execute a service package application and a service node, the service node providing subscribers with access to modify the programmable telephone number table; and   a telephone system having access to the subscription list and the programmable telephone number table, the telephone system including logic for:   determining that a call placed by a caller is to a subscriber having a subscriber telephone number entry in the subscription list;   determining that the caller is a preferred caller, the determining comprising verifying that a caller telephone number associated with the call matches a preferred caller telephone number associated with the subscriber telephone number; and   selectively forwarding the call to one of the forwarding telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number,   wherein the telephone system provides an indication to the caller that the call is being forwarded to the forwarding telephone number.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively forwarding the call is performed using a Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the telephone system uses a trigger on the call to send a TCAP message to initiate searching to locate the subscriber telephone number entry in the subscription list. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the programmable telephone number table is editable by the subscriber via a website. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein access to the programmable telephone number table is restricted. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the indication provided to the caller is one or more of an audible voice notification, an audible tone, and a visual signal. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein telephone system further associates the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers with respective preferred caller telephone numbers. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the subscriber telephone number is a wire line telephone number and the forwarding telephone number is a wireless telephone number for a wireless telephone, and the selectively forwarding the call is performed in response to determining that the wireless telephone is in an on-state. 
   
   
       9 . A method implemented on an advanced intelligent network telephone system comprising:
 providing a subscription list comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers to a selective call forwarding service in a telephone system;   receiving a call to a called party telephone number from a caller telephone number;   determining if the called party telephone number is a subscriber telephone number in the subscription list; and   in response to the called party telephone number being a subscriber telephone number in the subscription list:   accessing a programmable telephone number table linked to the subscription list by the subscriber telephone numbers, the programmable telephone number table comprising for subscriber telephone numbers in the subscription list, a plurality of associated forwarding telephone numbers, and a plurality of associated preferred caller telephone numbers;   executing a service package application and a service node, the service node providing subscribers with access to modify the programmable telephone number table;   determining whether the caller telephone number matches a preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number in the programmable telephone number table;   if the caller telephone number matches one of the preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number:   forwarding the call to one of the forwarding telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number; and   providing an indication to the caller that the call is being forwarded to the forwarding telephone number.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the forwarding the call is performed using a Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the telephone system uses a trigger on the call to send a TCAP message to initiate searching to locate the subscriber telephone number entry in the subscription list. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the programmable telephone number table is editable by the subscriber via a website. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein access to the programmable telephone number table is restricted. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indication provided to the caller is one or more of an audible voice notification, an audible tone, and a visual signal. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising associating the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers of the programmable telephone number table with respective preferred caller telephone numbers. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subscriber telephone number is a wire line telephone number and the forwarding telephone number is a wireless telephone number for a wireless telephone, and the selectively forwarding the call is performed in response to determining that the wireless telephone is in an on-state. 
   
   
       17 . A tangible computer readable storage medium for a selective call forwarding service in an advanced intelligent network telephone system, the tangible computer readable storage medium storing instructions for execution by a processing circuit, the instructions implementing a method, the method comprising:
 receiving a call to a called party telephone number from a caller telephone number;   determining if the called party telephone number is a subscriber telephone number in a subscription list, the subscription list comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers; and   in response to the called party telephone number being a subscriber telephone number in the subscription list:   accessing a programmable telephone number table linked to the subscription list by the subscriber telephone numbers, the programmable telephone number table comprising for subscriber telephone numbers in the subscription list, a plurality of associated forwarding telephone numbers, and a plurality of associated preferred caller telephone numbers;   executing a service package application and a service node, the service node providing subscribers with access to modify the programmable telephone number table;   determining whether the caller telephone number matches a preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number in the programmable telephone number table;   if the caller telephone number matches one of the preferred caller telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number:   forwarding the call to one of the forwarding telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number; and   providing an indication to the caller that the call is being forwarded to the forwarding telephone number.   
   
   
       18 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the forwarding the call is performed using a Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol. 
   
   
       19 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the telephone system uses a trigger on the call to send a TCAP message to initiate searching to locate the subscriber telephone number entry in the subscription list. 
   
   
       20 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises associating the plurality of forwarding telephone numbers of the programmable telephone number table with respective preferred caller telephone numbers.