Method and apparatus for applying messages in a telecommunications network

Abstract

In a telecommunications network, a system for applying messages or data to the customer lines of calling parties during the "ringback" period of telephone call set up. The messages are preferably applied between successive ringback tones during the ringback period and are terminated when the called party answers the call. Advertising messages, civic or company announcements, political messages, informational messages (e.g. news or weather), or other data can be transmitted on the telephone lines during what is otherwise essentially unused times when the line is already tied up.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: 
     
       1. In a telecommunications system having a plurality of switching systems interconnected by trunks, a plurality of customer stations arranged in groups with each group being served by one of the switching systems, a plurality of customer lines connecting each switching system with the group of customer stations served thereby, a switching network in each switching system for establishing communication paths between calling customer stations and called customer stations addressed by the calling stations and means in each switching system for applying .Iadd.a .Iaddend.periodic ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.to the line of each calling station served thereby when a called station addressed by the calling station is idle, the improvement comprising: .Iadd.detection .Iaddend.means for detecting customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied;   .[.communications signal applying means in each switching system for applying preselected communication signals to selected customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied, said communication signal applying means in each switching system applying said communication signals only to customer lines for the group of customer stations served by the corresponding switching system and said selected customer lines being selected according to the identity of the called customer station; and.].   .Iadd.storing means for storing communication signals;   control means for associating said communication signals with designated stations;   comparing means for comparing telephone numbers addressed by calling stations with telephone numbers of said designated stations and for indicating correspondence thereof;   communication signal applying means in each switching system for applying said stored communication signals to a calling customer line served by the corresponding switching system in response to detection by said detection means that a ringback signal is being applied thereto if said comparing means indicates correspondence of identity of the station addressed by the calling station of the detected calling customer line with one of said designated stations; and .Iaddend.   means for terminating application of said communication signals to each customer line when .Iadd.application of a .Iaddend.ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.thereof .[.are.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.terminated.   
     
     
       2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein .[.the.]..Iadd.each .Iaddend.ringback .[.signals are.]. .Iadd.signal comprises ringback tone signal portions .Iaddend.each .[.applied for.]. .Iadd.having .Iaddend.a preselected duration .[.and.]. with a preselected interval between successive ringback .[.signals,.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions, .Iaddend.and including timing means for timing the application of the communication signals such that the latter are applied during the intervals between successive ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions and .Iaddend.are discontinued for the duration of each ringback .Iadd.tone .Iaddend.signal .Iadd.portion.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said communication signals comprise a plurality of .[.discreet.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.messages each having a duration substantially equal to the interval between successive ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       4. In a telecommunications network of the type having a plurality of switching systems interconnected by trunks, a plurality of customer stations connected to each switching system by customer lines, a switching network in each switching system for establishing communications paths between calling customer stations, means in each switching system for applying a ring signal to the customer line of each called station addressed by a calling station, means in each switching system for applying .Iadd.a .Iaddend.periodic ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal including ringback tone signal portions .Iaddend.to the customer line of each calling station when a called station addressed thereby is idle, and means in each switching system for applying a busy signal to the customer line of each calling station when a called station addressed thereby is not idle, the improvement comprising: detecting means for detecting calling customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied;   .[.communication signal applying means for applying preselected communication signals to selected customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied, said communication signal applying means being connected in a manner to bypass said switching network and said selected customer lines being selected according to the identity of the called customer station;.].   .Iadd.storing means for storing communication signals;   control means for associating said communication signals with designated stations;   comparing means for comparing telephone numbers addressed by calling stations with telephone numbers of said designated stations;   communication signal applying means for applying said stored communication signals to a calling line in response to detection by said detection means that a ringback signal has been applied thereto if said comparing means indicated correspondence of identity of the station addressed by the calling station of the detected calling line with one of said designated stations, said communication means being connected to bypass an associated switching network; .Iaddend.   timing means for timing the application of said communication signals in a manner such that the communication signals are applied between successive ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions .Iaddend.and discontinued during each ringback .Iadd.tone .Iaddend.signal .Iadd.portion; .Iaddend.and   means for terminating the communication signals to each calling customer line when the ringback .[.signals are.]. .Iadd.signal is .Iaddend.terminated.   
     
     
       5. The improvement of claim 4, wherein said communication signals comprise a plurality of .[.discreet.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.messages each having a duration substantially equal to the interval between successive ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       6. A method of applying messages to customer stations in a telecommunications network in which the customer stations are connected by customer lines to switching systems having trunk connections with other switching systems, a switching network in each switching station for establishing communications paths between calling customer stations and called customer stations, and ringback equipment for applying ringback signals having .Iadd.ringback tone signal portions of .Iaddend.a preselected frequency and duration to a calling customer line addressing an idle called customer station, said method comprising the steps of: .Iadd.associating messages with designated customer stations;   comparing telephone numbers addressed by calling customer stations with telephone numbers of said designated customer stations; .Iaddend.   detecting the application of .Iadd.a .Iaddend.ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.to a selected calling customer line .[.selected according to the identity of the called customer station addressed.].;   applying said messages to the selected calling customer line between successive ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions .Iaddend.in a manner to bypass said switching network .Iadd.in response to said detecting step if the comparing step indicates correspondence of identity of the customer station addressed by the calling customer station of the selected calling customer line with one of said designated customer stations.Iaddend.; and   terminating said messages when the ringback .[.signals are.]. .Iadd.signal is .Iaddend.terminated.   
     
     
       7. In a telecommunications system having a plurality of switching systems interconnected by trunks, a plurality of customer stations arranged in groups each served by a different switching system with the customer stations in each group being connected to the corresponding switching system by customer lines, a switchhook for each customer station for indicating whether the station is on hook or off hook, a .[.stitching.]. .Iadd.switching .Iaddend.network in each switching system for establishing communication paths between calling customer stations and called customer stations addressed by the calling stations, means in each switching system for applying a periodic ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.to the line of each calling .[.stations.]. .Iadd.station .Iaddend.served thereby when a called station addressed by the calling station is on hook, and means for terminating the ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.when an addressed called station goes off hook to respond to the call, message applying apparatus comprising: an announcer in each switching system containing a plurality of recorded messages;   .Iadd.control means for associating said messages with designated stations; .Iaddend.   means in each switching system for applying said messages to selected customer lines for calling stations served by the corresponding switching system .[.when.]. .Iadd.in response to detection of .Iaddend.ringback signals .[.are.]. being applied to said selected customer lines, said selected customer lines being selected .[.according to the identity of the called customer station.].; .Iadd.if there is a correspondence of identity of the stations addressed by the calling stations served by the selected customer lines with said designated stations .Iaddend.   timing means for timing the application of said messages in a manner to effect application of the messages between successive ringback .Iadd.tone signal portions of said ringback .Iaddend.signals and discontinuance of the messages during each ringback .Iadd.tone .Iaddend.signal .Iadd.portion; .Iaddend.and   means for deactivating said announcer in each switching system to terminate application of messages when .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.called station addressed by .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.calling station goes off hook to respond to .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.call.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein: the ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.tone signal portions .Iaddend.are each applied for a preselected duration with a preselected interval between successive ringback .[.signals.].; .Iadd.tone signal portions .Iaddend.   each message has a duration substantially equal to the interval between successive ringback .[.signals.].; .Iadd.tone signal portions .Iaddend.and   said timing means is operable to time the application of said messages in a manner to initiate each message at the end of a ringback .Iadd.tone .Iaddend.signal .Iadd.portion.Iaddend..   
     
     
       9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said means in each switching system for applying said messages applies the messages in a manner to bypass the switching network in the corresponding switching system. 
     
     
       10. In a telecommunications system having a plurality of switching systems interconnected by trunks, a plurality of customer stations arranged in groups with each group being served by one of the switching systems, a plurality of customer lines connecting each switching system with the group of customer stations served thereby, a switching network in each switching system for establishing communication paths between calling customer stations and called customer stations addressed by the calling stations and means in each switching system for applying .Iadd.a .Iaddend.periodic ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.to the line of each calling station served thereby when a called station addressed by the calling station is idle, the improvement comprising: means for detecting customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied;   communication signal applying means in each switching system for applying preselected communication signals to selected customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied, said communication signal applying means in each switching system applying said communication signals only to customer lines for the group of customer stations served by the corresponding switching system;   means for terminating application of said communication signals to each customer line when ringback signals thereto are terminated; and   said communication signal applying means in each switching system being connected to at least one of the trunks for the corresponding switching system, whereby the communication signals are applied only for calls between customer stations served by different switching systems.   
     
     
       11. In a telecommunications network of the type having a plurality of switching systems interconnected by trunks, a plurality of customer stations connected to each switching system by customer lines, a switching network in each switching system for establishing communications paths between calling customer stations and called customer stations addressed by the calling stations, means in each switching system for applying .Iadd.a .Iaddend.periodic ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.to the customer line of each calling station when a called station addressed thereby is idle, and means in each switching system for applying a busy signal to the customer line of each calling station when a called station addressed thereby is not idle, the improvement comprising: detecting means for detecting calling customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied;   communication signal applying means for applying preselected communication signals to selected customer lines to which ringback signals are being applied, said communication signal applying means being connected in a manner to bypass .[.said.]. .Iadd.an associated .Iaddend.switching network, each switching system having one of said communication signal applying means and said communication signal applying means for each switching system being connected to at least one of the trunks for the corresponding switching system, whereby the communication signals are applied only for calls between customer stations served by different switching systems;   timing means timing the application of said communication signals in a manner such that the communication signals are applied between successive ringback signals and discontinued during each ringback signal; and   means for terminating the communication signals to each calling customer line when the ringback signals are terminated.   
     
     
       12. A method of applying messages to customer stations in a telecommunications network in which the customer stations are connected by customer lines to .Iadd.a .Iaddend.switching system having trunk connections with other switching systems, a switching network in each switching .[.station.]. .Iadd.system .Iaddend.for establishing communications paths between calling customer stations and called customer stations, and ringback equipment for applying ringback signals having a preselected frequency and duration to a calling customer line addressing an idle called customer station, said method comprising the steps of: detecting the application of .Iadd.a .Iaddend.ringback .[.signals.]. .Iadd.signal .Iaddend.to a selected calling customer line which is selected by selecting a calling customer line addressing a called customer line connected with a switching system different from the switching system to which the calling customer line is connected;   applying said messages to the selected calling customer line between successive ringback signals in a manner to bypass .[.said.]. .Iadd.an associated .Iaddend.switching network; and   terminating said messages when the ringback signals are terminated. .Iadd.   
     
     
       13.  A method according to claim 6 wherein the step of applying also includes superimposing said messages over said ringback signal during application of said ringback signal.Iaddend.. .Iadd. 
     
     
       14.  In a telecommunications system having a plurality of switching means interconnected by trunk means, a plurality of stations arranged in groups with each group being served by a switching means, lines connecting said switching means with the group of stations served thereby, said switching means comprising switching network means for establishing a communication path between a calling station and a station addressed by the calling station, and means for applying a ringback signal to the lines connected to said calling station when a called station addressed by the calling station is on hook, the improvement comprising: detection means for detecting lines to which ringing signals have been applied;   storing means for storing communication signals;   control means for associating said communication signals with designated stations;   comparing means for comparing telephone numbers addressed by calling stations with telephone numbers of said designated stations;   communication signal applying means for applying said stored communication signals to a calling line during the ringback period in response to detection by said detection means that a ringback signal has been applied thereto if said comparing means indicates correspondence of identity of the station addressed by the calling station of the detected calling line with one of said designated stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The improvement of claim 14, wherein said ringback signal is a periodic signal having successive ringback tone signal portions each of a preselected frequency and duration, and said communication signals are applied between successive ringback tone signal portions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The improvement of claim 15, wherein said communication signals are applied only between successive ringback tone signal portions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The improvement of claim 15, wherein said communication signals are also applied superimposed on at least one of said ringback tone signal portions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. In a communications system having a plurality of switching means interconnected by trunk means, a plurality of stations arranged in groups, the stations of each group all being connected to a corresponding one of said switching means by respective lines, switch hook means for each station for determining whether the station is on hook or off hook, switching network means in each switching means for establishing a communication path between a calling station and a called station, means associated with said switching means for applying a periodic ringback signal to a calling station line when the called station is on hook, and means for terminating the ringback signal when the called station goes off hook to respond to the call, message applying means comprising:   a message storing means associated with each said switching means for storing at least one message:   a message applying means associated with each said switching means for applying said at least one message to a selected line served by the associated switching means in response to detection that a ringback signal has been applied to said selected line if a station connected thereto has addressed a called station that corresponds a predesignated called station; and   means for controlling said message applying means to terminate application of said at least one message when the addressed called station goes off hook. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A method of applying messages to stations in a telecommunications network in which the stations are connected by lines to switching means having trunk connections with other switching means, switching network means associated with each switching means for establishing communications paths between calling stations and called stations, and ringback means for applying a periodic ringback signal, having successive intervals each of a preselected frequency and duration, to a calling line of a calling station addressing an idle called station, said method comprising the steps of:   (a) detecting the application of a ringback signal to a selected calling line;   (b) determining whether a called station addressed by the calling station of said selected calling line recited in step (a) corresponds to a predesignated called station;   (c) applying said messages to the selected calling line recited in step (a) between successive ringback signal intervals in a manner to bypass said switching means in response to a ringback detection as recited in step (a) if there is a determination of correspondence as recited in step (b); and   (d) terminating said messages when the ringback signal is terminated.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.20.  A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of applying further includes superimposing said messages on at least one 
     
     
        ringback signal interval. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21.  A method of applying messages to stations in a telecommunications network in which the stations are connected by lines to switching means having trunk connections with other switching means, switching network means associated with said switching means for establishing communications paths between calling stations and called stations, and ringback means for applying a periodic ringback signal, having successive intervals each of a preselected frequency and duration, to a calling line of a calling station addressing an idle called station, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the application of a ringback signal to a selected calling line;   (b) determining whether a called station addressed by the calling station of said selected calling line recited in step (a) corresponds to a predesignated called station;   (c) applying at least one of said messages to the selected calling line recited in step (a) said ringback signal is applied for delivery to said calling station in response to a ringback detection as recited in step (a) if there is a determination of correspondence as recited in step (b); and   (d) terminating said at least one of said messages when said called station goes off hook to complete a connection to said calling station. .Iaddend.