System and method for using alternative switch announcements in advanced intelligent network services

Claim 2

In an intelligent switched telephone network, including a switch and a service control point, a method for providing an announcement utilizing non-intelligent network facilities comprising the steps of: receiving at said switch a communication from a calling party to a directory number; causing said switch to read identification information associated with said communication and to provide said identification information to said service control point; causing said service control point to read said identification information, to determine, in response to said identification information, whether said communication requires announcement treatment, and in response to said communication requiring announcement treatment, to send instructions to said switch for providing an announcement to said calling party; and at said switch, causing intelligent network facilities located at said switch to route said communication via a trunk line to non-intelligent network facilities located at said switch, and causing said non-intelligent network facilities to provide an announcement to said calling party, wherein said identification information is transmitted from said switch to said service control point via a data signaling system; wherein said instructions are sent from said service control point to said switch via said data signaling system; and wherein said non-intelligent network facilities at said switch are operative to provide said announcement without receiving instructions via said data signaling system.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of causing said non-intelligent network facilities to provide an announcement to said calling party comprises causing a non-intelligent switch announcement frame located at said non-intelligent network facilities to provide said announcement to said calling party.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein said intelligent switched telephone network further comprises a second switch including non-intelligent network facilities, and wherein said intelligent network facilities at said calling party's switch route said communication to said non-intelligent network facilities at said second switch.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3, wherein said non-intelligent network facilities at said second switch provide an announcement to said calling party's switch via a voice circuit.

Claim 6

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a system for providing an announcement in an advanced intelligent network utilizing non-intelligent network facilities, comprising: a calling party's switch including intelligent network facilities and non-intelligent facilities, said intelligent network facilities having a data communication facility for communicating with other intelligent network components via a data signaling system and said non-intelligent facilities being connected to said intelligent network facilities via voice trunk lines, said calling party's switch being operative to receive a communication from a calling party, said communication being directed to a directory number; a service control point being functionally connected to said calling party's switch via said data signaling system, said service control point having a database of directory numbers; said calling party's switch being operative to read identification information associated with said communication and being responsive to said identification information to provide said identification information to said service control point via said data signaling system; said service control point being responsive to said identification information, to read said identification information provided by said switch, to determine, in response to said identification information, whether said communication requires announcement treatment, and to send instructions via said data signaling system to said calling party's switch for providing an announcement to said calling party; and intelligent network facilities located at said calling party's switch being operative to receive said instructions via said data signaling system from said service control point and, in response to said instructions, to route said communication via voice trunk lines to non-intelligent network facilities located at said calling party's switch, said non-intelligent network facilities operative to provide an announcement to said calling party.

Claim 7

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a system for providing an announcement in an advanced intelligent network utilizing non-intelligent network facilities, comprising: a calling party's switch including intelligent network facilities and non-intelligent facilities, said intelligent network facilities having a data communication facility for communicating with other intelligent network components via a data signaling system and said non-intelligent facilities being connected to said intelligent network facilities via voice trunk lines, said calling party's switch being operative to receive a communication from a calling party, said communication being directed to a directory number; a service control point being functionally connected to said calling party's switch via said data signaling system, said service control point having a database of directory numbers; said calling party's switch being operative to read identification information associated with said communication and being responsive to said identification information to provide said identification information to said service control point via said data signaling system; said service control point being responsive to said identification information, to read said identification information provided by said switch, to determine, in response to said identification information, whether said communication requires announcement treatment, and to send instructions via said data signaling system to said calling party's switch for providing an announcement to said calling party; and intelligent network facilities located at said calling party's switch being operative to receive said instructions via said data signaling system from said service control point and, in response to said instructions, to route said communication via voice trunk lines to non-intelligent network facilities located at said calling party's switch, said non-intelligent network facilities operative to provide an announcement to said calling party.

Claim 8

The system of claim 5, wherein said non-intelligent network facilities further comprise a non-intelligent switch announcement frame.

Claim 9

The system of claim 5, wherein said intelligent switched telephone network further comprises a second switch including non-intelligent network facilities, and wherein said intelligent network facilities at said calling party's switch are operative to route said communication to said non-intelligent network facilities at said second switch.

Claim 10

The system of claim 7, wherein said non-intelligent network facilities at said second switch are operative to provide an announcement to said calling party's switch via a voice circuit.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1, wherein said instructions comprise a unique carrier identification code.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9, wherein said switch routes said communication to said non-intelligent network facilities in response to said unique carrier identification code.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of routing said communication to said non-intelligent network facilities includes routing said communication via a trunk group.

Claim 14

In a telecommunication network including intelligent network facilities and non-intelligent network facilities, said intelligent network facilities including data communication facilities for communicating with other intelligent network facilities via a data signaling system and said non-intelligent network facilities lacking data communication facilities and being connected to each other and to one or more intelligent network facilities via voice lines, a method of providing an announcement utilizing said non-intelligent network facilities, comprising the steps of: receiving at a switch a communication from a calling party, said communication requiring announcement treatment after receiving instructions from the data signaling system; causing intelligent network facilities located at said switch to route said communication via said voice trunk lines to non-intelligent network facilities located at said switch; and providing an announcement to said calling party; wherein said non-intelligent network facilities at said switch are operative to provide said announcement without receiving instructions via said data signaling system.

Claim 15

In a telecommunication network including intelligent network facilities and non-intelligent network facilities, said intelligent network facilities including data communication facilities for communicating with other intelligent network facilities via a data signaling system and said non-intelligent network facilities lacking data communication facilities and being connected to each other and to one or more intelligent network facilities via voice lines, a method of providing an announcement utilizing said non-intelligent network facilities, comprising the steps of: receiving at a switch a communication from a calling party, said communication requiring announcement treatment after receiving instructions from the data signaling system; causing intelligent network facilities located at said switch to route said communication via said voice trunk lines to non-intelligent network facilities located at said switch; and providing an announcement to said calling party; wherein said non-intelligent network facilities at said switch are operative to provide said announcement without receiving instructions via said data signaling system.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving at said switch information from said intelligent switched telephone network, said information indicating said communication requires announcement treatment.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving at said switch information from said intelligent switched telephone network, said information indicating said communication requires announcement treatment, and wherein said intelligent network facilities, in response to said information, route said communication to said non-intelligent network facilities.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein said information comprises a unique carrier identification code.

Claim 19

The method of claim 12, wherein said step of causing said non-intelligent network facilities to provide an announcement to said calling party includes causing a non-intelligent network announcement frame located at said non-intelligent network facilities to provide said announcement to said calling party.

Claim 20

In an intelligent switched telephone network including a switch and a service control point, said switch including intelligent network facilities and non-intelligent network facilities, said intelligent network facilities having a data communication facility for communicating with other intelligent network components via a data signaling system and said non-intelligent network facilities being connected to said intelligent network facilities via a voice trunk group, said service control point being functionally connected to said switch and said service control point including a database of directory numbers, a method of providing an announcement utilizing said non-intelligent network facilities comprising the steps of: receiving at said switch a communication from a calling party; causing said switch to read identification information associated with said communication and to provide said identification information to said service control point via said data signaling system; causing said service control point to read said identification information, in response to said identification information, to query its database to determine whether said communication requires announcement treatment, and in response to said determination, to send instructions via said data signaling system to said switch for providing an announcement to said calling party; and at said switch, in response to said instructions, causing intelligent network facilities located at said switch to route said communication via a trunk group to non-intelligent network facilities located at said switch, and causing a non-intelligent switch announcement frame located at said non-intelligent network facilities to provide an announcement to said calling party; wherein said non-intelligent switch announcement frame is operative to provide said announcement without receiving instructions via said data signaling system.

Claim 21

In an intelligent switched telephone network including a switch and a service control point, said switch including intelligent network facilities and non-intelligent network facilities, said intelligent network facilities having a data communication facility for communicating with other intelligent network components via a data signaling system and said non-intelligent network facilities being connected to said intelligent network facilities via a voice trunk group, said service control point being functionally connected to said switch and said service control point including a database of directory numbers, a method of providing an announcement utilizing said non-intelligent network facilities comprising the steps of: receiving at said switch a communication from a calling party; causing said switch to read identification information associated with said communication and to provide said identification information to said service control point via said data signaling system; causing said service control point to read said identification information, in response to said identification information, to query its database to determine whether said communication requires announcement treatment, and in response to said determination, to send instructions via said data signaling system to said switch for providing an announcement to said calling party; and at said switch, in response to said instructions, causing intelligent network facilities located at said switch to route said communication via a trunk group to non-intelligent network facilities located at said switch, and causing a non-intelligent switch announcement frame located at said non-intelligent network facilities to provide an announcement to said calling party; wherein said non-intelligent switch announcement frame is operative to provide said announcement without receiving instructions via said data signaling system.

Claim 22

The method of claim 17, wherein said instructions comprise a unique carrier identification code.