U.S. patent application number 16/031806 was filed with the patent office on 2019-06-13 for telephone network system and method.
The applicant listed for this patent is Flypsi, Inc.. Invention is credited to Sunir KOCHHAR, Peter A. RINFRET, Ivan ZHIDOV.
Application Number | 20190182375 16/031806 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52343966 |
Filed Date | 2019-06-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190182375 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ZHIDOV; Ivan ; et
al. |
June 13, 2019 |
TELEPHONE NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
Systems for and methods of delivering telephone calls using the
combination of a data channel and a voice channel are disclosed. A
data channel connection with the telephone handset may provide
pre-call information used to set up incoming and outgoing calls
which are ultimately connected using a voice channel. Use of the
pre-call information may permit the same handset to be associated
with multiple secondary telephone numbers from which calls appear
to have been made and to which calls appear to have been
placed.
Inventors: |
ZHIDOV; Ivan; (Chickasha,
OK) ; RINFRET; Peter A.; (Nantucket, MA) ;
KOCHHAR; Sunir; (Oro Valley, AZ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Flypsi, Inc. |
Denton |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52343966 |
Appl. No.: |
16/031806 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15582091 |
Apr 28, 2017 |
10051105 |
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16031806 |
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14307052 |
Jun 17, 2014 |
9667770 |
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15582091 |
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13944853 |
Jul 17, 2013 |
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14307052 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/42272 20130101;
H04M 1/72547 20130101; H04M 3/565 20130101; H04M 2203/5054
20130101; H04M 3/42263 20130101; H04M 3/436 20130101; H04W 76/10
20180201; H04M 3/42042 20130101; H04L 65/1069 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04M 1/725 20060101
H04M001/725; H04M 3/42 20060101 H04M003/42 |
Claims
1.-3. (canceled)
4. A method of providing telephone service, comprising:
automatically storing electronic information that indicates an
association of a secondary telephone number and a primary telephone
number with a telephone handset in a computer memory associated
with a server; automatically associating a unique bridge telephone
number with each of a plurality of contact telephone numbers in the
computer memory; automatically transmitting information that
indicates the association of the unique bridge telephone number
with each of a plurality of contact telephone numbers to the
handset via the data channel; automatically associating each
primary telephone number and bridge telephone number pairing with a
corresponding secondary telephone number and contact telephone
number pairing in the computer memory; receiving, at a switch
associated with the server, an outgoing call from the handset to
the bridge telephone number via a voice channel; receiving, at the
server, information from the switch indicating the outgoing call is
being made to the bridge telephone number from the primary
telephone number; receiving, at the switch, information from the
server directing the switch to: (a) connect the outgoing call to a
contact telephone number associated with the primary telephone
number and bridge telephone number pairing, and (b) identify the
telephone number from which the outgoing call is being made as the
secondary telephone number.
5. A method of providing telephone service, comprising: enrolling a
telephone handset in a telecommunications system having a server
and a switch, wherein said telephone handset is associated with a
primary telephone number in a database associated with the server
and switch; electronically transmitting an application from the
server to the telephone handset via a data channel responsive to
telephone handset enrollment, wherein said application is: adapted
to send instructions to have one or more secondary telephone
numbers referenced to the primary telephone number in the database,
adapted to present visually perceptible call processing rules on
the telephone handset, and adapted to transmit information
indicating a selection of call processing rules from the telephone
handset to the server; electronically receiving instructions from
the telephone handset via the data channel to reference the one or
more secondary telephone numbers to the primary telephone number;
storing telephone handset information, including the primary
telephone number and the one or more secondary telephone numbers
referenced to the primary telephone number, in the database;
electronically receiving instructions from the telephone handset
via the data channel to store user selected call processing rules
for the telephone handset in the database, wherein the user
selected call processing rules include instructions to route calls
over a voice channel in a manner that will indicate that the calls
are made to or from the one or more secondary telephone numbers;
electronically transmitting information to the telephone handset
via the data channel, said information being adapted to cause a
pre-call information to be displayed on the telephone handset
responsive to initiation of an outgoing call using the one or more
secondary telephone numbers or an incoming call to the one or more
secondary telephone numbers; electronically receiving, from the
telephone handset via the data channel, call handling information
indicating a user selected call processing rule to be used to
process the outgoing or incoming call; and automatically handling
the outgoing or incoming call based on the call handling
information.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the application is adapted to
automatically install on the telephone handset.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the call processing rules are
adapted to provide instructions to receive a call, drop a call,
play a prerecorded or dynamically entered text to voice custom
voice mail greeting, play a prerecorded or dynamically entered or
text to voice custom message, or send a preset custom text
message.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the call processing rules are
adapted to provide instructions to assign a secondary telephone
number to the primary telephone number for a specific purpose or
period of time.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the user selected call processing
rules assign a custom voice mail greeting, custom message or a
custom text message to a secondary telephone number.
10. The method of claim 5, wherein the user selected call
processing rules include instructions to provide call routing based
on one or more of: an incoming caller ID, an accepted caller ID
list, a non-accepted caller ID list, or calendar, weekday, weekend,
time of day, location data, biometrics data, or accelerometer data
information.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user selected call
processing rules are configured to provide a text to voice
message.
12. The method of claim 5, wherein the user selected call
processing rules are configured to provide calling features
assignable to individual secondary telephone numbers.
13. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of automatically
handling the incoming call comprises: receiving, at the switch, an
incoming call to one of the one or more secondary telephone
numbers; transmitting an incoming call notification to the
application assigned to the called one or more secondary telephone
numbers via the data channel; receiving a call acceptance
notification from the telephone handset via the data channel;
transmitting a bridge number from the server over the data channel
to the telephone handset responsive to receipt of the call
acceptance notification for the incoming call; receiving a call
from the telephone handset at the switch which is automatically
made by the telephone handset using the bridge number in response
to acceptance of the incoming call; and connecting the telephone
handset for the incoming call by connecting the call made using the
bridge number to the incoming call received at the switch.
14.-17. (canceled)
18. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of processing the call
when it is an incoming call comprises: receiving, at the switch, an
incoming call to one of the secondary telephone numbers;
transmitting an incoming call notification to the telephone handset
via the data channel; receiving a call acceptance notification from
the telephone handset via the data channel; transmitting a bridge
telephone number from the server over the data channel to the
telephone handset responsive to receipt of the call acceptance
notification for the incoming call; receiving a voice channel call
from the telephone handset at the switch which is automatically
made by the telephone handset using the bridge number in response
to acceptance of the incoming call; and connecting the telephone
handset for the incoming call by connecting the call made using the
bridge telephone number to the incoming call received at the
switch.
19. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of automatically
handling the outgoing call comprises: receiving, at the server, a
request over the data channel from the telephone handset to make an
outgoing call using one of the one or more secondary telephone
numbers; transmitting a bridge telephone number from the server
over the data channel to the telephone handset responsive to
receipt of the request to make an outgoing call; receiving a call
over a voice channel from the telephone handset at the switch which
is automatically made by the telephone handset using the bridge
telephone number; and connecting the telephone handset for the
outgoing call by connecting the call made using the bridge
telephone number to an intended called party wherein the one of the
one or more secondary telephone numbers is identified to the called
party as the calling number.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the bridge telephone number is
uniquely associated with a contact telephone number in the
database.
21. (canceled)
22. (canceled)
23. The method of claim 4, wherein the data channel is an Internet
protocol (IP) channel.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the voice channel is
established in accordance with a CDMA or GSM standard.
25. The method of claim 5, wherein the data channel is an Internet
protocol (IP) channel.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the voice channel is
established in accordance with a CDMA or GSM standard.
27. (canceled)
28. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 120, as a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
15/582,091, filed Apr. 28, 2017, entitled "Telephone Network System
and Method," which is a continuation of and which claims priority
benefit, under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 120, to U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 14/307,052, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,667,770, filed Jun. 17,
2014, entitled "Telephone Network System and Method," which is a
continuation-in-part of and which claims priority benefit, under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 120, to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/944,853,
filed on Jul. 17, 2013, entitled "A Method Of A Data Channel
Telephone Network System," the disclosure of each of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to systems and methods for
setting up and connecting telephone calls, and delivering
information related to such telephone calls using an Internet
Protocol (IP) or other data channel while delivering the voice
portion of the call in accordance with CDMA, GSM or like voice
channel delivery standards.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The volume of telephone calls and text messaging has
increased dramatically and users are finding it more and more
difficult to manage that volume of calls and messages. The current
systems to aid in managing some types of calls only provide minimal
assistance to the user. It is therefore an advantage of some, but
not necessarily all, embodiments of the present invention to
provide systems and methods for assisting callers and call
recipients with the management of calls and messages.
[0004] Additional advantages of various embodiments of the
invention are set forth, in part, in the description that follows
and, in part, will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art
from the description and/or from the practice of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Responsive to the foregoing challenges, Applicant has
developed an innovative method of providing telephone service by
transmitting call handling information between a handset and a
switch using an IP channel or similar protocol channel and by
transmitting a voice call associated with the call handling
information between the handset and the switch using a voice
channel provided in accordance with a voice channel protocol, e.g.,
in accordance with CDMA or GSM, 3G, 4G, LTE or like future protocol
channels standards.
[0006] Applicant has further developed an innovative method of
providing telephone service comprising: automatically storing
electronic information that indicates an association of a secondary
telephone number and a primary telephone number with a telephone
handset in a computer memory associated with a server;
automatically storing electronic information that indicates a
selection of call processing rules for the primary telephone number
in the computer memory; automatically storing electronic
information that indicates a selection of call processing rules for
the secondary telephone number in the computer memory; receiving an
electronic indication of an incoming call to the secondary
telephone number at the server, said electronic indication of an
incoming call being received from a switch associated with the
server; automatically accessing the call processing rules for the
secondary telephone number under the control of the server
responsive to the receipt of the electronic indication of the
incoming call to the secondary telephone number; automatically
handling the incoming call in accordance with the accessed call
processing rules for the secondary telephone number; transmitting
pre-call information via a data channel to the handset under the
control of the server, said pre-call information including a bridge
telephone number for connecting the handset to the incoming call at
the switch; and receiving, at the server via the data channel, an
electronic indication of a selection of a call processing rule for
handling the incoming call to the secondary telephone number, or
establishing a voice channel connection between the handset and the
switch as a result of the handset calling the switch using the
bridge number.
[0007] Applicant has further developed an innovative method of
providing telephone service, comprising: automatically storing
electronic information that indicates an association of a secondary
telephone number and a primary telephone number with a telephone
handset in a computer memory associated with a server;
automatically associating a unique bridge telephone number with
each of a plurality of contact telephone numbers in the computer
memory; automatically transmitting information that indicates the
association of the unique bridge telephone number with each of a
plurality of contact telephone numbers to the handset via the data
channel; automatically associating each primary telephone number
and bridge telephone number pairing with a corresponding secondary
telephone number and contact telephone number pairing in the
computer memory; receiving, at a switch associated with the server,
an outgoing call from the handset to the bridge telephone number
via a voice channel ; receiving, at the server, information from
the switch indicating the outgoing call is being made to the bridge
telephone number from the primary telephone number; receiving, at
the switch, information from the server directing the switch to:
(a) connect the outgoing call to a contact telephone number
associated with the primary telephone number and bridge telephone
number pairing, and (b) identify the telephone number from which
the outgoing call is being made as the secondary telephone
number.
[0008] Applicant has still further developed an innovative method
of providing telephone service, comprising: enrolling a telephone
handset in a telecommunications system having a server and a
switch, wherein said telephone handset is associated with a primary
telephone number in a database associated with the server and
switch; electronically transmitting an application from the server
to the telephone handset via a data channel responsive to telephone
handset enrollment, wherein said application is: adapted to send
instructions to have one or more secondary telephone numbers
referenced to the primary telephone number in the database, adapted
to present visually perceptible call processing rules on the
telephone handset, and adapted to transmit information indicating a
selection of call processing rules from the telephone handset to
the server; electronically receiving instructions from the
telephone handset via the data channel to reference the one or more
secondary telephone numbers to the primary telephone number;
storing telephone handset information, including the primary
telephone number and the one or more secondary telephone numbers
referenced to the primary telephone number, in the database;
electronically receiving instructions from the telephone handset
via the data channel to store user selected call processing rules
for the telephone handset in the database, wherein the user
selected call processing rules include instructions to route calls
over a voice channel in a manner that will indicate that the calls
are made to or from the one or more secondary telephone numbers;
electronically transmitting information to the telephone handset
via the data channel, said information being adapted to cause a
pre-call information to be displayed on the telephone handset
responsive to initiation of an outgoing call using the one or more
secondary telephone numbers or an incoming call to the one or more
secondary telephone numbers; electronically receiving from the
telephone handset via the data channel call handling information
indicating a user selected call processing rule to be used to
process the outgoing or incoming call; and automatically handling
the outgoing or incoming call based on the call handling
information.
[0009] Applicant has still further developed an innovative method
of providing telephone service, comprising: associating a telephone
handset with primary and secondary telephone numbers in a database;
receiving, from the telephone handset via a data channel, digital
information indicating primary call processing rules for handling
calls to the first telephone number; storing the primary call
processing rules digitally; receiving, from the telephone handset
via the data channel, digital information indicating secondary call
processing rules for handling calls to the secondary telephone
number; storing the secondary call processing rules digitally;
receiving a call request to the secondary telephone number;
transmitting pre-call information to the telephone handset via the
data channel responsive to receipt of the call request, wherein
said pre-call information is based on the secondary call processing
rules; responsive to the pre-call information, receiving
information indicative of a user input to the telephone handset
over the data channel; and processing the call based on the stored
alternative call processing rules and user input to the telephone
handset, wherein said processing includes an option of connecting
the call over a voice channel.
[0010] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] In order to assist the understanding of this invention,
reference will now be made to the appended drawings, in which like
reference characters refer to like elements.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a network
architecture that may be used to provide telephone service in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a method of providing
telephone calls in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating data channel and
voice channel connections used to provide telephone service in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a method of setting
up and connecting an incoming call in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a method of setting
up and connecting an outgoing call in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a call sequence diagram illustrating a method of
setting up and connecting a conference call in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other
embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0019] It should be noted that in connection with the described
embodiments, reference is made to a data channel. A preferred data
channel may be an Internet Protocol (IP) channel, which is not a
conventional telephone voice channel. However, other data,
non-conventional voice, channels over which information may be
transmitted between a telephone handset and a server may be used in
alternative embodiments of the invention.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1, embodiments of the present
invention may be implemented using a system having a server 100,
associated computer memory, such as a database 120, and an
associated telecommunications switch 110 which communicate through
a network with a telephone handset 340. The server 100 may be
connected to the database 120 and the switch 110. The server 100
may also be connected via the Internet 316 through one or more
nodes, such as a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) 322 and a
Servicing GPRS Support Node (SGSN) 324, to a mobile network 313.
The switch 110 may be connected through the PSTN 310 to the mobile
network 313 at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 314. In turn, the
MSC 314 may be connected to a Home Location Register database (HLR)
318, a Visitor Location Register database (312), a Mobile Number
Portability database (MNP) 320, a location server 308, and the SGSN
324. The SGSN 324 may be connected to one or more Radio Network
Controllers (RNC) 326 and/or one or more Processor Control Units
(PCU) 327, which in turn may be connected to one or more Base
Stations (BS) 328 and to one or more mobile devices referred to
collectively as "handsets" 340.
[0021] The communications between the server 100 and the handset
340 over the Internet 316 may utilize IP as a protocol opposed to
protocols used to establish communications according to CDMA, GSM,
or like standards. Such IP governed communications are referred to
herein as being conducted over a "data channel." Conversely,
communications between the switch 110 and the handset over the PSTN
310 may be transmitted and received in accordance with CDMA, GSM or
like standards as opposed to using IP. Such CDMA, GSM or like
governed communications, when used to carry voice information, are
referred to herein as being conducted over a "voice channel."
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, method embodiments of the
invention may be facilitated starting with step 200 in which a
handset 340 may be used to subscribe to 10 the telephone network
that includes the server 100 and switch 110 used to provide
telephone service in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
A user may subscribe to the telephone network in step 200 by
enrolling the telephone handset 340 using a data channel connection
between the handset and the server 100. Responsive to a data
channel request received from the handset 340, a handset
application may be transmitted to the handset from the server 100,
and installed and stored in memory associated with the handset in
step 202. Once the handset application is installed on the handset
340, the handset may connect to the server 100 by operation of the
handset application as needed over a data channel connection which
may include the BS 328, RNC 326 or PCU 327, SGSN 324, GGSN 322, and
Internet 316.
[0023] In connection with step 204, the server 100 may transmit
information to the handset 340 via the data channel, which, through
automatic operation of the handset application, permits the user to
select one or more secondary telephone numbers to be referenced to
a primary telephone number for the handset. The primary telephone
number, preferably, may be a SIM number or ESN which is assigned to
the handset 340 at the time of activation. Once selected, the
handset 340 may automatically transmit information which to the
server 100 over the data channel which requests that the secondary
telephone numbers be associated with the primary telephone number.
In response. the server 100 may store (i.e., reference) information
indicating the association of the one or more selected secondary
telephone numbers in computer memory associated with the server
such as the database 120. In an alternative embodiment, the server
100 may automatically assign one or more secondary telephone
numbers to the handset 340, as opposed to them being selected.
[0024] In step 206 of FIG. 2, the handset 340 may be used to access
the handset application installed thereon to select call processing
rules for handling incoming and outgoing voice channel calls to and
from the handset 340. Information indicating call processing rules
may be transmitted from the handset 340 to the server 100 via the
data channel by automatic operation of the handset application.
Custom call processing rules may be selected for, and associated
with, each of the primary telephone number and the one or more
secondary telephone numbers associated with the primary telephone
number. The call processing rules information may be automatically
stored in a computer memory, such as database 120, by the server
100. An indication of the association of particular call processing
rules with a particular 10 handset 340 and particular primary
and/or secondary telephone numbers may also be stored in the
database 120. The call processing rules may include preset
responses for incoming calls, such as custom stored voice
message(s) and/or custom stored text message(s) to be associated
with the primary and/or one or more secondary telephone numbers.
The call processing rules may further permit the handset 340 to be
used to control the availability of the secondary telephone numbers
as well as activation of additional secondary telephone numbers and
deactivation of existing secondary telephone numbers. Information
indicating the call processing rules for the primary telephone
number and secondary telephone numbers may be stored automatically
in memory associated with the handset 340. The call processing
rules may further include stock rules used for all telephone
numbers, such as an option to accept or not accept (i.e., drop) an
incoming call. With reference to step 208, the application stored
on the handset 340 may enable it to be used to receive incoming
calls from, and place outgoing calls to, a recipient telephone (not
shown) which is connected to the PSTN 310, as explained in more
detail below.
[0025] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the handset 340 may be used
to receive incoming (terminating) calls to a secondary telephone
number, using a telephone network automated structure having a
network layer 101 and an application layer 102 associated
therewith. An incoming call to the secondary telephone number may
be placed in step 402 by a calling party. The incoming call is
routed from the caller's telephone to the PSTN 310. In step 404,
the incoming call may be routed over the PSTN 310 to the switch 110
Responsive to receipt of the incoming call at the switch 110, a
Call Manager 104 application, which cooperates with a Mobility
Manager 106 application, and a Web Manager 108 application, which
are all associated with the server 100, may access the call
processing rules in the database 120 which are associated with the
secondary telephone number that is being called. Subject to the
accessed call processing rules, the Call Manager 104 may assign or
look up a bridge telephone number to be used for completion of the
call in step 406. The bridge telephone number may be associated
with the switch 110, and calls to the bridge telephone number may
be automatically routed to this switch.
[0026] The call processing rules may provide for call routing via a
call distribution algorithm where the call could be routed to one
or many telephone numbers. The call processing rules may be user
selectable and configurable, and may apply to voice, text and/or
other data messaging. The call processing rules may govern how
calls are handled and may provide automated call routing or call
dropping based on location data of the calling and/or called party.
The call processing rules may further govern handling calls based
on incoming caller ID, which may identify a calling party as being
on an accepted caller ID list or a non-accepted caller ID list. The
call processing rules may further provide call routing based on
weekday, weekend, holiday, time of day, biometrics data, and
accelerometer data information. The call processing rules may still
further provide call routing based on an interface with a handset
340 calendar to check availability to accept calls. Such calendars
may include, for example, Outlook, Google Calendar, and other user
calendars.
[0027] If the call processing rules indicate that the secondary
telephone number is not available to this particular caller, or to
all callers, however, the Call Manager 104 may apply such rule or
rules and reject the incoming call at the conclusion of step 406.
Application of the call processing rules for a call rejection may
result in the call simply not being answered, being dropped, or
automated return of a voice, text, or other type of message to the
calling telephone number or a communication device associated
therewith.
[0028] On the other hand, if the call processing rules permit
completion of the call, in step 408 the Call Manager 104 may
transmit pre-call notification information to the handset 340,
which includes the assigned/looked up bridge telephone number, via
the data channel connection, i.e., over the Internet 316 and the
Mobile Data Network 348. The pre-call information may include
information used by the application installed on the handset 340 to
cause a display of the calling telephone number, the calling party
name, calling party location, such as GPS location, and/or the
called secondary telephone number, as well as other information in
step 410. The incoming pre-call information may be received at the
handset 340 before or during the call ringing on the handset.
[0029] In step 412, responsive to receipt of the incoming pre-call
notification information, the handset application may cause the
handset 340 to display call handling choices for the call. For
example, the handset 340 may be directed under the control of the
handset application to display receive call, drop call, custom
voice mail message, and/or custom text message choices. The choices
may be selected through interaction with the handset 340, all
before the call is connected or dropped. In step 414, the selection
of either delivering a responsive text message (416), not
accepting, i.e., "dropping" the call (418), or responding to the
call with a custom voice message (420) may be transmitted from the
handset 340 to the server 100 via the data channel. Thereafter, the
Call Manager 104 may automatically implement the drop call or
respond with text or voice message instructions received over the
data channel, and the call attempt may be terminated
thereafter.
[0030] If the call is accepted in step 414, however, the handset
application may automatically cause the handset 340 to call the
bridge telephone number in step 422 over a voice channel. The
return call from the handset 340 to the bridge telephone number may
be routed over the PSTN 310 to the switch 110 using a voice channel
connection. In step 424, once the call to the bridge telephone
number is received at the switch 110, the switch may "bridge" the
incoming voice channel call to the bridge telephone number with the
incoming voice channel call to the secondary telephone number to
thereby connect the incoming call from the calling party to the
handset 340 via a voice channel. Further, the switch 110 may
automatically send signaling information to the calling party
telephone which causes the secondary telephone number to be
displayed as the number to which the call has been completed.
[0031] With continued reference to FIG. 3, the web manager 108 may
be used to process Internet 316 transactions for the server 110.
The system may also employ a web portal 350 to link a digital
device 360 other than a handheld 340 to the telecommunications
system for calling in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
For example, embodiments of the invention may be used with digital
devices 360 such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, IPad,
tablet, IPod 790, or the like.
[0032] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, the handset 340 may be used
to place outgoing (originating) calls from a secondary telephone
number, using the telephone network automated structure shown in
FIG. 3 and described above. If the party to be called has not yet
been called using a secondary telephone number, an outgoing call
from the handset 340 may be initiated to such party in step 502 by
opening the handset application installed thereon. Once the handset
application is open, the handset 340 may be used to choose a
secondary telephone number as the originating telephone number in
step 504. A list of such secondary telephone numbers may be stored
in memory associated with the handset.
[0033] In step 506, the handset 340 may be used to enter, or select
from an address file, a contact telephone number to be called in
order to initiate a call to such telephone number. The handset
application may cause the handset 340 to transmit information to
the server 100 Call Manager 104 via the data channel automatically
as a result of the selection of the secondary telephone number and
the contact telephone number. The transmitted information may
indicate the secondary telephone number from which the call is to
appear to the called party to have been placed, and the contact
telephone number to be called.
[0034] In step 508, responsive to receipt of the data channel
communication from the handset 340 requesting set up of a call from
it to the telephone number to be called, the Call Manager 104 may
access the call processing rules in the database 120 which are
associated with the secondary telephone number from which the call
is to appear to have been placed. In step 510, subject to the
accessed call processing rules, the Call Manager 104 may assign a
bridge telephone number to be used to connect the call from the
handset 340 to the switch 110 and send pre-call information
including the bridge telephone number to the handset via the data
channel.
[0035] The bridge telephone number may be associated with the
switch 110, and calls to the bridge telephone number may be
automatically routed to this switch. Once the bridge telephone
number is assigned, the server 100 under the control of the Call
Manager 104, may store information in the database 120 which
associates the bridge telephone number with the primary telephone
number for the handset 340, the secondary telephone number selected
for the call, and the contact telephone number to be called. More
specifically, the stored information may indicate that each
combination of primary telephone number and bridge telephone number
are uniquely associated with each combination of secondary
telephone number and contact telephone number. In other words, each
combination of primary telephone number and bridge telephone number
for the handset 340 map to a unique combination of secondary
telephone number and contact telephone number in the database 120
memory.
[0036] In step 512, responsive to receipt of the bridge telephone
number information over the data channel, the handset application
may cause the handset 340 to automatically call the bridge
telephone number via a voice channel. The return call from the
handset 340 to the bridge telephone number may be routed over the
PSTN 310 to the switch 110 using a voice channel connection.
[0037] In step 514, the Call Manager 104 may instruct the switch
110 to place a voice channel call to the telephone number to be
called using the secondary telephone number as the originating
telephone number from the switch. Once the call to the bridge
telephone number from the handset 340 is received at the switch
110, the switch may "bridge" the incoming voice channel call to the
bridge telephone number with the outgoing voice channel call from
the secondary telephone number to the contact telephone number to
thereby connect the outgoing call from the handset 340 to the party
being called via a voice channel. Further, the switch 110 may
automatically send signaling information to the called party
telephone which causes the secondary telephone number to be
displayed as the number from which the call appears to have been
placed. Because each pairing of a primary telephone number and a
bridge telephone number maps to a unique contact telephone number
and secondary telephone number pairing, the call can be completed
at the switch 110 to the correct contact telephone number while
showing the desired secondary telephone number as the originating
number.
[0038] With continued reference to FIG. 5, in the event that the
contact telephone has been previously called using the secondary
telephone number on the handset 340, the user may directly select
the bridge telephone number associated with the secondary telephone
number and contact telephone number in step 506 either using the
handset application in step 502, or without opening the handset
application in step 512. Alternatively, the handset may have a
stored "shortcut" which, when the user selects the contact
telephone number to be called from the secondary telephone number,
results in the associated bridge telephone number being dialed. In
either case, the handset 340 may dial the bridge telephone number
to connect with the Call Manager 104 in step 512. In step 514, the
Call Manager 104 may look up the secondary telephone number and the
contact telephone number associated with the paired bridge
telephone number and primary telephone number for the handset 340.
Thereafter, the switch 110 may dial the contact telephone number
and bridge the call from the handset 340 in a manner that makes the
secondary telephone number appear to be the telephone number from
which the call is being placed.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a call flow diagram illustrating a method of
setting up and connecting a multi-party conference call in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With
reference to FIGS. 3 and 6, the communication sequence for a
conference call is illustrated between the handset application
stored on the handset 340, the Call Manager 104 application
associated with the server 100 and switch 110, and a conference
call invitee handset. In step 600, the application on the handset
340 may be used to select invitees (users) for a conference call.
The telephone numbers of the invitees may be selected from an
address book or manually entered. Further, the conference call may
be selected to be initiated immediately, or at some future date and
time.
[0040] Once the invitees are selected, the handset 340 may be
instructed by the handset application to transmit a conference
request to the server 100 via a data channel. In step 602, the Call
Manager 104 operating on the server 100 may assign a conference
bridge telephone number to the conference call in response to
receipt of the conference request. In step 604, the Call Manager
104 may cause the server 100 to send conference invitation messages
to each of the invitee handsets, and more specifically,
applications stored on the invitee handsets, via a data channel.
The invitation messages may include the assigned bridge telephone
number for the conference call and an optional PIN or code number
for the conference call. The invitation message may provide a
notice, for example, "Jack has invited you to join a conference
call," and further include identification of other invited
participants.
[0041] In step 606, each invitee handset may be used to accept to
join the conference call, join at a later time, or decline to join.
If the acceptance is for a future scheduled conference call, an
indication of the acceptance (including acceptance to join late)
may be transmitted from each invitee handset under the control of
the application installed thereon, to the server 100 Call Manager
104 via the data channel. Further, if the invitation is declined
altogether, an indication thereof may be transmitted from each
invitee handset to the server 100. Thereafter, the Call Manager 104
may transmit information to the originating handset 340, and
optionally the invitee handsets, via the data channel, which
indicates acceptance of a future conference call, acceptance to
join late (step 610), or declination of the conference call
invitation.
[0042] If the conference call invitation is accepted and it is time
for the call, each accepting invitee handset may automatically or
manually dial the bridge telephone number using a voice channel.
The switch 110 may receive the voice channel calls to the bridge
telephone number and may authenticate the invitees right to join
the conference call in step 608 by comparing the invitee's
telephone number with that of the invitee list, as well as
comparing any PIN input by the invitee with the PIN selected for
the conference call. If the authentication is successful, the
invitee handset is connected to the call via the voice channel. An
automatic update may be transmitted via the data channel from the
server to the originating handset 340 indicating that a particular
invitee handset has joined the conference call.
[0043] If an invitee chose to join late, the server 100 may
automatically transmit a reminder to the affected invitee handset
to join the call at the agreed time in step 612. Thereafter, the
late joining invitee handset may dial the bridge telephone number
automatically or manually using a voice channel. The switch 110 may
receive the voice channel call to the bridge telephone number,
authenticate the late joining invitee handset, and connect the
handset to the conference call in step 614.
[0044] The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments and
modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention
should not be construed as being limited to the particular
embodiments discussed. The above described embodiments should be
regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be
appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by
workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the
present invention as defined by the following claims.
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