Method and apparatus for establishing communications with a remote node on a switched network based on hypertext calling received from a packet network

• US 10,075,986 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Focal IP, LLC
• Inventors: Narain, Alfredo Jose, Angel, German, Wilson, Michael Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H
• Application Number:
  US14/742,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and a methodology enabling a first provider party to provide to a second recipient party software and services to enable the recipient party to embed in an Internet e-mail of the recipient party directed to an addressee, an HTML hyperlink file which includes a telecommunication initiating trigger, sending the e-mail to the addressee via the Internet, the addressee upon receiving the e-mail actuating the hyperlink via its trigger and, responsive to the trigger actuation, connecting the addressee via the Internet to a web page located on an Internet server, wherein the web page includes a request for a telephone number of the addressee. The addressee entering its telephone number information at the server, which information is communicated to a database associated with the server, the server communicating with the database and with a telephony switch, including sending to the switch instructions which result in the switch originating and managing a public switched telephone network (PSTN) communication between the recipient party and the addressee.

Claims

1. A method for a service provider to establish a push-to-talk triggered communication between a consumer and a retailer, the method comprising:

providing to the retailer software operable to implement the push-to-talk triggered communication, wherein the software comprises a hyperlink defined by Hypertext Markup Language and which is a push-to-talk trigger for initiating the push-to-talk triggered communication, wherein the hyperlink is to be included in an email message to be sent to the consumer;

requesting the insertion of consumer contact data by the consumer, in response to activation of the hyperlink, included in the email message, initiating the push-to-talk triggered communication;

communicating the consumer contact data to a database and a service provider server; and

establishing by the service provider server a connection between the consumer and the retailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer contact data represents a telephone number of the consumer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider server is in communication with multiple networks.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the push-to-talk triggered communication is established through a packet switched network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider server is in communication with the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider server is in communication with a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider server is in communication with the Internet and with a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the software is provided and maintained by the service provider.

9. A method for a retailer to communicate with a consumer using a push-to-talk communication established by a service provider server, the method comprising the retailer:

receiving, from a service provider that operates the service provider server, software operable to implement the push-to-talk triggered communication with the consumer, wherein the software comprises a hyperlink defined by Hypertext Markup Language and which is a push-to-talk trigger for initiating the push-to-talk triggered communication, wherein the hyperlink is to be included in an email message to be sent to the consumer;

incorporating the software in a web page of the retailer located on an internet server;

communicating with the consumer using the push-to-talk triggered communication established by the service provider server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the software is updated and maintained by the service provider.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the push-to-talk triggered communication is established by the service provider server using a telephony switch.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the push-to-talk triggered communication is established by the service provider server using a packet switched network.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the web page of the retailer is updated and maintained by the service provider.

14. A service provider system comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored therein instructions that when executed by the processor

provide to a retailer, software operable to implement push-to-talk triggered communication between a consumer and the retailer, wherein the software comprises a hyperlink defined by Hypertext Markup Language and which is a push-to-talk trigger for initiating the push-to-talk triggered communication, wherein the hyperlink is to be included in an email message to be sent from the retailer to the consumer;

request insertion of consumer contact data by the consumer, in response to an activation of the hyperlink for initiating the push-to-talk triggered communication;

communicate the consumer contact data to a database and a server; and

in response to the consumer contact data, use the server to establish a connection between the consumer and the retailer.

15. The service provider system of claim 14, wherein the consumer contact data represents a telephone number of the consumer.

16. The service provider system of claim 14, wherein the server is in communication with multiple networks.

17. The service provider system of claim 14, wherein the server is in communication with the Internet.

18. The service provider system of claim 17, wherein the connection is established through a packet switched network.

19. The service provider system of claim 14, wherein the server is in communication with a public switched telephone network (PSTN).