Method and apparatus for obtaining telephone status over a network
First Claim
1. A system for communicating status of a plurality of plain old telephone system (POTS) telephones over a network to an inquiring computer, the system comprising:
- a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of the plurality of POTS telephones; and
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the plurality of POTS telephones, the telephone status file being accessible by the inquiring computer via the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining telephone status over a network. The system and method provides for off hook status to be determined by a switch or other monitor that then provides that information to a telephone status file. The telephone status file is accessible over the Internet by computer so that a calling party can first determine if the called party is on the telephone. Thus wasted time in making calls that cannot be completed is avoided. The system operates over normal PSTN'"'"'s, over cable systems, and over the Internet.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A system for communicating status of a plurality of plain old telephone system (POTS) telephones over a network to an inquiring computer, the system comprising:
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a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of the plurality of POTS telephones; and
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the plurality of POTS telephones, the telephone status file being accessible by the inquiring computer via the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A process for a calling party to determine telephone status of a called party telephone over a network, the process comprising:
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inputting a telephone number corresponding to the called party'"'"'s plain old telephone system (POTS) telephone to a telephone status monitor over the network via a calling party processor; and
accessing a called party telephone status file over the network, wherein status of the called party'"'"'s POTS telephone is made available via the called party telephone status file by the telephone status monitor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A process for determining telephone status comprising:
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accessing a telephone status file over a network; and
monitoring the status of a plurality of plain old telephone system (POTS) telephones and providing that telephone status to the telephone status file. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for communicating over a network, the system comprising:
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a voice mail converter connected to receive an alpha numeric message via the network and convert the alpha numeric message into a voice mail message;
the converter further connected so as to allow a called party to access the voice mail message; and
whereby a message creation device creates an alphanumeric message to be sent to the voice mail converter over the network for subsequent conversion into voice mail by the voice mail converter. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for providing status of a plurality of telephones over a network to an inquiring computer, the system comprising:
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a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of the plurality of telephones; and
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the plurality of telephones, the telephone status file being accessible by the inquiring computer via the network;
wherein the telephone status is a consumer option selected from the group consisting of;
number of rings to voicemail and call waiting.
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31. A system for providing telephone status over a network to a calling party computer connected to that network, the system comprising:
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a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of a telephone;
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the telephone, the telephone status file being accessible by the calling computer via the network; and
a voice mail converter connected to receive an alpha numeric message via the network and convert the alpha numeric message into a voice mail message; and
the converter being further connected so as to allow a called party to access the voice mail message;
whereby the calling party computer can create an alphanumeric message to be sent to the voice mail converter via the network for subsequent conversion into voice mail by the voice mail converter. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A process for a calling party to determine telephone status of a called party telephone over a network, the process comprising:
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inputting a called party'"'"'s telephone number to a telephone status monitor over the network via a calling party processor;
accessing a called party telephone status file over the network, wherein status of the called party telephone is made available via the called party status file by the telephone status monitor;
creating an alpha numeric message; and
sending the alpha numeric message over the network to a voice mail converter for conversion into a voice mail message, wherein the voice mail message is accessible for retrieval by the called party. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A process for determining telephone status, the process comprising:
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accessing a telephone status file over a network, the telephone status file representing telephone status of one or more telephones that are being monitored;
reviewing periodic updates to the telephone status file with respect to a called party telephone selected from the one or more telephones monitored for the telephone status file; and
notifying a calling party by beeper that the called party telephone is in an on-hook condition.
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36. A system for communicating thermal status via one or more telephones over a network to an inquiring computer, the system comprising:
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a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of the one or more telephones; and
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the one or more telephones, the telephone status file being accessible by the inquiring computer via the network;
wherein the telephone status comprises a temperature condition of a thermal system reporting to the telephone. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A process for a calling party to determine thermal status via a called party telephone over a network, the process comprising:
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inputting a telephone number corresponding to the called party'"'"'s telephone to a telephone status monitor over the network via a calling party processor; and
accessing a called party telephone status file over the network, wherein telephone status of the called party'"'"'s telephone is made available via the called party telephone status file by the telephone status monitor;
wherein the telephone status comprises a temperature condition of a thermal system reporting to the telephone. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A process for determining temperature status via telephone, the process comprising:
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accessing a telephone status file over a network; and
monitoring the temperature status corresponding to a plurality of telephones and providing that temperature status to the telephone status file. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A system for communicating status of a plurality of telephones over a network to a videophone, the system comprising:
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a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of the plurality of telephones; and
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the plurality of telephones, the telephone status file being accessible by the videophone via the network.
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43. A process for a calling party to determine telephone status of a called party telephone over a network, the process comprising:
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inputting a telephone number corresponding to the called party'"'"'s telephone to a telephone status monitor over the network via a videophone; and
accessing a called party telephone status file with the videophone over the network, wherein status of the called party'"'"'s telephone is made available via the called party telephone status file by the telephone status monitor.
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44. A process for determining telephone status comprising:
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accessing a telephone status file over a network using a videophone; and
monitoring the status of a plurality of telephones and providing that telephone status to the telephone status file for viewing via the videophone.
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45. A system for communicating status of a plurality of wireless telecommunication devices over a network to an inquiring computer, the system comprising:
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a telephone status monitor connected so as to monitor a telephone status of the plurality of wireless telecommunication devices; and
a telephone status file connected to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the plurality of wireless telecommunication devices, the telephone status file being accessible by the inquiring computer via the network. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A process for a calling party to determine device status of a called party wireless telecommunication device over a network, the process comprising:
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inputting a telephone number corresponding to the called party'"'"'s wireless telecommunication device to a device status monitor over the network via a calling party processor; and
accessing a called party device status file over a network, wherein status of the called party'"'"'s wireless telecommunication devices is made available via the called party device status file by the device status monitor. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. A process for determining wireless telecommunication device status comprising:
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accessing a device status file over a network; and
monitoring the status of a plurality of wireless telecommunication devices and providing that device status to the device status file. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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Specification