Apparatus and method for computer controlled call processing and information provision

• US 20020093941A1
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Strathmeyer, Carl R., Finnie, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 : Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 : PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 : Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 : Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method and apparatus are presented for transmitting, from an application computer in communication with a gatekeeper which is connected to a data network, messages indicative of telephone calls in progress at an endpoint of the data network, or indicative of such endpoint, and transmitting, from the gatekeeper to the application computer, messages indicative of a variety of information contained in the telephone calls so as to process such information for a variety of applications. The invention contains a method for providing to a user of the system information relative to the incoming caller and to the subject of the call.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting over a packet data network information pertaining to an incoming call indicative of telephony monitoring and control functions to a first call processing device being located separately from any of at least two nodes of the packet data network;

routing the incoming call to connect to a selected endpoint of the packet data network according to established rules;

notifying a second call processing device regarding the incoming call routing;

arranging through the second call processing device for a telephone communications session between the at least two nodes of the packet data network;

causing the telephone communications session between the at least two nodes of the packet data network to occur; and

providing to a user information relating to the caller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the subject matter of the incoming call and obtaining information relating to that subject matter; and

displaying information relating to the caller and to the subject matter of the incoming call.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising enabling a user to access additional information relating to the caller and/or the incoming call.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing indicia of the initiating caller to identify the caller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein utilizing indicia of the initiating caller comprises utilizing the caller'"'"'s telephone number to identify the caller.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying information comprises displaying information on a monitor or other display device that is accessible to a user.

7. A method, comprising:

routing an incoming call through a gatekeeper to connect to a selected endpoint of a packet data network according to established rules;

informing an application computer the identity of the incoming caller;

providing to a user information relating to the incoming caller; and

causing the packetized telephone communications session between at least two nodes of the packet data network to occur.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the subject matter of the incoming call and obtaining information relating to that subject matter; and

displaying information relating to the caller and to the subject matter.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising enabling a user to access additional information relating to the caller and/or the subject matter.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising utilizing indicia from the incoming call to identify the caller.

11. The method of claim 10, utilizing the caller'"'"'s telephone number to identify the caller.

12. The method of claim 7, displaying information on a monitor or the like that is accessible to a user.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising obtaining information from the incoming caller and providing the obtained information to a user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

assigning an identifier for the incoming call; and

caching the incoming call in combination with the obtained information and the call identifier for later retrieval.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

retrieving and forwarding the incoming call and the obtained information to a user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining the subject matter of the incoming call and obtaining information relating to that subject matter; and

displaying information relating to the caller and to the subject matter.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

obtaining information from the incoming caller; and

providing the obtained information to a user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

assigning an identifier for the incoming call; and

caching the incoming call in combination with the obtained information and the call identifier for later retrieval.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising retrieving and forwarding the incoming call and the obtained information to a user.

16. A method, comprising:

establishing rules, relative to a communications session, for routing an incoming call in a first call processing device;

transmitting information indicative of telephony monitoring and control functions to the first call processing device located separately from any of at least two nodes of a packet data network;

transmitting a routing request from a second call processing device to the first call processing device;

routing the incoming call to connect to a selected endpoint of a packet data network;

notifying an application computer regarding the incoming caller'"'"'s identification;

arranging for the telephone communications session between at least two nodes of the packet data network; and

providing to a recipient of the incoming call information relating to the caller.

21. An article or set of articles comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed causes:

transmitting over a packet data network information pertaining to an incoming call indicative of telephony monitoring and control functions to a first call processing device being located separately from any of at least two nodes of the packet data network;

routing the incoming call to connect to a selected endpoint of the packet data network according to established rules;

notifying a second call processing device regarding the incoming call routing;

arranging through the second call processing device for a telephone communications session between the at least two nodes of the packet data network;

causing the telephone communications session between the at least two nodes of the packet data network to occur; and

providing to a user information relating to the caller.

22. The article or set of articles of claim 21 wherein said instructions also cause, when executed, the assignment of an identifier to an incoming call and the caching of the incoming call in combination with the information and the call identifier for later retrieval.

23. The article or set of articles of claim 22 wherein information regarding a subject matter associated with said incoming call is extracted from said incoming call and utilized to access further information regarding said subject matter.

25. The article or set of articles of claim 24 wherein the instructions also cause information regarding subject matter of the incoming call to be obtained and displayed.

[ADDITIONAL CLAIMS FOR 24/3×

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SCREEN POP]

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein plural applications computers are configured to issue instructions to a single gatekeeper.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the gatekeeper establishes the telephone calls between at least two endpoints in the data network.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the applications computer is arranged to extract additional information from the caller, and to present this information to a user.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, where the information is presented to a user via a monitor or other display device.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the applications computer is further arranged to communicate with the caller and the user via voice recognition and voice synthesis techniques.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user is a called party.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said applications computer is configured to instruct a gatekeeper to initiate a call, and to await a message from said gatekeeper to complete the call.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the gatekeeper is programmed to inform the applications computer when information regarding the identity of the calling party is acquired.

24. An article or set of articles comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed causes:

routing an incoming call through a gatekeeper to connect to a selected endpoint of a packet data network according to established rules;

informing an application computer of an identity of an incoming caller;

providing to a user information relating to the incoming caller; and

causing the packetized telephone communications session between at least two nodes of the packet data network to occur.

26. Apparatus comprising:

an applications computer to provide a user information relating to the incoming caller of telephone calls transmitted over a packet-switched data network under its control; and

a gatekeeper to establish telephone calls over the packet-switched data network, and to receive instructions from, and send messages to, the applications computer, said messages indicating at least the identity of an incoming caller.