Method and system for multicasting call notifications

• US 20040125931A1
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Archer, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,050,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5642 Multicast/broadcast/point-multipoint, e.g. VOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5656 using the AAL2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting broadcasting in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• 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 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A method for communication over a network, which can be both analog and digital includes simultaneously transmitting a call notification to a plurality of communication devices. These communication devices include devices such as telephones, pagers, computers, and voice mail systems. The addresses (e.g., telephone numbers) are stored in a database which is queried based on the call notification. For example, this method can be used in a find-me/follow-me system or to initiate a conference call.

Claims

1. A method for communication over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call notification; and

simultaneously transmitting the call notification to a plurality of communication devices, wherein at least one of the communication devices comprises an analog device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the communication devices is a device selected from the group consisting of telephones, pagers, and voice mail systems.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a call notification comprises receiving a request for a call to a telephone number and further comprising the step of looking up a plurality of IP addresses based on the telephone number.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the transmitting step comprises simultaneously initiating contact with each of the plurality of IP addresses based on the telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the communications devices comprises a computer device.

6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of receiving a receipt notification from one of the communication devices and, in response, canceling the call notification to each of the other communication devices.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of establishing a communication with at least one of the plurality of communication devices.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of establishing a communication comprises establishing a communication with more than one of the communication devices.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the communication connection comprises an audio communication.

10. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of converters, each converter operable to sample voice signals and create digital packets containing a representation of the voice signals;

a storage device containing a database of records, each record including a call list of telephone numbers associated with each of a plurality of subscribers; and

a computer system operable under control of software, wherein upon receipt of a call notification from a caller the software causes the computer system to query the database to retrieve a record associated with the call notification and simultaneously transmit digital call notification packets to a plurality of the converters, the digital notification packets including information relating to the call list of telephone numbers in the received record.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein each of the converters comprises:

at least one modem;

a router coupled to the modem; and

control circuitry coupled to both the modem and the router.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer system communicates with the converters through an internet.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the digital notification packets conform with Internet Protocol.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer system comprises a plurality of interlinked computers.

15. The system of claim 10 and further comprising a plurality of communication devices, each communication device coupled to receive a call notification from the caller via one of the converters.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein each converter is also operable to create voice signals from a digital packet.

17. A communication system comprising:

means for converting voice signals into digital signal packets containing a representation of the voice signals;

means for storing a plurality of data records, each data record including a list of communication device addresses associated with each of a plurality of subscribers;

means for simultaneously transmitting digital call notification packets, the digital notification packets including information relating to the list of communication device addresses in one of the data records; and

means for forwarding the digital call notification packets from the simultaneous transmitting means to a plurality of communication devices, each communication device associated with a respective one of the communication device addresses.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein at least some of the communication device addresses comprise telephone numbers.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein at least some of the communication device addresses comprise IP addresses.