Internet controlled telephone system
First Claim
1. The method of processing telephone calls on behalf of a subscriber which comprises, in combination, the steps of:
- connecting a web browser accessible to said subscriber to the Internet, connecting a web server to the Internet at a location remote from said web browser, employing said web browser to submit preference data to said web server via the Internet, said preference data defining the manner in which said subscriber desires to have telephone calls processed, storing said preference data as submitted in a database, employing call processing apparatus coupled to said database and to the public switched telephone network for establishing a connection between said telephone calls directed to one or more called parties designated by said preference data, and employing said call processing apparatus to forward calls via said public switched telephone network to a first destination telephone number designated by said preference data and to forward said incoming calls to a second destination telephone number specified by said preference data during a chronological time period specified by said preference data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Internet controlled telephony system employing a host services processor connected to a subscriber via the Internet and further connected to the public switched telephone system (PSTN). The subscriber employs a web interface to populate a database with preference data which is used by the host services processor to handle incoming calls and establish outgoing telephone connections in accordance with the preference data provided by the subscriber. Incoming calls to a telephone number assigned to the subscriber may be automatically forwarded to any telephone number specified by the preference data. The subscriber may also use the web interface to specify whether call waiting is to be activated, to screen or reroute calls from designated numbers, for recording voice mail messages in designated voice mailboxes, for selectively playing back voice mail messages via the web interface or for forwarding voice mail as an email attachment, for handling incoming fax transmissions using character recognition and email attachment functions, and for automatically paging the subscriber when incoming voice mail, fax or email messages are received, all in accordance with the preference data supplied by the subscriber using the web interface. Outgoing connections and conference calls may be initiated using the web interface, and the subscriber may block the operation of caller identification functions. Call progress information may be visually displayed to the subscriber during calls by transmitting web pages from the host services computer to the subscriber'"'"'s web browser.
69 Citations
18 Claims
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1. The method of processing telephone calls on behalf of a subscriber which comprises, in combination, the steps of:
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connecting a web browser accessible to said subscriber to the Internet, connecting a web server to the Internet at a location remote from said web browser, employing said web browser to submit preference data to said web server via the Internet, said preference data defining the manner in which said subscriber desires to have telephone calls processed, storing said preference data as submitted in a database, employing call processing apparatus coupled to said database and to the public switched telephone network for establishing a connection between said telephone calls directed to one or more called parties designated by said preference data, and employing said call processing apparatus to forward calls via said public switched telephone network to a first destination telephone number designated by said preference data and to forward said incoming calls to a second destination telephone number specified by said preference data during a chronological time period specified by said preference data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. The method of establishing and controlling a telephone connection between a subscriber and a selected remote telephone station set which comprises, in combination,
employing a web browser accessible to said subscriber for transmitting and receiving data via the Internet, employing a web server connected to the Internet at a location remote from said web browser for accepting data from said web browser, said data consisting of: -
preference data for controlling the manner in which telephone calls are processed on behalf of said subscriber, telephone book data consisting of a plurality of entries each of which contains at least a name and a telephone number, and selection data designating one of said entries in said telephone book data for specifying the telephone number of said selected telephone station set, and employing call processing means for establishing a outgoing telephone connection between said subscriber and said selected remote telephone station set and for controlling communications over said connection in the manner specified by said preference data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification