System and method for providing customized voice connection services via gatekeeper

• US 20050286711A1
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynalab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dynalab, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, David, Lee, Fisher Chen-yin, Lee, Ann
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/399.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• 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 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

A computer-implemented system is provided, including a network consisting of the Internet, PSTN, and CATV network. The network is connected to multiple users'"'"' client systems, and also to multiple service provider systems. Each user has a user profile stored in a User Preference Database, while each service provider has service parameters defining the type of its service stored in a Service Database, both of which are connected to the network. The system further includes a Gatekeeper Server, which establishes voice communication among the client systems and the service provider systems. In operation, upon receiving a user'"'"'s request for service, the Gatekeeper Server identifies one or more service providers whose service parameters match the user'"'"'s request for service and the user'"'"'s profile. Upon the user'"'"'s selection of one such service provider, the Gatekeeper server automatically selects and establishes a preferred mode of voice connection between the user and the selected service provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for providing a customized voice connection service, the system comprising:

(a) a network comprising the Internet and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

(b) multiple client systems connected to the network, each client system comprising a display, an input device, and a settop box, and each client system being associated with at least one user;

(c) multiple service provider systems connected to the network, each service provider system being associated with a service provider having a predefined set of service parameters;

(d) a User Preference Server connected to the network, the User Preference Server including a User Preference Database containing data related to each user'"'"'s profile comprising history and preferences in his network access;

(e) a Gatekeeper Server connected to the network, the Gatekeeper Server being configured to perform the steps of;

(i) handling Voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls between the settop boxes;

(ii) connecting a user settop box directly to an appropriate service provider system when the user associated with the user settop box enters a request for service to the user settop box, comprising;

(1) receiving the settop box user'"'"'s profile;

(2) identifying one or more service providers whose service parameters match the settop box user'"'"'s profile and the request for service; and

(3) connecting the settop box to the identified one or more service providers via a VoIP connection or a PSTN connection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user profile further comprises the user'"'"'s geographic information and demographic information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein step (e)(i) of handling VoIP phone calls between the settop boxes further comprises:

receiving an incoming call from a first settop box, the incoming call comprising a PSTN phone number associated with a second settop box which is the desired destination of the incoming call;

mapping the PSTN phone number associated with the second settop box to its corresponding Internet address; and

connecting the second settop box at the mapped Internet address to the first settop box.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein step (e)(ii)(1) of receiving the settop box user'"'"'s profile comprises:

receiving the user'"'"'s profile from either the User Preference Database or registration information provided by the user via his settop box.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein step (e)(ii)(2) of identifying one or more service providers whose service parameters match the settop box user'"'"'s profile and the request for service comprises:

identifying one or more service providers whose service parameters match the nature of the settop box user'"'"'s request for service; and

identifying one or more service providers whose service parameters match the user profile of the settop box user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein step (e)(ii)(3) of connecting the settop box to the identified one or more service providers comprises:

identifying the service provider to be connected to the user'"'"'s settop box;

determining the type of connection to be made between the user'"'"'s settop box and the service provider; and

connecting the settop box to the service provider.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the type of connection to be made between the user'"'"'s settop box and the service provider comprises:

selecting a PSTN connection only if a VoIP connection is not available.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the PSTN network comprises a digital cellular network selected from a group consisting of GSM, GPRS, CDMA, and PCS networks.

9. A client system connected to the Internet, PSTN, and cable TV network, the Internet and PSTN being further connected to one or more service providers, the client system comprising:

(a) a monitor;

(b) an input device; and

(c) a settop box, being configured to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving a user'"'"'s request for a particular service provider or a call-destination settop box;

(ii) dialing a PSTN phone number associated with the particular service provider or the call-destination settop box;

(iii) communicating with the particular service provider or the call-destination settop box via PSTN or VoIP; and

(iv) selecting a product/service that the user wishes to order from the particular service provider.

10. The client system of claim 9, wherein step (c)(i) of receiving a user'"'"'s request for a particular service provider or a call-destination settop box comprises:

displaying on the monitor multiple choices of service providers and call-destination settop boxes; and

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of a particular service provider or a call-destination settop box via the input device.

11. The client system of claim 9, wherein the multiple choices of service providers and call-destination settop boxes are displayed in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) or a phone book.

12. The client system of claim 9, wherein the input device comprises a PSTN telephone device, and step (c)(ii) of dialing a PSTN phone number associated with the particular service provider or the call-destination settop box comprises a step selected from a group consisting of:

dialing on PSTN using the telephone device; and

initiating a VoIP phone session using the telephone device.

13. The client system of claim 12, wherein step (c)(ii) of dialing a PSTN phone number associated with the particular service provider or the call-destination settop box further comprises initiating a video conference call using a video camera device.

14. The client system of claim 9, wherein step (c)(iv) of selecting the product/service that the user wishes to order from the particular service provider comprises:

displaying a number of choices of products/services available from the particular service provider on the monitor;

receiving a user selection of a product/service to be ordered via the input device; and

communicating the user selection of the desired product/service to the service provider over a PSTN or VoIP connection.

15. The client system of claim 14, wherein the input device comprises a telephone set.

16. The client system of claim 9, which is connected to the Internet through connection means selected from a group consisting of a modem, WiFi, WiMax, and UMTS.

17. The client system of claim 9, which further comprises a browser for viewing HTML pages, and other file formats available on the Internet, through an IP connection.

18. The client system of claim 9, wherein the monitor comprises a display selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone display, smart phone display, PDA, LCD display, and PC monitor.

19. A service provider system connected through a network to plural user settop boxes, the network comprising the Internet having the Gatekeeper Server and PSTN, the service provider system being configured to perform the steps of:

(a) connecting to the network;

(b) receiving direct voice communication from a user settop box; and

(c) providing its services directly to the user settop box through the network.

20. The service provider system of claim 19, wherein step (a) of connecting to the network comprises:

providing to the Gatekeeper Server the nature of services offered by the service provider; and

providing to the Gatekeeper Server service parameters of the service provider.

21. The service provider system of claim 19 wherein step (b) of receiving direct voice communication from a user settop box comprises:

answering voice communications from a user settop box;

taking orders or requests for services/products from the user settop box; and

receiving confirmation of the orders or requests from the user settop box.

22. The service provider settop box of claim 19, wherein step (c) of providing its services directly to the user settop box through the network comprises:

confirming a request received from a user settop box; and

delivering the requested services after receiving the confirmation of the request from the user settop box.