Telephone supporting selective local call termination and call bridging

• US 20070183399A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James
• Application Number:
  US11/348,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20070183399A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 bridging telephone includes processing circuitry communicatively coupled to a user interface, a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) interface, a packet data network interface. The processing circuitry receives a first call setup request from the PSTN via the first interface, selectively prepares a second call setup request based upon the first call setup request, and sends the second call setup request to the Internet via the second interface. The processing circuitry may obtain and use bridging instructions to prepare the second call setup request. The processing circuitry may receive the first call setup request via the PSTN interface or the packet data network interface. The processing circuitry may send the second call setup request via the PSTN interface or the packet data network interface. The bridging computing device may optionally bridge a corresponding call and/or enable another bridging device to bridge the call.

Claims

1. In a telephony infrastructure supporting first, second and third telephony devices via an Internet network and a public switched telephony network, a telephone comprising:

processing circuitry that operates in both a call bridging mode and a call end-point mode;

a user interface communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry;

a first communication interface that supports a first communication pathway between the processing circuitry and the public switched telephone network;

a second communication interface that supports a second communication pathway between the processing circuitry and the Internet network;

the processing circuitry analyzes incoming call requests received via the first communication interface and the second communication interface to determine whether to enter the call bridging mode or the call end-point mode;

the processing circuitry, in the call end-point mode, supports a first of the incoming call requests received from the first telephony device by delivering a first incoming call signal to the user interface, waiting for a response from the user interface indicating a first pick-up event, and, if the response is received, establishing a first call pathway between the user interface and the first telephony device; and

the processing circuitry, in the call bridging mode, supports a second of the incoming call requests received from the second telephony device by delivering a second incoming call signal to the third telephony device, waiting for a response from the third telephony device indicating a second pick-up event, and, if the response is received, establishing a second call pathway between the second telephony device and the third telephony device.

2. The telephone of claim 1, wherein the second call pathway comprises a bridging pathway.

3. The telephone of claim 1, wherein for a third of the incoming call requests, instead of receiving the response from the user interface indicating the first pick-up event, the processing circuitry receives a bridging instruction from the user interface and responds by exiting the call-end point mode and entering the call bridging mode.

4. The telephone of claim 1, wherein for a third of the incoming call requests, after failing to receive the response from the user interface indicating the first pick-up event, the processing circuitry attempts to elicit a voice mail message.

5. The telephone of claim 1, wherein the second call pathway is at least partially isolated from the user interface.

6. The telephone of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry delivers to the user interface an indication that the second call pathway is in operation.

7. The telephone of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry responds to a termination request from the user interface by disabling the second call pathway.

8. The telephone of claim 7, wherein, prior to the disabling of the second call pathway, an indication of the termination request is delivered by the processing circuitry via at least a portion of the second call pathway.

9. In a telephony infrastructure supporting a first telephony device and a second telephony device via an Internet network and a public switched telephony network, a telephone comprising:

processing circuitry;

a user interface communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry;

a first communication interface communicatively coupling the processing circuitry and the public switched telephone network;

a second communication interface communicatively coupling the processing circuitry and the Internet network; and

the processing circuitry, based on a first call setup signal received from the first telephony device via a first one of the first communication interface and the second communication interface, delivers a second call setup request signal to the second telephony device via a second one of the first communication interface and the second communication interface, and the processing circuitry responds to a first pick-up event signal received from the second telephony device by delivering a second pick-up event signal to the first telephony device.

10. The telephone of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry comprises a bridge between the first communication interface and the second communication interface that supports a call between the first telephony device and the second telephony device.

11. The telephone of claim 9, wherein the second telephony device has a second unique network routing identifier, and the processing circuitry responds to the first call setup request signal received from the first telephony device by identifying the second unique network routing identifier.

12. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the second unique network routing identifier comprising a telephone number.

13. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the second unique network routing identifier comprising an Internet address.

14. The telephone of claim 11, further comprising local storage, and the second unique network routing identifier is identified by searching the local storage.

15. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the second unique network routing identifier is identified by searching remote storage.

16. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the second unique network routing identifier is identified by examining the first call setup signal.

17. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the user interface supports the identification of the second unique network routing identifier.

18. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the first telephony device has a first unique network routing identifier.

19. A telephone comprising:

processing circuitry;

a first interface communicatively coupling the processing circuitry to a first network;

a second interface communicatively coupling the processing circuitry to a second network; and

the processing circuitry operable to;

receive a first call setup request via the first interface;

selectively prepare a second call setup request based upon the first call setup request; and

send the second call setup request via the second interface.

20. The telephone of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to selectively bridge an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the first interface and the second interface.

21. The telephone of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to enable a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge an incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

22. The telephone of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

selectively bridge a first portion of an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the first interface and the second interface; and

enable a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge a second portion of the incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

23. The telephone of claim 19, wherein in selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request, the processing circuitry is operable to:

retrieve telephony bridging instructions from local memory; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the telephony bridging instructions.

24. The telephone of claim 23, the processing circuitry is further operable to:

receive telephony bridging instructions via a user interface; and

store the telephony bridging instructions in the local memory.

25. The telephone of claim 19, wherein in selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request, the processing circuitry is operable to:

receive telephony bridging instructions with the first call setup request; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the telephony bridging instructions.

26. The telephone of claim 19, wherein in selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request, the processing circuitry is operable to:

query a tracking server;

receive telephony bridging instructions from the tracking server; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the telephony bridging instructions.

27. The telephone of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

interact with a remote computer via the second interface; and

prepare the telephony bridging instructions based upon input received from the remote computer via the second interface.

28. The telephone of claim 19, wherein in selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request, the processing circuitry is operable to:

determine a called PSTN number based upon to the first call setup request; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the called PSTN number.

29. The telephone of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

determine a calling line identifier (CLID) number based upon to the first call setup request; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the CLID number.

30. The telephone of claim 19, wherein in selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request, the processing circuitry is operable to:

determine a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address based upon to the first call setup request; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the destination IP address.

31. The telephone of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to:

determine a source Internet Protocol (IP) address based upon the first call setup request; and

prepare the second call setup request based upon the source IP address.

32. A method for processing a call by a dual-mode telephone having both a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) interface and a packet data network interface, the method comprising:

receiving a first call setup request from the PSTN via the PSTN interface;

selectively preparing a second call setup request based upon the first call setup request; and

sending the second call setup request to the Internet via the packet data network interface.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising selectively bridging an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the PSTN interface and the packet data network interface.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising enabling a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge an incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

selectively bridging a first portion of an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the first interface and the second interface; and

enabling a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge a second portion of the incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

retrieving telephony bridging instructions; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the telephony bridging instructions.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

determining a called PSTN number based upon to the first call setup request; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the called PSTN number.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

determining a calling line identifier (CLID) number based upon to the first call setup request; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the CLID number.

39. A method for processing a call by a dual-mode telephone having both a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) interface and a packet data network interface, the method comprising:

receiving a first call setup request from the Internet via the packet data network interface;

selectively preparing a second call setup request based upon the first call setup request; and

sending the second call setup request to the PSTN via the PSTN interface.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising selectively bridging an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the PSTN interface and the packet data network interface.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising enabling a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge an incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

selectively bridging a first portion of an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the first interface and the second interface; and

enabling a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge a second portion of the incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

retrieving telephony bridging instructions; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the telephony bridging instructions.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

determining a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address based upon to the first call setup request; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the destination IP address.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

determining a source Internet Protocol (IP) address based upon the first call setup request; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the source IP address.

46. A method for processing a call by a telephone having a packet data network interface, the method comprising:

receiving a first call setup request from the Internet via the packet data network interface;

retrieving telephony bridging instructions based upon the first call setup request;

selectively preparing a second call setup request based upon the first call setup request and the telephony bridging instructions; and

sending the second call setup request to the Internet via the packet data network interface.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising selectively bridging an incoming call relating to the first call setup request using the packet data network interface.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising enabling a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge an incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

selectively bridging a first portion of an incoming call relating to the first call setup request between the first interface and the second interface; and

enable a service provider bridging device to selectively bridge a second portion of the incoming call relating to the first call setup request.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

determining a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address based upon to the first call setup request; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the destination IP address.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein selectively preparing the second call setup request based upon the first call setup request comprises:

determining a source Internet Protocol (IP) address based upon the first call setup request; and

preparing the second call setup request based upon the source IP address.