SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LOCATION INDEPENDENT VOICE COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUITY THROUGH DISASTERS
First Claim
1. A system interconnected with the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet providing switching and delivery of voice telephone calls, redirected from a business subscriber on said Public Switched Telephone Network, to personal computer terminals on the Internet comprising:
- at least one of a possible plurality of control segment sites, physically separate and remote from said business subscriber'"'"'s site, wherein components of said system are housed, a gateway device comprising a plurality of first ports with at least one of said first ports connected to a Central Office switching system of the PSTN and capable of exchanging signaling and telephone call traffic with said Central Office switching system, said gateway device comprising a plurality of second ports with at least one of said second ports connected to a local data network and capable of exchanging data packets with said local data network, computer processor means connected to said local data network for call processing and administration and hosting the software programs for said system, System Controller software, hosted on said computer processor means, comprising;
a System Control Executive software module, a Call Processing Server whose operation is governed by protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards, a Data Logger Module, a Report Generator Module, a User Profile Database, a System Statistics Database, Auto Attendant-Voice Mail-Dialer Software, hosted on said computer processor means, comprising;
an Auto-Attendant module, a Media Server whose operation is governed by protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards, a Dialer Module, a Voice Mail Announcements Database WEB Server software, hosted on said computer processor means, a software telephone applet, hosted on said WEB server storage means for storing data and software programs of said system on a storage medium, a router device connected to said local data network, a virtual private data network connected to said router through a first high speed data line, the Internet connected to said virtual private network through a second high speed data line, a plurality of personal computer terminals with means to connect to and exchange data with said Internet and or said virtual private network, a WEB browser hosted on said personal computer terminals, headphones or speakers and a microphone connected to said personal computer terminals, means to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards, and vice versa through said personal computers, a plurality of telephone sets with means to connect to and exchange data with said Internet and or said virtual private network, means to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards, and vice versa through said telephone sets, a plurality of disaster recovery sites, physically separate and remote from each of said business subscriber'"'"'s sites, a third high speed data line connecting said virtual private network with each of said disaster recovery sites through a second data router device housed within each of said disaster recovery sites, a second local data network connected to said second data router at each of said disaster recovery sites, a plurality of said personal computer terminals connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites, a plurality of said telephone sets connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites,
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system, employing IP telephony, for providing continuous, uninterrupted voice communications during disaster conditions wherein the disaster site telephone infrastructure has been rendered inoperable or inaccessible. The system uses Voice over IP (VoIP) and emerging IP telephony standards to enable users to receive telephone calls, normally destined for their work phone, at a personal computer terminal connected to the Internet. Users can also place calls from their terminal to the PSTN or to other users on the system. Combining telephone line redirection with IP telephony capabilities enables the construction of a system that provides users with unlimited flexibility in responding to a severe business interruption with full voice communications. The system can be customized so calling parties will be presented with precisely the same greetings and messages, for each user telephone extension, that were present in the disaster site'"'"'s telephone system. Switching from the disaster site'"'"'s telephone infrastructure to the system can be accomplished in minutes.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A system interconnected with the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet providing switching and delivery of voice telephone calls, redirected from a business subscriber on said Public Switched Telephone Network, to personal computer terminals on the Internet comprising:
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at least one of a possible plurality of control segment sites, physically separate and remote from said business subscriber'"'"'s site, wherein components of said system are housed, a gateway device comprising a plurality of first ports with at least one of said first ports connected to a Central Office switching system of the PSTN and capable of exchanging signaling and telephone call traffic with said Central Office switching system, said gateway device comprising a plurality of second ports with at least one of said second ports connected to a local data network and capable of exchanging data packets with said local data network, computer processor means connected to said local data network for call processing and administration and hosting the software programs for said system, System Controller software, hosted on said computer processor means, comprising;
a System Control Executive software module, a Call Processing Server whose operation is governed by protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards, a Data Logger Module, a Report Generator Module, a User Profile Database, a System Statistics Database, Auto Attendant-Voice Mail-Dialer Software, hosted on said computer processor means, comprising;
an Auto-Attendant module, a Media Server whose operation is governed by protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards, a Dialer Module, a Voice Mail Announcements Database WEB Server software, hosted on said computer processor means, a software telephone applet, hosted on said WEB server storage means for storing data and software programs of said system on a storage medium, a router device connected to said local data network, a virtual private data network connected to said router through a first high speed data line, the Internet connected to said virtual private network through a second high speed data line, a plurality of personal computer terminals with means to connect to and exchange data with said Internet and or said virtual private network, a WEB browser hosted on said personal computer terminals, headphones or speakers and a microphone connected to said personal computer terminals, means to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards, and vice versa through said personal computers, a plurality of telephone sets with means to connect to and exchange data with said Internet and or said virtual private network, means to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards, and vice versa through said telephone sets, a plurality of disaster recovery sites, physically separate and remote from each of said business subscriber'"'"'s sites, a third high speed data line connecting said virtual private network with each of said disaster recovery sites through a second data router device housed within each of said disaster recovery sites, a second local data network connected to said second data router at each of said disaster recovery sites, a plurality of said personal computer terminals connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites, a plurality of said telephone sets connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites, - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system interconnected with the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet providing switching and delivery of voice telephone calls, redirected from a business subscriber on said Public Switched Telephone Network, to personal computer terminals connected to the Internet comprising:
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at least one control segment site, physically separate and remote from said business subscriber'"'"'s site;
a gateway device responsively connected to a Central Office switching system of the PSTN and capable of exchanging signaling and telephone call traffic with said Central Office switching system, said gateway device responsively connected to a local data network and capable of exchanging data packets with said local data network;
computer processor system responsively connected to said local data network performing call processing and administration and hosting the software programs for said system, and processing protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards;
a virtual private data network responsively connected to said router through a first high speed data line and to the Internet through a second high speed data line;
a plurality of personal computer terminals responsively connected to and exchange data with at least one of said Internet and said virtual private network, and including a WEB browser hosted on said personal computer terminals, and at least one broadcast device connected to said personal computer terminals, and a first protocol converter to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and internet Protocol standards;
a plurality of telephone sets to connect to and exchange data with at least one of said Internet and said virtual private network, and including a second protocol converter to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards;
a plurality of disaster recovery sites, physically separate and remote from each of said business subscriber'"'"'s sites;
a third high speed data line connecting said virtual private network with each of said disaster recovery sites through a second data router device housed within each said disaster recovery sites;
a second local data network connected to said second data router at each of said disaster recovery sites;
a plurality of said personal computer terminals connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites; and
a plurality of said telephone sets connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites.
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6. A system interconnected with the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet providing switching and delivery of voice telephone calls, redirected from a business subscriber on said Public Switched Telephone Network, to personal computer terminals connected to the Internet comprising:
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a gateway device responsively connected to a Central Office switching system of the PSTN and capable of exchanging signaling and telephone call traffic with said Central Office switching system, said gateway device responsively connected to a local data network and capable of exchanging data packets with said local data network;
computer processor system responsively connected to said local data network performing call processing and administration and hosting the software programs for said system, and processing protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards;
a plurality of personal computer terminals responsively connected to and exchange data with at least one of said Internet, and including a WEB browser hosted on said personal computer terminals, and at least one broadcast device connected to said personal computer terminals, and a first protocol converter to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards;
a plurality of telephone sets to connect to and exchange data with at least one of said Internet, and including a second protocol converter to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards;
a plurality of disaster recovery sites, physically separate and remote from each of said business subscriber'"'"'s sites;
a third high speed data line connecting said disaster recovery sites through a second data router device housed within each of said disaster recovery sites;
a second local data network connected to said second data router at each of said disaster recovery sites;
a plurality of said personal computer terminals connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites; and
a plurality of said telephone sets connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification