USER-CONTROLLED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20080008105A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TalkPlus, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TalkPlus, Inc.
• Inventors: Todd, John, Black, Jeffery
• Application Number:
  US11/775,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20080008105A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods that enable an end user to control the parameters, behavior, and identity of network communications regardless of the limitations placed upon these controls by the end user'"'"'s communications device or communications service provider. An intermediate media proxy resides on a telecommunications network and accepts inbound and outbound communications to and from a network communication device. The intermediate media proxy functions as an intermediary for network communications that occur between the network communications device and other network communications devices. In this manner, the intermediate media proxy can control various features of the communications independent of limitations enacted by the end user'"'"'s communications device or communications service provider.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a conference call, comprising:

identifying two or more participants of a conference call;

providing a conference call notification to each of the two or more participants, wherein the conference call notification includes an identifier descriptive of an originator of the conference call; and

varying the identifier for each participant that receives the notification.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a caller ID.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the conference call notification is automatically provided based on a profile.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the profile includes rules that vary based on the participant identified for the conference call.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical user interface that permits a user to identify the two or more participants and to identify the identifier for each participant.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the two or more participants are identified using an address data base.

7. A method of initiating a conference call, comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) on handset, wherein the GUI includes at least one field for providing a conference call participant and at least one field for providing an originating identification to be provided in a notification to the conference call participant, wherein the originating identification is associated with an originator of the conference call.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the graphical user interface permits the conference call participant to be selected from digital phone book.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the originating identification is a caller ID.