METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATIONS WITH A REMOTE NODE ON A SWITCHED NETWORK BASED ON HYPERTEXT CALLING RECEIVED FROM A PACKET NETWORK

• US 20080031430A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: USIP Group LLC
• Inventors: Wilson, Michael, NARAIN, ALFREDO, Angel, German
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and a methodology enabling a first provider party to provide to a second recipient party software and services to enable the recipient party to embed in an Internet e-mail of the recipient party directed to an addressee, an HTML hyperlink file which includes a telecommunication initiating trigger, sending the e-mail to the addressee via the Internet, the addressee upon receiving the e-mail actuating the hyperlink via its trigger and, responsive to the trigger actuation, connecting the addressee via the Internet to a web page located on an Internet server, wherein the web page includes a request for a telephone number of the addressee. The addressee entering its telephone number information at the server, which information is communicated to a database associated with the server, the server communicating with the database and with a telephony switch, including sending to the switch instructions which result in the switch originating and managing a public switched telephone network (PSTN) communication between the recipient party and the addressee.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

A service provider operating consumer premise equipment including an Internet server connected to the Internet and a related database, and a telephony switch connected to a telephone network;

a first party operating a computer terminal having a connection to the Internet and a telephone terminal having a link to said telephone network;

a plurality of end user entities each operating a computer terminal having a connection to the Internet and a telephone terminal having a link to said telephone network;

said service provider entity establishing a relationship with said first party and providing to said first party via the Internet, software and services to implement push to talk trigger communication to end user entities, said first party installing said software provided by said service provider entity in said first party computer terminal and running said software;

said first party and said service provider installing and maintaining a web page of said first party located on an Internet server, said first party web page including dialog requesting the insertion of a telephone number;

said first party using said software of said service provider entity which was installed in said first party computer terminal to implement push to talk trigger communications to end user entities including preparing an e-mail addressed to a selected end user entity containing an HTML file which includes a push to talk trigger;

said first party sending said e-mail containing said HTML file to said selected end user entity via the Internet;

said selected end user entity receiving said e-mail from said first party and activating said push to talk trigger contained therein, responsive to said activation of said push to talk trigger contained in said e-mail connecting said selected end user entity computer terminal via the Internet to said Internet web page of said first party on said Internet server;

said selected end user entity entering a telephone number into said first party web page in response to said telephone number request contained therein;

communicating said entered telephone number to said service provider entity database and related server, said server sending instructions to said service provider entity telephone switch and said switch signaling said telephone network; and

establishing a connection between said selected end user entity and said first party via said telephone network.

2. A method comprising:

A service provider operating consumer premise equipment including an Internet server connected to the Internet and a related database, and a telephony switch connected to a telephone network

a first party operating a computer terminal having a connection to the Internet and a telephone terminal having a link to said telephone network;

a plurality of end user entities each operating a computer terminal having a connection to the Internet and a telephone terminal having a link to said telephone network;

said service provider entity establishing a relationship with said first party and providing to said first party via the Internet, software and services to implement push to talk trigger communication to end user entities, said first party installing said software provided by said service provider entity in said first party computer terminal and running said software;

said first party and said service provider installing and maintaining a web site of said first party located on an Internet server, said first party web site including dialog requesting the insertion of a telephone number;

said first party using said software of said service provider entity which was installed in said first party computer terminal to implement push to talk trigger communications to end user entities including preparing an e-mail addressed to a selected end user entity containing an HTML file which includes a push to talk trigger;

said first party sending said e-mail containing said HTML file to said selected end user entity via the Internet;

said selected end user entity receiving said e-mail from said first party and activating said push to talk trigger contained therein, responsive to said activation of said push to talk trigger contained in said e-mail connecting said selected end user entity computer terminal via the Internet to said Internet web site of said first party on said Internet server;

said selected end user entity entering a telephone number into said first party web site in response to said telephone number request contained therein;

communicating said entered telephone number to said service provider entity database and related server, said server sending instructions to said service provider entity telephone switch and said switch signaling said telephone network; and

establishing a connection between said selected end user entity and said first party via said telephone network.