Call Jump System, Method & Apparatus

• US 20080037513A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Wiedorn, Holger, Gerding, Rolf-Dieter, Granzer, Hermann, Hnyk, Ruediger
• Granted Patent: US 7,773,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6427 Subscriber Access Module; Concentrator; Group equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6478 Digital subscriber line, e.g. DSL, ADSL, HDSL, XDSL, VDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6483 Video, e.g. MPEG

Abstract

A call jump establishes a jump from a call of a traditional telephone carrier established with audio signals. When it is determined that video should be added to the call, a packetized network is connected. The audio and video are transmitted over the packetized network. There is provided standard telephone equipment. A video enabled device is capable of rerouting the audio selectively to either the traditional telephone carrier or the packetized network. A packetizer packetizes the audio signals from the standard telephone equipment and the video.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method for performing a call jump from a call established using a Public Switched Telephone Network to a video carrying call, comprising:

establishing a PSTN call with audio signals between a first and second party;

activating the call jump by operation of a device by the first party;

sending a request to complete the call jump in response to the activating;

accepting the call jump by the second party;

generating a signal in response to the acceptance that indicates that the call jump should be completed;

initiating the call jump thereby connecting the parties via a packetize network;

transmitting multiplexed audio and video signals over the packetized network.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the device is a telephone or an apparatus coupled to a telephone.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising packetizing the audio and video signals.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising storing the destination number.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising registering the video enabled device with the packetized network.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the activating is achieved via a Dual Tone Multi Frequency key on the telephone.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising charging the first party for activating the call jump.

27. The method according to claim 22, further comprising recognizing the established call by a video enabled device.

28. The method according to claim 22, further comprising determining a division between audio and video bandwidth by multiplexing the video signals with the audio signals.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising recognizing that video is to be added to the call.

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising establishing a connection via the video enabled device.

31. A call jump system for jumping a call established over a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to a packetized network, comprising:

a telephone;

a PSTN call including a first call side and a second call side;

an input by a user of the first call side that activates the call jump at a first party;

a requestor that requests a second party side to complete the call jump;

an acceptor that accepts the call jump by the second party side;

a video enabled device that reroutes the audio selectively to network system selected from the group consisting of a traditional telephone carrier and the packetized network;

a multiplexor that multiplexes the audio and video; and

a packetizer that packetizes the multiplexed audio and video signals from the standard telephone equipment,

wherein the video is sent over the packetized network when the call jump is requested by the first party and accepted by the second party.

32. The system according to claim 31, further comprising a gateway for coupling the packetized audio and video signals to the network system.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the video enabled device is selected from the group consisting of a set top box, a video phone, and a video enabled PC.

34. The system according to claim 32, further comprising a router for routing the audio and video packetized signals through the packetized network to the receiving side.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the packetized network is an IP network.

36. The method according to claim 31, wherein the input is via a Dual Tone Multi Frequency key on the telephone.

37. The method according to claim 31, further comprising charging the first party for activating the call jump.