Systems And Methods For Providing Enhanced Telephone Services

• US 20080192655A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Frontier Communications Corporation (Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Frontier Communications Corporation (Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vagelos, Ted
• Application Number:
  US11/673,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20080192655A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/561 by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

A method comprises establishing a first telephone connection between a first telephone line and a second telephone line via a switch; detecting by the switch entry of a service code from the second telephone line, the service code indicative of a request to transfer the telephone connection from the second telephone line to a third telephone line, the second telephone line and third telephone line being associated with a single user; calling the third telephone line in response to the detection of the service code; detecting whether the third telephone line has been answered; and establishing a second telephone connection between the first telephone line and the third telephone line, if the third telephone line is answered.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a first telephone connection between a first telephone line and a second telephone line via a switch;

detecting by the switch entry of a service code from the second telephone line, the service code indicative of a request to transfer the telephone connection from the second telephone line to a third telephone line, the second telephone line and third telephone line being associated with a single user;

calling the third telephone line in response to the detection of the service code;

detecting whether the third telephone line has been answered; and

establishing a second telephone connection between the first telephone line and the third telephone line, if the third telephone line is answered.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the second telephone line from the first telephone connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service code includes a predetermined set of telephone tones.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the service code begins with a common prefix indicating to the switch that an instruction follows.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the common prefix includes a predetermined set of tones.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising detecting by the switch entry of ah ID code identifying the third telephone line.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the ID code includes “

H”

to identity a home telephone line.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the ID code includes “

C”

to identify a cellular telephone line.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the ID code includes “

V”

to identify a voicemail.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the ID code includes “

M”

to identify a mobile wireless telephone line.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the ID code includes “

P”

to identify a VoIP telephone line.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the ID code includes “

W”

to identify a work telephone line.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising muting the telephone tones after detecting entry of the common prefix.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the second telephone line and the third telephone line are linked with a common telephone number associated with the single user and with the switch.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a challenge to the third telephone line; and

establishing the second telephone connection if the third telephone line satisfies the challenge.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the challenge includes a password-based challenge.

17. A system comprising:

a first telephone line associated with a first user;

a second telephone line associated with a second user;

a third telephone line associated with the second user;

a switching platform including

a circuit for establishing a first telephone connection between the first telephone line and the second telephone line;

a circuit for detecting entry of a service code from the second telephone line, the service code indicative of a request to transfer the telephone connection from the second telephone line to the third telephone line;

a circuit for calling the third telephone line;

a circuit for detecting whether the third telephone line has been answered; and

a circuit for establishing a second telephone connection between the first telephone line and the third telephone line, if the third telephone line is answered.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the switching platform further includes a circuit for disconnecting the second telephone line from the first telephone connection.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the service code includes a predetermined set of telephone tones.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the service code begins with a common prefix indicating to the switch that an instruction follows.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the common prefix includes a predetermined set of tones.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the switching platform further includes a circuit for detecting entry of an ID code identifying the third telephone line.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the ID code includes “

H”

to identify a home telephone line.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the ID code includes “

C”

to identify a cellular telephone line.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the ID code includes “

V”

to identify a voicemail.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the ID code includes “

M”

to identify a mobile wireless telephone line.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the ID code includes “

P”

to identify a VoIP telephone line.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the ID code includes “

W”

to identify a work telephone line.

29. The system of claim 20, further comprising a circuit for muting the telephone tones alter entry of the common prefix is detected.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the second telephone line and the third telephone line are linked with a common telephone number associated with the single user and with the switch.

31. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

sending a challenge to the third telephone line; and

establishing the second telephone connection if the third telephone line satisfies the challenge.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the challenge includes a password-based challenge.

33. A system comprising:

means for establishing a first telephone connection between a first telephone line and a second telephone line via a switch;

means for detecting by the switch entry of a service code from the second telephone line, the service code indicative of a request to transfer the telephone connection from the second telephone line to a third telephone line, the second telephone line and third telephone line being associated with a single user;

means for calling the third telephone line in response to the detection of the service code;

means for detecting whether the third telephone line has been answered; and

means for establishing a second telephone connection between the first telephone line and the third telephone line, if the third telephone line is answered.