Method and Device for Managing Personal Communications of at Least One User

• US 20110103369A1
• Filed: 01/02/2007
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Bourdais, Francois, Beker, Sergio
• Granted Patent: US 8,526,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

A device for managing calls sent by a local terminal (T1-T5) includes: an interface (11-15) for communication with each of said local terminals (T1-T5) communications client modules (CL2-CL5) each able to set up a communications link of a communications service with a distant terminal (T6-T10) via a communications network; and routing means (18) for selecting, should one of the communications client modules receive an incoming call from a distant sending terminal, a local terminal able to receive said call and to redirect said call to the communications interface with the selected local terminal in order to set up a communications link between said distant sending terminal and the selected local terminal via the communications client module receiving the call.

Claims

1. A device for managing calls on behalf of a plurality of local terminals (T1-T5), comprising:

a communications interface (11-15) with each of the local terminals (T1-T5);

communications client modules (CL2-CL5) each adapted to set up a communications link of a communications service with one or more distant terminals (T6-T1o) via a communications network; and

routing means (18) for;

on reception by one of the communications client modules of an incoming call from a distant sending terminal, selecting one or more local terminals able to receive said call and to redirect said call to the communications interface with the selected local terminal in order to set up a communications link between said distant sending terminal and the selected local terminal via the communications client module receiving the call; and

on reception of an outgoing call request via a communications interface with a local sending terminal, identifying a communications client module able to set up a communications channel of a selected communications service and to transmit the request to the identified communications client module in order to set up a communications link of the selected service between a distant destination terminal and the local sending terminal via the identified communications client module.

2. The manager device according to claim 1, comprising conversion means (18) for converting between first data conforming to the generic transport protocols specific to one type of communication and second data conforming to a particular communications protocol of the same type used for a given communications service.

3. The manager device according to claim 1, comprising service selector means for selecting a service for an outgoing call as a function of a cost criterion and/or a criterion of the availability of a contact (D) using said remote terminal.

4. The manager device according to claim 1, comprising terminal selector means for selecting a terminal for an incoming call as a function of a terminal selection rule (SST) taking account of data (TT) relating to the capabilities of said local terminals (T1-T4) to implement communications services.

5. The manager device according to claim 4, wherein said terminal selection rule (SST) uses a criterion of the availability of said local terminals (T1-T5) and/or a criterion of the availability of the users of said local terminals (T1-T5)

6. The manager device according to claim 1, comprising means for sending an incoming call notification message to one or to each of the selected local terminals and said routing means (18) select a local terminal that has responded positively to said notification.

7. The manager device according to claim 6, wherein said notification message is sent to said local terminals in an order established as a function of a rule of preference.

8. A proxy server (10) including a manager device according to claim 1.

9. A method of managing calls on behalf of local terminals (T1-T5), this method being implemented by a device including a communications interface (11-15) with each of said local terminals (T1-T5) and communications client modules (CL2-CLS) each associated with one or more communications services, wherein the method comprises:

on reception by one of the communications client modules of an incoming call from a distant sending terminal, a step (E30) of selecting one or more local terminals (T1-T5) and a step of redirecting said call to a communications interface (11-15) with the selected local terminal in order to set up a communications link between said distant sending terminal and the selected local terminal via the communications client module receiving the call; and

on reception of an outgoing call request via a communications interface with a local sending terminal, a step (E50) of identifying a communications client module able to set up a communications link of a selected communications service and a step (E60) of transmitting a request to the identified communications module (CL2-CL5) in order to set up a communications link between a distant destination terminal and the local sending terminal via the identified communications client module.

10. A computer program including instructions for executing steps of the call management method according to claim 9 when said program is executed by a computer.

11. A computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the call management method according to claim 9.

12. A terminal (T1-T4) including:

means for receiving a notification from a call manager device in order to set up a communications link of a communications service between said terminal and a distant terminal (TE) sending a call;

means for sending said call manager device an outgoing call request including an indication relating to one or more selected contacts and a communications service in order to set up a communications link via said device between said local terminal (T1-T4) and a distant destination terminal (T6) via which said contact (D) can be contacted via a communications service corresponding to that indication; and

a communications module for setting up a communications link of a communications service with a distant terminal via a communications client module of said call manager device.