MULTIPLE CALL SESSION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A MOBILE PHONE

• US 20130303133A1
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ProjectOne Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ProjectOne Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Sansalone, Giuseppe Nicodemo
• Granted Patent: US 9,049,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/66 user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• 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: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A multiple call session system and method for a mobile phone device is disclosed. The system comprises a server and a host mobile phone. The server has a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths on a communications network and a controller connected to the virtual switchboard for controlling the voice paths. The server further includes a memory for storing at least one call flow, the memory being in communication with the controller of the server. The host mobile phone is in communication with the server over a mobile network for remotely accessing the voice paths, via the switchboard, and for sending a command signal to the controller, to activate one of the at least one call flow for any one of the voice paths, in order to independently control any one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.

Claims

1. A multiple call session system for a mobile phone, comprising:

a server having a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths on a communications network and a controller connected to the virtual switchboard for controlling the voice paths;

a memory for storing at least one call flow, said memory being in communication with the controller of the server;

a host mobile phone being in communication with the server over a mobile network for remotely accessing the voice paths, via the switchboard, and for sending a command signal to the controller, to activate one of the at least one call flow for any one of the voice paths, in order to independently control any one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.

2. The multiple call session system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additional host device, each being in communication with the server for accessing said voice paths, the host mobile phone being configured to cooperate with said one or more additional host device for the controlling of the voice paths.

3. A server for a multiple call session system comprising a memory for storing at least one call flow and a host mobile phone, the server comprising:

a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths on a communications network; and

a controller being connected to the virtual switchboard for controlling the voice paths, the controller being in communication with the host mobile phone over a mobile network for providing the host mobile phone with remote access to the voice paths and for receiving a command signal from the host mobile phone, said controller being further in communication with the memory to activate, in response to said command signal one of the at least one the call flow for at least one of the voice paths, in order to independently control said at least one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.

4. The server according to claim 3, wherein the memory is a processor-readable storage medium comprising data and statements defining the at least one call flow.

5. A host mobile phone for a multiple call session system comprising a server and a memory, the server having a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths and a controller for controlling the voice paths, the memory being in communication with the controller of the server and having at least one call flow stored thereon, the host mobile phone comprising:

a user interface for receiving a user command; and

control means, integrated in a processor, being in communication between the user interface and the controller of the server, for remotely accessing the voice paths and for sending to the controller, a control signal corresponding to the user command, to activate one of the at least one call flow for any one of the voice paths in order to independently control any one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.

6. A method for a multiple call session system having a server, a memory and a host mobile phone, the server having a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths and a controller for controlling the voice paths, the memory being in communication with the controller of the server and having at least one call flow stored thereon, the host mobile phone being in communication with the server over a mobile network the method comprising:

a) at the server, receiving a control signal from the host mobile phone, and

b) in response to the control signal, activating by means of the controller, via the virtual switchboard, one of the at least one call flow for at least one of the voice paths in order to independently control said at least one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

at the server, receiving status information associated to one of said voice paths.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising after step (a):

at the server, sending at least a portion of the status information to the host mobile phone.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sending is executed over a data network of the mobile network.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sending is executed over a voice network of the mobile network.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the host mobile phone has a user interface, the method further comprising:

displaying on the user interface, a graphical representation of the voice paths which are associated with the host mobile phone, and of the associated status information.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the system further comprises one or more additional host device being in communication with the server for accessing said voice paths, and wherein the host mobile phone and said one or more additional host device, each has a user interface, the method further comprising:

displaying on the user interface of each of said host mobile phone and one or more additional host device, a graphical representation of the voice paths which are assigned to the host mobile phone and to at least one of the one or more additional host devices.

13. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

at the server, receiving status information associated to the host mobile phone and processing said status information.

14. The method according to claim 6, further comprising prior to step (a):

upon receiving an incoming call request from one of the external voice devices, initiating at the server, a corresponding one of the voice paths between the corresponding external voice device and the virtual switchboard of the server.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

forwarding the call request to the host mobile phone; and

assigning the voice path to the host mobile phone to be accessible from said host mobile phone.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the host mobile phone is associated to a plurality of phone numbers in a memory, and wherein said forwarding comprises:

routing the call request to the host mobile phone when the call request is addressed to one of said plurality of phone numbers.

17. The method according to claim 7, further comprising, after step (b), closing at least one of said voice paths to end a corresponding call session.

18. A processor-readable storage medium for a server of a multiple call session system, the server being in communication with a memory having at least one call flow stored thereon and a host mobile phone, the server comprising a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths and a controller being connected to the virtual switchboard for controlling the voice paths, the controller being in communication with the host mobile phone for providing the host mobile phone with remote access to the voice paths, the processor-readable storage medium comprising instructions for execution by a processor to:

receive a command signal from the host mobile phone;

activate, in response to said command signal, one of the at least one call flow for at least one of the voice paths, in order to independently control said at least one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.

19. A processor-readable storage medium for a host mobile phone of a multiple call session system, the host mobile phone having a user interface and a processor, and being in communication with a server, the server having a virtual switchboard for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of external voice devices over corresponding voice paths and a controller for controlling the voice paths, the controller being in communication with a memory having at least one call flow stored thereon, the processor-readable storage medium comprising instructions for execution by the processor to:

access the voice paths remotely, via the server;

receive a user command, via the user interface; and

send to the controller, a control signal corresponding to the user command, to activate one of the at least one call flow for at least one of the voice paths in order to independently control said at least one of the voice paths from the host mobile phone.