DUAL-TONE MULTI-FREQUENCY (DTMF) PROGRAMMING OF AN AUTO-DIALER

• US 20140376541A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brenes, Manrique, Kert, Kaido, Stevens, Neil Peter, Wilson, Simon Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/922,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20140376541A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, a device is configured to automatically contact a Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider using a communication system that is not native to the VoIP service provider. The device can receive and/or intercept a representation of a first address that is not directed to the VoIP service provider, and generate a representation of a second address effective to contact the VoIP service provider using the representation of the second address. Some embodiments provide an ability to program and/or query a device using telecommunication signaling. In some cases, a service provider can remotely manage firmware and/or software updates to the device using the telecommunication signaling. Alternately or additionally, an end user can manually program information into the device through the telecommunication signaling, such as a predefined address associated with the service provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, using the computer, a first set of telecommunication signals originating from a Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider;

identifying, using the computer, a command associated with the first set of telecommunication signals; and

executing, using the computer, at least one response action associated with the identified command.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying, using the computer, the command associated with the first set of telecommunication signals as a programming command;

transitioning, using the computer, into a programming mode;

receiving, using the computer, at least a second set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider; and

installing, using the computer, data associated with the at least second set of telecommunication signals.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, where in the data associated with the second set of telecommunication signals comprises processor-executable instructions.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first set of telecommunication signals comprises, at least in part, Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first set of telecommunication signals further comprises receiving the first set of telecommunication signals using a using a Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) interface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, using the computer, a second set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider;

identifying, using the computer, the second set of telecommunication signals as a query command; and

sending, using the computer, query response information to the VoIP service provider using a third set of telecommunication signals.

7. A device comprising:

at least one processor;

one or more computer-readable storage memories comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by the at least one processor, are configure to enable the device to;

receive telecommunication signals originating from a Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider through a first interface;

receive telecommunication signals originating from a device through a second interface;

identify one or more commands by analyzing incoming telecommunication signals via the first interface or the second interface; and

execute at least one response action associated with said identified one or more commands.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first interface and second interface comprise Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) interfaces.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

identify a first set of telecommunication signals received via the second interface as a programming command;

identify a second set of telecommunication signals received via the second interface as an address; and

store the address in the computer-readable storage memories.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the address comprises a telephone number associated with the VoIP service provider.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

receive a third set of telecommunication signals via the second interface;

identify the third set of telecommunication signals as a second address;

generate a fourth set of telecommunication signals associated with the telephone number; and

send the fourth set of telecommunication signals via the first interface.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor-executable instructions to generate the fourth set of telecommunication signals are further configured to automatically generate the fourth set of telecommunication signals without additional input from the second interface.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

receive a first set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider via the first interface;

identify the first set of telecommunication signals as a programming command;

transition into a programming mode;

receive at least a second set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider via the first interface; and

install the second set of telecommunication signals as program instructions based, at least in part, on the transition into the programming mode.

14. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

receive a first set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider via the first interface;

identify the first set of telecommunication signals as being a query command;

generate a second set of telecommunication signals, the telecommunication signals configured to include query response information; and

send the second set of telecommunication signals through the first interface.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the query command is associated with an authentication process.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein at least some of the telecommunication signals comprise Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones.

17. One or more computer-readable storage memories comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by the at least one processor, are configure to enable the device to:

receive telecommunication signals originating from a Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider through a first interface;

identify one or more commands by analyzing the telecommunication signals; and

execute at least one response action associated with said identified one or more commands.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage memories of claim 17 wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to receive telecommunication signals originating from a device through a second interface.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage memories of claim 18, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

identify a first set of telecommunication signals received via the second interface as a programming command;

identify a second set of telecommunication signals received via the second interface as an address; and

store the address in the one or more computer-readable storage memories.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage memories of claim 17, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

receive a first set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider via the first interface;

identify the first set of telecommunication signals as a programming command;

transition into a programming mode;

receive at least a second set of telecommunication signals originating from the VoIP service provider via the first interface; and

install the second set of telecommunication signals as program instructions based, at least in part, on the transition into the programming mode.