Method of establishing communication link to one of multiple devices associated with single telephone number

• US 5,454,032 A
• Filed: 05/07/1993
• Issued: 09/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pinard, Deborah L., Raju, Vishwanath K., Rehder, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/058,937
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 379/156, 379/167, 379/177, 379/183, 379/184, 379/165, 379/201, 379/205, 379/207, 379/211, 379/219, 379/161, 379/63, 379/61, 379/64, 379/171, 379/172, 379/182, 379/167
• US Class Current: 379/167.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/47 using translators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method of establishing a telephone communication link from a calling line to one of plural peripheral devices associated with a single telephone number in a central office telephone switching system or PBX is comprised of storing in a memory a first table of directory numbers and equipment identifiers associated with each directory number, storing in a memory a second table of references to physical peripheral devices associated with each equipment identifier, receiving a request for service to a particular directory number, accessing the first table using the particular directory number and obtaining references to all equipment identifiers associated therewith, accessing the second table using the particular equipment identifiers associated with the particular directory number and identifying the particular physical peripheral devices associated with the particular identifiers, ringing all of the particular physical peripheral devices, detecting one of the particular physical devices going off-hook, ceasing ringing of all the particular peripheral devices, and establishing a communication link only to the one physical device. One of the devices can be a wired telephone set, and another a cellular phone, which can be associated with a different switching office than the wired telephone set.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a telephone communication link from a calling line to one of plural peripheral devices associated with a single telephone number in a telephone switching system comprising:

(a) storing in a memory a first table of directory numbers and equipment identifiers associated with each directory number,

(b) storing in a memory a second table of references to physical peripheral devices associated with each equipment identifier,

(c) receiving a request for service to a particular directory number,

(d) accessing the first table using said particular directory number and obtaining references to all equipment identifiers associated therewith,

(e) accessing the second table using the particular equipment identifiers associated with said particular directory number and identifying the particular physical peripheral devices associated with said particular identifiers,

(f) ringing all of said particular physical peripheral devices,

(g) detecting one of said particular physical devices going off-hook,

(h) ceasing ringing of all said particular peripheral devices, and

(i) establishing a communication link only to said one physical device,

(j) in which the switching system is comprised of a main controller having access to said memories, a message switch and a circuit switch controllable by the controller, a peripheral control to which the physical peripheral devices are connected, the peripheral control being connected to the circuit and message switches, further including the steps of the main controller accessing said tables and sending a message via the message switch to the peripheral control to seize and ring all said particular peripheral devices, reserving communication channels through said circuit switch from the calling line to all of said peripheral devices, and after detecting said one of the physical devices going off-hook, releasing all said particular physical devices except the one off-hook, releasing all the reserved communication channels to all said particular physical devices except the one off-hook, and establishing the reserved communication channel through the circuit switch from the calling line to the off-hook particular physical device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, in which one of said particular devices is a wireless device, and including the step, following the second table accessing step, of determining the location of the wireless device.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, in which one of said particular devices is a trunk, and in which the ringing step includes the step of seizing a trunk and signalling digits over said trunk to cause another switching system to ring a peripheral device connected thereto.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, in which the wireless device is a cellular telephone line.