Customized, billing-controlled call bridging system
First Claim
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1. A method of bridging a call between an origination telephone having an origination number and a destination telephone having a destination number, said method comprising the steps of:
- connecting a self-controlled bridging node located outside of a public switched network to a telecommunications switch located within the public switched network, wherein the self-controlled bridging node includes, at least, a node interface having a plurality of ports connected to a plurality of trunks from the telecommunications switch and an audio response unit connected to the node interface, the audio response unit storing a plurality of messages;
receiving on a first communication path at the node interface from the telecommunications switch a call bridging request including, at least, a destination number assigned to a destination telephone located remotely from the bridging node, as a result of a caller dialing the destination number to initiate a telephone call from an origination telephone located remotely from the bridging node and to which origination telephone is assigned the origination number;
answering the telephone call on the first communication path at a first port of the plurality of ports;
supplying the destination number to the telecommunications switch, including a step of generating a plurality of signals representative of the destination number at the audio response unit and a step of transmitting the plurality of signals through a second communication path from a second port of the plurality of ports to the telecommunications switch; and
bridging together the first communication path and the second communication path at the node interface to provide a connection between the origination telephone and the destination telephone.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for providing customized, billing-controlled call bridging services through a bridging node which includes a node interface for connection through incoming and outgoing telephone trunks to a carrier switch of a public switched network, an audio peripheral for recording, playing, and analyzing audio signals, and a node controller for controlling operation of the node interface and the audio peripheral.
83 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of bridging a call between an origination telephone having an origination number and a destination telephone having a destination number, said method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a self-controlled bridging node located outside of a public switched network to a telecommunications switch located within the public switched network, wherein the self-controlled bridging node includes, at least, a node interface having a plurality of ports connected to a plurality of trunks from the telecommunications switch and an audio response unit connected to the node interface, the audio response unit storing a plurality of messages; receiving on a first communication path at the node interface from the telecommunications switch a call bridging request including, at least, a destination number assigned to a destination telephone located remotely from the bridging node, as a result of a caller dialing the destination number to initiate a telephone call from an origination telephone located remotely from the bridging node and to which origination telephone is assigned the origination number; answering the telephone call on the first communication path at a first port of the plurality of ports; supplying the destination number to the telecommunications switch, including a step of generating a plurality of signals representative of the destination number at the audio response unit and a step of transmitting the plurality of signals through a second communication path from a second port of the plurality of ports to the telecommunications switch; and bridging together the first communication path and the second communication path at the node interface to provide a connection between the origination telephone and the destination telephone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A call bridging apparatus for bridging a call, said apparatus comprising:
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an interface connected outside of a public switched network and through a telecommunications switch within said public switched network to an origination telephone having an origination number and to a destination telephone having a destination number, said interface including, at least, a plurality of communication ports connected to said telecommunications switch; an audio response means connected to said interface for storing and playing audio signals; and a control means for controlling said call bridging apparatus, said control means including, at least, a receiving means for directing said interface to accept a call through a first communication port of said plurality of communication ports from a caller dialing said destination number from an origination telephone, a calling means for directing said interface and said audio response means to call a destination telephone through a second communication port of said plurality of communication ports, a connecting means for connecting said first communication port to said second communication port thereby connecting an origination telephone to a destination telephone, and a monitoring means for directing said interface to accept at a third communication port of said plurality of communication ports a monitoring call from a monitoring telephone as a result of an administrator dialing a number associated with said monitoring means, for directing said audio response means to transmit audio signals to said monitor telephone instructing said administrator to supply a criterion representative of a type of conversation to be selected for monitoring, and for directing said receiving means to receive a response from said monitor telephone, and for determining whether or not to monitor conversation between said origination telephone and said destination telephone based upon said response received from said monitor telephone. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification