Method for remotely controlling a telephone loop/channel from another telephone loop/channel
First Claim
1. A method for interconnecting first and second subscriber loops via a controller located at a subscriber premises wherein both the loops terminate in the controller and are served by the same public central switching office, the method comprising the steps ofin response to an incoming call on the second subscriber loop from a calling party, establishing a call connection over the second subscriber loop via the controller between the calling party and the controller,providing a menu of selectable operations accessible to the calling party via the controller,remotely selecting one of the menu operations by the calling party, each of the menu operations defining at least one sub-operation to be carded out via the first subscriber loop,controlling the first subscriber loop via the controller in response to the at least one sub-operation corresponding to the selected one of the operations, andbridging the first and second subscriber loops to form a bridged connection so as to allow the calling party to monitor the first subscriber loop and, whenever required, to provide information to the first subscriber loop.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for establishing a connection between a calling party and a called party using the processing of a controller located on a customer premises and served by two incoming telephone loops or ISDN-type channels so as to minimize telephone costs, preserve privacy, and provide heretofore unavailable services. After a first telephony connection is established with the calling party over the secondary loop/channel, the calling party provides control information to the controller. The controller utilizes the control information to establish a connection over the primary loop/channel, and the primary and secondary loops/channels are bridged so that the calling party may monitor the call progression on the primary loop/channel and provide supplemental control information, as needed.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for interconnecting first and second subscriber loops via a controller located at a subscriber premises wherein both the loops terminate in the controller and are served by the same public central switching office, the method comprising the steps of
in response to an incoming call on the second subscriber loop from a calling party, establishing a call connection over the second subscriber loop via the controller between the calling party and the controller, providing a menu of selectable operations accessible to the calling party via the controller, remotely selecting one of the menu operations by the calling party, each of the menu operations defining at least one sub-operation to be carded out via the first subscriber loop, controlling the first subscriber loop via the controller in response to the at least one sub-operation corresponding to the selected one of the operations, and bridging the first and second subscriber loops to form a bridged connection so as to allow the calling party to monitor the first subscriber loop and, whenever required, to provide information to the first subscriber loop.
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6. A method for interconnecting first and second subscriber loops via a controller located at a subscriber premises wherein both the loops terminate in the controller, the method comprising the steps of
in response to an incoming call on the second subscriber loop from a calling party, establishing a call connection over the second subscriber loop via the controller between the calling party and the controller. providing a menu of selectable operations accessible to the calling party via the controller, remotely selecting one of the menu operations by the calling party, each of the menu operations defining at least one sub-operation to be carded out via the first subscriber loop, controlling the first subscriber loop via the controller in response to the at least one sub-operation corresponding to the selected one of the operations, bridging the first and second subscriber loops to form a bridged connection so as to allow the calling party to monitor the first subscriber loop and, whenever required, to provide information to the first subscriber loop, monitoring the call connection for an identification code, removing the bridged connection, again providing the menu of selectable operations to the calling party over the second subscriber loop via the controller, remotely selecting a second one of the operations by the calling party, controlling the first subscriber loop via the controller in response to the at least one sub-operation corresponding to the second selected one of the operations, and bridging the first and second subscriber loops to form a second bridged connection so as to allow the calling party to monitor the first subscriber loop and, whenever required, to provide information to the first subscriber loop.
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7. A method for establishing a call connection over a subscriber loop terminating in a controller, the method comprising the steps of
storing a pre-selected telephone number in the controller, detecting a first incoming call signal over the loop via the controller without completing a call connection over the loop, storing information relating to the time of arrival of the first incoming call signal in the controller, detecting a second incoming call signal over the loop without completing a call connection over the loop, storing information relating to the time of arrival of the second incoming call signal, if the time difference between the time of arrival of the second incoming call and the time of arrival of the first incoming call is less than a pre-determined value, initiating an outgoing call over the loop with reference to the pre-selected telephone number, and establishing a call connection between the loop and the controller whenever the outgoing call is answered.
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12. A method for interconnecting first and second ISDN channels of an ISDN line via a controller located at a subscriber premises, the ISDN line being served by a public central switching office, the method comprising the steps of
in response to an incoming calling on the second ISDN channel from a calling party, establishing a call connection over the second ISDN channel via the controller between the calling party and the controller, providing a menu of selectable operations accessible to the calling party via the controller, remotely selecting one of the menu operations by the calling party, each of the menu operations defining at least one sub-operation to be carded out via the first ISDN channel, controlling the first ISDN channel via the controller in response to the at least one sub-operation corresponding to the selected one of the operations, and bridging the first and second channels to form a bridged connection so as to allow the calling party to monitor the first ISDN channel and, whenever required, to provide information to the first ISDN channel.
Specification