Controlling incoming calls via the world-wide web

• US 5,946,381 A
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hall, Hans, Danne, Anders Olof, B.ang.ge, Goran
• Primary Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/995,171
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/142, 379/215, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 370/352, 370/485, 370/389, 370/392
• US Class Current: 379/142.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• 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 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed in which an incoming call is routed to a service node with a World-Wide Web interface. In a preferred embodiment, responsive to an incoming call, an "alert" software routine is executed in the service node, which sends an alert message to a Java software application residing in the called party'"'"'s terminal (e.g., personal computer, etc.). The Java application causes a window to be displayed on the called party'"'"'s terminal, which shows pertinent information about the calling party. The displayed window also contains "buttons" that allow the called party to choose (at a minimum) whether to accept the call, reject the call, hold the call, or re-direct the call to another phone.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a called party to an incoming call, comprising the steps of:

establishing a call connection between a terminal associated with said called party and a service node through an Internet;

downloading a JAVA application associated with an alert service to said terminal from a web server associated with said service node;

providing, by said terminal, an identification key to said service node;

initiating, by said service node, said alert service when said identification key is provided;

receiving said incoming call for said called party by said service node when said terminal is connected to the Internet;

retrieving, by said service node, calling party information associated with said incoming call;

sending, by said service node, an alert signal including said calling party information to said JAVA application within said terminal;

processing, by said JAVA application, said alert signal including said calling party information; and

displaying, by said JAVA application, said alert signal including said calling party information on said terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending step comprises sending said alert signal to said terminal via a proxy server.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of sending a response to said alert signal from said terminal to said service node via said proxy.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending a response to said alert signal from said terminal to said service node.

5. A system for alerting a called party to an incoming call, comprising:

a terminal, associated with said called party, having a call connection to an Internet, said terminal having a JAVA application associated with an alert service therein for processing and displaying a received alert signal on said terminal;

a service node operatively connected to said terminal through the Internet for receiving an identification key from said terminal, initiating said alert service based upon said identification key, receiving said incoming call to said called party when said terminal has said call connection to the Internet, retrieving calling party information associated with said incoming call and sending said alert signal including said calling party information to said JAVA application within said terminal; and

a web server associated with said service node for downloading said JAVA application to said terminal when said terminal has said call connection to the Internet.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for said party to respond to said alert signal without disrupting said call connection to the Internet.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a proxy server for routing said alert signal from said service node to said terminal.