Communications network having a multicast capability

• US 6,085,101 A
• Filed: 05/17/1996
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Kramer, Michael, Jain, Ravi Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/649,438
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 455/59, 455/412, 455/413, 455/500, 455/503, 455/426, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 379/93.01, 379/93.04, 379/93.24, 379/93.17, 379/88.01, 379/108.1, 379/108.2, 379/93.25, 370/352, 370/389, 370/390, 370/392
• US Class Current: 455/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/67 Common-wave systems, i.e. using separate transmitters operating on substantially the same frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

A communications network simultaneously transmits a single message to a number of recipients. This is called a "multicast" transmission. The communications network should have a recipient list database (1302) to receive a list of recipient addresses, a message database (1304) to receive and store the message, and a message delivery system (1306) to send the message to a number of recipients. The communications network may be adapted to collect acknowledgements or responses to a multicast message. If so, the communications network should have a calling record (1308) for storing message delivery information, a response record (1310) for receiving and storing recipient response information, a response processor (1312) for processing the response information, and a response delivery system (1314) for delivering the processed response. The multicast capability may be integrated with other communications network services, such as Personal Location Service, Personal Communications Internetworking, call blocking, etc.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting the same message to a plurality of recipients in a telephone communications network having a plurality of call processing entities from a communications terminal connected to a first of said call processing entities while permitting said terminal to access the network, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to dial signals from said terminal, said first call processing entity consulting a network control element;

under control of said network control element, establishing a communication path from said first call processing entity to a second call processing entity;

forwarding the message to be transmitted to the plurality of recipients from said terminal to said second call processing entity over said communication path;

storing themessage to be transmitted at said second call processing entity; and

utilizing a list of recipient numbers stored at said second call processing entitity, individually establishing the separate call connections from said second call processing entity to each of the plurality of recipients.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of forwarding comprises transmitting said message over a communication facility other than normally used for transmission of speech between said first and second call processing entities.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

storing at said second call processing entity the list of the phone numbers of the recipients of said message;

receiving from said recipients responses initiated by said recipients; and

forwarding to said terminal from said second call processing entity one of said responses and information based on said responses.

4. A telephone communications network for transmitting the same message to a plurality of recipients from a single terminal, said network comprising

a plurality of call processing entities, one of said call processing entities being connected to said terminal;

means for transmitting from said one call processing entity to another said call processing entity the message to be delivered to a plurality of recipients and for storing said message at said another call processing entity, said means including a network control element and a data base for controlling said one call processing entity and communications facilities between said one and said another call processing entity; and

means at said another call processing entity, utilizing a list of recipients at said another call processing entity, for individually establishing connections to said recipients and for separately delivering said message stored at said another call processing entity to said recipients.

5. The telephone communications network in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for transmitting said message from said one call processing entity to said another call processing entity comprises communications facilities other than normally used for transmission of speech between said entities.

6. The telephone communications network in accordance with claim 4 wherein said remote call processing entity includes a call record containing the telephone numbers of the recipients of the message and a response record for responses initiated by the recipients.

7. The telephone communications network in accordance with claim 4 further comprising means at said call processing entity for receiving responses initiated by said recipients and for returning to said single terminal one of said responses and information based on said responses.