Method and system for voice call completion using information retrieved from an open application on a computing machine
First Claim
1. A method of completing a voice connection between first and second voice terminals, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a first voice connection between the first voice terminal and a predetermined termination;
locating a data address for a computing machine associated with the first voice terminal after the voice connection is established with the predetermined termination;
sending a data message to the data address requesting that information be retrieved from an open application on the computing machine;
retrieving the information from the open application and returning a data message including the information;
using the information at the predetermined termination to establish a second voice connection with the second voice terminal; and
bridging together the first and second voice connections.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for call completion using information extracted from an active application on a computing machine is described. Call initiation may be accomplished using a “warm-line” feature in which a default number is dialled after a predetermined time of an off-hook condition of a voice terminal, if no digits are dialled after the voice terminal is taken off-hook. The number dialled is a number used to connect the telephone set to computer-Controlled Telephony Integration hardware (CTI). On receipt of the call, the CTI hardware extracts Automatic Number Identification (ANI) information to determine the number of the calling party and verifies that the calling party is the subscriber to the service. If the calling party is the subscriber to the service, a query is sent to an IP address associated with the subscriber to retrieve information from an active application for completing a second leg of the call. The information may be a telephone number, or information which would permit the retrieval of a telephone number such as a name and address or an e-mail address. A directory service may be used to convert the information into a telephone number. Once a telephone number is obtained, the CTI hardware is used to complete the second leg of the call and the two calls are joined together. The advantage is a fast, convenient method of completing calls without dialling digits or manually converting one form of information into a diallable number.
114 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of completing a voice connection between first and second voice terminals, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a first voice connection between the first voice terminal and a predetermined termination;
locating a data address for a computing machine associated with the first voice terminal after the voice connection is established with the predetermined termination;
sending a data message to the data address requesting that information be retrieved from an open application on the computing machine;
retrieving the information from the open application and returning a data message including the information;
using the information at the predetermined termination to establish a second voice connection with the second voice terminal; and
bridging together the first and second voice connections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. System for completing a voice connection between first and second voice terminals, comprising in combination:
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computer-controlled telephony hardware adapted to receive and to originate calls;
a server adapted to control the telephony hardware and determine an identification of the first voice terminal on receipt of a call from the first voice terminal, to determine a data address of a computing machine associated with the first voice terminal, and to send a message to request that information be retrieved from an application open on the computing machine;
means on the computing machine for receiving the message, retrieving the information from the open application and returning the information in a reply message to the server; and
means for receiving the reply message, completing a voice connection with the second voice terminal from the telephony hardware using the information, and bridging together the first and second voice connections. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of completing a voice connection between first and second voice terminals using information from an application open on a computing machine to locate an address for the second voice terminal, comprising the steps of:
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completing a voice connection to a telephone switching point using the first voice terminal;
sending a query from the telephone switching point to the computing machine to retrieve the information;
examining the information to determine whether it directly or indirectly defines an address for completing a voice connection with the second voice terminal;
if the information indirectly defines the address, sending a query message to a directory to obtain the address and receiving a response message containing the address from the directory; and
completing the voice connection between the first and second voice terminals using the address for the second voice terminal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
locating an electronic mail address associated with the first voice terminal;
using the electronic mail address to locate the current IP address at a VolP directory server;
receiving from the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) directory server a current IP address assigned to the computing machine; and
sending a VolP session request to the computing machine if a current IP address is located.
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Specification