Method and apparatus for providing a station set with advanced telecommunications services

• US 6,215,863 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, III, Raymond Walden, Griffith, Laura Marie, Lund, Arnold M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William J.
• Application Number:
  US08/999,299
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.09, 379/93.12, 379/93.17, 379/93.24, 379/100.01, 379/100.08, 379/207, 379/229, 379/230, 379/219, 379/220, 379/211
• US Class Current: 379/221.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2471 Configurable and interactive telephone terminals with subscriber controlled features modifications, e.g. with ADSI capability [Analog Display Services Interface] systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers H04M3/42; administration or customization of services H04M3/42136; by downloading data to substation equipment H04M3/42178

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method are provided in which network-based telecommunication devices provide advanced telecommunications services. The station set of such a telecommunications system contains the elements necessary for the presentation of a user interface and for converting electrical signals to and from speech. The components that provide advanced telephony services and even basic telephony functionality such as touch-tone generation are remotely located from the station set in the telecommunications network.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system comprising:

a first station set operative to generate a request for a telecommunications connection with a second station set;

telephony application means, remotely located from said first station set, operative to generate, in response to said request, a command to establish a telecommunications connection between said first station set and said second station set;

telephony control means, remotely located from said first station set and coupled with said telephony application means, operative to establish said telecommunications connection in response to said command;

an access line coupling said first station set with said telephony application means;

wherein the request is not recognizable by the telephony control means until the telephony application means translates the request; and

wherein said first station set comprises a first data-over-voice modem, and wherein the invention further comprises a second data-over-voice modem external to both said first and second station sets and coupled with said first data-over-voice modem, said telephony control means, and said telephony application means.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said access line comprises an analog local loop.

3. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a data network, and wherein said telephony application means comprises a telephony application server and a data gateway coupled with said server and said data network.

4. A telecommunications system comprising:

a first station set operative to generate a request for a telecommunications connection with a second station set;

telephony application means, remotely located from said first station set, operative to generate, in response to said request, a command to establish a telecommunications connection between said first station set and said second station set;

telephony control means, remotely located from said first station set and coupled with said telephony application means, operative to establish said telecommunications connection in response to said command;

an access line coupling said first station set with said telephony application means;

wherein the request is not recognizable by the telephony control means until the telephony application means translates the request;

wherein said access line comprises a digital subscriber line; and

wherein the telephony application means comprises a premises gateway coupled with said first station set; and

wherein the invention further comprises a digital subscriber line access multiplexer coupled with said premises gateway.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the telephony application means further comprises a local telephony applications server coupled with said first station set.

6. A method for establishing a telecommunications connection, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a request to establish a telecommunications connection between a first station set and a second station set, said request being sent from said first station set to a telephony application means remotely located from said first station set;

(b) using said telephony application means to command a telephony control means remotely located from said station set to establish a telecommunications connection between said first and second station sets; and

(c) using said telephony control means to establish said telecommunications connection;

wherein the request is not recognizable by the telephony control means until the telephony application means translates the request.