Analog terminal internet access

• US 6,285,745 B1
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Farris, Robert D., Bartholomew, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/598,769
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/900, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/100.15, 379/100.16, 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/207, 379/225, 370/389, 370/401, 370/427
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13527 protocols - X.25, TCAP etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13562 blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A system and method of affecting transfer of a message such as a voice message from one centralized messaging system in a first switched telephone network to a centralized messaging system in a remote second switched telephone network wherein each of said telephone networks includes central offices connected to subscriber terminals. The message is inputted in analog form into one of the terminals connected to the first telephone network and stored in digital form in the centralized messaging system in that network. The message is then transferred from that centralized messaging system to the centralized messaging system in the second telephone network where it is stored. The message is then delivered by retrieval or an outgoing call to an addressee terminal in the second telephone network. The transfer between telephone networks and their respective centralized messaging services occurs via an internetwork to which each of the centralized messaging systems are connected. The transfer occurs through connectionless packet signaling using TCP/IP protocol.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a first switched telephone network having central office switching systems connected by trunks and having subscriber lines connected to central offices in the network providing connection through the first switched telephone network between telephone terminals connected to the subscriber lines;

a second switched telephone network having central office switching systems connected by trunks and having subscriber lines connected to central offices in the second switched network providing connection through the second switched telephone network between telephone terminals connected to the subscriber lines of the second switched network;

each of the first and second switched telephone networks including a centralized messaging network for addressably storing in digital form analog originated messages directed to respective subscriber lines; and

an Internet comprising multiple remotely spaced computer networks of diverse types using varying protocols within the computer networks, the computer networks being connected together by links and using a common protocol to communicate from computer network to computer network on the links to provide connectionless packet service between the computer networks;

each of the centralized messaging networks being connected to the Internet through an addressable protocol translating interface communicating with the Internet using the common protocol for transferring at least one of said messages stored in one centralized messaging network to another centralized messaging network; and

wherein a transferred message is addressed to a recipient interface by an address for that interface and the transferred message includes an address identifying a subscriber line in the telephone network to which said recipient interface is connected, the address of the identified subscriber line being used by the centralized messaging network connected to the recipient interface to retrievably store the transferred message.

2. A communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the telephone network to which the recipient interface is connected provides retrieval of the retrievably stored message and conveyance thereof to a terminal connected to the identified subscriber line.

3. A communication system as recited in claim 2, wherein the terminal is provided the stored message in analog form.

4. A communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the common protocol is Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Program (TCP/IP).

5. A communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein each centralized messaging network comprises a voice messaging system having voice mail boxes associated with directory numbers assigned to the subscriber lines of subscribers to a voice mail service.

6. A communication system as recited in claim 5, wherein the telephone network connected to the recipient interface includes a database storing the assigned directory numbers, the database being searched on receipt of the message, the received message being stored with an address dependent upon the result of said search.

7. A communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the message transfer occurs from a mailbox in the originating telephone network to a mailbox in the destination telephone network.

8. In a communications network comprising a plurality of switched telephone networks each having central office switching systems interconnected by trunks, with subscriber lines connected to the central office switching systems, the subscriber lines connected to respective telephone terminals, and a centralized messaging system for storing messages directed to individual subscribers, the plurality of switched telephone networks each interfaced with an Internet that includes multiple remotely spaced computer networks of diverse types connected together by links, the Internet using transmission control protocols for linking the diverse computer networks through an Internet protocol to provide connectionless packet service throughout the Internet, a method comprising the steps of:

in response to dialing a number at a terminal in a first of the switched telephone networks, connecting the terminal to the centralized messaging system in the first switched telephone network and storing therein a message that includes (1) a first portion audibly input at the terminal and (2) an address identifying a destination telephone subscriber line in a second of the switched telephone networks;

forwarding the message from said storage in the centralized messaging system of the first switched telephone network to a centralized messaging system in the second switched telephone network via the Internet, using the transmission control protocols for linking through the Internet protocol, to provide connectionless packet delivery of the message to the centralized messaging system in the second switched telephone network;

storing the forwarded message, including the address, in the centralized messaging system in the second switched telephone network; and

delivering the first portion of the stored forwarded message to a terminal connected to the identified subscriber line in the second telephone network.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the first audibly input message portion is received in analog form at the central office switching system connected to the terminal.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of delivering comprises providing the first portion of the message in analog form.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said delivery step is responsive to a telephone call placed to the second switched telephone network.