Telecommunications system

• US 6,292,478 B1
• Filed: 11/21/1996
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Farris, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/753,154
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 370/400, 370/402, 370/401, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 379/213, 379/93.23, 379/207
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/60 Semi-automatic systems, i.e. in which the numerical selection of the outgoing line is under the control of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A public switched telephone network utilizing program controlled switching systems controlled by common channel interoffice signaling (CCIS) is arranged in an architecture to provide a methodology to permit a caller to set-up and carry out a telephone call over the Internet from telephone station to telephone station without access to computer equipment and without the necessity of maintaining a subscription to any Internet service. The Internet telephone service includes special telephone services such as directory assistance, credit card calling, both local and long distance, collect calling, and third party charge calling. The special services may utilize human operator assistance or may be completely automated. The service for the most part is rendered through the use of telephone procedures presently familiar to the public from usage of the public telephone network. The system utilizes existing common channel signaling facilities along with Internet signaling and voice switching to permit the use of existing public switched telephone network plant for providing the new Internet services.

Claims

1. A method of establishing an interactive voice telephone call between a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) subscriber station and a second PSTN subscriber station remote therefrom through a communication link that includes a data packet internetwork of the Internet, comprising the steps of:

in response to a predetermined sequence of signals input upon off-hook by said first subscriber station, linking the subscriber station to a services system position through the Internet;

issuing a request for information by said services system position through the Internet link to the first subscriber station;

in response to receipt at said services system position of the requested information from the first subscriber station through the Internet, accessing an information source to obtain information therefrom;

comparing the accessed information with the received information to determine whether there is a match;

in response to a match determined in the comparing step, completing the call between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station through the Internet, wherein said information source comprises said second station.

2. A method of establishing an interactive voice telephone call between a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) subscriber station and a second PSTN subscriber station remote therefrom through a communication link that includes a data packet internetwork of the Internet, comprising the steps of:

in response to a predetermined sequence of signals input upon off-hook by said first subscriber station, linking the subscriber station to a services system position through the Internet;

issuing a request for information by said services system position through the Internet link to the first subscriber station;

in response to receipt at said services system position of the requested information from the first subscriber station through the Internet, accessing an information source to obtain information therefrom;

comparing the accessed information with the received information to determine whether there is a match;

in response to a match determined in the comparing step, completing the call between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station through the Internet, wherein the accessed information is transmitted as an analog voice signal.

3. A communications system comprising in combination:

a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) switching system connected to a first subscriber station, the first switching system being coupled to the Internet at a first interface;

a second PSTN switching system, remote from the first switching system, and connected to a second subscriber station, the second switching system being coupled to the Internet at a second interface;

a transaction device database; and

a services system position coupled to the Internet at a third interface;

wherein said first PSTN switching, system is responsive to a predetermined sequence of signals input by said first subscriber station upon an initiated off-hook telephone call to said second subscriber station, to link the first subscriber station through the Internet to said services system position for receipt of information, said services system position is responsive to said completion of said link to access information from said transaction device database for comparison with the received information and, in response to a match of the accessed information with the received information, to complete the call through the Internet between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station, identified by the first subscriber station, wherein the received information is obtained from said second subscriber station.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the received information is obtained from said second subscriber station via the Internet.

5. A communications system comprising in combination:

a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) switching system connected to a first subscriber station, the first switching system being coupled to the Internet at a first interface;

a second PSTN switching system, remote from the first switching system, and connected to a second subscriber station, the second switching system being coupled to the Internet at a second interface;

a transaction device database; and

a services system position coupled to the Internet at a third interface;

wherein said first PSTN switching system is responsive to a predetermined sequence of signals input by said first subscriber station upon an initiated off-hook telephone call to said second subscriber station, to link the first subscriber station through the Internet to said services system position for receipt of information, said services system position is responsive to said completion of said link to access information from said transaction device database for comparison with the received information and, in response to a match of the accessed information with the received information, to complete the call through the Internet between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station, identified by the first subscriber station, wherein the received information is obtained from a third subscriber station via the Internet.

6. A communications system comprising in combination:

a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) switching system connected to a first subscriber station, the first switching system beinq coupled to the Internet at a first interface;

a second PSTN switching system, remote from the first switching system and connected to a second subscriber station, the second switching svstem being coupled to the Internet at a second interface;

a transaction device database; and

a services system position coupled to the Internet at a third interface;

wherein said first PSTN switching system is responsive to a predetermined sequence of signals input by said first subscriber station upon an initiated off-hook telephone call to said second subscriber station, to link the first subscriber station through the Internet to said services system position for receipt of information, said services system position is responsive to said completion of said link to access information from said transaction device database for comparison with the received information and, in response to a match of the accessed information with the received information, to complete the call through the Internet between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station, identified by the first subscriber station, wherein said services system position includes a stored program controller, an announcement system and a traffic service position system (TSPS).

7. A method of establishing an interactive voice telephone call between a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) subscriber station and a second PSTN subscriber station remote therefrom through a communication link that includes a data packet internetwork of the Internet, comprising the steps of:

in response to a predetermined sequence of signals input upon off-hook by said first subscriber station, linking the subscriber station to a services system position through the Internet;

issuing a request for information by said services system position through the Internet link to the first subscriber station;

in response to receipt at said services system position of the requested information from the first subscriber station through the Internet, accessing an information source to obtain information therefrom;

comparing the accessed information with the received information to determine whether there is a match;

in response to a match determined in the comparing step, completing the call between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station through the Internet.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said linking step comprises transmitting a message signal from the PSTN of the first subscriber station to a server coupled to the Internet.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said message signal is formulated in a telephone signaling protocol and said linking step further comprises transforming said message to an Internet transport protocol for transmission through the Internet.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said issuing step comprises:

transporting the request as a digital packet signal through the Internet to the PSTN of the first subscriber station; and

delivering the request as an analog voice signal to the first subscriber station.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the requested information is received by the services system position is steps comprising:

obtaining the information from the first subscriber as an analog signal; and

transporting the information through the Internet as data packet signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said information source comprises a database.

13. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said information source comprises a third station.

14. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the Internet link is connected to said first PSTN via a first interface and connected to said second PSTN via a second interface, and wherein signals traversing said communication link are formatted in telephone signaling protocol in PSTN link portions and formatted in Internet data packet protocol in Internet link portions.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said Internet data packet protocol is Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and said telephone signaling protocol is a common channel interoffice signaling (CCIS) protocol.

16. A communications system comprising in combination:

a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) switching system connected to a first subscriber station, the first switching system being coupled to the Internet at a first interface;

a second PSTN switching system, remote from the first switching system, and connected to a second subscriber station, the second switching system being coupled to the Internet at a second interface;

a transaction device database; and

a services system position coupled to the Internet at a third interface;

wherein said first PSTN switching system is responsive to a predetermined sequence of signals input by said first subscriber station upon an initiated off-hook telephone call to said second subscriber station, to link the first subscriber station through the Internet to said services system position for receipt of information from said first subscriber station, said services system position is responsive to said completion of said link to access information from said transaction device database for comparison with the received information, and responsive to a match of the accessed information with the received information to complete the call through the Internet between the first subscriber station and the second subscriber station, identified by the first subscriber station.

17. A communications system as recited in claim 16, wherein said first PSTN comprises a common channel interoffice signaling network connected to said first switching system for transporting a control signal to establish the link with the services system position.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the accessed information is obtained from said database via the Internet.

19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said services system position includes a switching system, a stored program controller, and an announcement system.