System providing integrated services over a computer network

• US 6,298,062 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Communications Inc.
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gardell, Steven E., Zibman, Israel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US09/178,178
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/237, 370/252, 370/351, 370/352, 370/401, 370/402, 370/412, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/379, 370/381, 370/382, 370/383, 370/384, 370/400, 370/395, 358/400, 358/425, 379/201, 379/220, 379/230
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0471 Terminal access circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13179 Fax, still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

A telecommunications system operating over a packet-based network that enable calls seeking to connect with an unavailable destination to be completed, and for the intended called party to elect the call disposition on either a call-by-call basis, or for all incoming calls. Automatic disposition of incoming calls is performed in the event that the user does not elect such disposition to make use of the interactive interface for call disposition.

Claims

1. A communication system for operating over a computer network and for interacting with a switched circuit network, the system comprising:

a gateway in communication with the switched circuit network, the gateway being operative to translate switched circuit network-compatible signals into computer network-compatible signals;

an association table associating a plurality of terminal end-points with one or more network-resident service sub-systems; and

a signal routing agent in communication with the gateway and with the terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being operative to receive incoming calls from the gateway addressed to respective ones of the terminal end-points and programmed to route the calls to the respective terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being responsive to one of the terminal end-points being unavailable to automatically route a corresponding call to one of the network-resident service sub-systems using the association table.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal routing agent is responsive to receipt of a preselected signal from one of the terminal end-points being called and the gateway to automatically route a corresponding call to the network-resident service sub-system.

3. The system of claim 1 further including a service node in communication with the signal routing agent, the service node being responsive to receipt of an identity of an intended called party to determine an appropriate destination for calls directed to the intended called party in the event the called party is unavailable.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the incoming call is in the form of a facsimile message, and wherein the signal routing agent is programmed to determine if the one terminal end-point is in use and, if so, to route the facsimile message to the service sub-system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal routing agent and gateway are H.323-defined entities.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal routing agent comprises a call control service entity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal routing agent comprises a call routed gatekeeper.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal routing agent is programmed to determine if the one terminal end-point is unavailable by placing a call to the one terminal end-point and waiting for a predetermined amount of time.

9. A communication system for operating over a computer network and for interacting with a switched circuit network, the system comprising:

a gateway in communication with the switched circuit network, the gateway being operative to translate switched circuit network-compatible signals into computer network-compatible signals; and

a signal routing agent in communication with the gateway and with a plurality of terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being operative to receive incoming calls from the gateway addressed to respective ones of the terminal end-points and programmed to route the calls to the respective terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being responsive to one of the terminal end-points being unavailable to automatically route a corresponding call to a preselected network-resident service sub-system, the signal routing agent being programmed to determine if the one terminal end-point is unavailable by accessing, before forwarding the corresponding call to the one terminal end-point, an association table listing the one terminal end-point and an associated call destination.

10. A communication system for operating over a computer network and for interacting with a switched circuit network, the system comprising:

a gateway in communication with the switched circuit network, the gateway being operative to translate switched circuit network-compatible signals into computer network-compatible signals;

a signal routing agent in communication with the gateway and with a plurality of terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being operative to receive incoming calls from the gateway addressed to respective ones of the terminal end-points and programmed to route the calls to the respective terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being responsive to one of the terminal end-points being unavailable to automatically route a corresponding call to a network-resident service sub-system;

a configuration database associating the respective terminal end-points with one or more network-resident service sub-systems; and

a service node in communication with the signal routing agent and responsive to receipt of a signal from the signal routing agent corresponding to the one terminal end-point to access the configuration database, determine an associated one of the one or more network-resident service sub-systems to receive the corresponding call, and to signal the signal routing agent to route the corresponding call to the associated network-resident service sub-system.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the configuration database is in the form of an association table.

12. A method for disposing of incoming calls in a packet based network, comprising:

storing an association table that associates a plurality of terminal end-points with one or more network-resident service nodes;

receiving one of the incoming calls addressed to a particular one of the terminal end-points;

routing the one incoming call to the terminal end-point;

determining whether the terminal end-point is unavailable to receive the one incoming call;

if the terminal end-point is unavailable, determining an appropriate one of the network-resident service nodes to receive the one incoming call based on the association table; and

routing the one incoming call to the appropriate network-resident service node.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining whether the terminal end-point is unavailable comprises monitoring whether the terminal end-point accepts the one incoming call within a preselected time period.

14. A method for disposing of incoming calls in a packet based network, comprising:

receiving one of the incoming calls addressed to a particular terminal end-point;

routing the one incoming call to the terminal end-point;

determining whether the terminal end-point is unavailable to receive the one incoming call by accessing a configuration database to determine if the terminal end-point is associated with a network-resident service sub-system, the accessing being performed a preselected amount of time after routing the one incoming call to the terminal end-point;

if the terminal end-point is unavailable, determining an appropriate network-resident service sub-system to receive the one incoming call; and

routing the one incoming call to the appropriate network-resident service node.

15. A method for disposing of incoming facsimile messages in a packet based network, comprising:

storing an association table that associates a plurality of terminal end-points with one or more message stores;

receiving one of the incoming facsimile messages addressed to a particular one of the terminal end-points;

determining if a line corresponding to the terminal end-point is in use;

if the line is in use, routing the one incoming facsimile message to the message store associated with the terminal end-point in the association table; and

if the line is not in use, routing the one incoming facsimile message to the terminal end-point.

16. A communication system for operating over a computer network and for interacting with a switched circuit network, the system comprising:

a gateway in communication with the switched circuit network, the gateway being operative to translate switched circuit network-compatible signals into computer network-compatible signals;

an association table associating a plurality of terminal end-points with one or more network-resident service sub-systems; and

a signal routing agent in communication with the gateway and with the terminal end-points, the signal routing agent being operative to receive incoming calls from the gateway addressed to respective ones of the terminal end-points and programmed to determine whether the respective terminal end-points are unavailable, the signal routing agent being responsive to one of the terminal end-points being unavailable to automatically route one of the incoming calls to a preselected one of the network-resident service sub-systems when the association table indicates that the preselected network-resident service sub-system is associated with the one terminal end-point.

17. The system of claim 16 further including a service node in communication with the signal routing agent, the service node being responsive to receipt of an identity of an intended called party to determine an appropriate destination for calls directed to the intended called party in the event the called party is unavailable.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the service sub-system comprises a voice and facsimile messaging sub-system.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal routing agent and gateway are H.323-defined entities.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal routing agent comprises a call control service entity.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal routing agent comprises a call routed gatekeeper.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal routing agent is programmed to determine if the one terminal end-point is unavailable, before routing a call to the one terminal end-point, by accessing the association table linking the one terminal end-point and an associated call destination for initial call presentation.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal routing agent is programmed to determine if the one terminal end-point is unavailable by placing a call to the one terminal end-point and monitoring whether the one terminal end-point accepts the call within a predetermined amount of time.

24. The system of claim 16 and further including:

a configuration database associating the respective terminal end-points with respective service sub-systems; and

a service node in communication with the signal routing agent and responsive to receipt of a signal from the signal routing agent identifying one of the terminal end-points to access the configuration database, determine a corresponding service sub-system to receive the one incoming call, and to signal the signal routing agent to route the one incoming call to the corresponding service sub-system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the configuration database includes the association table.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the configuration database comprises an initial call presentation database and the association table, and the service node is responsive to receipt of an initial call presentation signal from the signal routing agent to access the initial call presentation database to determine an appropriate destination for the one incoming call, and responsive to receipt of a second signal from the signal routing agent to access the association table to determine the appropriate destination for the one incoming call.

27. A method for disposing of incoming calls in a packet based network, comprising:

receiving an incoming call addressed to a particular terminal end-point;

accessing an initial call presentation database to determine an appropriate destination for the incoming call;

routing the incoming call to the terminal end-point, if the terminal end-point is the appropriate destination for the incoming call;

routing the incoming call to a service sub-system, if the service sub-system is the appropriate destination for the incoming call;

determining whether the terminal end-point is unavailable to receive the incoming call, if the call is routed to the terminal end-point;

determining an appropriate network-resident service sub-system to receive the call, if the terminal end-point is unavailable; and

routing the incoming call to the appropriate network-resident service sub-system.

28. A communication system in a packet-based network, comprising:

a database configured to store routing instructions;

a signal routing agent configured to receive destination addresses for signals from a switched circuit network destined for terminal end-points in the packet-based network, and identify ones of the terminal end-points based on the destination addresses; and

a service node configured to receive indications of the identified terminal end-points from the signal routing agent, determine whether to route the signals to the identified terminal end-points based on the routing instructions in the database, and instruct the signal routing agent to transmit the signals based on a result of the determination.

29. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the database includes:

a presentation table configured to identify destinations to receive signals directed to corresponding ones of the terminal end-points.

30. The communication system of claim 29, wherein at least one of the destinations identifies a network-resident service sub-system.

31. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the signal routing agent is further configured to contact the identified terminal end-points and determine whether the identified terminal end-points are available.

32. The communication system of claim 31, wherein the database includes:

a presentation table configured to identify alternate destinations corresponding to each of the terminal end-points.

33. The communication system of claim 32, wherein the service node is further configured to access the presentation table to identify alternate destinations corresponding to unavailable ones of the terminal end-points and instruct the signal routing agent to transmit the signals to the alternate destinations.

34. The communication system of claim 33, wherein the alternate destinations include at least one network-resident service sub-system.

35. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the signals include at least one of voice calls and facsimile messages.

36. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the signal routing agent is further configured to contact the identified terminal end-points, determine whether the identified terminal end-points are available, and direct the signals corresponding to unavailable terminal end-points to at least one service sub-system.