Method of completing long distance pots calls with IP telephony endpoints

• US 6,304,565 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramamurthy, Ram S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H.
• Application Number:
  US09/082,245
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 379/100.12, 379/100.15
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6472 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• 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 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

When a calling party calls a called party on the public-switched telephone network (PSTN), a database common to both the PSTN and an Internet Protocol (IP) network, is accessed to determine whether the called telephone line is currently active on the IP network. That database maintains a record for each user who is currently active on the IP network through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). In addition, each record contains information identifying the particular user logged into the network on that line, an indication whether the telephone line is IP telephony capable, an indication whether that line is currently active on an IP telephony call on an Internet Telephony network (ITN), and the IP telephony feature set subscribed to by the called party on that line. If the telephone line is active, IP telephony capable, currently active on an IP telephony call on the ITN, and the called party subscribes to a call waiting-on-IP feature, then the incoming call can be forwarded as an IP telephony call to the called telephone line over the ITN. Alternatively, the incoming call can be directed to an alternate destination on either the ITN network or the PSTN, such as a voice mail or message service. If the called party is engaged in a browsing activity and has an IP telephony capability, then the called party is alerted to the incoming telephone call via a message on his terminal. The incoming call is then completed through the ITN to the called party as an Internet telephony call. If the called party is currently active on the IP network through an ISP, but does not have an IP telephony capability, then the PSTN forwards a message to the ISP, which pushes a message to the called party to inform him or her of the incoming call. The incoming call is then be directed onto the IP network to a messaging service, or on the PSTN to a voicemail service, or to an alternate telephone number, such as a cellular phone, for pickup by the called party.

Claims

1. A method of completing an incoming telephone call from a calling party initiated on a circuit-switched telephone network to a called party on a called telephone line, comprising the steps of:

receiving the incoming telephone call in the circuit-switched telephone network;

determining whether the called telephone line is busy with an activity on a packet-based data network;

if the called telephone line is determined to be busy with an activity on the packet-based data network, determining whether the activity on the packet-based data network is one of being active on an Internet telephony call and engaged in an Internet-related browsing activity; and

attempting to complete the telephone call to the called telephone line over the packet-based data network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the called telephone line has an Internet telephony capability, the step of attempting to complete the telephone call as an Internet telephony call to the called telephone line.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of attempting to complete the incoming telephone call as an Internet telephony call comprises the steps of:

alerting the called party who is active on an Internet telephony call or engaged in an Internet-related browsing activity to the presence of the incoming telephone call from the calling party; and

determining whether the called party wants to accept the telephone call from the calling party.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising, if it is determined that the called party wants to accept the telephone call, the step of forwarding the incoming telephone call from the calling party to the called party as an Internet telephony call over the packet-based data network.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein further comprising, if it is determined that the called party does not want to accept the telephone call, the step of forwarding the telephone call from the calling party to a messaging system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the messaging system is associated with the circuit-switched telephone network.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the messaging system is associated with the packet-based data network.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising, if it is determined that the called party does not want to accept the telephone call, the step of returning a busy signal to the calling party on the circuit-switched telephone network.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of, if it is determined that the calling party does not want to accept the telephone call, forwarding the telephone call to an alternate destination.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the method of alerting the called party to the telephone call comprises the step of opening a pop-up window on a terminal associated with the called party within which window information associated with the incoming call is provided.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the information associated with the incoming telephone call includes the telephone number of the calling party.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the information associated with the incoming telephone call includes the name of the calling party.

13. A method of completing an incoming telephone call from a calling party initiated on a circuit-switched telephone network to a called party on a called telephone line, comprising the steps of:

receiving the incoming telephone call in the circuit-switched telephone network;

accessing a database cooperatively connected to the circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-based data network to determine information associated with the called telephone line, the information stored on the database for the called telephone line including at least one of (1) whether or not the called telephone line is currently engaged in an activity on the packet-based data network;

(2) whether or not the called telephone line has an IP telephony capability;

(3) whether or not the called telephone line is currently active on an IP telephony call;

(4) whether or not a call waiting-on-IP telephony feature is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

(5) whether or not a call forwarding-on-IP telephony is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

if from accessing the database a determination is made that the called telephone line is currently active on an IP telephony call and that the called telephone line has a call waiting-on-IP feature, attempting to complete the incoming telephone call from the circuit-switched telephone as an Internet telephony call to the called telephone line over the packet-based data network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of attempting to complete the call as an Internet telephony call comprises the steps of:

alerting the called party to the presence of the incoming telephone call from the calling party over the packet-based data network; and

determining whether the called party wants to accept the incoming telephone call from the called party.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising, if it is determined that the called party wants to accept the incoming telephone call, the steps of:

placing the current IP telephony call on hold on the packet-based data network; and

forwarding the incoming telephone call to the called party over the packet-based data network.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising, if it is determined that the called party does not want to accept the incoming telephone call, the step of forwarding the incoming telephone call to a messaging system.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging system is associated with the packet-based data network.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the messaging system is associated with the circuit-switched telephone network.

19. A method of completing an incoming telephone call from a calling party initiated on a circuit-switched telephone network to a called party on a called telephone line, comprising the steps of:

receiving the incoming telephone call in the circuit-switched telephone network;

accessing a database cooperatively connected to the circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-based data network to determine information associated with the called telephone line, the information stored on the database for the called telephone line including at least one of (1) whether or not the called telephone line is currently engaged in an activity on the packet-based data network;

(2) whether or not the called telephone line has an IP telephony capability;

(3) whether or not the called telephone line is currently active on an IP telephony call;

(4) whether or not a call waiting-on-IP telephony feature is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

(5) whether or not a call forwarding-on-IP telephony is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

if it is determined from accessing the database that the telephone line is currently active on an IP telephony call, that the called party does not subscribe to a call waiting-on-IP feature, and does subscribe to a call forwarding-on-IP feature, forwarding the incoming telephone call to a messaging system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the messaging system is associated with the packet-based data network.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the messaging system is associated with the circuit-switched telephone network.

22. A method of completing an incoming telephone call from a calling party initiated on a circuit-switched telephone network to a called party on a called telephone line, comprising the steps of:

receiving the incoming telephone call in the circuit-switched telephone network;

accessing a database cooperatively connected to the circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-based data network to determine information associated with the called telephone line, the information stored on the database for the called telephone line including at least one of (1) whether or not the called telephone line is currently engaged in an activity on the packet-based data network;

(2) whether or not the called telephone line has an IP telephony capability;

(3) whether or not the called telephone line is currently active on an IP telephony call;

(4) whether or not a call waiting-on-IP telephony feature is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

(5) whether or not a call forwarding-on-IP telephony is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

if it is determined from accessing the database that the called telephone line has an IP telephony capability, is not currently engaged in an IP telephony call, and is engaged in a activity on the packet-based data network, attempting to complete the incoming telephone call to the called telephone line over the packet-based data network as an Internet telephony call.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of attempting to complete the incoming telephone call as an Internet telephony call comprises the steps of:

alerting the called party of the incoming call over the packet-based data network; and

determining whether the called party wants to accept the incoming call.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising, if it is determined that the called party wants to accept the incoming call, the step of forwarding the incoming telephone call to the called telephone line as an Internet telephony call.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising, if it is determined that the called party does not want to accept the incoming call, the step of forwarding the incoming telephone call to a messaging system.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the messaging system is associated with the packet-based data network.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the messaging system is associated with the circuit-switched telephone network.

28. A method of completing an incoming telephone call from a calling party initiated on a circuit-switched telephone network to a called party on a called telephone line, comprising the steps of:

receiving the incoming telephone call in the circuit-switched telephone network;

accessing a database cooperatively connected to the circuit-switched telephone network and a packet-based data network to determine information associated with the called telephone line, the information stored on the database for the called telephone line including at least one of (1) whether or not the called telephone line is currently engaged in an activity on the packet-based data network;

(2) whether or not the called telephone line has an IP telephony capability;

(3) whether or not the called telephone line is currently active on an IP telephony call;

(4) whether or not a call waiting-on-IP telephony feature is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

(5) whether or not a call forwarding-on-IP telephony is a feature subscribed to by the called party on the called telephone line; and

if it is determined from accessing the database that the called telephone line is currently engaged in an activity on the packet-based data network and does not have an IP telephony capability, attempting to complete the incoming telephone call by pushing a message to the called party over the packet-based data network while the called party is engaged in the activity on the packet-based data network informing the called party of the incoming telephone call.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of forwarding the incoming telephone call to a messaging system.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the messaging system is associated with the packet-based data network.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the messaging system is associated with the circuit-switched telephone network.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of forwarding the incoming telephone call to an alternate destination specified by the called party.

33. The method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a voice message from the calling party;

converting the voice message to a data file; and

pushing the data file to the called party over the packet-based data network.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the data file is a .WAV file.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the data file is a text file.