Method and apparatus for originating voice calls from a data network
First Claim
1. A method of providing voice communications between two parties using computer controlled telephony hardware which is outside the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), one of the parties having access to a data network, comprising:
- accepting a voice communication request initiated by the party having selected a voice button to initiate the voice communication request;
originating a first voice connection from the computer controlled telephony hardware outside the PSTN under control of a computer telephony server in response to the voice communication request made by the party having access to the data network, the voice communication request received from the data network including information to permit first and second voice connections to be established;
originating a second voice connection from the computer controlled telephony hardware outside the PSTN under the control of the computer telephony server in response to the voice communication request received from the data network using the information respecting the second voice connection; and
bridging together the first and second voice connections using the computer controlled telephony hardware outside the PSTN under the control of the computer telephony server to permit voice communications between the two parties.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing voice communications between two parties using computer controlled telephony hardware which is separate from the PSTN is described. The voice communications may be voice over Internet or PSTN voice connections, or any combination of the two. The apparatus includes a WEB server, a computer telephony server, a Voice over IP gateway and an operations, administration and maintenance server. The apparatus is suitably installed and operated by a service provider such as an Internet Service Provider. The advantage is unexcelled control over call setup, transfer and conference functions. A further advantage is the rapid, unfettered development of new services without compatibility issues with the PSTN.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of providing voice communications between two parties using computer controlled telephony hardware which is outside the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), one of the parties having access to a data network, comprising:
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accepting a voice communication request initiated by the party having selected a voice button to initiate the voice communication request;
originating a first voice connection from the computer controlled telephony hardware outside the PSTN under control of a computer telephony server in response to the voice communication request made by the party having access to the data network, the voice communication request received from the data network including information to permit first and second voice connections to be established;
originating a second voice connection from the computer controlled telephony hardware outside the PSTN under the control of the computer telephony server in response to the voice communication request received from the data network using the information respecting the second voice connection; and
bridging together the first and second voice connections using the computer controlled telephony hardware outside the PSTN under the control of the computer telephony server to permit voice communications between the two parties. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of providing voice communication between a service subscriber and a user of a data network accessing an interactive information page available on the network using a data terminal, comprising the steps of:
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a) accepting at a voice button server a voice communication request initiated by the user using a voice communication request button associated with the service subscriber and available on the interactive information page;
b) analyzing at the voice button server the voice communication request, or a preference file sent from the user'"'"'s data terminal, to determine a voice connection medium preferred by the user;
c) consulting a rule base using a code that identifies the subscriber to locate at least one rule that determines how a voice connection is to be established with the subscriber;
d) operating a computer telephony server to control computer telephony hardware outside the PSTN to place a first call to the user by the preferred voice connection medium;
e) operating the computer telephony server to control the computer telephony hardware outside the PSTN to place a second call to the subscriber in accordance with the at least one rule located in the rule base;
f) operating the computer telephony server to control the computer telephony hardware outside the PSTN to bridge the first and second calls;
g) monitoring the data network for an indication that a modification of a configuration of the voice communication is desired by either the user or the subscriber and changing the configuration of the voice communication if an indication for change is received; and
h) monitoring the first and second voice calls and disconnecting the other of the first and second calls when either of the first or second calls is disconnected. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for providing voice communication between a service subscriber and a user of a data network accessing an interactive information page available on the network using a data terminal, comprising in combination:
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at least one computing machine programmed with the functionality of;
a) a voice button server for accepting voice communication requests either directly or indirectly form a user accessing an interactive information page on a data network and selecting a voice request button;
b) an operations, management and maintenance server to permit the establishment and maintenance of rule bases for governing how the voice communication requests are completed to the service subscriber; and
c) a computer telephony server for controlling computer telephony hardware outside the PSTN;
a voice over data network gateway for converting voice data packets to voice telephony format; and
computer telephony hardware outside the PSTN which may be controlled by the computer telephony server to initiate voice connections on a switched telephone network or a voice gateway to a data network, to bridge calls and to respond to a set of predefined voice connection control commands that may originate from either the service subscriber or the user. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification