Dialing process for IP telephony

• US 6,351,526 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Beyda, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/265,485
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 370/467, 370/902, 370/908, 379/201.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/234, 379/900, 455/401
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/545 using a stored programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54533 Configuration data, translation, passwords, databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/902 Packet switching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/908 Local area network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A system and a method for communicating dialed digits between a communication device and a call processor during call setup include transmitting at least the first digit of a telephone number from the communication device to the call processor within a first data packet. The call processor references a dialing plan to determine if the first data packet provides sufficient digits to complete the requested call. If not, the call processor determines the minimum quantity of digits required under the dialing plan to determine the destination of the call and transmits a protocol command to the communication device to transmit the minimum quantity of digits to the call processor within a subsequent data packet. The call processor continues to reference the dialing plan to determine whether additional digits are required and to request additional packets until sufficient packets have been received to establish the call. In an alternative embodiment, the call processor responds to identification of a variable-length telephone number by enabling a timer in the communication device. After being enabled, the timer is reset each time a user enters a subsequent digit. Upon expiration of a predetermined time interval either after the user has entered a previous digit or after the timer was enabled, the communication device transmits any digits the user has entered after enablement of the timer to the call processor within a subsequent data packet. The call processor attempts to establish the call utilizing digits received before and after enablement of the timer.

Claims

1. A method for communicating dialed digits of a telephone number during setup of a telephone call from a first network comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one digit of said telephone number within a discrete unit of data;

(b) analyzing said at least one digit to determine a minimum quantity of additional digits required to determine a destination of said call; and

(c) requesting said minimum quantity of digits to be transmitted within a subsequent discrete data unit if said minimum quantity is greater than zero.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the following steps:

(d) if said minimum quantity of digits is requested in step (c), receiving at least one digit that is received within a subsequent discrete data unit as a response to said request; and

(e) repeating steps (b)-(d) until a sufficient quantity of digits has been received to determine said destination of said call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) includes referencing a dialing plan to determine said minimum quantity of digits required to complete said call.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) includes determining whether said telephone call is directed to a second network which is separate from said first network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step (b) includes analyzing said minimum quantity of digits to determine whether said telephone call is a long distance call or a local call.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing said at least one digit includes determining whether said telephone call is to be established via a private line to a remote communication device, said step of requesting said minimum quantity of digits including requesting a quantity of digits required for completing said private line call.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing said at least one digit includes determining whether said telephone call is an internal call within said first network, said step of requesting said minimum quantity of digits including requesting a quantity of digits required to complete said internal call.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing said at least one digit includes determining whether said call is directed to an internal operator within said first network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing said at least one digit includes ascertaining whether said telephone number has an indeterminate number of digits, the method further comprising the steps of:

storing a sequence of digits within a dialing device until a predetermined time interval has expired since the last digit in said sequence has been entered, said storing being performed if it is determined that said telephone number has an indeterminate number of digits; and

transmitting said sequence of digits to a call processing device within said subsequent discrete data unit upon expiration of said predetermined time interval.

10. A system for efficient dialing during setup for outgoing calls comprising:

a first communication device having a dialer responsive to user input to generate a first data packet which includes at least a first digit of a telephone number for connectivity of an outgoing call, said dialer being responsive to protocol commands to assemble subsequent data packets to selectively include subsequent digits of said telephone number; and

a call processor connected to said first communication device to exchange call-setup information, said call processor including;

(1) dialing plan software responsive to receipt of said first data packet and each subsequent data packet to determine minimum quantities of additional digits required to establish a call;

(2) means in communication with said dialing plan software for transmitting protocol commands to said communication device which include directions to assemble said minimum quantities of additional digits into said subsequent data packets for transmission to said call processor; and

(3) means for establishing said call upon receiving a sequence of digits sufficient to determine a destination of said call.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said dialing plan software includes a dialing plan descriptive of a probity of different types of calls, said dialing plan software being configured to determine said minimum quantities of additional digits according to said dialing plan.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said dialing plan software is configured to recognize an internal call request to a remote device located on a common network with said first communication device, said transmitting means being configured to transmit a protocol command for a quantity of telephone number digits required for an internal call to said remote device to be assembled into a subsequent data packet.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said dialing plan software is configured to distinguish between a different types of outside call requests, said types including local call requests and long distance call requests, transmission of particular ones of said protocol commands by said transmission means being selectively performed in response to detection of said local call requests and said long distance call requests.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said dialer of said first communication device is responsive to a protocol command to enable a timer which is reset upon user input of each dialed digit, said dialer being configured to assemble a sequence of dialed digits into a subsequent data packet for transmission to said call processor upon expiration of a predetermined time interval after user input of a last digit in said sequence.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said dialer is configured to generate required signaling data in response to user inputs to complete dialing of said telephone number when said predetermined time interval expires prior to a user completely dialing said telephone number.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said dialer is configured to communicate an absence of dialed digits to said call processor if no digits are entered prior to said expiration of said predetermined time interval.

17. A method for improved dialing during setup of a call in a first communications network comprising the steps of:

receiving a call request which includes a first protocol element having a first sequence of at least one digit of a telephone number;

referencing a dialing plan to characterize said call request based on said first sequence, including determining whether said call request is associated with at least one of an external call outside of said first communications network, a call within said first communications network, a call over a leased line, and a call to an internal operator;

based on said characterization, requesting a first minimum quantity of digits to be transmitted within a second protocol element if additional digits are required to establish said call; and

requesting a second minimum quantity of digits to be transmitted within a third protocol element if said first minimum quantity is not sufficient to establish said call.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of referencing said dialing plan includes analyzing said first minimum quantity of digits to determine whether said call request is associated with one of a local external call and a long distance external call.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether call request has an indeterminate number of digits required for completion of said call;

if said call request has said indeterminate number of required digits, enabling a timer within a calling device which generated said call request, said timer being reset upon user-entry of each digit of said telephone number into said calling device; and

transmitting said second protocol element having a second sequence of digits from said calling device upon expiration of a predetermined time interval after user-entry of a final digit in said second sequence.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of referencing said dialing plan includes downloading at least a portion of said dialing plan to a communication device which generated said call request.