Chase me system

• US 6,373,817 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Jesse Eugene, Sankalia, Anish, Kung, Fen-Chung, Wang, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M.
• Application Number:
  US09/475,782
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 370/217, 370/218, 370/351, 370/352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/463, 379/88, 379/89, 379/90.01, 379/93.07, 379/93.23, 379/215.01, 379/207.15, 709/219, 709/238, 709/240, 709/247
• US Class Current: 370/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1215 where a cable TV network is used as an access to the PSTN/ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 Details of gateway equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements

Abstract

A chase me method of routing a variable bit rate communication between a first terminal and a distant terminal over alternative networks including a circuit switched network and a packet network permits changing routing parameters remotely in response to user inputs including user requested changes in chasing parameters. A chase me system permits setting a chase me bit when a call is not immediately deliverable and chasing a subscriber even if the message is to be delivered by converting the message to text for delivery by paging the subscriber. A method of routing via alternative networks a calendar message, predetermined by the user for delivery at a prescribed date and time, may comprise the steps of receiving calendar input information regarding an event and a schedule; composing an event message; and chasing the user according to the reminder schedule and according to a predetermined priority of alternative network locations and terminal configurations to deliver the event message, wherein the alternative networks comprise a circuit-switched network and a packet based network.

Claims

1. A method of providing alternate routing for a variable bit rate communication between a first terminal and a distant terminal to a broadband subscriber at the first terminal, the variable bit rate communication being a multimedia communication requiring an audio speaker and a video display and related to the degree of utilization of a plurality of different networks, the different networks comprising at least a packet switched network and a circuit-switched network, the method comprising the steps of:

i) receiving a multimedia communication at a first terminal and ii) if the called party is not at a premises where the first terminal is located and the called party has authorized chasing service, setting a chasing data bit representing that the called party was not at a primary location and iii) alerting the calling party that the called party is not at the primary location and offering one of messaging service or chasing service to the calling party for the multimedia communication if the chasing data bit is set.

2. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of alerting the called party that the call is a chasing call.

3. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing a terminal configuration for the called party with multimedia communication delivery requirements of the calling party.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of converting the multimedia communication from one media to another.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the initial step of receiving subscriber input data for chase me parameters.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of storing said chase me parameters in memory of a subscriber identity module.

7. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 1 wherein said first terminal comprises a camera for capturing a visual image and said multimedia communication comprises an audio communication simultaneous with a visual communication.

8. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 1 wherein said first terminal further comprises a paging device equipped with a text display and said method further comprises the steps of:

converting an audible communication to a text communication and forming an e-mail comprising a control message and a text message and

forwarding said e-mail message to a paging server via an internet network.

9. A method of routing via alternative networks a calendar message, predetermined by the user for delivery at a prescribed date and time, comprising the steps of

receiving calendar input information regarding an event and a schedule;

composing a calendar event message; and

chasing the user according to the reminder schedule and according to a predetermined priority of alternative network locations and terminal configurations to deliver the calendar event message, wherein the alternative networks comprise a circuit-switched network and a packet based network.

10. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 9 wherein said calendar input information comprises a delivery address, a date and a greeting message.

11. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of composing a greeting message and delivering said greeting message to said delivery address.

12. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 9 further comprising the steps of repeating delivery of the calendar event message until the event occurs.

13. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of routing the message to a paging server by e-mail for delivery.

14. A method of providing alternate routing for a variable bit rate communication between a first terminal and a distant terminal to a broadband subscriber at the first terminal, the variable bit rate communication being a multimedia communication requiring an audio speaker and a video display and related to the degree of utilization of a plurality of different networks, the different networks comprising at least a packet switched network and a circuit-switched network, the method comprising the steps of:

i) receiving a multimedia communication at a first terminal and ii) if the called party is not at a premises where the first terminal is located and the called party has authorized chasing service, alerting the calling party that the called party is not at the primary location and offering one of messaging service or chasing service to the calling party for the multimedia communication.

15. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of alerting the called party that the call is a chasing call.

16. A method of routing a communication as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of comparing a terminal configuration for the called party with multimedia communication delivery requirements of the calling party.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of converting the multimedia communication from one media to another.