Network telephony interface systems between data network telephony and plain old telephone service

• US 6,456,615 B1
• Filed: 03/06/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWOH, JASPER C
• Application Number:
  US09/036,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20020057671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352-356, 370/389, 370/392, 370/400-401, 370/404-405, 370/410, 379/219-220, 379/224, 379/88.17, 379/309, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/221.09
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing

Abstract

A telephony system has a Data Network Telephony (DNT)-capable telephone apparatus at a first location having a port adapted to connect to a data network capable of transmitting DNT telephony calls, and a computerized telephony bridge remote from the first host location. The computerized bridge has a trunk-line port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing Connection Oriented/Switched Telephony (COST) telephone calls on a COST network; a data network port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing Data Network Telephony (DNT) calls on the data network; conversion circuitry for converting data dynamically between DNT and COST telephone calls; and control routines adapted to receive a first call from one of the COST and DNT networks, to place a call associated with the received call on the network other than the network on which the call is received, and to dynamically convert data between the associated calls. The computerized telephony bridge is connected to the DNT interface at a first location by the data network capable of transmitting DNT telephony calls. COST calls placed to a number associated with the call center go to the bridge, where an equivalent IP number is used to place a DNT call to the call center. The conversion circuitry then dynamically translates data between the calls in both directions effectively connecting persons placing COST calls with telephones having only DNT phone capability. Apparatus and methods for agents at such locations to place calls to persons connected to a POTS network are taught as well.

Claims

1. A method for implementing Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call center, comprising steps of:

(a) forming a call center of one or more agent stations at a first host location, each agent station having a Data Network Telephony (DNT) interface having a port for connecting to the Internet capable of transmitting IPNT calls, and each DNT interface having an IP address;

(b) connecting the Internet network to the DNT interface at the one or more agent stations;

(c) connecting, remote from the first host location, a computerized bridge unit to the Internet by a data network port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing IPNT calls on the Internet, the bridge unit having a trunk-line port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing Connection Oriented/Switched Telephony (COST) telephone calls on a COST network, conversion circuitry for converting data dynamically between IPNT and COST telephone calls, and control routines for receiving a first call from one of the COST and Internet networks, to place a call associated with the received call on the network other than the network on which the call is received, and to dynamically convert data between the associated calls;

(d) receiving a COST call at the bridge unit placed by a caller on the POTS network using a COST number;

(e) associating the COST call with the IP address of the DNT interface at one of the one or more agent stations at the first host location;

(f) placing an IPNT call to the IP address; and

(g) dynamically converting data at the bridge between the COST call and the associated IPNT call, thereby effectively connecting the COST caller with an agent at the agent station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the COST network is a publicly-switched telephone network (PSTN).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (a) the DNT interface is a telephone connected to the Internet for placing and receiving IPNT calls.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in step (a) the DNT interface is a multi-media personal computer (PC).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the bridge unit in step (c) further comprises a digitally-stored look-up table relating COST telephone numbers to IP addresses, and wherein in step (e) the association is done by accessing the look-up table.

6. A method for implementing an Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call center having ability for agents at the call center to place calls to COST network telephones, comprising steps of:

(a) forming a call center of one or more agent stations at a first host location, each agent station having a Data Network Telephony (DNT) interface having a port connected to a data network capable of transmitting IPNT telephony calls, and each DNT interface having an IP address;

(b) connecting the Internet network to the DNT interface at the one or more agent stations;

(c) connecting, remote from the first host location, a computerized bridge unit to the Internet by a data network port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing IPNT calls on the Internet, the bridge unit having a trunk-line port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing Connection Oriented/Switched Telephony (COST) telephone calls on a COST network, conversion circuitry for converting data dynamically between IPNT and COST telephone calls, and control routines adapted to receive a first call from one of the COST and Internet networks, to place a call associated with the received call on the network other than the network on which the call is received, and to dynamically convert data between the associated calls;

(d) receiving an IPNT call at the bridge unit placed by a caller at an agent station at the first host location;

(e) associating the IPNT call with a COST telephone number;

(f) placing a POTS call to the COST telephone number; and

(g) dynamically converting data at the bridge between the IPNT call and the associated COST call, thereby effectively connecting the IPNT caller with a person at a telephone connected to the COST network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein, in step (e) the association is made by retrieving a COST telephone number coded in a portion of an IP address associated with the incoming call, and the COST number is retrieved and used to place the associated COST call in step (f).

8. The method of claim 6 wherein in step (e) the association is made by negotiating with the IPNT caller to determine a COST telephone number.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the bridge further comprises an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) unit, and wherein in step (e) the IVR unit negotiates with the caller to ascertain a COST telephone number for a call to be associated with the incoming call.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the bridge unit further comprises a digitally-stored look-up table associating IP addresses with COST telephone numbers, and the association is made in step (e) by using an IP address received with the incoming IPNT call to access the database and retrieve a COST number associated with the IP address.