System controlling use of a communication channel

• US 6,717,938 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: J2 Global, Inc.
• Inventors: DʼAngelo, Leo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US09/293,496
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/410, 370/401, 379/88.13
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1414 in real-time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/01 Details of billing 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 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0006 : where voice calls cross both networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 : where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A system controlling use of a communication channel in a communication network. The system comprising a network including service nodes. The service nodes comprising one or more sets having one or more nodes adapted to provide service functions in response to messages in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface for communication with a remote terminal, and a user interface process coupled with the interface to include a user of the remote terminal in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface to the communication network, and a process coupled to the interface to control establishment of the communication channel for the user.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a subscriber to a communication server to contact other people, comprising:

receiving from the subscriber and via a data network an identification of another person;

initiating and controlling, by the communication server, a communication channel through one of a plurality of distinct communication networks, for the subscriber to contact said another person, in a manner that alleviates the need for the user to decide how to route a call to said another person, the plurality of distinct communication networks include a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a facsimile network, a pager network, and a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) network;

identifying a current location of a first subscriber and a current phone number at that location for the first subscriber; and

receiving an indication from the first subscriber that her location has changed to a new location, wherein the communication server can then enable a second subscriber to contact said first subscriber without said second subscriber having to select a current phone number of the first subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification of the person to contact is received by the server via a network browser program over the Internet.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the communication channel is an analog voice channel through the PSTN, and the channel is initiated by the server signaling a phone switch to call the subscriber and said another person using their respective telephone numbers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication channel is a VOIP channel through a VOIP network, and the channel is initiated by the server signaling a phone switch that is coupled to said VOIP network to connect the subscriber and said another person using their respective IP network addresses.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication channel is through a pager network, and the channel is initiated by the server signaling a phone switch to contact a pager over a pager network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication channel is through a facsimile network, and the channel is initiated by the server signaling a phone switch that supports facsimile transmissions.