Internet controlled telephone system

• US 6,785,266 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Web Telephony LLC
• Original Assignee: Web Telephony LLC
• Inventors: Swartz, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US10/228,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20030053444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/356, 370/385, 370/395.52, 370/400, 370/401, 370/386, 370/389, 370/391, 370/392, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/410, 370/420, 379/88.01, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/207.13, 379/207.15, 379/211.02, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/204
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems

Abstract

An Internet controlled telephony system employing a host services processor connected to a subscriber via the Internet and further connected to the public switched telephone system (PSTN). The subscriber employs a web interface to populate a database with preference data which is used by the host services processor to handle incoming calls and establish outgoing telephone connections in accordance with the preference data provided by the subscriber. Incoming calls to a telephone number assigned to the subscriber may be automatically forwarded to any telephone number specified by the preference data. The subscriber may also use the web interface to specify whether call waiting is to be activated, to screen or reroute calls from designated numbers, for recording voice mail messages in designated voice mailboxes, for selectively playing back voice mail messages via the web interface or for forwarding voice mail as an email attachment, for handling incoming fax transmissions using character recognition and email attachment functions, and for automatically paging the subscriber when incoming voice mail, fax or email messages are received, all in accordance with the preference data supplied by the subscriber using the web interface. Outgoing connections and conference calls may be initiated using the web interface, and the subscriber may block the operation of caller identification functions. Call progress information may be visually displayed to the subscriber during calls by transmitting web pages from the host services computer to the subscriber'"'"'s web browser.

Claims

1. The method of processing telephone calls on behalf of a subscriber which comprises, in combination, the steps of:

connecting a web browser accessible to said subscriber to the Internet,

connecting a web server to the Internet at a host services location remote from said web browser,

connecting call processin aparatus at said host services location to a remote central office of a public switched telephone network via a plurality of subscriber lines, including a specific subscriber line for receiving incoming calls from said remote central office that are directed to a telephone number assigned exclusively to said subscriber,

employing said web browser to submit preference data to said web server via the Internet, said preference data defining the manner in which said subscriber desires to have telephone calls processed using said specific subscriber line,

storing said preference data as submitted in a database,

employing said call processing apparatus for handling incoming telephone calls received from said remote central office via said specific subscriber line in a manner specified by said reference data, and

employing said call processing apparatus to establish a telephone connection via an available communication link between said specific subscriber line and said subscriber.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of employing said call processing apparatus for activating and deactivating call waiting services provided by said public switched telephone network in accordance said preference data.

3. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of employing said call processing apparatus to screen calls to prevent incoming calls from being answered which originate from a set of one or more telephone numbers specified by said preference data.

4. The method set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of employing said call processing apparatus to record voice mail messages from the originators of incoming calls from selected ones of said set of telephone numbers as specified by said preference data.

5. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein at least some of said incoming telephone calls are facsimile transmissions, and further comprising the step of employing said call processing apparatus to transmit the content of said facsimile transmissions to a specified destination in a manner specified by said preference data.

6. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of accepting voice commands via the public switched telephone network to modify said preference data.

7. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprises the step of employing said call processing apparatus to transmit commands from said host services location to said central office of said public switched telephone network via said specific subscriber line to alter the manner in which said incoming calls are processed in response to changes in said preference data submitted from said web browser.

8. The method set forth in claim 7 wherein said step of transmitting commands to said public switched telephone network comprises sending DTMF key sequences.

9. The method set forth in claim 7 wherein said step of transmitting commands to said public switched telephone network comprises sending SS7 call management signals.

10. The method set forth in claim 1 further including the step of employing said call processing apparatus to activate and deactivate call tracing functions performed by said public switched telephone network in response to changes in said preference data submitted by said subscriber.

12. The method set forth in claim 1 further including the step of employing said web browser to transmit the text of notes entered by the subscriber to said web server and employing said web server to store said text for future reference by said subscriber.

13. The method set forth in claim 1 further including the step of receiving incoming email transmissions via the Internet directed to said subscriber and for processing said email messages in accordance with said preference data.

19. The method of processing telephone calls set forth in claim 1 wherein said available communication link is an Internet data link.

20. The method of processing telephone calls set forth in claim 1 wherein said available communication link includes the public switched telephone network.

11. The method set forth in claim further including the step of employing said web server to transmit displayable information describing said incoming telephone calls to said web browser.

14. The method of establishing and controlling a telephone connection between a subscriber and a selected remote telephone station set which comprises, in combination,

employing a web browser accessible to said subscriber for transmitting and receiving data via the Internet,

operating a call processor at a host services location remote from said web browser,

connecting said call processor to a remotely located central office of the public switched telephone network via a subscriber line designated by an assigned subscriber telephone number allocated for the use of said subscriber to receive and handle incoming calls from said public switched telephone network directed to said assigned subscriber telephone number,

employing a web server connected to the Internet at said host services location for accepting data from said web browser, said data consisting of preference data for controlling the manner in which telephone calls transmitted via said subscriber line are processed on behalf of said subscriber, and

employing said call processor for establishing a telephone connection between said subscriber and said selected remote telephone station set via said subscriber line and for controlling communications over said connection in the manner specified by said preference data.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 wherein further including the step of employing said call processor to activate and deactivate call waiting services provided by said public switched telephone network in response to changes in said preference data submitted by said subscriber.

16. The method set forth in claim 14 further including the step of employing said call processor to activate and deactivate caller identification functions performed by said public switched telephone network in response to changes in said preference data submitted by said subscriber.

17. The method set forth in claim 14 further including the step of employing said web server to transmit displayable information describing a telephone call in progress to said web browser.

18. The method set forth in claim 14 further including the step of establishing a multiparty conference call connection between said subscriber and a plurality of remotely located station sets whose telephone numbers are specified by said subscriber using said web browser.