Method for handling incominc calls directed to a virtual communication service subscriber via a shared line system

• US 6,870,835 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Westrich, Robert S., Weber, Roy Philip, Zelezniak, Aleksandr, Goldman, Shelley B., Wang, Shaoqing Q., Foladare, Mark Jeffrey, Chen, Yihsiu, Jean, Shawn, Madden, Joan
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US09/867,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 370/230, 370/354, 370/386, 379/220.01, 379/88.17, 379/142.18, 379/88.24, 379/221.15
• US Class Current: 370/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42331 Direct inward dialling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A method of handling incoming calls directed to a virtual communication subscriber is disclosed. An incoming call intended for the virtual communication subscriber is received at a communication device. A call is placed to the communication device using contact information provided by the virtual communication subscriber. Extension information is provided to a SLS when the call is answered which corresponds to a communication line associated with the communication device. Upon connection to the communication device, the incoming call is bridged with the call placed to the communication device.

Claims

1. A method of handling calls directed to a communication subscriber, the communication subscriber having a communication station which is connected to a communication network via a Shared Line System (SLS), the communication station being provided with PBX-like functionality using a PBX interface which is provided via a data connection to the communication station, the PBX interface being able to communicate PBX-like commands between a network-based IPPBX and the communication station for call completion, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving station information from the communication subscriber, the station information including a reach telephone number and extension information for communication station;

receiving an incoming call intended for the communication subscriber at the IPPBX;

placing a call to the communication subscriber using the received station information;

providing the extension information to the SLS when the call is answered; and

upon connection to the communication station, bridging the incoming call with the call placed to the communication station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the extension information to the SLS when the call is answered further comprises the step of:

instructing an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to provide the extension information to the SLS.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the IVR generates speech corresponding to the extension information.

4. The method of claim of claim 2 wherein the IVR generates Dual Tone Multifrequency (DMTF) tones corresponding to the extension information.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the extension information is the name of the virtual communication subscriber.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the extension information is an extension line associated with a main number of the SLS.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

sending a message via the virtual communication subscriber'"'"'s data connection to the communication station indicating that an incoming call has been received.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said message includes the calling party'"'"'s telephone number.

9. The method of claim 7 further including the step of:

receiving an instruction from the communication station via the data connection in response to the message regarding disposition of the incoming call.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the instruction indicates that the virtual communication subscriber will answer the incoming call.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the instruction indicates that the incoming call should be sent to voice mail.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication station is a multimedia communication device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the PBX interface provides a voice connection between the communication station and the IPPBX.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the voice connection is provided over a different line than a line that provide the data connection to the communication station.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the voice connection is provided over a same line as the data connection.

16. A method of handling incoming calls directed to a communications subscriber, the communication subscriber being associated with a communication device connected to a Shared Line System (SLS), the communication device being provided with PBX-like functionality using a PBX interface which provides a data connection between the communication device and a network-based IPPBX, the PBX interface being able to communicate PBX-like commands between the IPPBX and the communication device for call completion, the communication subscriber providing the PBX interface with contact information for the communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming call intended for the communication subscriber;

placing a call to the communication device using the contact information;

providing extension information to the SLS when the call is answered, the extension information corresponding to a communication line associated with the communication device; and

upon connection to the communication device, bridging the incoming call with the call placed to the communication device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of providing the extension information to the SLS when the call is answered further comprises the step of:

instructing an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to provide the extension information to the SLS.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the IVR generates speech corresponding to the extension information.

19. The method of claim of claim 16 wherein the IVR generates Dual Tone Multifrequency (DMTF) tones corresponding to the extension information.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the extension information is the name of the communication subscriber.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the extension information is an extension line associated with a main number of the SLS.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

sending a message via the communication device'"'"'s data connection indicating that an incoming call has been received.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said message includes the calling party'"'"'s telephone number.

24. The method of claim 22 further including the step of:

receiving an instruction from the communication subscriber via the data connection in response to the message regarding disposition of the incoming call.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the instruction indicates that the communication subscriber will answer the incoming call.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the instruction indicates that the incoming call should be sent to voice mail.