Telephone intercom methods and systems

• US 6,947,534 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Management Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hong, Levine, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US09/964,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 379/167.01, 379/167.04, 379/167.11, 379/171, 379/172, 379/373.07, 379/156, 379/159, 379201-202, 379/201.12, 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01
• US Class Current: 379/167.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for providing an intercom service. In an embodiment of the present invention, an intercom service request is received. The intercom service request includes a calling number associated with a location. The calling number is determined to correspond to a subscriber to the intercom service. Initiation of an intercom call to the location is directed.

Claims

1. A method for providing an intercom service to a plurality of telephones associated with a calling number at a location, the method comprising:

receiving at a remote network an intercom service request from a first telephone at the location, the intercom service request including the calling number associated with the location;

determining that the calling number corresponds to a subscriber to the intercom service;

receiving an on-hook signal at the remote network from the first telephone at the calling location; and

directing initiation of an intercom call from the remote network to the location upon receiving the on-hook signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the intercom call to the location has been answered;

and terminating the intercom call based at least in part on a termination condition.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the termination condition is selected from the group of an expiration of a predetermined time period, a determination that a telephone line is idle, a determination that a telephone at the location has gone on-hook, and an expiration of an extended time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the intercom service request includes receiving an intercom service request call, the intercom service request call including the calling number associated with the location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the intercom service request call includes receiving the intercom service request call at a service node.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the intercom call to the location has been answered;

maintaining the intercom call; and

terminating the intercom call based at least in part on a termination condition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving an indication that the intercom call has been answered includes playing an announcement indicating the nature of the intercom call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the intercom service request includes receiving an intercom service request query, the intercom service request query including the calling number associated with the location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the intercom service request query includes receiving the intercom service request query at a service control point.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the intercom service request query is an advanced intelligent network (“

AIN”

) query.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the intercom service request query is generated based at least in part on a received public feature code.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the intercom service request query is generated based at least in part on an off-hook delay trigger.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising comparing a calling number field of the intercom service request query to a called number field of the service request query.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a subscriber intercom telephone number of the location based at least in part on the calling number, the subscriber intercom telephone number being different from the calling number, the calling number being associated with a first call ringing pattern, the subscriber intercom telephone number being associated with a second call ringing pattern, the first call ringing pattern being different from the second call ringing pattern.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein directing initiation of the intercom call to the location includes directing initiation of the intercom call to the subscriber intercom telephone number.

16. A system for providing an intercom service to a plurality of telephones associated with a calling telephone number at a location, the system comprising:

an intercom service subscriber database, the intercom service subscriber database including a plurality of intercom service subscriber data records, each intercom service subscriber data record of at least a subset of the plurality of intercom service subscriber data records including a calling telephone number field to store a calling telephone number;

a service switching point, the service switching point coupled to the intercom service subscriber database; and

a communications link coupled to the service switching point, the communications link associated at least in part with the calling telephone number;

means for receiving an on-hook signal at a remote network from a first telephone of the plurality corresponding to the calling telephone number at the location; and

means for directing an initiation of an intercom call from the remote network to the plurality of telephones associated with the calling telephone number at the location associated with the calling telephone number, after receiving the on-hook signal from the first telephone.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each intercom service subscriber data record of at least the subset of the plurality of intercom service subscriber data records includes a subscriber intercom service telephone number field to store a subscriber intercom service telephone number, the subscriber intercom service telephone number being different from the calling telephone number.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the calling telephone number is associated with a first call ringing pattern, the subscriber intercom service telephone number is associated with a second call ringing pattern, the first call ringing pattern being different from the second call ringing pattern.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a service node, the service node coupled to the intercom service subscriber database.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the service node is to answer an intercom service request call received via the communications link the intercom service request call including a calling telephone number.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the service node is to play an intercom service announcement based at least in part on answering the intercom service request call.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the service node is to initiate an intercom service call based at least in part on the intercom service request call.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the service node is to terminate the intercom service call based at least in part on a termination condition.

24. The system of claim 16, further comprising a service control point, the service control point coupled to the intercom service subscriber database.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the service control point is to receive an intercom service request query generated by the service switching point, the intercom service request query including a calling telephone number.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the service control point is to initiate a first leg of an intercom service call based at least in part on the intercom service request query, the first leg of the intercom service call to be carried at least in part by the communications link.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the service control point is to initiate a second leg of the intercom service call to a system intercom service telephone number.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the service control point is to initiate a second leg of the intercom service call to a computer telephony device.

29. A method for using two or more telephones associated with a calling telephone number at a location as an intercom service, the method comprising:

receiving a first off-hook indication at a remote network from a first telephone at the location;

receiving a dialed key sequence from the first telephone;

receiving an intercom service request, the intercom service request based at least in part on the dialed key sequence, the intercom service request including the calling telephone number, the calling telephone number associated with the location;

receiving an on-hook indication at the remote network from the first telephone;

directing initiation of an intercom call from the remote network to the location based at least in part on the intercom service request upon receiving the on-hook indication from the first telephone;

receiving a second off-hook indication at the remote network;

determining a terminating condition for the intercom call; and

terminating the intercom call based at least in part on the terminating condition.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving an intercom service request includes receiving an intercom service request call.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving an intercom service request includes receiving an intercom service request query.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the dialed key sequence is selected from the group consisting of a dialed telephone number different from the calling telephone number, a public feature code, and the calling telephone number.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein directing initiation of an intercom call to the location based at least in part on the intercom service request includes directing initiation of an intercom call to a subscriber intercom telephone number, the subscriber intercom telephone number being different than the calling telephone number.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the calling telephone number is associated with a first call ringing pattern, the subscriber intercom telephone number is associated with a second call ringing pattern, the first call ringing pattern being different from the second call ringing pattern.

35. A method for using the two or more telephones associated with a calling telephone number at a location as an intercom service, the method comprising:

sending a first off-hook indication to a remote network from a first telephone at the location;

receiving a dial-tone signal;

sending a sequence of dialed key signals, the sequence of dialed key signals corresponding to an intercom service;

sending a first on-hook indication to the remote network from the first telephone at the location;

receiving an intercom call ringing sequence of an intercom call after the first on-hook indication has been sent;

sending communication signals to a second telephone at the location during the intercom call; and

receiving communication signals from the second telephone at the location during the intercom call.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the intercom call ringing sequence of the intercom call is a standard call ringing sequence.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the standard call ringing sequence includes a sequence of approximately six seconds in duration having approximately two seconds of ringing and approximately four seconds of silence.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the intercom call ringing sequence of the intercom call is a distinctive call ringing sequence, the distinctive call ringing sequence being different from a standard call ringing sequence.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending a second off-hook indication; and

receiving the intercom call based at least in part on sending the second off-hook indication.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein:

sending a second off-hook indication includes sending a second off-hook indication from the second telephone; and

receiving the intercom call based at least in part on sending the second off-hook indication includes receiving the intercom call at the second telephone.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein:

sending a second off-hook indication includes sending a second off-hook indication from the first telephone; and

receiving the intercom call based at least in part on sending the second off-hook indication includes receiving the intercom call at the first telephone.

42. A system for providing an intercom service to a plurality of telephones associated with a calling telephone number at a location, the system comprising:

means for receiving an intercom service request at a remote network from a first telephone at the location, the intercom service request including a the calling telephone number associated with the location;

means for determining that the calling telephone number corresponds to a subscriber to the intercom service;

means for receiving an on-hook signal from at the remote network from the first telephone at the location; and

means for directing initiation of an intercom call from the remote network to the location upon receiving the on-hook signal.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

means for receiving an indication that the intercom call to the location has been answered; and

means for terminating the intercom call based at least in part on a termination condition.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein:

the means for receiving an intercom service request includes a service node; and

the intercom service request includes an intercom service request call.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein:

the means for receiving an intercom service request includes a service control point; and

the intercom service request includes an intercom service request query.

46. A method for providing an intercom service to a plurality of telephones associated with a calling telephone number at a location, the method comprising:

a step for receiving an intercom service request at a remote network from a first telephone of the location, the intercom service request including a the calling telephone number associated with the location;

a step for determining that the calling telephone number corresponds to a subscriber to the intercom service;

a step for determining at the remote network an on-hook status of the first telephone at the location; and

a step for directing initiation of an intercom call from the remote network to the location upon determining the on-hook status.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

a step for receiving an indication that the intercom call to the location has been answered; and

a step for terminating the intercom call based at least in part on a termination condition.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the termination condition is selected from the group of an expiration of a predetermined time period, an indication that a telephone line is idle, an indication that a telephone at the location has gone on-hook, and an expiration of an extended time period.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the step for receiving the intercom service request includes a step for receiving an intercom service request call, the intercom service request call including the calling telephone number associated with the location.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the step for receiving the intercom service request call includes a step for receiving the intercom service request call at a service node.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the step for receiving the intercom service request includes a step for receiving an intercom service request query, the intercom service request query including the calling telephone number associated with the location.

52. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions to be executed by a processor for providing an intercom service to a plurality of telephones associated with a calling telephone number at a location, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:

receive an intercom service request at a remote network from a first telephone at the location, the intercom service request including the calling telephone number associated with the location;

determine that the calling telephone number corresponds to a subscriber to the intercom service;

determine at the remote network an on-hook status of the first telephone at said location associated with said calling telephone number; and

direct initiation of an intercom call from the remote network to the location upon determining the on-hook status.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, further comprising instructions to:

receive an indication that the intercom call to the location has been answered; and

terminate the intercom call based at least in part on a termination condition.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the instructions to receive the intercom service request include instructions to receive an intercom service request call, the intercom service request call including the calling telephone number associated with the location.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the instructions to receive the intercom service request call include instructions to receive the intercom service request call at a service node.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions to:

receive an indication that the intercom call to the location has been answered;

maintain the intercom call; and

terminate the intercom call based at least in part on a termination condition.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the instructions to receive an indication that the intercom call has been answered include instructions to play an announcement indicating the nature of the intercom call.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the instructions to receive the intercom service request include instructions to receive an intercom service request query, the intercom service request query including the calling telephone number associated with the location.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the instructions to receive the intercom service request query include instructions to receive the intercom service request query at a service control point.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the intercom service request query is an advanced intelligent network (“

AIN”

) query.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 60, wherein the intercom service request query is generated based at least in part on a received public feature code.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 60, wherein the intercom service request query is generated based at least in part on an off-hook delay trigger.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 62, further comprising instructions to compare a calling telephone number field of the intercom service request query to a called number field of the service request query.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, further comprising instructions to determine a subscriber intercom telephone number of the location based at least in part on the calling telephone number, the subscriber intercom telephone number being different from the calling telephone number, the calling telephone number being associated with a first call ringing pattern, the subscriber intercom telephone number being associated with a second call ringing pattern, the first call ringing pattern being different from the second call ringing pattern.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the instructions to direct initiation of the intercom call to the location include instructions to direct initiation of the intercom call to the subscriber intercom telephone number.