Method and apparatus for monitoring and transferring a client from a low priority access number to a higher priority access number during active internet and other WAN connection-sessions
First Claim
1. A network-based hardware and software system for enabling priority-based Internet access telephone number switching from a lower priority access number to a higher priority access number during a data session through monitoring current connection states of a user node connected to the network during session and comparing those states with current states of known alternate access numbers available to the user node during the network session, comprising:
- a CTI-switch for establishing call connections and performing call switching according to instruction formulated through the monitoring;
a network-hosted part of a software application for monitoring the current user-node connection states and the current states of the alternate access numbers and for directing the CTI-switch function based on results of the monitoring;
at least two network-access nodes connected to the network, the access nodes each accessible through dialing a network-access telephone number from the user node; and
a client-hosted part of the software application for listing access numbers, configuring priority states to the access numbers based on priority characteristics of the access numbers including one or both of call connection cost and bandwidth characteristics, and for communicating the pertinent data to the network-hosted part of the software application, characterized in that a user connected to the network using a lower priority access number may continue the network session while a higher priority access number available to the user'"'"'s node is identified from a list of alternate numbers through the monitoring performed by the network-hosted software application during the session, the identified number, also identified as currently accessible to the user'"'"'s node, is either secured by the CTI-switch on behalf of the user, the user'"'"'s node then disconnected and then re-connected to the secured number, or rendered to the user in a network notification after which, the user may manually disconnect and then re-connect to the available number.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network system is provided for enabling priority-based number switching from a lower priority access number to a higher priority access number during an active data session is provided. The system comprises, a CTI-switch for establishing call connections and performing call switching according to instruction, a network-hosted part of a software application for monitoring the current user-node connection states and the current states of the alternate access numbers, at least two network-access nodes connected to the network, the access nodes each accessible through dialing a network-access number from the user node and, a client-hosted part of the software application for listing access numbers, configuring priority states to the access numbers and for communicating the pertinent data to the network-hosted part of the software application. The system affects call transfer based on priority state.
16 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A network-based hardware and software system for enabling priority-based Internet access telephone number switching from a lower priority access number to a higher priority access number during a data session through monitoring current connection states of a user node connected to the network during session and comparing those states with current states of known alternate access numbers available to the user node during the network session, comprising:
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a CTI-switch for establishing call connections and performing call switching according to instruction formulated through the monitoring; a network-hosted part of a software application for monitoring the current user-node connection states and the current states of the alternate access numbers and for directing the CTI-switch function based on results of the monitoring; at least two network-access nodes connected to the network, the access nodes each accessible through dialing a network-access telephone number from the user node; and a client-hosted part of the software application for listing access numbers, configuring priority states to the access numbers based on priority characteristics of the access numbers including one or both of call connection cost and bandwidth characteristics, and for communicating the pertinent data to the network-hosted part of the software application, characterized in that a user connected to the network using a lower priority access number may continue the network session while a higher priority access number available to the user'"'"'s node is identified from a list of alternate numbers through the monitoring performed by the network-hosted software application during the session, the identified number, also identified as currently accessible to the user'"'"'s node, is either secured by the CTI-switch on behalf of the user, the user'"'"'s node then disconnected and then re-connected to the secured number, or rendered to the user in a network notification after which, the user may manually disconnect and then re-connect to the available number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A software-control application for enabling priority-based Internet access telephone number switching from a lower priority access number to a higher priority access number during a data session conducted by a user connected to a data-packet-network through one of a list of available access numbers comprising:
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a network-hosted part of the software application for initiating and directing the priority-based number switching based on monitored results; a client-hosted part of the software application for configuring at least one access number list including associated priority characteristics including those of one or both of call connection cost and bandwidth, and communicating the listing characteristics to the network-hosted part of the software application; and a network-communication path between the client-hosted part of the software application and the network-hosted part of the software application, the network-communication path enabling bi-directional communication between the parts of the software application, characterized in that the data connection for a user engaged in a data session on the data-packet-network using a lower priority access number may during the session be switched according to software instruction from the connection using the lower priority access number to a connection using an identified higher priority access number during the same session without manual intervention required of the user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. In an active data session conducted by a user operating a computerized node on a data-packet-network, a method for detecting an available higher priority Internet access telephone number from a list of known numbers and switching the connection of the computerized node to a connection using the higher priority access number during the session comprising steps of:
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(a) connecting the computerized node to the network using a lower priority number included in the list of known numbers; (b) identifying the current lower priority number in the list of known numbers; (c) comparing the priority assignment of the lower priority number with the priority assignments of other numbers in the list of known numbers; (d) identifying one or more higher priority numbers contained in the list of known numbers; (e) monitoring the identified higher priority numbers for one or both of connection cost and availability; and (f) upon detecting an available higher priority number, switching the current data session connection using the lower priority access number to a connection using the higher priority access number. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification