BRG with PBX capabilities

• US 7,075,918 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Spencer, Walker, Hopeton, Kung, Fen-Chung, Russell, Jesse Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh, Bob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US09/475,165
• Time in Patent Office: 2,385 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 379/265
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/35 virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5315 where the non-audio components are still images or video still image mailbox systems H04N1/324, intermediate storage of video signals for videophones H04N7/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1215 where a cable TV network is used as an access to the PSTN/ISDN

Abstract

A residential private branch exchange (PBX) allowing IP telephones, analog telephones and computers to connect to an IP communication network. A broadband residential gateway (BRG) PBX provides residences with multiple phone lines capability and the implementation of complex calling features traditionally associated with complex and expensive business PBX systems. The BRG PBX provides an open architecture interface minimizing problems during installation and operation, minimizes interoperability problems across multi-vendor equipment platforms and may provide customers with an option to bypass the local telephone company'"'"'s high cost infrastructure. The BRG PBX may also provide a range of services from basic calling with few features to highly sophisticated calling features servicing multiple phone lines to the residence. The BRG PBX may be configured to connect multiple BRG PBX systems together in a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN) configuration. These network configurations may be implemented to connect neighborhoods or families across multiple geographic regions. In addition to having the capability of connecting to each other, the BRG PBXs may be connected to IP Central Stations forming an IP communication network.

Claims

1. A method for providing calling services on a residential PBX, comprising the steps of:

determining if an incoming call to a called number has a POTS address, and if so, converting the POTS address to an Internet Protocol address;

determining whether the caller desires to access residential PBX calling features and if so, implementing the residential PBX calling features, otherwise routing the incoming call to the Internet Protocol address;

determining if the called number has residential PBX calling features engaged, and if so, routing the incoming call according to the engaged residential PBX calling features;

determining whether the caller has authorization to access the residential PBX calling features;

rejecting the caller if the caller does not have authorization to access the residential PBX calling features; and

allowing the rejected caller to enter another called number after attempting to gain authorization to the residential PBX calling feature.