System and method for virtual multiline telephony in a home-network telephone

• US 7,142,560 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mansfield, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh, Bob A.
• Application Number:
  US10/140,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

A system and method are provided for multiline telephony in a home-network telephone system. The method comprises: establishing a gateway; using the gateway for transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines; and, bridging a call between a home-network endpoint and a selected external telephone line. Transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines includes the gateway communicating call information in a format such as voice-over broadband (VoBB) or POTS. Bridging a call includes the gateway: converting between the external format and a digital home-network format; establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format; and, establishing an out-of-band control channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel.

Claims

1. In a home-network telephone system, a method for multiline telephony, the method comprising:

establishing a gateway;

the gateway transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines, communicating call information in an external format; and

,

bridging a call between at least one home-network endpoint and a selected external telephone line by using the gateway to communicate with each endpoint via an independent audio channel as follows;

the gateway converting between the external format and a digital home-network format;

establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format; and

,

establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel and gateway bridging functions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines includes transceiving calls on external telephone lines selected from the group including voice-over-broadband (VoBB), voice over DSL (VoDSL), voice over Ethernet, voice over ATM (VoATM), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), fax-over-broadband, plain old telephone service (POTS), and integrated services digital network (ISDN).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein bridging a call includes bridging the call to an endpoint selected from the group including telephones, fax machines, modems, multi-function peripherals (MFPs), video-telephones, wireless communication devices, and hardwired communications devices.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines includes transceiving calls on a first and second external telephone line;

and,

wherein bridging a call includes bridging a call between a first endpoint and an external telephone line selected from the group including the first and second external telephone lines.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein bridging a call includes bridging calls selected from the group including calls received via one of the plurality of external telephone lines and calls, originated from the endpoint, selecting one of the plurality of external telephone lines for the outgoing call.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel line status signals from the gateway to each endpoint;

using the line status signal to indicate when an external telephone line is in use; and

,

using the line status signal to indicate the external telephone line is cleared.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel line select signals from endpoints to the gateway; and

,

from an endpoint, using the line select signal to choose between the plurality of external telephone lines for an outgoing call.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

establishing control channel line select signals from endpoints to the gateway; and

,

from an endpoint, using the line select signal to trigger an automatic selection of an idle external telephone line for an outgoing call.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising;

establishing an idle external telephone line order of selection at the gateway; and

,

wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes using line select auto select parameter signals to request the order of selection configuration and to edit the idle external telephone line order of selection from an endpoint.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel call hold signals from endpoints to the gateway; and

,

using the hold signal to interrupt a call bridged between an external telephone line and a first endpoint, creating a hold state.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein using the hold signal to interrupt a call bridged between an external telephone line and a first endpoint includes interrupting a call to the first endpoint exclusively in response to a hold signal from the first endpoint to the gateway.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel retrieve signals from endpoints to the gateway;

from a first endpoint, using the retrieve signal to cancel the hold state; and

,

wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes establishing a traffic channel to the first endpoint and bridging the first endpoint to the previously held external call in response to the retrieve signal.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

using the hold signal to interrupt a call bridged between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line; and

,

communicating control channel line select signals from endpoints to the gateway;

using the line select signal to identify the first external telephone line; and

,

wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes establishing a traffic channel between the first external telephone line and one of a plurality of endpoints, in response to the line select signal.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes;

using the hold signal to interrupt a call between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line; and

,

using the line select signal to identify a second external telephone line; and

,

wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes establishing a traffic channel between the first endpoint and the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes:

dropping the interrupted call; and

,

establishing a traffic channel to originate a call from the first endpoint on the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes:

holding the interrupted call; and

,

establishing a traffic channel to originate a call from the first endpoint on the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein using the hold signal to interrupt a call bridged between an external telephone line and a first endpoint includes the gateway supplying a hold message to the external telephone line to which the call has been interrupted.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein supplying a hold message to the external telephone line to which the call has been interrupted includes supplying a hold message selected from the group including music and user-defined messages.

19. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

establishing an input/output (I/O) device in communication with the gateway; and

,

using the input/output device to perform a review function selected from the list including reviewing and editing hold messages stored in the gateway, reviewing and editing the call select list stored in the gateway, and reviewing and editing the call mapping list stored in the gateway.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

establishing a gateway access security protocol; and

,

wherein using the input/output device to edit a review function includes accessing the gateway in response to passing the gateway access security protocol.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel conference signals between endpoints and the gateway;

from a first endpoint, using conference signals to identify a first external telephone line and a second external telephone line; and

,

wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes establishing a traffic channel between the first endpoint, the first external telephone line, and the second external telephone line in response to the conference signals.

22. The method of claim 5 wherein transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines includes receiving external format calling line ID (CLID) information to identify an incoming call calling party;

wherein the gateway converting between the external format and a digital home-network format includes the gateway converting the external format calling line ID information to caller ID information in a digital home-network format; and

,

wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes using the out-of-band channel to communicate the digital format caller ID information to endpoints from the gateway.

23. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format includes establishing a traffic channel between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line;

wherein establishing an out-of band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes, from the first endpoint, using conference signals to identify a party on hold selected from the group including endpoints and external telephone lines; and

,

wherein establishing a traffic channel includes establishing a traffic channel to the selected party and creating a conference call between conference call parties including the first endpoint, the first external line, and the selected party.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein establishing an out-of-band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

from the first endpoint, using conference signals to identify a conference call party to be removed from the conference call; and

,

breaking down the traffic channel between the party to be removed and the gateway.

25. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing an out-of-hand channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel line calling signals from the gateway to the endpoints; and

,

from a first endpoint, using the line calling signals to detect an incoming call, and the external telephone line on which the incoming call is transceived.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

establishing a call mapping list of external telephone lines cross-referenced to endpoints; and

,

wherein establishing a control channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes communicating control channel line calling signals to notify endpoints of incoming calls in response to the call mapping list.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein establishing a control channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes:

communicating control channel call mapping signals to the gateway from a first endpoint requesting the call mapping configuration; and

,

communicating control channel call mapping signals to the first endpoint from the gateway sending the call mapping configuration.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein establishing a control channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel includes communicating control channel call mapping signals from the first endpoint to the gateway for editing the call mapping configuration.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein using the gateway to communicate with each endpoint via a common channel includes using a channel selected from the group including an Ethernet line, a telephone hardline, an AC powerline, coaxial cable, dedicated hardlines, and a wireless communication channel.

30. A multiline telephony home-network telephone system comprising:

at least one home-network endpoint, each endpoint having a port to receive calls via an independent audio channel;

a transmission media connected to the port of each endpoint; and

,

a gateway having a port for transceiving calls on a plurality of external telephone lines in an external format and a port connected to the transmission media for bridging a call on one of the external telephone lines by converting between the external format and a digital home-network format, establishing a traffic channel between the gateway and the endpoint to communicate information in the home-network format, and establishing an out-of band channel to manage the corresponding traffic channel.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the gateway transceives calls on external telephone lines selected from the group including voice-over-broadband (VoBB), voice over DSL (VoDSL), voice over Ethernet, voice over ATM (VoATM), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Lax-over-broadband, plain old telephone service (POTS), and integrated services digital network (ISDN).

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the endpoint is selected from the group including telephones, fax machines, modems, multi-function peripherals (MFPs), video-telephones, wireless communication devices, and hardwired communications devices.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the gateway transceives calls on a first and second external telephone line and bridges a call between a first endpoint and an external telephone line selected from the group including the first and second external telephone lines.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the gateway bridges calls selected from the group including calls received via one of the plurality of external telephone lines and calls, originated from the endpoint, selecting one of the plurality of external telephone lines for the outgoing call.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway communicates control channel line status signals to each endpoint;

and,

wherein each endpoint receives the line status signals to indicate when a call is bridged to an external telephone line, and to indicate when the bridge between the call and the external telephone line is cleared.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway receives control channel line select signals from endpoints;

wherein a first endpoint uses the line select signal to choose between the plurality of external telephone lines for an outgoing call.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway receives control channel line select signals from the endpoints;

and,

wherein a first endpoint uses the line select signal to automatically select between a plurality of idle external telephone lines, for an outgoing call.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the gateway includes a line select repository including an external telephone line order of selection for selecting an idle external telephone line;

and,

wherein the wherein the endpoints use control channel line select auto select parameter signals to request a current order of selection configuration and to edit the idle external telephone line order of selection in the line select repository.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway receives control channel call hold signals from the endpoints;

and,

wherein any of a plurality of endpoints, use the hold signal to interrupt a call bridged between an external telephone line and a first endpoint.

40. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway receives control channel call hold signals from the endpoints;

and,

wherein an first endpoint uses the hold signal to exclusively interrupt a call bridged between an external telephone line and the first endpoint.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein the gateway receives control channel retrieve signals from the endpoints;

wherein a first endpoint uses the retrieve signal to cancel the hold signal; and

,

wherein the gateway establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint and the interrupted external line, in response to the retrieve signal.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein the gateway receives control channel line select signals from the endpoints;

wherein a first endpoint uses the hold signal to interrupt a call bridged between the first endpoint and a first external telephone line;

wherein the first endpoint using the line select signal to identify the first eternal telephone line; and

,

wherein the gateway establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint and the first external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the first endpoint uses the hold signal to interrupt a call between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line;

wherein the first endpoint uses the line select signal to identify a second external telephone line; and

,

wherein the gateway establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint and the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

44. The method of claim 39 wherein the first endpoint uses the hold signal to interrupt a call between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line;

and,

wherein the first endpoint uses the line select signal to identify a second external telephone line; and

,

wherein the gateway establishes a traffic channel to originate a call from the first endpoint on the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

45. The method of claim 39 wherein the first endpoint uses the hold signal to interrupt a call between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line;

and,

wherein the first endpoint uses the line select signal to identify a party selected from the group including an incoming call on a second external telephone line and a call on hold on the second external line; and

,

wherein the gateway drops the interrupted call and establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint and the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

46. The method of claim 39 wherein the first endpoint uses the hold signal to interrupt a call between a first endpoint and a first external telephone line;

and,

wherein the first endpoint uses the line select signal to identify a party selected from the group including an incoming call on a second external telephone line and a call on hold on the second external line; and

,

wherein the gateway puts the interrupted call on hold and establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint and the second external telephone line in response to the line select signal.

47. The system of claim 39 wherein the gateway includes a message repository to store hold messages that are supplied to the external telephone line to which the call has been interrupted.

48. The system of claim 39 wherein the gateway message repository supplies a hold message selected from the group including music and user-defined messages.

49. The system of claim 48 further comprising:

an input/output (I/O) device having a port in communication with the gateway message repository for editing the stored bold messages.

50. The system of claim 49 wherein the gateway includes a sentry circuit to control access to the gateway message repository;

and,

wherein the input/output device must pass sentry circuit security protocols to edit the hold messages.

51. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway sends control channel line calling signals to the endpoints;

wherein a first endpoint uses the line calling signals to be notified of an incoming call, and the external telephone line on which the incoming call is transceived.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the gateway includes a call mapping repository with a list of external telephone lines cross-referenced to endpoints that are notified, using line calling signals, in response to incoming calls.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein a first endpoint communicates control channel call mapping signals to the gateway requesting the call mapping repository configuration;

and,

wherein the gateway uses control channel call mapping signals to send the call mapping repository information to the first endpoint.

54. The system of claim 52 wherein the first endpoint uses control channel call mapping signals to the gateway for editing the call mapping repository cross-referenced listings.

55. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway communicates control channel conference signals with the endpoints;

wherein a first endpoint uses conference signals to identify a first external telephone line and a second external telephone line; and

,

wherein the gateway establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint, the first external telephone line, and the second external telephone line in response to the conference signals.

56. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway receives calling line ID (CLID) information on the external telephone lines to identify an incoming call calling party, converts the calling line ID information to caller ID information in a digital home-network format, and uses the control channel to communicate the digital home-network format caller ID information to the endpoints.

57. The system of claim 34 wherein the gateway communicates control channel conference signals with the endpoint;

wherein a first endpoint, uses conference signals to identify a second endpoint; and

,

wherein the gateway establishes a traffic channel between the first endpoint, an external telephone line, and the second endpoint in response to the conference signals.

58. The system of claim 31 wherein the transmission media is selected from the group including an Ethernet line, a telephone hardline, coaxial cable, an AC powerline, dedicated hardlines, and a wireless communication channel.