System and method for monitoring and handling telecommunication activity via a computer network

• US 7,184,527 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bradberry, John L., Hensey, Robert G., Lin, Geoffrey S., Sullivan, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/261,337
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 379 9301- 9302, 379/93.17, 379/93.19, 379/93.35, 379/220.01, 455/415, 455417-418, 370/271, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/93.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A configurable PSTN call-handling (CPC) service enables monitoring and custom responses to calls received over multiple subscriber lines associated with a user. A CPC Client Program runs on a computer and presents a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows the user to associate call-handling options with call characteristics, such as caller, date, or time. The GUI also allows the user to customize the notification signals provided and to provide custom responses to certain callers, by associating call characteristics with various GUI appearances, sound files, or images. The CPC relieves the communications network of performing certain call-handling functions, such as call forwarding, by moving decision-making processes to the user'"'"'s PC. The user can remotely monitor any subscriber line associated with the user from any browser, because the communications network sends notifications directly to an IP address specified by the user, rather than to the IP address associated with the subscriber line.

Claims

1. A method for handling calls placed to a subscriber line that operates over a telephone network and that is associated with a plurality of directory numbers, comprising:

retrieving from a database, registration information sent over a computer network, the registration information including a network address that is associated with a monitoring computer that accesses the computer network using a network connection that is independent of the subscriber line;

detecting a telephone call to at least one of the plurality of directory numbers, therein enabling a user to monitor the plurality of directory numbers;

in response to detecting the telephone call, sending an event descriptor to the network address;

receiving an instruction indicating a call-handling option selected by the user; and

handling the telephone call according to the call-handling option;

wherein the network address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address that can vary as specified by the user of the monitoring computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the user with a graphical user interface that includes controls for selecting call-handling options.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

causing the graphical user interface to display call information based upon the event descriptor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein causing the graphical user interface to display call information comprises:

identifying a caller to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the caller comprises displaying a caller directory number associated with the telephone call.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the caller comprises identifying a caller name associated with the telephone call.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the caller comprises displaying a caller description associated with the telephone call.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the user with a graphical user interface comprises:

storing call-handling options in a database local to the monitoring computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the call-handling options are selected from the group consisting of answering the call, placing the call on hold, routing the call to voicemail, ignoring the call, and forwarding the call to a forwarding directory number.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information includes a user identifier, and further comprising:

upon receiving the registration information from the user, prompting the user for a password; and

authenticating the identity of the user by determining whether the password corresponds to the user identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

exchanging at least one encryption key with the user; and

decrypting at least a portion of the registration information using the at least one encryption key.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

exchanging at least one encryption key with the user; and

decrypting at least a portion of the password using one of the at least one encryption keys.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring computer comprises at least one of any computer having access to the Internet.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the network address and a user identifier in a customer profile;

wherein the user identifier is a component of the registration information and

sending an event descriptor comprises retrieving the network address from the customer profile.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the call-handling option is selected by the user prior to sending the event descriptor.

16. A computer-readable medium having executable instruction for:

providing a user of a subscriber line with a graphical user interface that includes a plurality of call-handling options;

allowing the user to pre-select at least one of the plurality of call-handling options to be transmitted upon receiving notification of an incoming call having a particular characteristic;

allowing the user to input a plurality of directory numbers, whereby the user may monitor the plurality of directory numbers;

sending registration information over a computer network, the registration information including a network address associated with a monitoring computer that accesses the computer network using a network connection that is independent of the subscriber line;

receiving at the network address notification of an incoming call; and

over the computer network, transmitting to the telephone network the call-handling option that corresponds to the pre-selection by the user;

wherein the network address comprises an IP address that can vary as supplied by the user of the monitoring computer.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein receiving from a telephone network at the network address notification of an incoming call comprises:

receiving a notification message;

decrypting the notification message;

identifying the call-handling option that corresponds to the pre-selection of the user, according to the characteristics of the incoming call; and

encrypting the pre-selected call-handling option.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet, and the monitoring computer comprises at least one of any computer having access to the Internet.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein each call-handling option specifies a method for handling an incoming call.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein allowing the user to pre-select at least one of the plurality of call-handling options comprises associating in a database characteristics of incoming calls with at least one of the plurality of call-handling options.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein allowing the user to pre-select at least one of the plurality of call-handling options comprises associating in a database the date, time-of-day, and caller directory number of an incoming call with at least one of the plurality of call-handling options.