Call completion services for hybrid public/private communications networks

• US 7,203,298 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Callaghan, Robert W., Gilbert, Leroy Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/385,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20040179668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.04, 379/207.05, 379/207.06, 379/207.08, 379/209.01, 379/210.01
• US Class Current: 379/209.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks

Abstract

A communications network with callback completion to public network stations. An enterprise private network (EPN) includes a communications server, e.g., a private branch exchange (PBX) managing communications with communications devices located at EPN stations and is connected to a public communications network. A call completion (CC) server connected through a Parlay Gateway to the public communications network manages callback requests from connected communications devices to public communications network stations. Call completion to busy subscriber (CCBS) and call completion on no reply (CCNR) services are thus made available from the EPN to the public network or networks including a mixture of public and private telephones.

Claims

1. A communications network comprising:

an enterprise private network (EPN) connected to a public communications network;

a plurality of communications devices located at EPN stations;

a communications server in said EPN managing communications with said plurality of communications devices; and

a call completion (CC) server in said EPN, said CC server managing callback requests from connected said communications devices to out of network stations on said public communications network.

2. A communications network as in claim 1 further comprising:

a gateway to said public communications network, said CC server connected through said gateway.

3. A communications network as in claim 2, wherein said gateway controls identified public communications network devices.

4. A communications network as in claim 3, wherein said gateway retrieves real-time call status information regarding selected said identified public communications network devices.

5. A communications network as in claim 4, wherein said gateway provides call activity information regarding said selected identified public communications network devices to said CC server.

6. A communications network as in claim 5, wherein said activity information includes call busy status regarding said selected ones of said identified public communications network devices to said CC server.

7. A communications network as in claim 2, wherein said gateway is a Parlay Gateway.

8. A communications network as in claim 1, wherein said public communications network includes a public wireless network and said identified public communications network devices includes at least one cell phone.

9. A communications network as in claim 1, wherein said public communications network includes a public wireless network.

10. A communications network as in claim 9, wherein said CC server connects digitally to devices on said public wireless network.

11. A communications network as in claim 10, wherein said CC server digitally connects to devices on said public wireless network using short message service messages.

12. A communications network as in claim 10, wherein said CC server digitally connects to devices on said public wireless network using an Internet protocol (IP) connection.

13. A communications network as in claim 1, wherein said public communications network includes a public switched telephone network.

14. A communications network as in claim 1, wherein at least one said communications server is a private branch exchange (PBX) server.

15. A method of managing call completion in a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a callback request;

b) determining whether said callback request is directed to an out of network station wherein callback requests to each said out of network station identified are handled by a call completion server and wherein when said request is determined directed to an out of network station then;

i) passing said request to said callback completion (CC) server;

ii) acknowledging said callback request; and

iii) requesting station status information from a public network, said out of network station being located in said public network;

c) waiting for a status change indication at said out of network station wherein status information is provided to said callback completion (CC) server by a gateway; and

d) connecting an in network requestor with said out of network station upon said status change indication.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein said callback request is directed to an inactive out of network station.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein said callback request is directed to an out of network station that is currently busy.

18. A method as in claim 15, wherein each said callback request determined directed to an in network station in the determining step (b) is handled by a private network communications server.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein said private network communications server is a private branch exchange (PBX) server.

20. A method as in claim 15, wherein said gateway provides real time status information to said CC server in the waiting step (c).

21. A method as in claim 15, wherein the connecting step (d) comprises the steps of:

i) contacting said in network requestor;

ii) contacting said out of network station; and

iii) verifying a successful connection between said in network requestor and said out of network station.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein the connecting step (d) further comprises the step of:

iv) stopping status change updates.

23. A method of managing call completion in a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a callback request;

b) determining whether said callback request is directed to an out of network station wherein callback requests to each said out of network station identified are handled by a call completion server and wherein when said request is determined directed to an out of network station then;

i) passing said request to said callback completion (CC) server;

ii) acknowledging said callback request; and

iii) requesting station status information from a public network, said out of network station being located in said public network;

c) waiting for a status change indication at said out of network station wherein status information is provided to said callback completion (CC) server as a short message service (SMS) message; and

d) connecting an in network requestor with said out of network station upon said status change indication.

24. A method of managing call completion in a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a callback request;

b) determining whether said callback request is directed to an out of network station wherein callback requests to each said out of network station identified are handled by a call completion server and wherein when said request is determined directed to an out of network station then;

i) passing said request to said callback completion (CC) server;

ii) acknowledging said callback request; and

iii) requesting station status information from a public network, said out of network station being located in said public network;

c) waiting for a status change indication at said out of network station wherein status information is provided to said callback completion (CC) server as an Internet protocol (IP) message; and

d) connecting an in network requestor with said out of network station upon said status change indication.

25. A method of managing call completion in a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving callback requests;

b) determining whether each of said callback requests is directed to an in network station, callback requests directed to in network stations being handled by a private network communications server;

otherwise,

c) passing call control to a call completion (CC) server;

d) requesting call status information regarding out of network stations from a public network;

e) waiting for a status change indication regarding said out of network stations; and

for each said status change,

f) connecting an in network requestor with one of said out of network stations.

26. A method as in claim 25, wherein ones of said callback requests are directed to inactive out of network stations.

27. A method as in claim 25, wherein ones of said callback requests are directed to out of network stations that are currently busy.

28. A method as in claim 25, wherein said private network communications server is a private branch exchange (PBX) server.

29. A method as in claim 25, wherein when call control is passed in passing step (c), said CC server directs said private network communications server to acknowledge a corresponding callback request.

30. A method as in claim 25, wherein requests for call status information in the requesting step (d) is requested through a gateway to said public network.

31. A method as in claim 30, wherein said gateway provides real time status information to said CC server in the waiting step (e).

32. A method as in claim 25, wherein status information is requested in requesting step (d) and provided in the waiting step (e) as a short message service (SMS) message.

33. A method as in claim 25, wherein status information is requested in requesting step (d) and provided in the waiting step (e) as an Internet protocol (IP) message.

34. A method as in claim 25, wherein the connecting step (f) comprises the steps of:

i) contacting said in network requestor;

ii) contacting said one out of network station; and

iii) verifying a successful connection between said in network requestor and said one out of network station.

35. A method as in claim 34, wherein the connecting step (f) further comprises the step of:

iv) stopping status change updates for said successful connection.