Systems and methods for messaging using a broadband connection

• US 7,376,126 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alston, Douglas B., Stark, Barbara, Gonzalez, Valois
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/236,224
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-357, 370/386, 370/463, 370/401, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/88.23, 455/426.1, 455/452.2, 455/466, 455/554.2, 455/556.2
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Systems and methods for sending and receiving text, or data, messages between wireless communication devices and wireline-messaging devices utilize a broadband connection to the wireline premises as the signaling channel. A message application server sends messages directly to wireline-messaging devices through a digital network, such as the Internet. Such systems and methods include wireline-messaging devices integrated with premises telephones connected to a PSTN, in which the telephones are adapted with thin client software to send and receive data messages.

Claims

1. A system for data messaging, comprising:

a message application server connected to a communications network and in communication with a communication device for sending and receiving a data message; and

a broadband connection between the message application server and a wireline-messaging device for sending and receiving the data message to and from the message application server, wherein the wireline messaging device is connected to a public switched telephone network, and

wherein the message application server

receives the data message from the wireline-messaging device over the broadband connection using a wireline directory number as a terminating address for the data message,

sends a return message over the broadband connection to the communication device requesting identification of an intended recipient of the data message from among a plurality of wireline-messaging devices associated with the wireline directory number,

receives a response message from the communication device indicating the intended recipient, and

maps the wireline directory number associated with the intended recipient of the data message to an Internet protocol address associated with the intended recipient.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a premises broadband gateway connected to the Internet for routing the data message.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises the premises broadband gateway.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of the wireline-messaging devices connected to the premises broadband gateway.

5. The system of claim 2, the system further comprising a plurality of user accounts associated the premises broadband gateway.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a unique internet protocol (IP) address is associated with each of the plurality of user accounts.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises a premises telephone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises a stand-alone device separate from a premises telephone.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises a thin client software application to allow the wireline-messaging device to receive and send the data message independent of voice call processing.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the thin client software application supports instant messaging.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a static Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the wireline-messaging device is stored in the message application server.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadband connection comprises a digital subscriber line.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the digital subscriber line comprises an asymmetric digital subscriber line.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless network message service center for storing and routing the data message to and from the wireless communication device.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireline network message service center for storing and routing the data message to and from the wireline-messaging device.

16. A method of wireless-wireline data message communication, comprising:

receiving a data message from a wireless communication device at a message application server connected to a communications network;

using a wireline directory number associated with an intended premises as a routing address for the data message;

establishing a point-to-point protocol session over a broadband connection between the message application server and a wireline-messaging device, the wireline-messaging device connected to a premises broadband gateway at the premises associated with the wireline directory number;

mapping the wireline directory number associated with the intended premises to an Internet protocol address associated with the wireline-messaging device wherein the wireline messaging device is selected from among a plurality of wireline-messaging devices having an Internet protocol address;

routing the data message from the message application server to the premises broadband gateway for routing to the wireline-messaging device; and

routing the data message from the premises broadband gateway to the wireline-messaging device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises a premises telephone connected to a public switched telephone network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises a stand-alone device separate from a premises telephone.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireline-messaging device comprises a thin client software application to allow the wireline-messaging device to receive and send the data message independent of voice call processing.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the data message comprises a message selected from the group consisting of a short message service (SMS) message, an enhanced message service (EMS) message, a multi-media message service (MMS) message, and a wireless application protocol (WAP) message.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the broadband connection comprises a digital subscriber line.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the digital subscriber line comprises an asymmetric digital subscriber line.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a digital cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, and a two-way pager.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing and routing the data message to and from the wireless communication device with a wireless network message service center.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing and routing the data message to and from the wireline-messaging device with a wireline network message service center.