Method and system for remote call forwarding of telephone calls from an IP connection

• US 7,515,905 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Farah, Jeffrey Joseph, Ostroff, Neil A., Begeja, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US11/537,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20070037571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/445, 455/414.1, 370/328, 370/352, 379/211.01, 379/142.07
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• 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 3/548 with remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A subscriber to a remote call forwarding feature on a wire-line telephone line associated with a PBX (101) or central office (402), hereinafter, a “user”, can enable that feature by entering a feature code from an IP terminal (112, 412). The user enters a feature code from his/her IP terminal (112, 412), which feature code is received by a remote server (for example, server 110) having access to an IP user directory (113, 413), hereinafter, for example, an active user registry (AUR) database, and forwards necessary information for invoking the feature in a determined manner to a Service Control Point (SCP) (106, 406). The SCP recognizes the feature code as a request to invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the user'"'"'s wire-line telephone so that calls directed to that wire-line telephone are forwarded to, for example, the user'"'"'s cellular phone. Receipt of that feature code by the SCP, identifies the cellular phone'"'"'s Electronic Serial Number (ESN) from a provided cellular phone number or Mobile Identification Number (MIN) and identifies the user and the feature to be invoked for that user. By performing an SCP database (108, 408) lookup associated with that ESN and MIN, information is retrieved relating to what PBX (101) or switch (402) should be contacted to invoke the feature, how and where to contact that PBX or switch, and what specifically must be sent to that PBX or switch to invoke the feature on the user'"'"'s telephone line.

Claims

1. A method of invoking a service associated with a user'"'"'s line on a wire facility via an IP connection, the service involving a user'"'"'s wireless station set, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a server service data representing a selected service from an IP terminal indicative of the service to be invoked;

b) responsive to the received service data, the server determining the user'"'"'s wire and wireless facilities and associated information required to invoke the selected service in association with the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility including information regarding the service control point and a manner to send the associated information; and

c) sending the associated information to the service control point in the manner determined in step b) to invoke the selected service in association with the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is sent in step c) over a secure transmission medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the secure transmission medium is a wireless data network.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the secure transmission medium is a packet computer network.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the wireless station set is a cellular telephone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility to the user'"'"'s wireless station set.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility is associated with a PBX and the information further includes how to access the PBX for invoking the remote call forwarding service on the user'"'"'s line of the PBX.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility is associated with a central office switch and the information further includes how to access the central office switch and invoke the remote call forwarding service on the subscriber'"'"'s line of the central office switch.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding service which forwards calls directed to the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility to the user'"'"'s wireless station set.

10. A system for invoking a service associated with a user'"'"'s line on a wire facility from an IP connection, the service involving the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set, the system comprising:

a server which receives service data representing a selected service from an IP terminal indicative of the service to be invoked;

a database accessible by said server having IP terminal data and information determining a service control point for the service and how to send information to the service control point; and

the service control point and an associated database, the service control point receiving an identifier associated with the wireless station set and the received service data and retrieving from the associated database, information associated with the received identifier required to invoke the service in association with the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility including to where and how to send the information associated with the received identifier required to invoke the service.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the server and the service control point are connected over a secure transmission facility.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the wireless station set is a cellular telephone.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the service is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility to the user'"'"'s wireless station set.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility is associated with a PBX and the information includes how to access the PBX for invoking the remote call forwarding service on the user'"'"'s line of the PBX.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility is associated with a central office switch and the information includes how to access the switch and invoke the remote call forwarding service on the user'"'"'s line of the central office switch.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the service is deactivation of the activated remote call forwarding service which forwards calls directed to the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility to the user'"'"'s wireless station set.

17. A method of invoking a remote call forwarding service associated with a user'"'"'s telephone line on a wire facility from an IP connection, the remote call forwarding service involving a user'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone to forward calls directed to the wire telephone line to the wireless telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a server service data representing a selected service from an IP terminal indicative of the remote call forwarding service to be invoked;

b) responsive to the received service data, the server determining the user'"'"'s telephone line on the wire facility and the user'"'"'s wireless telephone line and associated information required to invoke the remote call forwarding service on the user'"'"'s telephone line on the wire facility including to what service control point and how to send the associated information; and

c) sending the associated information to the determined service control point in the manner determined in step b) to invoke the remote call forwarding service on the user'"'"'s telephone line on the wire facility.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility is associated with a PBX and the determined service control point determines information how to access the PBX and invoke the remote call forwarding service on the user'"'"'s line of the PBX.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the user'"'"'s line on the wire facility is associated with a central office switch and the determined service control point determines information how to access the central office switch and invoke the remote call forwarding service on the subscriber'"'"'s line of the central office switch.

20. A method of invoking a service associated with a line on a communications facility via an IP connection, the service involving a first and a second wireless station set, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a server data representing a selected service from an IP terminal indicative of the service to be invoked;

b) responsive to the received data, the server determining a facility associated with at least one of the first and second wireless station sets and associated information required to invoke the selected service, said determining step including identifying a service control point and a manner in which to send the associated information; and

c) sending the associated information to the service control point in the manner determined in step b) to invoke the selected service in association with the line on the communications facility.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the information is sent in step c) over a secure transmission medium.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the secure transmission medium is a wireless data network.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the secure transmission medium is a packet computer network.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of the first and second wireless station sets is a cellular telephone.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the service is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the service is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding service which forwards calls directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

27. A system for invoking a service associated with a line on a communications facility from an IP connection, the service involving a first and a second wireless station set, the system comprising:

a server which receives data representing a selected service from an IP terminal indicative of the service to be invoked;

a database accessible by said server having IP terminal data and information determining a service control point for the service and how to send information to the service control point; and

the service control point and an associated database, the service control point receiving an identifier associated with at least one of the first and second wireless station sets and the received service data and retrieving from the associated database information associated with the received identifier required to invoke the service in association with the line on the communications facility, including to where and how to send the information associated with the received identifier.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the server and the service control point are connected over a secure transmission facility.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein at least one of the first and second wireless station sets is a cellular telephone.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the service is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the service is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding service which forwards calls directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

32. A method of invoking a feature associated with a line on a communications facility via an IP connection, the feature involving a first and a second wireless station set, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a server a feature code representing a selected feature from an IP terminal indicative of the feature to be invoked;

b) responsive to the received feature code, the server determining a facility associated with at least one of the first and second wireless station sets and associated information required to invoke the selected feature, said determining step including identifying a service control point and a manner in which to send the associated information; and

c) sending the associated information to the service control point in the manner determined in step b) to invoke the selected feature in association with the line on the communications facility.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the information is sent in step c) over a secure transmission medium.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the secure transmission medium is a wireless data network.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the secure transmission medium is a packet computer network.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein at least one of the first and second wireless station sets is a cellular telephone.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the feature is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the feature is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding feature which forwards calls directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

39. A system for invoking a feature associated with a line on a communications facility from an IP connection, the feature involving a first and a second wireless station set, the system comprising:

a server which receives a feature code from an IP terminal indicative of the feature to be invoked;

a database accessible by said server having IP terminal data and information determining a service control point for the feature and how to send information to the service control point; and

the service control point and an associated database, the service control point receiving an identifier associated with at least one of the first and second wireless station sets and the received feature code and retrieving from the associated database information associated with the received identifier required to invoke the feature in association with the line on the communications facility, including to where and how to send the information associated with the received identifier required to invoke the feature.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the server and the service control point are connected over a secure transmission facility.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein at least one of the first and second wireless station sets is a cellular telephone.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein the feature is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the feature is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding feature which forwards calls directed to the first wireless station set to the second wireless station set.