System and method for generating multiple line appearances in a communication network

• US 7,548,536 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alexander, John D., Pruski, Kenneth P., Mcclung, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh; Bob A
• Application Number:
  US10/925,735
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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

Abstract

A communication system includes a communication network, and an originating telephony device, a target telephony device, and a call manager coupled to the communication network. The call manager signals the target telephony device to indicate an incoming call from the originating telephony device. The call manager includes an alternate number list that identifies at least one alternate telephony device to be signaled in response to the incoming call directed to the target telephony device. The call manager additionally includes one or more mapping tables associating a packet network address with each identified alternate telephony device.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a communication network;

an originating telephony device coupled to the communication network;

a target telephony device coupled to the communication network; and

a call manager coupled to the communication network and operable to signal the target telephony device to indicate an incoming call from the originating telephony device, the call manager comprising;

an alternate number list operable to identify at least one alternate telephony device to be signaled in response to the incoming call directed to the target telephony device, wherein the alternate telephony device is to be signaled while the target telephony device is signaled, and wherein the alternate number list comprises off-hook processing information associated with each alternate telephony device indicating actions to be taken by the call manager once the target telephony device or one or more of the alternate telephony devices have been taken off-hook to receive the incoming call; and

one or more mapping tables associating a packet network address with each identified alternate telephony device.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises:

an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

a non-IP network; and

at least one gateway device coupling the IP network and the non-IP network.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the IP network comprises an IP local area network (LAN).

4. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the IP network comprises a plurality of IP local area networks coupled using a wide area network (WAN).

5. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the non-IP network comprises the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

6. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the non-IP network comprises a private branch exchange (PBX) network.

7. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the alternate telephony device comprises an IP telephony device coupled to the IP network.

8. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the alternate telephony device comprises a non-IP telephony device coupled to the IP network using the gateway.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more mapping tables associate an IP address with each alternate telephony device.

10. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising a gateway operable to couple the alternate telephony device to the originating telephony device, wherein the packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device comprises a packet network address of the gateway.

11. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising a remote computer operable to modify the alternate number list.

12. A method of generating multiple line appearances in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a call initiation request from an originating telephony device coupled to the communication network, the call initiation request directed to a target telephony device coupled to the communication network;

determining a telephone number of at least one alternate telephony device from an alternate number list associated with the target telephony device;

determining a packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device;

signaling the target telephony device to indicate the call initiation request from the originating telephony device;

signaling the alternate telephony device using the determined packet network address to indicate the call initiation request from the originating telephony device, wherein the alternate telephony device is signaled while the target telephony device is signaled;

detecting an off-hook condition at one of the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device;

determining whether to terminate the ringing on the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device in response to off-hook processing information associated with the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device, the off-hook processing information indicating actions to be taken once the target telephony device or one or more of the alternate telephony devices have been taken off-hook to receive an incoming call; and

connecting the call between the originating telephony device and the telephony device having the off-hook condition.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition at one of the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device;

terminating the ringing on the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device; and

connecting the call between the originating telephony device and the telephony device having the off-hook condition.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network and the target device comprises an IP device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device comprises determining an IP address of the alternate telephony device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device comprises determining an IP address of a gateway device coupling the IP network to a non-IP network servicing the alternate telephony device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-IP network comprises the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-IP network comprises a private branch exchange (PBX) network.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein signaling the alternate telephony device comprises signaling the gateway device to dial a telephone number of the alternate telephony device.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising programming the alternate number list associated with the target telephony device using a World Wide Web browser on a remote computer.

21. A call manager for controlling at least one telephony device coupled to a communication network, comprising:

a network interface operable to couple the call manager to the communication network;

a memory operable to;

store an alternate number list associated with a telephony device coupled to the communication network, the alternate number list identifying at least one alternate telephony device, wherein the alternate number list comprises off-hook processing information associated with each alternate telephony device indicating actions to be taken by the call manager once the target telephony device or one or more of the alternate telephony devices have been taken off-hook to receive the incoming call; and

store one or more mapping tables associating a packet network address with each alternate telephony device; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to receive a call initiation request identifying a telephony device, to access the alternate number list associated with the telephony device, and to signal the telephony device and at least one alternate telephony device identified in the alternate number list, wherein the alternate telephony device is signaled while the target telephony device is signaled.

22. The call manager of claim 21, wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the alternate telephony device.

23. The call manager of claim 21, wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a gateway device coupling the alternate telephony device to the call manager.

24. Call manager software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to perform the following steps:

receiving a call initiation request from an originating telephony device coupled to a communication network, the call initiation request directed to a target telephony device coupled to the communication network;

determining a telephone number of at least one alternate telephony device from an alternate number list associated with the target telephony device;

determining a packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device;

signaling the target telephony device to indicate the call initiation request from the originating telephony device;

signaling the alternate telephony device using the determined packet network address to indicate the call initiation request from the originating telephony device, wherein the alternate telephony device is signaled while the target telephony device is signaled;

detecting an off-hook condition at one of the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device;

determining whether to terminate the ringing on the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device in response to off-hook processing information associated with the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device, the off-hook processing information indicating actions to be taken once the target telephony device or one or more of the alternate telephony devices have been taken off-hook to receive an incoming call; and

connecting the call between the originating telephony device and the telephony device having the off-hook condition.

25. The call manager software of claim 24, further operable to perform the following steps:

detecting an off-hook condition at one of the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device;

terminating the ringing on the target telephony device and the alternate telephony device; and

connecting the call between the originating telephony device and the telephony device having the off-hook condition.

26. The call manager software of claim 24, wherein the communication network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network and the target device comprises an IP device.

27. The call manager software of claim 26, wherein determining a packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device comprises determining an IP address of the alternate telephony device.

28. The call manager software of claim 26, wherein determining a packet network address associated with the alternate telephony device comprises determining an IP address of a gateway device coupling the IP network to a non-IP network servicing the alternate telephony device.

29. The call manager software of claim 28, wherein the non-IP network comprises the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

30. The call manager software of claim 28, wherein the non-IP network comprises a private branch exchange (PBX) network.

31. The call manager software of claim 28, wherein signaling the alternate telephony device comprises signaling the gateway device to dial a telephone number of the alternate telephony device.