Virtual telephone extension

• US 7,684,554 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Catz, Jean-Francois, Vincent, Jean, Chan, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Thong H
• Application Number:
  US11/741,379
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/447, 379/219, 379/386, 379/221, 379/220
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/558 Databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6018 Subscriber or terminal logon/logoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0006 where voice calls cross both networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for routing communications. A plurality of communication devices are coupled to a communications network. Each communication device has a device identifier. A user-programmable database associates each of a plurality of user identifiers with a device identifier. A call-routing switch arrangement is coupled to the communication network through a portal communication device having a portal identifier. A user designates a destination user identifier when making a communication. The call-routing switches the call, directing the call to a destination device identifier responsive to the user-programmable database association between the destination user identifier and a device identifier. According to the present invention, communications are directed to users and are routed to associated equipment, a user identifier serving as a virtual extension number. Users remotely program the database to direct their calls to communication devices at various geographic, voice mail and e-mail destinations.

Claims

1. A communication routing system for routing a call between local and remote PSTNs, the system comprising:

a circuit configured to assign a device identifier to each of a plurality of local and remote communication devices coupled through the local and remote PSTNs, respectively, and to assign at least two user identifiers to each of a plurality of communication network users;

a user-programmable database circuit configured to associate each of the plurality of user identifiers with a device identifier, and to associate at least two user identifiers with each device identifier for a particular network user;

responsive to receiving a call through one of the PSTNs, a selector circuit configured to select, via the user-programmable database and the call designating a user identifier, a call destination; and

a call router circuit configured to switch the call to a destination communication device designated by the device identifier associated with the designated user identifier via the other of the PSTNs.

2. A communication routing system having a plurality of local and remote communication devices communicatively coupled via a calling network for routing calls to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a user-programmable database that associates, for each user, at least two user identifiers with a device identifier, each device identifier corresponding to one of the communication devices; and

a call-switching circuit arrangement that is

coupled to the calling network through a portal communication device having a portal identifier, and

configured to respond to a received call designating a destination user identifier by using the user-programmable database to identify a device identifier associated with the designated destination user identifier, and by routing the received call via the calling network to a destination communication device having the identified device identifier.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein

the at least two user identifiers for a particular user include two telephone numbers for a user, and

the call-switching arrangement is responsive to a received call designating either of the two telephone numbers by routing the received call to the communication device having a device identifier associated with the two telephone numbers.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein

the at least two user identifiers for a particular user include two telephone numbers for a user, at least one of the telephone numbers having an area code prefix that is different than an area code prefix designated to a geographic location at which the communication device having a device identifier associated with the two telephone numbers is located, and

the call-switching arrangement is responsive to a received call designating either of the two telephone numbers by routing the received call to the communication device having a device identifier associated with the two telephone numbers.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein

the at least two user identifiers for a particular user include two telephone numbers for a user, each of the telephone numbers having a different area code prefix, and

the call-switching arrangement is responsive to a received call designating either of the two telephone numbers by routing the received call to the communication device having a device identifier associated with the two telephone numbers.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the communications devices is a packet-based device.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein

at least one of the communication devices is a packet-based communication device, and

the call-switching arrangement routes received calls to the packet-based communication device over a packet-based network.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein

at least one of the plurality of users has at least two communication devices associated with different user identifiers for the at least one user, and

the call-switching arrangement uses the user-programmable database to route received calls to the at least one user by identifying one of the at least two communication devices associated with a destination user identifier designated in the call, and routing the call to the identified communication device.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the calling network includes a packet-based network.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one user identifier for a particular user is associated with a geographic location of a communication device identifier for the particular user.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one user identifier for a particular user is associated with a geographic location that is different than the geographic location of a communication device identifier for the particular user.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein

the user-programmable database stores, for a particular user, a user identifier associated with the user'"'"'s personal telephone at a first geographic location, and a user identifier associated with the user'"'"'s work telephone at a second geographic location, and

the call-switching arrangement routes received calls, designating a user identifier for the particular user, to a communication device at a geographic location that is different than a geographic location associated with the designated user identifier.

13. A communication routing system having a plurality of local and remote communication devices communicatively coupled via a calling network for routing calls to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a database that stores, for each user, at least two user identifiers in association with a device identifier, each device identifier corresponding to one of the communication devices; and

a call-switching circuit configured for

coupling to the calling network through a portal communication device having a portal identifier, and

responding to a received call designating a destination user identifier by using the user-programmable database to route the received call via the calling network to a destination communication device having a device identifier associated with the destination user identifier.

14. A method for routing telephone calls to communication devices using telephone networks, each communication device having a unique device identifier, the method comprising:

assigning identifier data to each of a plurality of users, the identifier data for each user including at least two unique telephone numbers and at least one unique device identifier; and

in response to receiving a call through one of the telephone networks,

matching a telephone number in the call with one of the at least two telephone numbers assigned to a particular user, and

switching the call to a destination communication device designated by the device identifier in the identifier data for the particular user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein assigning at least two unique telephone numbers for a particular user includes assigning a telephone number having an area code prefix that is different than an area code prefix designated to a geographic location at which the destination communication device is located.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein switching the call to a destination communication device includes routing call data over a packet-based network to a packet-based destination communication device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the steps of matching and switching are in response to receiving a call through a packet-based telephone network.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein assigning identifier data to each of a plurality of users includes assigning identifier data including at least two unique device identifiers, the unique device identifiers designating different communication devices, and assigning one of the at least two unique telephone numbers to each unique device identifier.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein

assigning at least two unique telephone numbers includes assigning a geographically-specific telephone number that is indicative of a geographic location, and

switching the call to a destination communication device includes switching a call having the geographically-specific telephone number to a destination communication device independent from the geographic location of the destination communication device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein

assigning identifier data to each of a plurality of users includes assigning, to a particular user, a telephone number associated with the user'"'"'s personal telephone at a first geographic location, and a telephone number associated with the user'"'"'s work telephone at a second geographic location, and

switching the call to a destination communication device includes switching calls designating a telephone number for the particular user telephone, to a destination communication device at a geographic location that is different than a geographic location associated with the particular user telephone.