System and method for establishing a call between a calling party and a called party over a wired network

• US 7,734,018 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Far North Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robelight LLC
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/413,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20060193455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/67.1, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/211.02, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.06, 379/201.1, 379/201.07, 379/207.12, 379/32.02, 379/32.04, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 379/32.04
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23178 Display status of currently selected controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• 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: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1215 : where a cable TV network is used as an access to the PSTN/ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 : where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 : for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 : Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 : Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 : Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 : Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1318 : Ringing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13274 : Call rejection, call barring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 : Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet

Abstract

A system and method for establishing a telephone call between a calling party telephone and a called party telephone over a wired network. A telephone number associated with the called party telephone is monitored using a telephone status monitor to obtain a status of the called party telephone. The status of the called party telephone is entered in a called party telephone status file that is accessible to a calling party processor over the wired network. The calling party processor dials the telephone number of the called party telephone when an on-hook status is detected by the calling party processor so as to establish a telephone call between the calling party telephone and the called party telephone over the wired network.

Claims

1. A method for routing a communication to a communication device over a first network, the method comprising:

storing data associated with a received signal in a status file, wherein the status file is accessible via a second network that is different from the first network and the data is indicative of a status of the communication device; and

sending instructions for accessing the status file over the second network to obtain the status of the communication device if the communication device is determined to be within a preset access distance of another communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the distance from the communication device to the another communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a transmission path via the first network for the communication based upon the distance from the communication device to the another communication device.

4. A method for routing a communication between a sending device and one receiving device of a plurality of receiving devices, the method comprising:

monitoring whether a called party is present within a preset distance of each of the plurality of receiving devices, each of the plurality of receiving devices having a status and a status file associated therewith, wherein the called party'"'"'s presence is determined by detecting an RFID tag associated with the called party;

adding an identification of the called party to the status file associated with the one receiving device of the plurality of receiving devices that is within the preset distance of the called party;

locating the status file associated with the one receiving device via a second network that is different than the first network, wherein the status file includes the called party'"'"'s identification;

determining the status of the one receiving device based on the located status file; and

routing the communication from the sending device to the one receiving device associated with the located status file based at least in part on the determination.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

identifying the called party'"'"'s distance from at least one of the receiving devices.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising verifying the called party is authorized to receive the communication.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising comparing a user identifier associated with the called party to a plurality of authorized user identifiers.

8. A method for routing a communication from a sending party to a receiving party comprising:

locating, via a first network, a receiving party'"'"'s identification in a status file associated with one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein the receiving party'"'"'s identification is associated with the status file if the receiving party is proximate to the one of the plurality of receiving devices;

monitoring, via the first network, status data in the status file, wherein the status data indicates if the one of the plurality of receiving devices changes state; and

routing, via a second network, the communication to the one of the plurality of receiving devices if the status data indicates that the one of the plurality of receiving devices changed state.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring status data that is indicative of the one of the plurality of receiving devices changing states from an off-hook state to an on-hook state.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring status data this is indicative of an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the receiving device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein routing comprises routing the communication to the receiving device having the IP address.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the sending party is qualified to access the status file associated with the one of the plurality of receiving devices, and wherein the monitoring is in response to the determining.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining is based at least in part on a network address of the sending party.

9. A system comprising:

a memory;

a device monitor coupled to the memory and configured to monitor a status of a device and create a corresponding status file for the device to be stored in the memory, wherein the device has a unique address and the status file includes state information associated with the device, the state information to indicate if the device changes state;

a proximity monitor, coupled to the device monitor and the memory, and configured to monitor a proximity of a user to the device and store a user identifier associated with the user in the status file, wherein the user identifier indicates that the user is within a preset distance of the device; and

a datastore coupled to the proximity monitor and the device monitor, the datastore configured to locate the user identifier in the status file to facilitate routing of a communication to the device based on a determination that the device has changed states and on a determination that the user is within a preset distance of the device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the proximity monitor is an RFID monitor configured to monitor the proximity of the user based on an RFID tag associated with the user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the user identifier in the status file indicates a distance of the user from the device.

12. An apparatus comprising:

means for locating an identifier of a receiving party within a status file associated with one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein the identifier is located within the associated status file if the receiving party is within a predetermined distance from the one of the plurality of receiving devices;

means for monitoring status data within the status file associated with the one of the plurality of receiving devices, wherein the status data indicates if the one of the plurality of receiving devices changes state; and

means for routing a communication to the one of the plurality of receiving devices if the status data indicates that the one of a plurality of receiving devices changed state.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for determining the distance between one of the plurality of receiving devices and the receiving party.