SIP-based feature control

• US 7,779,072 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Devanathan, Raghavan, Donovan, Steven R
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y
• Application Number:
  US10/440,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,650 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/227, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/327 in the session layer [OSI layer 5]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for providing an addition to the Session Initiation Protocol is disclosed. The addition is a new field header, preferably entitled “Feature”, that is added to the REGISTER message. This field would contain control information for various feature services, like the Do Not Disturb feature and other services provided by traditional PBX systems.

Claims

1. A method for providing features in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based network, comprising:

receiving, by at least one SIP server, a SIP register message from a first user device, the SIP register message including feature status information associated with a first feature to be performed for calls directed to the first user device or calls transmitted from the first user device, the first feature comprising at least one of a do not disturb feature, call forwarding, call blocking or call screening; and

implementing the first feature according to the feature status information in said SIP register message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature status information is included in a header field of the SIP register message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first feature comprises a do not disturb feature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first feature comprises call forwarding.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first feature comprises call blocking.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first feature comprises call screening.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing comprises:

storing information in the at least one SIP server with respect to the first feature.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one SIP server, an invite message from a second user device, the invite message being intended for the first user device; and

forwarding the invite message to at least one of a voice mail system or another network location based on the stored information.

9. A server, comprising:

a memory; and

logic configured to;

receive session initiation protocol (SIP) messages, at least one of the SIP messages comprising a SIP register message including information associated with a first feature requested by a first user, the first feature comprising at least one of a do not disturb feature, call forwarding, call blocking or call screening,

store information corresponding to the first feature for the first user in the memory, and

process calls using the stored information to provide the first feature.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the memory is configured to store feature information for a plurality of users.

11. The server of claim 9, wherein the SIP register message includes information indicating whether to at least one of activate and deactivate the first feature.

12. The server of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises a do not disturb feature and when processing calls intended for the first user, the logic is configured to:

automatically forward calls intended for the first user to a voice mail system.

13. The server of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises call forwarding and when processing calls intended for the first user, the logic is configured to:

automatically forward calls intended for the first user to another network location.

14. The server of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises conditional call forwarding and when processing calls intended for the first user, the logic is configured to:

forward at least some of the calls intended for the first user to another network location based on the stored information associated with the first user.

15. The server of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises call blocking, and when processing calls from the first user, the logic is configured to:

determine whether to prevent a call from being completed based on the stored information.

16. The server of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises call screening and when processing calls intended for the first user, the logic is configured to:

prevent at least some of the calls from being received by the first user based on the stored information.

17. A user device configured to communicate in a session initiation protocol (SIP) based network, comprising:

at least one user agent configured to;

generate SIP messages, a first one of the SIP messages comprising a register message including feature status information identifying a first feature that a user associated with the user device wishes to implement, the first feature comprising at least one of a do not disturb feature, call forwarding, call blocking or call screening, and

transmit the first SIP message to a SIP server.

18. The user device of claim 17, wherein the feature status information is included in a header of the register message.

19. The user device of claim 17, wherein the feature status information comprises a do not disturb activation request.

20. The user device of claim 17, wherein the feature status information comprises an unconditional call forwarding activation request, the unconditional call forwarding activation request including at least one of a number or address to which calls intended for the user device are to be forwarded.

21. The user device of claim 17, wherein the feature status information comprises a conditional call forwarding activation request, the conditional call forwarding activation request including at least one of a number or address to which at least some calls intended for the user device are to be forwarded.

22. The user device of claim 17, wherein the feature status information comprises a call blocking activation request, the call blocking activation request including at least one of a number or address to which calls from the user device are not permitted.

23. The user device of claim 17, wherein the feature status information includes a call screening activation request, the call screening activation request including at least one of a number or address from which calls intended for the user device are prevented from being received.

24. The user device of claim 17, wherein the at least one user agent is part of a SIP-based telephone.

25. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure for use in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based network for providing call related services to at least one user, the data structure comprising:

a SIP register message;

a user identification field for identifying a sender; and

a feature control field configured to include feature status information, the feature status information corresponding to a requested call related service to be provided for the at least one user, wherein the feature status information includes at least one of a do not disturb activation request, an unconditional call forwarding activation request, a conditional call forwarding activation request, a call blocking activation request or a call screening activation request.