System and method for servicing calls originating via the Internet

• US 7,924,816 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Galvin, Thomas, Gunasekar, Duraisamy, Reynolds, Tim E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAGLO, EMMANUEL K
• Application Number:
  US11/155,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/352, 370/401, 370/402, 370/493, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/379, 379/201, 379/88.17
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A method for providing call services in a telecommunications system includes receiving a call request from a call origination station via the Internet. The call request may involve an advanced call service. The method may also include validating the call request and initiating a communications link between the call origination station and a telephony server via the Internet when the call request is validated. The method may further include initiating a telephony link between the telephony server and a call termination station when the call request is validated.

Claims

1. A method for servicing a call request within a telecommunications system, comprising:

receiving, via a routing number corresponding to a particular one of a plurality of service options, a call request from a call origination station via the Internet;

establishing, via the Internet and based on the particular service option, a communications link between said call origination station and a telephony server via a switch, where at least part of the communications link between the call origination station and the switch is through an Internet Protocol (IP) link;

initiating a telephony link between said telephony server and a call termination station, via the switch, based on the particular service option, where the call origination station and the call termination station are different devices; and

coupling, via the switch, said IP communications link to said telephony link.

2. The method of claim 1, where the initiating the telephony link comprises connecting to a telephone via a switched telephone network.

3. The method of claim 1, where the call termination station is a telephone device.

4. The method of claim 1, where the IP communications link comprises a TCP/IP link.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting packet data transmitted from the call origination station to telephony signals; and

transmitting the telephony signals to the call termination station via the telephony link.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user interface to the call origination station, the user interface including a number of options for selecting services, where one of the options comprises a collect call service option.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

converting telephony signals transmitted from the call termination station to packet data; and

transmitting the packet data to the call origination station via the IP communications link.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a routing number corresponding to a particular one of a plurality of service options, a call request from a call origination station via the Internet, where the call request includes a debit account identifier;

validating the call request based on the debit account identifier;

establishing, via the Internet and based on the particular service option, a communications link between the call origination station and a telephony server via a switch, where at least part of the communications link between the call origination station and the switch is through an Internet Protocol (IP) link;

initiating a telephony link between the telephony server and a call termination station, via the switch, based on the particular service option, where the call origination station and the call termination station are different devices; and

coupling, via the switch, the IP communications link to the telephony link.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

establishing a call between the call origination station and the call termination station; and

coupling the IP communications link to the telephony link for a duration of the call.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

establishing a call between the call origination station and the call termination station; and

generating billing information associated with the call, where charges associated with the call are assessed to a debit account associated with the debit account identifier.

11. The method of claim 8, where the initiating the telephony link comprises establishing a connection using a telephone number that corresponds to a telephone number operable within a switched telephone network.

12. The method of claim 8, where the IP communications link comprises a TCP/IP link.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

converting packet data transmitted from the call origination station to telephony signals;

transmitting the telephony signals to the call termination station via the telephony link;

converting telephony signals transmitted from the call termination station to packet; and

transmitting the packet data to the call origination station via the IP communications link.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a user interface to the call origination station, the user interface including a number of options for selecting services, where one of the options comprises a debit account service option.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a toll free telephone number corresponding to a particular one of a plurality of service options, a call request from a call origination station via the Internet;

establishing, via the Internet and based on the particular service option, a communications link between the call origination station and a telephony server via a switch, where at least part of the communications link between the call origination station and the switch is through an Internet Protocol (IP) link;

initiating a telephony link between the telephony server and a call termination station, via the switch, based on the particular service option, where the call origination station and the call termination station are different devices;

establishing, via the switch and an internet telephony gateway, a coupling between the communications link and the telephony link, where the internet telephony gateway is connected between the call origination station and the switch through the IP link;

transmitting, via the coupling, packet data from the call origination station to the internet telephony gateway;

converting, by the internet telephony gateway, the packet data transmitted from the call origination station to form telephony signals;

transmitting, via the coupling, the formed telephony signals to the call termination station;

converting telephony signals transmitted from the call termination station to form packet data; and

transmitting, via the coupling, the formed packet data to the call origination station.

16. The method of claim 15, where the toll free telephone number corresponds to a toll free telephone number operable within a switched telephone network.

17. The method of claim 15, where the IP communications link comprises a TCP/IP link.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a user interface to the call origination station, the user interface including a number of options for selecting services, where one of the options comprises a toll free call option.

19. A method, comprising:

providing a user interface to a first device, the user interface including a number of service options associated with placing a call from the first device to a different, second device, where the service options comprise a calling card option and an operator services option and where the first device is coupled to a packet switched network and the second device is coupled to a public switched telephone network;

receiving a routing number corresponding to a particular one of the service options based on input from the first device via the user interface;

initiating, via the packet switched network and based on the particular service option, communications link between the first device and a telephony server, via a switch, based on the received input, where at least part of the communications link between the first device and the switch is through the packet switched network;

initiating, based on the particular service option, a telephony link between the telephony server and the second device via the switch, where the telephony link is through the public switched telephone network; and

coupling the communications link to the telephony link for a duration of the call.

20. The method of claim 19, where the input corresponds to a request to make a call using a calling card, the method further comprising:

receiving a calling card number and a personal identification number associated with the calling card from the first device;

validating the calling card number and the personal identification number; and

receiving a telephone number associated with a call request from the first device, and where the initiating a communications link comprises;

initiating the communications link based on the received telephone number.

21. The method of claim 19, where the input corresponds to a request for operator services, the method further comprising:

receiving a request from the first device for operator assistance; and

providing the operator assistance based on the request.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating billing information associated with the call, where charges associated with the call are assessed to the calling card number.

23. The method of claim 21, where the providing operator assistance comprises:

providing directory assistance related to the operator assistance.

24. A system for processing a call within a telecommunications system, comprising:

a server to;

provide, via a packet switched network, a user interface to a call origination station, the user interface including information relating to a plurality of service options,

receive, via the packet switched network, an input from the call origination station, the input corresponding to a request to make a call corresponding to a particular one of the plurality of service options, and

forward the input to a processing platform; and

the processing platform to;

receive the input from the server,

determine, based on the particular service option, whether to approve the request,

establish, via the packet switched network, communications link between the call origination station and a telephony server, via a switch, when the request is approved, where at least part of the communications link between the call origination station and the switch is through a packet switched communications link within the packet switched network,

initiate a telephony link, via a public switched telephone network, between the telephony server and a call termination station, via the switch, when the request is approved, where the call origination station and the call termination station are different devices; and

couple, via the switch, the packet switched communications link to the telephony link for a duration of the call.

25. The system of claim 24, where the input corresponds to a request to make a collect call.

26. The system of claim 24, where the input corresponds to a request to make a toll free call.

27. The system of claim 24, where the input corresponds to a request to make a call to be charged to a debit account.

28. A system for servicing a call request within a telecommunications system, comprising:

a first system to;

receive, via a routing number corresponding to a particular service option of a plurality of service options, a call request from a user device via the Internet, and

forward the call request; and

a second system coupled to the first system, the second system to;

receive the call request from the first system,

determine, based on the particular service option, whether to validate the call request,

establish, via the Internet, a communications link from the user device to an Internet telephony system, via the switch, when the call request is validated, where at least part of the communications link between the user device and the switch is through an Internet Protocol (IP) link,

establish, via the switch, a telephony link from the Internet telephony system to a call termination device via a public switched telephone network, where the user device and the call termination device are different devices, and

couple, via the switch, the IP communications link to the telephony link for a duration of a call established between the user device and the call termination device.

29. The system of claim 28, where the call request is associated with a collect call service.

30. The system of claim 28, where the call request is associated with a toll free service.

31. The system of claim 28, where the call request is associated with a debit account service.