Method, call setup device and computer product for controlling and setting up calls with reduced costs

• US 7,996,013 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OptiCaller Software AB
• Original Assignee: OptiCaller Software AB
• Inventors: Steijer, Jorgen, Hansson, Mattias
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan; Kiet
• Application Number:
  US11/883,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 455/554.1, 455/445, 455/557, 379/265.01, 379/114, 379/201.04, 379/210.02, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A method, call setup device (10) and computer program product for controlling telephone call setup for an associated user and having access to different communication networks are provided. The call setup device (10) comprising a data receiving unit (52) receiving a first data message (DM1) from the user comprising callee identifying information and user identifying information and a control unit (48) having access to call placing units (12, 14, 58), each connected to corresponding network (24,32) and providing telephone call set up via these networks, wherein the control unit analyses the callee and user identifying information, orders a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to a user terminal, orders a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a callee terminal and orders an interconnection of the first and the second call.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the setting up of telephone calls for a user associated with a call set up device, where the call setup device has access to at least one communication network via a corresponding call placing unit, comprising:

receiving at least one first data message from a cellular terminal of the user and being sent by the user, said data message comprising callee identification information as well as user identification information comprising a user terminal identifier identifying the cellular terminal of the user,

analyzing the callee identifying information and user identifying information,

ordering a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to said cellular terminal of the user,

ordering a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a terminal of the callee, and

ordering the interconnection of the first and second call,

further comprising, if the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the callee, sending at least one second data message to the user comprising at least this information,

wherein the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the terminal of the callee when the user terminal identifier indicates the same network as the network determined for the callee.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a preferred call setup scheme for setting up a call between the callee and the user based on said analysis, where the ordering of a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call and ordering of a call placing unit for set up a second telephone call are performed based on said analysis.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of determining a preferred call set up scheme comprises determining networks via which the connection is to be set up.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of determining a preferred call setup scheme is based on rules regarding network usage provided for said user.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the preferred call set up scheme is a scheme having the lowest tariffs associated with the connection between the user terminal and the callee terminal.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of setting up first and second telephone calls as well as interconnecting these calls are performed if the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up via the local network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user identifying information comprises a user identifier.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the callee identifying information comprises a callee terminal identifier identifying a terminal of the callee.

9. The method according any of claim 8, wherein the step of analysing comprises a ported number investigation of a terminal identifier for identifying the network of the identifier.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the callee identifying information comprises a callee identifier.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of determining at least one terminal identifier to be used for call set up based on the user and/or callee identifier.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the call setup device is provided in a local network.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the local network comprises a database of terminal identifiers, where a network user can set which of a number of terminal identifiers to be reached on and the determining a terminal identifier to be used for call set up comprises selecting a terminal identifier set by a network user.

14. A call set up device for controlling the setting up of telephone calls for an associated user and having access to at least one communication network, comprising

at least one data receiving unit arranged to receive at least one first data message from a cellular terminal of the user and being sent by the user, said data message comprising callee identifying information as well as user identifying information comprising a user terminal identifier identifying the cellular terminal of the user, and

a control unit having access to at least one call placing unit, each connected to at least one corresponding network and arranged to set up telephone calls via the corresponding network, said control unit being arranged to:

analyze the callee identifying information and user identifying information,

order a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to said cellular terminal of the user

order a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a terminal of the callee, and

ordering an interconnection of the first and second call,

further comprising, if the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the callee, sending at least one second data message to the user comprising at least this information,

wherein the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the terminal of the callee when the user terminal identifier indicates the same network as the network determined for the callee.

15. A non-transitory computer program product for controlling the setting up of telephone calls for a user associated with a call setup device having access to at least one communication network via a corresponding call placing unit, comprising:

computer program code, to make the call set up device execute, when said program code is loaded in the call set up device;

receive, from a cellular terminal of the user being sent by the user, at least one data message comprising callee identifying information as well as user identifying information comprising a user terminal identifier identifying the cellular terminal of the user,

analyse the callee identifying information and user identifying information,

order a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to said cellular terminal of the user,

order a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a terminal of the callee, and

order interconnection of the first and the second call.

16. A method of controlling the setting up telephone calls for a user associated with a call setup device, where the call setup device has access to at least one communication network via a corresponding call placing unit, comprising:

receiving at least one first data message from a web site associated with the call set up device, said data message comprising callee identifying information as well as user identifying information, where the callee information and user identifying information have at least partly been entered by the user via a screen provided by the web site,

analyzing the callee identifying information and user identifying information, ordering a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to said cellular terminal of the user,

ordering a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a terminal of the callee, and

ordering the interconnection of the first and the second call,

further comprising, if the preferred call set UP scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the callee, sending at least one second data message to the user comprising at least this information,

wherein the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the terminal of the callee when the user terminal identifier indicates the same network as the network determined for the callee.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising receiving, at the web site, callee information and user identifying information from the user and sending said data message from the web site to the call set up device.

18. An arrangement for setting up calls in relation to a user, said arrangement comprising:

a call set up device for controlling the setting up of telephone calls for the user and having access to at least one communication network, comprising

at least one data receiving unit arranged to receive at least one first data message from an associated web site, said data message comprising callee identifying information as well as user identifying information having at least partly been entered by the user via a screen provided by the web site, and

a control unit having access to at least one call placing unit, each connected to at least one corresponding network and arranged to set up telephone calls via the corresponding network, said control unit being arranged to;

analyze the callee identifying information and user identifying information, order a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to a terminal of the user,

order a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a terminal of the callee, and

order an interconnection of the first and the second call,

further comprising, if the preferred call set UP scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the callee, sending at least one second data message to the user comprising at least this information,

wherein the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the terminal of the callee when the user terminal identifier indicates the same network as the network determined for the callee.

19. The arrangement according to claim 18, further comprising said web site, said web site being arranged to receive callee information and user identifying information from the user and send said data message from the web site to the call set up device.

20. A web site associated with a call set up device for controlling the setting up of telephone calls for a user, the call set up device having access to at least one communication network, the web site being configured to:

receive from the user, callee identifying information as well as user identifying information, where at least part of said information has been entered by the user via a screen provided by the web site, and

send at least one first data message to the call set up device, said at least one data message comprising said callee identifying information and user identifying information, in order to allow the call set up device to analyze the callee identifying information and user identifying information, arrange the set up of a first telephone call to a terminal of the user, arrange the set up of a second telephone call to a terminal of the callee and arrange the interconnection of the first and the second call,

further comprising, if the preferred call set UP scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the callee, sending at least one second data message to the user comprising at least this information,

wherein the preferred call set up scheme indicates that the call is to be set up directly between the terminal of the user and the terminal of the callee when the user terminal identifier indicates the same network as the network determined for the callee.