Tandem access controller within the public switched telephone network

• US 8,175,240 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telemaze, LLC
• Inventors: Wood, Samuel F., Klein, Jerry A., Asprey, Margaret Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US11/428,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20060239437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 379/224, 379/221.08, 379/221.11, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0003 Interconnection between telephone networks and data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13242 Broadcast, diffusion, multicast, point-to-multipoint (1 : N)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

In one embodiment, the system includes a processor, referred to herein as a tandem access controller (TAC), coupled to the PSTN, where the TAC allows a subscriber to set-up and make changes to the configuration of his or her phone line or other communications device. Such changes include selective call forwarding. In one embodiment, the TAC is controlled by the subscriber using the web. The TAC is coupled internally to the PSTN in a local service area and is outside the central office of the subscriber. A calling party makes a first call to the subscriber using the subscriber'"'"'s public telephone number. The TAC receives the first call prior to the call reaching the subscriber'"'"'s terminating central office, which in some cases avoids a toll. The TAC then carries out the subscriber'"'"'s instructions for the first call, such as making one or more second calls using telephone numbers different from the subscriber'"'"'s public telephone number. When the second call is answered, the answering phone is connected by the TAC to the caller.

Claims

1. A telephone system for use with at least two communication networks, wherein at least a first network is a packet network provisioned for voice over IP (VOIP) and a second network is coupled to at least one of switching facilities of a network comprising edge switches for routing calls from and to subscribers within a local geographic area and switching facilities for routing calls to other edge switches or other switching facilities local or in other geographic areas, the telephone system comprising:

a controlling device coupled to at least one of said switching facilities via the second network, said controlling device being accessible by a web server for receiving calling capabilities selected by at least one subscriber, wherein the subscriber is other than one of the calling party and the called party, and the calling capabilities are applied to at least one telephone call made by the calling party to be routed through said at least one of said switching facilities;

said controlling device configured to receive a call request made by said calling party intended for a the called party;

said controlling device configured to apply at least one calling capability to a call initiated by said call request;

said controlling device configured for initiating the call to said called party using a telephone number for the called party, and

said controlling device configured to cause a communications path to be completed between said called party and said calling party after said called party has answered said call.

2. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein said call has caller identification information associated with the call, and said caller identification information has been previously provisioned based on selections by the at least one subscriber.

3. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber enters the telephone number of the called party prior to or during the call request.

4. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein the selection of said at least one calling capability to be applied to said controlling device is performed by the subscriber via the Internet using any one of a computing device, a wireless device, a cellular device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and an information appliance.

5. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein said called party is the subscriber and the subscriber designates the control criteria to cause said controlling device to connect a calling party'"'"'s communication device to a communication device other than said subscriber'"'"'s telephone, as designated by said subscriber based on said calling capability selected by said subscriber.

6. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein said call request is placed by said subscriber through said packet network to said controlling device, and said call is placed by said controlling device through one of said switching facilities.

7. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein said at least one calling capability selected by said subscriber comprises at least one of the following operations:

Web-Based Billing;

Web Dialing;

Automatic Call Data Capture; and

VoIP Link Degradation Detection.

8. The telephone system of claim 1 wherein, the subscriber is said called party and the called party upon answering said call causes said controlling device to connect the called party'"'"'s communication device to a communication device other than said called party'"'"'s telephone, as designated by said subscriber pursuant to said at least one calling capability selected by said subscriber.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second network is a VOIP network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second network is a circuit-switched network.

11. A method of modifying a telephone subscriber'"'"'s outbound calling capabilities via a web server, wherein an outbound call is routed via a communication network comprising central office switches to connect subscribers and switching facilities to connect one central office switch to another or to connect to other switching facilities, the method utilizing a, controlling device coupled to at least one of the switching facilities, to allow a subscriber calling access to multiple geographic areas, comprising the steps of:

providing a subscriber access to the web server in communication with the controlling device, whereby a subscriber can access the controlling device, via the web server to select at least one capability including a click to dial operation to be applied by said controlling device to an outgoing call;

placing a call to said controlling device coupled to at least one of said switching facilities, wherein the call is received by the controlling device, prior to the call reaching a terminating central office, the controlling device receiving the call and associating the call with the click to dial calling capability selected via the web server by the subscriber; and

placing a call from a calling party to a called party by the controller in accordance with the click to dial capability, wherein the subscriber is other than one of the calling party and the called party.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one capability to be applied by said controlling device to one of an incoming and outgoing call are selected by the subscriber via a packet data network using one of a computing device, a wireless device, a cellular device, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and an information appliance, and said capabilities comprise at least one of:

conditional blocking or forwarding of the incoming call;

Click-to-Dial Calling for the outgoing call via the web server; and

Billing for the outgoing call via the web server.

13. A telephone system for use with at least two communication networks wherein at least a first network is a packet network provisioned for voice over IP (VOIP) and the second network is coupled to at least one of switching facilities of a network comprising edge switches for routing calls from and to subscribers within a local geographic area and switching facilities for routing calls to other edge switches or other switching facilities local or in other geographic areas, the telephone system comprising:

a controlling device coupled to said switching facility via the second network, said controlling device being accessible by a web server for receiving calling capabilities selected by at least one subscriber, wherein the subscriber is other than at least one of the calling party and the called party, and the calling capabilities to be applied to at least one telephone call to be routed through said at least one of the switching facilities;

said controlling device being within a local service area with respect to said at least one of the calling party and the called party of at least one telephone call;

said controlling device being configured to receive a first call, by a calling party, to a first telephone number, prior to the first call reaching a terminating edge switch, intended for the called party;

said controlling device being configured to place a second call to said called party using a second telephone number different from said first telephone number; and

said controlling device causing a communications path to be completed between said called party and said calling party after said called party has answered said second call.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said second call has caller identification information associated with the second call, and said caller identification information has been previously modified by one authorized to access said controlling device through a web server.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said second telephone number is selected prior to or during the first call.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one calling capability to be applied to at least one telephone call is selected by one authorized to access said controlling device through the web server using a computing device, a wireless device, a cellular device, a PDA, and an information appliance.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the second call is a call leg.

18. A telephone system for use with at least two communication networks, wherein at least a first network is a packet network provisioned for voice over IP (VOIP) and the second network is coupled to at least one switching facility of a network comprising edge switches for routing calls from and to subscribers within a local geographic area and switching facilities for routing calls to other edge switches or other switching facilities local or in other geographic areas, wherein calls from a calling party to a called party are routed across the packet network and the second network, the telephone system comprising:

a controlling device coupled to at least one of the switching facilities of the second network and the packet network, the controlling device receiving a call request from a communication device of a calling party;

access to the controlling device, by a web server for the entering of calling capabilities selected by one or more subscribers, wherein the subscriber is other than one of the calling and the called parties, the calling capabilities to be applied by the controlling device to the call request, wherein the at least one calling capability is previously configured by the subscriber; and

wherein the controlling device, initiates a call according to the at least one calling capability via the switching facility to the communication device of a called party and causes the coupling of the calling party and the called party when the call is answered.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a calling capability is the caller ID of the calling party.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein a calling capability is the telephone number of the calling party.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein a calling capability is the address of the subscriber'"'"'s communication device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein a calling capability is a request to block the calling party'"'"'s caller ID signal.

23. A method of executing user control criteria for routing of calls between a calling party initiating a call via a first communication network and a called party receiving the call via a second communication network, wherein the second communication network is different from the first communication network, comprising the steps of:

providing a controller with access to at least the first and second communication networks, wherein at least one of the first or second networks is a packet network configured to support voice over IP (VOIP), the controller configured to receive signaling messages indicating a first call from the calling party via the first communication network to an address of the called party via the second communication network;

retrieving the user control criteria from a database to which the controller has access, based on the first call, wherein the control criteria is based on entries previously made by a user into a packet data network, and where the user is other than one of the calling and called parties; and

processing the first call by implementing the user control criteria to route the first call in accordance with the user control criteria to the address for the called party;

facilitating a connection via the controller between the calling party and the called party, when the called party answers, thereby, establishing an interconnection in accordance with the user control criteria.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second communication network is coupled to a switching facility of a network comprising edge switches for routing calls from and to users within a local geographic area and switching facilities for routing calls to other edge switches or other switching facilities local or in other geographic areas.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the switching facility performs a class 4 switching function.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the switching facility is a tandem switch.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the switching facility employs a signaling transfer point (STP).

28. The method of claim 23, wherein both the first and at least the second communication networks are packet networks configured to support voice over IP (VOIP).

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the signaling messages include a VOIP signaling protocol.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the signaling messages include the SS7 protocol.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the control criteria include security measures.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include the prevention of denial of service attacks.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include no direct access to the gateway.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include an additional security layer to prevent hacking.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include VOIP link degradation detection.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include automatic cutover to the PS TN.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include conditional call blocking.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include call logging.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the security measures include authentication of the calling party.

40. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller comprises a distributed architecture including one or more subsystems.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein a subsystem includes protocol conversion of VOIP voice packets.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein a subsystem includes protocol conversion of FAX packets.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein a subsystem includes a digital processing system.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the digital processing system performs voice recognition.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the digital processing system provides call progress tones.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the digital processing system performs touchtone detection.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the digital processing system provides voice announcements.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein the connection is performed, at least in part, by a subsystem.

49. The method of claim 23, wherein the address for the called party includes an IP address.

50. The method of claim 23, wherein the address for the called party address includes a telephone number.

51. The method of claim 23, wherein the address for the called party includes a character string.

52. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller terminates the first call.

53. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller is a tandem access controller (TAC).

54. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller utilizes the VOIP architecture.

55. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller utilizes a circuit switching architecture.

56. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller utilizes an ATM switching architecture.

57. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller utilizes a TDM switching architecture.

58. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller comprises a distributed architecture spanning multiple locations.

59. The method of claim 23, wherein the routing of the call includes the initiating of a second call leg.

60. A method for user provisioning relating to routing of calls over telecommunications networks, via user interactions with a web server coupled to a controller wherein the controller is configured for access to at least two of the telecommunication networks, wherein at least the first telecommunication network is a packet network provisioned for voice over IP (VOW) and the second telecommunication network is coupled to at least one of switching facilities of a telecommunication network comprising edge switches for routing calls from and to users within a local geographic area and switching facilities for routing calls to other edge switches or other switching facilities local or in other geographic areas, comprising:

providing access to the user, via the web server, for viewing of features and charges relating to the calls;

facilitating sign up by users for making calls over the telecommunication networks by receiving personal data entered by the users through the web server, wherein the users are other than one of the called and calling parties;

enabling the user to designate control criteria through the web server;

processing the control criteria via a server into provisioning data, and storing data relating to the processing in a database;

receiving a call initiated by a calling party at the controller;

utilizing information associated with the call to retrieve provisioning data previously stored; and

routing the call, using the provisioning data, across at least one of the telecommunication networks.

61. A method according to claim 60, wherein the personal data entered by the user includes a valid credit card number.

62. A method according to claim 60, wherein the personal data entered by the user is verified via the Internet.

63. A method according to claim 60, wherein the designation of control criteria includes the selection of features from a menu of available features.

64. A method according to claim 60, wherein the designation of control criteria includes the selection of a phone number.

65. The method of claim 60, wherein the second network is a VOIP network.

66. The method of claim 60, wherein the provisioning data includes security measures.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the security measures include the prevention or denial of service attacks.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the security measures include call logging.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein the security measures include web based billing.

70. The method of claim 66, wherein the security measures include authentication of the calling party.

71. The method of claim 66, wherein the security measures include conditional call blocking.

72. The method of claim 60, wherein the switching facility performs a class 4 switching function.

73. The method of claim 60, wherein switching facility is a tandem switch.

74. The method of claim 60, wherein the switching facility employs a signaling transfer point (STP).

75. The method of claim 60, wherein the controller is a tandem access controller (TAC).

76. The method of claim 60, wherein the controller utilizes the VOIP architecture.

77. The method of claim 60, wherein the controller utilizes a circuit switching architecture.

78. The method of claim 60, wherein the controller utilizes an ATM switching architecture.

79. The method of claim 60, wherein the routing of the call includes the initiating of a second call leg.

80. The method of claim 60, wherein the controller comprises a distributed architecture spanning multiple locations.

81. The method of claim 60, wherein information associated with the call includes the calling number.

82. The method of claim 60, wherein information associated with the call includes the called number.