Voice-over-IP enabled chat

• US 8,355,349 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burg, Frederick Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAVLESKI, RYAN C
• Application Number:
  US12/643,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/352, 379/900
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A network-based system and method for providing anonymous voice communications using the telephone network and data communications links under the direction of a Call Broker and associated network elements. A user (the call initiator) present in a text chat room session establishes a data connection to Call Broker and, after qualifying for access (e.g., using credit card information) and providing a callback number, receives voice session information and participant access codes for each desired participant in a voice call. The initiator causes session information and participant codes to be passed to one or more selected chat participants in the current text chat room. When a selected participant uses the received session information, and enters the received participant code and a callback number, the Call Broker in cooperation with a Network Adjunct Processor (NAP) completes voice links to the initiator and the selected participant(s).

Claims

1. A method for establishing a voice call between a plurality of chat participants comprising:

receiving a first message from a first chat participant requesting establishment of a voice call;

sending a response message to the first chat participant providing voice call session information and an authorization code;

receiving a second message comprising the voice call session information and the authorization code from a second chat participant requesting participation in the voice call, wherein the first chat participant passes the voice call session information and the authorization code as a private message in a chat conversation to the second chat participant;

setting up a first voice link to the first chat participant;

setting up a second voice link to the second chat participant, wherein one of the first voice link and the second voice link is a public switched telephone network link;

bridging the first voice link and the second voice link so as to establish the voice call between the first chat participant and the second chat participant; and

wherein if the public switched telephone network link is unavailable;

determining if a subscriber line portion of the public switched telephone network link is in current use in an internet session through a respective internet service provider access server, wherein the public switched telephone network link is capable of supporting one of a text chat and an other data connection;

forwarding the voice call to a network node having access to the internet session;

sending a third message to the internet session indicating an arrival of an incoming voice call; and

converting the voice call to one of a streaming audio and an internet voice call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up one of the first voice link and the second voice link comprises setting up a over internet protocol link.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a fourth message comprising the voice call session information and an authorization code from a third chat participant requesting participation in the voice call;

setting up a third voice link to the third chat participant; and

bridging the third voice link, the first voice link and the second voice link, so as to establish the voice call between the first chat participant, the second chat participant and the third chat participant.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the setting up one of the first voice link and the second voice link comprises requesting a voice over internet protocol gateway to set up an internet protocol link to one of a plurality of voice call participants.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the requesting a voice over internet protocol gateway further comprises requesting the voice over internet protocol gateway to set up an internet protocol link to the first chat participant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message from the first chat participant comprises information identifying a maximum number of voice call participants.

7. The method of claim 2, comprising establishing an internet chat session to which the first chat participant and second chat participant are connected through internet protocol links originating at telephone subscriber lines, each of the internet protocol links being identified by a current internet protocol address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the internet protocol links through which the first chat participant and the second chat participant are connected are established through respective internet service provider access servers, the first chat participant and the second chat participant having provided account and access authorization information to the respective internet service provider access servers during a login message process.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first chat participant additionally provides account and authorization information in a login message process with a voice over internet protocol gateway, the voice over internet protocol gateway maintaining information about an online status and current internet protocol address of the first chat participant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the setting up one of the first voice link and the second voice link comprises requesting that the voice over internet protocol gateway establish one of the first voice link and the second voice call link.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice over internet protocol gateway establishes an the internet protocol link to a respective voice call participant.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein an internet protocol link established to the first chat participant uses the current internet protocol address of the first chat participant maintained at the voice over internet protocol gateway.