Systems and methods for reestablishing a call in a telecommunications network

• US 8,634,531 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Relay Inc. (Publicis Groupe SA)
• Original Assignee: Bandwidth Inc.
• Inventors: Morken, David, Missner, Timothy R., Brownworth, L. Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US13/928,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.01, 370/259
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold

Abstract

A call server includes a network interface for connecting the call server to a packet-based network within a telecommunications network. The call server establishes a first connection with a calling party terminal and a second connection with a called party terminal via the packet-based network. The call server then joins the first connection with the second connection to establish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal. The call server may park the second connection when the first connection is terminated or vice-versa and establish a new connection with the calling party terminal via the packet-based network if the first connection was terminated or vice versa. The call server may join the new connection with the first or second connection to reestablish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal.

Claims

1. A call server in a hybrid telecommunications network comprising:

a network interface for connecting the call server to a packet-based network comprising at least a segment of the hybrid telecommunications network wherein a non-packet based network comprises another segment of the hybrid telecommunications network;

a memory for storing one or more program modules; and

a processor for executing the one or more program modules, wherein the one or more program modules comprise computer-executable instructions for causing the call server to;

receive a call start command and a call record identifier from an application programming interface (API) via the packet-based network;

access a database record to retrieve a call record associated with the call record identifier, wherein the call record includes a phone number of a calling party terminal and a phone number of a called party terminal;

establish a first connection with the calling party terminal via the packet-based network by sending a first connection request to the phone number of the calling party terminal,

establish a second connection with the called party terminal via the packet-based network by sending a second connection request to the phone number of the called party terminal,

join the first connection with the second connection to establish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal,

park the second connection when the first connection is terminated or park the first connection when the second connection is terminated,

establish a new connection with the calling party terminal via the packet-based network if the first connection was terminated or establish a new connection with the called party terminal via the packet-based network if the second connection was terminated, and

join the new connection with the first or second connection to reestablish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal.

2. The call server of claim 1, wherein the one or more program modules further comprise computer-executable instructions for causing the call server to:

establish the new connection by sending a third connection request to the phone number of the calling party terminal.

3. The call server of claim 1, wherein accessing the database record is accomplished by communicating with a database server via the packet-based network.

4. The call server of claim 1, wherein another segment of the telecommunications network includes a wireless cellular network.

5. The call server of claim 4, wherein at least one of the calling party terminal and called party terminal is a wireless handset.

6. The call server of claim 1, wherein at least one of the calling party terminal and called party terminal includes both Voice over IP (VoIP) and cellular capabilities.

7. A method of reestablishing a call in a hybrid telecommunications network, the method comprising:

receiving a call start command and a call record identifier from an application programming interface (API) via a packet-based network;

accessing a database to retrieve a call record associated with the call record identifier, wherein the call record includes a phone number of a calling party terminal and a phone number of a called party terminal;

establishing a first connection with the calling party terminal via a packet-based network by sending a first connection request to the phone number of the calling party terminal, wherein the packet-based network comprises at least a segment of the hybrid telecommunications network and a non-packet based network comprises another segment of the hybrid telecommunications network;

establishing a second connection with the called party terminal via the packet-based network by sending a second connection request to the phone number of the called party terminal;

joining the first connection with the second connection to establish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal;

parking the second connection when the first connection is terminated or parking the first connection when the second connection is terminated,

establishing a new connection with the calling party terminal via the packet-based network if the first connection was terminated or establishing a new connection with the called party terminal via the packet-based network if the second connection was terminated, and

joining the new connection with the first or second connection to reestablish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

creating an updated call record comprising the phone number of the calling party terminal and the phone number of the called party terminal; and

storing the updated call record in a database in association with the call record identifier.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prior to establishing the second connection, determining that the calling party terminal is authorized to make a call to the called party terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the calling party terminal is authorized to make the call to the called party terminal comprises:

accessing a database record associated with the calling party terminal to confirm that an account is current.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

establishing the new connection by sending a third connection request to the phone number of the calling party terminal.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein another segment of the telecommunications network includes a wireless cellular network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the calling party terminal and called party terminal is a wireless handset.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the calling party terminal and called party terminal includes both Voice over IP (VoIP) and cellular capabilities.

15. A system for reestablishing a call in a hybrid telecommunications network, comprising:

a call server in communication with an application programming interface (API), a calling party terminal and a called party terminal via a packet-based network comprising a segment of the hybrid telecommunications network wherein a non packet based network comprises another segment of the hybrid telecommunications network, the call server programmed to;

receive from the calling party terminal a phone number of the calling party terminal and a phone number of a called party terminal;

create a call record comprising the phone number of the calling party terminal and the phone number of the called party terminal;

store the call record in a database in association with a call record identifier;

receive a call start command and the call record identifier from the API via the packet-based network and access the database to retrieve the call record associated with the call record identifier to obtain the phone number of the calling party terminal and the phone number of the called party terminal;

establish a first connection with the calling party terminal via the packet-based network using the phone number of the calling party terminal and establish a second connection with the called party terminal via the packet-based network using the phone number of the called party terminal;

join the first connection with the second connection to establish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal;

park the second connection when the first connection is terminated or park the first connection when the second connection is terminated;

establish a new connection with the calling party terminal via the packet-based network if the first connection was terminated or establish a new connection with the called party terminal via the packet-based network if the second connection was terminated; and

join the new connection with the first or second connection to reestablish communication between the calling party terminal and the called party terminal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the call server is further programmed to:

establish the new connection by sending a third connection request to the phone number of the calling party terminal.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein another segment of the telecommunications network includes a wireless cellular network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the calling party terminal and called party terminal is a wireless handset.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the calling party terminal and called party terminal includes both Voice over IP (VoIP) and cellular capabilities.