System with call forward profile

• US 8,666,053 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Kung, Fen-Chung, Russell, Jesse Eugene, Sankalia, Anish, Walker, Hopeton S., Wang, Spencer C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US13/278,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20120093038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/220.01, 379/142.07, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method and system for providing call forwarding in an IP telephone network is disclosed. First, when a telephone number for a first telephone from a second telephone is dialed, the call is routing to a call manager. Call setup procedures with a BRG responsible for the first telephone are then initiated. The BRG then checks stored call forwarding profiles to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for the first telephone. The call is connected to the first telephone if an active call forwarding profile is not found. However, if an active call forwarding profile is found, the call forwarding information is sent to the call manager. The call is routed to at least a third telephone based on the call forwarding information.

Claims

1. A method for forwarding at least voice over Internet Protocol (IP) calls, the method comprising:

dialing a first telephone from a second telephone, to make a voice over IP call;

setting up the voice over IP call by at least transmitting a data packet via an IP network to a call manager which ensures that adequate network resources are available to accommodate the call;

wherein the call manager comprises a resources database and a customer database, the customer database determining whether a telephone number is on or off the IP network;

the call manager checking stored call forwarding profiles to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for said first telephone;

connecting said voice over IP call to said first telephone if the active call forwarding profile is not found by said checking; and

connecting the voice over IP call to a third telephone based on a call forwarding information, if the active call forwarding profile is found by said checking;

wherein the call forwarding information is comprised in the active call forwarding profile and is created by use of at least a display, and the display is not integral to a customer premises equipment that conforms to the signaling protocol SIP;

wherein a new call destination number is transmitted in another data packet; and

wherein the call manager uses at least the new call destination number to connect the voice over IP call to the third telephone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the active call forwarding profile is created based on a subscriber'"'"'s entry on or selection of information displayed on a touch-sensitive screen.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recognizing a subscriber'"'"'s words, spoken into a microphone to create or modify at least a portion of the active call forwarding profile.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

interconnecting the customer premises equipment wirelessly with at least one device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the customer premises equipment transmits through the IP network, at least the new call destination number.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the customer premises equipment is associated with the first telephone and is hereinafter first customer premises equipment; and

the call manager forwards the new call destination number through the IP network to a second customer premises equipment associated with the second telephone.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the active call forwarding profile specifies that calls are only to be forwarded during predetermined periods of time.

8. A method for forwarding at least voice over Internet Protocol (IP) calls, the method comprising:

dialing a first telephone from a second telephone, to make a voice over IP call;

setting up the voice over IP call by at least transmitting a data packet via an IP network to a call manager which ensures that adequate network resources are available to accommodate the call;

wherein the call manager comprises a resources database and a customer database, the customer database determining whether a telephone number is on or off the IP network;

the call manager checking stored call forwarding profiles to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for said first telephone;

connecting said voice over IP call to said first telephone if the active call forwarding profile is not found by said checking;

connecting the voice over IP call to a third telephone based on a call forwarding information, if the active call forwarding profile is found by said checking; and

using an alerting parameter in a call delivery message to instruct a customer premises equipment associated with the third telephone to notify a subscriber that the voice over IP call is a forwarded call and not a call originally directed to the third telephone.

9. A system for forwarding voice over Internet Protocol (IP) calls, the system comprising:

a plurality of telephones, each telephone having a unique identifier;

a network device for routing at least the voice over IP calls between the plurality of telephones;

means for setting up a voice over IP call from a first telephone to a second telephone, by at least transmitting a data packet via an IP network to a call manager which ensures that adequate network resources are available to accommodate the voice over IP call;

wherein the call manager comprises a resources database and a customer database, the customer database determining whether a telephone number is on or off the IP network;

a memory storing call forwarding profiles;

means for checking stored call forwarding profiles in said memory, to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for said first telephone;

means for connecting said voice over IP call to said first telephone if the active call forwarding profile is not found by said means for checking;

means for connecting the voice over IP call to a third telephone by using at least a new call destination number, based on a call forwarding information, if the active call forwarding profile is found by said means for checking;

means for transmitting the new call destination number in another data packet;

a display not integral to a customer premises equipment, wherein the customer premises equipment conforms to the signaling protocol SIP; and

means coupled to the display, for receipt of the call forwarding information to be stored in the active call forwarding profile.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the means for determining is comprised in the customer premises equipment; and

the call forwarding profiles in said memory are also comprised in the customer premises equipment.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

means for creating the active call forwarding profile based on a subscriber'"'"'s entry on or selection of information displayed on a touch-sensitive screen.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the call forwarding profiles in said memory are comprised in the customer premises equipment; and

the customer premises equipment comprises a wireless interface module.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

means for selecting the active call forwarding profile from among the call forwarding profiles in said memory;

wherein said memory is comprised in the customer premises equipment.

14. A system for forwarding voice over Internet Protocol (IP) calls, the system comprising:

a plurality of telephones, each telephone having a unique identifier;

a network device for routing at least the voice over IP calls between the plurality of telephones;

means for setting up a voice over IP call from a first telephone to a second telephone, by at least transmitting a data packet via an IP network to a call manager which ensures that adequate network resources are available to accommodate the voice over IP call;

wherein the call manager comprises a resources database and a customer database, the customer database determining whether a telephone number is on or off the IP network;

a memory storing call forwarding profiles;

means for checking stored call forwarding profiles in said memory, to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for said first telephone;

means for connecting said voice over IP call to said first telephone if the active call forwarding profile is not found by said means for checking; and

means for connecting the voice over IP call to a third telephone based on a call forwarding information, if the active call forwarding profile is found by said means for checking; and

means for using an alerting parameter in a call delivery message to instruct a customer premises equipment associated with the third telephone to notify a subscriber that the voice over IP call is a forwarded call and not a call originally directed to the third telephone.