Media terminal adapter (MTA) routing of telephone calls based on caller identification information

• US 8,675,856 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scholes, Bryan W., Burns, James M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US11/461,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20080043970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,786 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.19, 379/201.02, 379/220.01, 37916701-184, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a media terminal adapter (MTA) that contains a routing table for routing incoming telephone calls based on caller identification information. The MTA is coupled to a router/hub, where all digital telephones are then connected to the router/hub. Any analog telephones are connected to the MTA. The routing table defines incoming calls using their caller identification information and associates each defined call with a corresponding telephone(s). In this manner, an incoming call that is intended for one predominant telephone user is routed to the desired telephone using the telephone'"'"'s IP address or a physical connection interface.

Claims

1. A method for routing incoming telephone calls within a residence having a local area network, each incoming telephone call having caller identification information, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming telephone call;

retrieving, from a media terminal adapter (MTA) located inside the residence and connected to a router, a routing table, wherein the routing table comprises a first column having incoming caller information, a second column having destination address information, and a third column identifying a location of at least one telephone inside the residence associated with the destination address information, wherein the location of the at least one telephone comprises a specific identification of a location of where inside the residence the at least one telephone is located, wherein the identification of the location further comprises identification of specific rooms and areas of the residence, wherein the destination address information comprises;

a telephone number of the at least one telephone inside the residence and connected to the MTA, an internet protocol (IP) address of at least one IP phone connected to the router, and a type of connection interface between the MTA and the at least one telephone, wherein the type of connection interface comprises a wireless interface and an analog interface, and wherein the incoming caller identification information includes an originating caller name and originating telephone number; and

performing a lookup operation on the routing table for the incoming telephone call, wherein performing the lookup operation comprises;

identifying the caller information for the incoming telephone call, and

identifying the destination address information corresponding to the identified caller information, and

routing the incoming telephone call to a telephone corresponding to the identified destination address information, wherein routing comprises determining the type of connection interface between the MTA, wherein when the interface is the wireless interface wirelessly routing the incoming telephone call to the telephone, and wherein when the interface is analog interface routing the incoming telephone call to the telephone via the physical connection interface;

wherein the routing table is accessible to a user accessing, by a user, the routing on a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the GUI resides on the MTA and is accessible on a computer connected to the MTA and located inside the residence, and wherein the GUI is configured to periodically display a list of all stored unassigned incoming calls;

wherein the routing table is configurable by the user, wherein configuring the routing table comprises;

entering the incoming caller information in the first column, entering the destination address information of the at least one telephone in the second column, and entering an identification of the location of the at least one telephone inside the residence in the third column;

wherein configuring the routing table further comprises assigning the unassigned incoming calls to the at least one telephone inside the residence, wherein assigning the unassigned incoming calls comprises assigning a specific destination address and a specific location inside the residence; and

wherein when an unassigned incoming telephone call is received and the incoming caller information is not in the routing table, the MTA is configured to route the unassigned incoming telephone call to a specific telephone located on the local area network and designated by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of defining the at least one telephone in the routing table by physical connection interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising not routing the unassigned incoming telephone call to any telephone within the local network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing the unassigned incoming telephone call to the specific telephone; and

storing the unassigned incoming telephone call in the routing table.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the assigned incoming telephone call to any analog telephones within the local network via a physical connection interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of dropping any incoming telephone call not having attached the incoming caller information.

7. A system for receiving and routing incoming telephone calls, the system comprising:

a routing table, residing in a media terminal adapter (MTA) connected to a router, for assigning caller identification information to at least one telephone located within a residence having a local area network and for assigning an incoming telephone call to one or more of the at least one telephone, wherein the routing table comprises;

a first column having incoming caller information,

a second column having destination address information, wherein the destination address information comprises;

a telephone number of at least one phone inside the residence and connected to the MTA, and an internet protocol (IP) address of at least one IP phone connected to the router, and a type of connection interface between the MTA and the at least one telephone, wherein the type of connection interface comprises a wireless interface and an analog interface, and

a third column identifying a location of the at least one telephone inside the residence, wherein the location of the at least one telephone comprises a specific identification of a location of where inside the residence the at least one telephone is physically located; and

a graphical interface for configuring the routing table, wherein configuring the routing table comprises;

entering the incoming caller information in the first column, entering the destination address information of the at least one telephone in the second column, and entering an identification of the location of the at least one telephone inside the residence in the third column,

wherein when an incoming telephone call is received at the residence, the MTA is configured to perform a lookup operation on the routing table for the caller identification information, identify a destination address corresponding to the caller information, and route the incoming telephone call to a telephone corresponding to the identified destination address in accordance with the routing table, wherein routing comprises determining the type of connection interface between the MTA, wherein when the interface is the wireless interface wirelessly routing the incoming telephone call to the telephone, and wherein when the interface is analog interface routing the incoming telephone call to the telephone via the physical connection interface;

wherein configuring the routing table further comprises assigning the unassigned incoming calls to the at least one telephone inside the residence, wherein assigning the unassigned incoming calls comprises assigning a specific destination address and a specific location inside the residence; and

wherein when an unassigned incoming telephone call is received and the incoming caller information is not in the routing table, the MTA is configured to route the unassigned incoming telephone call to a specific telephone located on the local area network and designated by a user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the router routes the assigned incoming telephone call to the at least one telephone by an Internet Protocol address of each of the at least one telephone.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the incoming unassigned telephone call is stored in the routing table, and wherein the stored unassigned telephone call is subsequently assigned to one or more of the at least one telephone.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one telephone may be an analog telephone, a digital telephone, a computer softphone, or a wireless cellphone.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the router is configured to drop the incoming telephone call when the incoming telephone call does not include attached the incoming caller information.

12. The system of claim 7, the MTA is configured to receive the incoming telephone calls via coaxial cable from a communications network, and route the incoming telephone calls to at least one of an analog connection interface and the router.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the routing table may be updated via an MTA web interface, a coupled computer, or a remote server.

14. An apparatus comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory comprises a set of instructions which when executed by the processor perform a method comprising:

receiving an incoming telephone call;

retrieving, from a media terminal adapter (MTA) located inside the residence having a local area network and connected to a router, a routing table, wherein the routing table comprises a first column having incoming caller information, a second column having destination address information, and a third column identifying a location of at least one telephone inside the residence associated with the destination address information, wherein the location of the at least one telephone comprises a specific identification of a location of where inside the residence the at least one telephone is located, wherein the identification of the location further comprises identification of specific rooms and areas of the residence, wherein the destination address information comprises;

a telephone number of the at least one telephone inside the residence and connected to the MTA, an internet protocol (IP) address of at least one IP phone connected to the router, and a type of connection interface between the MTA and the at least one telephone, wherein the type of connection interface comprises a wireless interface and an analog interface, and wherein the incoming caller identification information includes an originating caller name and originating telephone number; and

performing a lookup operation on the routing table for the incoming telephone call, wherein performing the lookup operation comprises;

identifying the caller information for the incoming telephone call, and

identifying the destination address information corresponding to the identified caller information, and

routing the incoming telephone call to a telephone corresponding to the identified destination address information, wherein routing comprises determining the type of connection interface between the MTA, wherein when the interface is the wireless interface wirelessly routing the incoming telephone call to the telephone, and wherein when the interface is analog interface routing the incoming telephone call to the telephone via the physical connection interface;

wherein the routing table is accessible to a user on a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the GUI resides on the MTA and is accessible on a computer connected to the MTA and located inside the residence, and wherein the GUI is configured to periodically display a list of all stored unassigned incoming calls;

wherein the routing table is configurable by the user, wherein configuring the routing table comprises;

entering the incoming caller information in the first column, entering the destination address information of the at least one telephone in the second column, and entering an identification of the location of the at least one telephone inside the residence in the third column;

wherein configuring the routing table further comprises assigning the unassigned incoming calls to the at least one telephone inside the residence, wherein assigning the unassigned incoming calls comprises assigning a specific destination address and a specific location inside the residence; and

wherein when an unassigned incoming telephone call is received and the incoming caller information is not in the routing table, the MTA is configured to route the unassigned incoming telephone call to a specific telephone located on the local area network and designated by the user.