Systems and methods for messaging using a broadband connection

• US 9,961,518 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alston, Douglas B., Stark, Barbara, Gonzalez, Valois
• Primary Examiner(s): Phung, Luat
• Application Number:
  US15/075,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Systems and methods for sending and receiving text, or data, messages between wireless communication devices and wireline-messaging devices utilize a broadband connection to the wireline premises as the signaling channel. A message application server sends messages directly to wireline-messaging devices through a digital network, such as the Internet. Such systems and methods include wireline-messaging devices integrated with premises telephones connected to a PSTN, in which the telephones are adapted with thin client software to send and receive data messages.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

mapping, by a system including a message application server, a wireline directory number to an Internet protocol address associated with customer premises equipment of an intended premises and associated with a plurality of wireline-messaging devices located at the intended premises, wherein each of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices is associated with a respective one of a plurality of users and one of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices comprises a premises telephone connected to a public switched telephone network, and wherein the wireline directory number is identified as a routing address for a data message;

facilitating establishing, by the system, a communication session over a broadband connection between the message application server and each of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices via the customer premises equipment at the intended premises; and

routing, by the system, a password protected message comprising the data message from the message application server to the customer premises equipment for routing to the plurality of wireline-messaging devices, wherein the routing of the password protected message enables content of the password protected message to be displayed at the premises telephone at the intended premises in response to entry of a password of the password protected message into the premises telephone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer premises equipment comprises a premises broadband gateway.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session comprises a point-to-point protocol session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data message is received by the system from a wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the system includes a wireless network message service center that stores the data message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data message is a short message service message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating, by the message application server, the data message.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device storing instructions which, responsive to being executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

mapping a wireline directory number to an Internet protocol address associated with customer premises equipment of an intended premises and associated with a plurality of wireline-messaging devices located at the intended premises, wherein each of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices is associated with a respective one of a plurality of users and one of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices comprises a premises telephone connected to a public switched telephone network, and wherein the wireline directory number is identified as a routing address for a data message;

facilitating establishing a communication session over a broadband connection between the system and each of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices via the customer premises equipment at the intended premises; and

routing a password protected message comprising the data message from the system to the customer premises equipment for routing to the plurality of wireline-messaging devices, wherein the routing of the password protected message enables content of the password protected message to be displayed at the premises telephone at the intended premises in response to entry of a password of the password protected message into the premises telephone.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the customer premises equipment comprises a premises broadband gateway.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the communication session comprises a point-to-point protocol session.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the data message is received by the system from a wireless communication device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the system includes a wireless network message service center that stores the data message.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the data message is a short message service message.

14. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

mapping a wireline directory number to an Internet protocol address associated with customer premises equipment of an intended premises and associated with a plurality of wireline-messaging devices located at the intended premises, wherein each of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices is associated with a respective one of a plurality of users and one of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices comprises a premises telephone connected to a public switched telephone network, and wherein the wireline directory number is identified as a routing address for a data message;

facilitating establishing a communication session over a broadband connection between the system and each of the plurality of wireline-messaging devices via the customer premises equipment at the intended premises; and

routing a password protected message comprising the data message from the system to the customer premises equipment for routing to the plurality of wireline-messaging devices, wherein the routing of the password protected message enables content of the password protected message to be displayed at the premises telephone at the intended premises in response to entry of a password of the password protected message into the premises telephone.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the data message is received by the system from a wireless communication device.