Bridging messages to release enterprise ports

• US 20080075265A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Khanchandani, Niraj
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• 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

Abstract

Architecture for bridging unwanted calls back to the PSTN (public switch telephone network) thereby freeing-up enterprise ports for other uses. When an incoming PSTN call is received into the enterprise via the PBX, a SIP server makes the decision to trigger bridging after obtaining the call reference and the interface on which the call exists. The SIP server sends a request to the PBX to trigger bridging. When the PBX determines it no longer needs to be involved, it sends the bridging request to the PSTN. More specifically, a mechanism is provided to trigger TBCT (Two B-Channel Transfer) from the SIP server thereby pushing call routing of unwanted calls out of the PBX and preserving PBX ports. The SIP server can retrieve the PSTN-related information from the PBX using either web services or a SIP-based protocol.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates call management, comprising:

a routing component for receiving a multimedia message from a switched circuit network for termination in an enterprise; and

a session component for receiving message information about the multimedia message and signaling the routing component with a routing signal to route the multimedia message outside the enterprise based on the message information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the routing component includes a SIP (session initiation protocol) gateway as an interface between the switched circuit network and the enterprise.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the session component includes a SIP server for handling IP-based messages.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia message is a telephone call originated from a PSTN caller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the session component triggers bridging of the message outside the enterprise using a TBCT (two B-channel trigger) signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the routing component allocates a message port to handle the message and releases the port based on bridging of the message outside the enterprise.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the routing component includes a PBX (private branch exchange) that forwards the routing signal, which is a TBCT signal, outside the enterprise to bridge the message back to the switched circuit network.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a media server and a SIP gateway on which message ports are initially allocated and subsequently freed up for reallocation based on routing of the message outside the enterprise.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the session component is a SIP server that triggers bridging outside the routing component, which is a PBX, using a TBCT signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the session component is a SIP server that requests call IDs associated with the message, and obtains the call IDs via one of a web service, an in-band SIP message, and an out-of-band request.

11. A method of managing messages, the method comprising acts of:

receiving a PSTN-originated message via a PSTN interface destined for an enterprise recipient of an enterprise;

allocating message ports in the enterprise for routing of the message in the enterprise;

requesting message information from the PSTN interface related to routing of the message;

triggering the PSTN interface to route the message outside the enterprise to a destination device based on the message information; and

releasing the message ports for reallocation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising triggering the PSTN interface using a TBCT signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the PSTN-originated message is a telephone call destined for an IP-based client of the enterprise.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the message information includes message reference information and interface data on which the message exists.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising requesting the message information, which is PSTN-related information, via a web service.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising requesting the message information, which is PSTN-related information, via an out-of-band channel.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising requesting the message information, which is PSTN-related information, via a SIP INFO message.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein a SIP proxy server requests the message information in the act of requesting and signals a PBX to facilitate bridging of the message back to a PSTN client.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising acts of:

sending a request for PSTN message information of a PSTN to a SIP PBX gateway;

forwarding the request from the SIP PBX gateway to the PSTN, the gateway associated with a PBX;

transmitting the PSTN message information from the PSTN to the SIP gateway;

sending a TBCT signal to the PBX; and

bridging the message in the PSTN.

20. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

computer-implemented means for receiving a PSTN-originated telephone call via an enterprise interface destined for an enterprise recipient of an enterprise;

computer-implemented means for allocating call ports for handling of the call in the enterprise;

computer-implemented means for requesting call information from the enterprise interface, the call information related to routing of the call;

computer-implemented means for triggering the enterprise interface to route the call outside the enterprise to a PSTN recipient based on the call information; and

computer-implemented means for releasing the call ports for reallocation.