Transport of caller identification information through diverse communication networks

• US 6,292,479 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1997
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Flaherty, Stephen J., Farris, Robert D., Bartholomew, Dale L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcelo, Melvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, CHI HO A
• Application Number:
  US08/822,602
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/373, 370/385, 370/389, 370/401, 370/259, 370/466, 379/93.23, 379/142, 379/201, 379/219
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6486 Signalling Protocols

Abstract

A voice call is transported through diverse network paths including a switched telephone network and a wide area data internetwork, for example, the Internet. In routing the call, common channel signalling is used to provide data identifying a calling subscriber line from a calling PSTN, which information can then be transported through the separate data internetwork to the destination PSTN, at which the data is then extracted and sent to the called subscriber line while completing routing of the call. A route for the call is established at gateways connected to the data internetwork at the interface points with the calling and destination PSTNs, calling subscriber line information and dialed digit information being conveyed to the gateways. The destination end gateway initiates a call connection to the calling subscriber line via the destination PSTN to complete routing of the call, while supplying identification of the calling subscriber line in a form recognized as such by the called PSTN. The called party central office can then provide caller ID services.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) including a plurality of subscriber lines and central office switching systems each subscriber line connected to a respective central office switching system and having an assigned directory number, a voice network portion comprising voice communication paths for connection to the subscriber lines, and a common channel signaling network portion comprising signaling paths interconnecting said central office switching systems through at least one signal transfer point;

a second PSTN, remote from the first PSTN, and including a plurality of subscriber lines and central office switching systems, each subscriber line connected to a respective central office switching system and having an assigned directory number, a voice network portion comprising voice communication paths for connection to the subscriber lines, and a common channel signaling network portion comprising signaling paths interconnecting said central office switching systems through at least one signal transfer point;

a public wide area internetwork connecting spaced dissimilar networks and using transmission control protocols/internet program (TCP/IP) to link said dissimilar networks; and

first and second interfaces linking said first PSTN and said second PSTN respectively to said public wide area internetwork to establish a transport path for a voice call from a calling subscriber line of said first PSTN to a called subscriber line at said second PSTN, each of said interfaces comprising a controller controlling the set-up of connections between said calling subscriber line and said called subscriber line via said common channel signaling networks in the respective PSTNs;

wherein said controller in the interface linking the first PSTN provides calling subscriber line identification information from the common channel signaling network of said first PSTN, through said public wide area internetwork to the controller of said second PSTN during set-up of the call for identifying the calling subscriber to the called subscriber.

2. A method for providing caller identification information for a voice call dialed from a subscriber line that traverses a plurality of diverse transport paths including at least a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) to which a called subscriber line is connected, the Internet, and a second PSTN to which the calling subscriber line is connected, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a route for said call through said second PSTN to a first gateway connected to the Internet, said establishing step comprising conveying calling subscriber line information and dialed digit information to said first gateway;

routing said call through the Internet from said first gateway to a second gateway that interfaces with said first PSTN;

transporting the conveyed information to said second gateway;

initiating a call connection by said second gateway to said called subscriber line via said first PSTN for completion of routing of said call; and

supplying identification of said calling subscriber line, obtained through the Internet in said routing step to said called subscriber line upon completion of the routing of said call.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said supplying step occurs while the called subscriber line is in an on-hook state, whereby a party at the called station may identify the calling party before answering the call.

4. Apparatus for use in a telecommunications system having a plurality of diverse paths for transporting a voice call, said paths traversing at least a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) having a local line to a subscriber receiving the voice call, the Internet, and a second PSTN having a local line to a subscriber placing the voice call, said apparatus comprising:

a server connectable to the Internet for interfacing with said first PSTN said server comprising a connection to said first PSTN and means for providing information to said first PSTN that identifies said calling subscriber line;

whereby calling party identification information, received through the Internet path, is conveyed to the called subscriber line by said first PSTN upon routing of said voice call.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said first PSTN comprises a switching system to which said connection is coupled, said connection being recognizable by said switching system to enable extraction of calling subscriber line identification information from said means by said switching system.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said connection is an ISDN connection.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said connection is a Feature Group connection.

8. A method for providing caller identification information for a voice call, originating from a remote calling telephone subscriber line, to a called telephone subscriber line comprising the steps of:

routing an initial voice call, originated by a calling party at said remote calling telephone subscriber line location and dialed to said called telephone number, through the Internet to a gateway router that interfaces between the Internet and a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

in response to said routing step, placing a subsequent call from said gateway router through the PSTN to said called subscriber line;

linking said initial voice call at said gateway router with said subsequent call, and transporting the originating calling telephone subscriber line identification information from said gateway through said PSIN to said called subscriber line while said called subscriber line is in an on-hook condition.

9. A method for routing a voice call connection between a calling station having a subscriber line in a first PSTN through an Internet link to a called station having a subscriber line in a second PSTN, comprising the steps of:

formulating in the first PSTN a routing message in common channel signaling format, the routing message including data identifying the calling subscriber line;

transporting the routing message through the Internet link to the second PSTN in Internet data packet protocol format in which data packets each contain a header portion and a message data content portion data identifying the calling subscriber line being contained in the message data content portion of an Internet data packet,

extracting the data identifying the calling subscriber line from the message data content portion of the Internet data packet at a switching system in said second PSTN, and

sending said calling subscriber line information obtained in the extracting step to the called subscriber line while routing the call.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said sending step occurs while the called subscriber line is in an on-hook state, whereby a party at the called station may identify the calling party before answering the call.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of storing said extracted information in said switching system if said call is terminated without being answered at said called station.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of automatically placing by said switching system, after termination of said call, a second call from said called subscriber line to said calling subscriber line in response to entry of a predefined code at said called station.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of automatically sending said stored information from said switching system to said called subscriber line in response to entry of a predefined code at said called station after said call has been terminated, whereby a party at the called station may identify the calling party.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said Internet data packet protocol format is TCP/IP protocol.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said transporting step further comprises:

accessing a data base from a first gateway router that interfaces between the first PSTN and the Internet;

identifying from said data base a second gateway router that interfaces between the second PSTN and the Internet, whereby said call is to traverse the Internet between the first and second gateway routers; and

transmitting the routines message to the second gateway router.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said transporting step comprises converting the TCP/IP protocol message to a common channel signaling protocol message by said second gateway router for receipt by said switching system.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the common channel signaling protocol message received by said switching system includes information identifying the calling subscriber line and information identifying said second gateway router and said extracting step comprises distinguishing caller subscriber line identification from gateway router identification.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the header portion of said Internet data packet contains data identifying the first and second gateway routers and said switching system is connected to the second gateway router by a dedicated connection, and said extracting step comprises:

converting at the second gateway routers the TCP/IP protocol routing message to a common channel signaling protocol routing message with a caller identifier field having data indicating said second gateway router;

receiving the routing message converted in said converting step at said switching system via said dedicated connection; and

in response to recognition at said switching system that the routing message was received from said dedicated connection, obtaining calling subscriber line information from routing message data other than the routing message caller identifier field.