Telephone status notification system

• US 6,389,127 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICQ, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldfinger, Yair, Vardi, Joseph, Vigiser, Joseph, Vardi, Arie
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/104,970
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 379/9, 379/12, 379/34, 379/46, 379/48, 379/70, 379/76, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.01, 379/93.03, 379/93.04, 379/93.21, 379/93.23, 379/120, 379/127, 379/114, 379/130, 379/133, 379/139, 379/158, 379/179, 379/202, 379/205, 379/209, 379/223, 379/265, 379/274, 379/277, 379/376, 379/377, 379/381, 379/900, 379/901, 379/164, 379/201.01, 379/201.07, 379/201.11, 379/202.01, 379/205.01, 379/207.01, 379/207.12, 379/209.01, 379/221.15, 379/265.09, 379/913
• US Class Current: 379/209.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

A telephone line status notification system including at least one telephone line having a status, a communications network, at least one communications terminal which is connectable to the communications network and which is employable by a seeking user to communicate via the communications network a status request concerning the status of the at least one telephone line, apparatus for processing the status request the apparatus for processing is connectable to the communications network for receiving the status request from the seeking user therethrough and communicating the request, and apparatus for acquiring the status of the at least one telephone line, the apparatus for acquiring is in communication with the apparatus for processing for receiving the status request therefrom, and the apparatus for acquiring is connectable to the communications network for communicating the status via the communications network.

Claims

1. A telephone line status notification system comprising:

at least one telephone line having a status;

a communications network;

at least one communications terminal which is connectable to said communications network and which is employable by a seeking user to communicate via said communications network a status request concerning said status of said at least one telephone line belonging to at least one sought user for which status is required, wherein the request contains the telephone numbers of the sought users for which status is required;

apparatus for processing said status request wherein said apparatus for processing is connectable to said communications network for receiving said status request from said seeking user therethrough and communicating said request; and

apparatus for acquiring said status of said at least one telephone line, wherein said apparatus for acquiring is in communication with said apparatus for processing for receiving said status request therefrom, and wherein said apparatus for acquiring is connectable to said communications network for communicating said status via said communications network.

2. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 wherein said status request comprises a unique identification of any of said users.

3. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 2 and further comprising apparatus for identifying a network address associated with said unique identification.

4. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 and further comprising at least one server which is connectable to said communications network.

5. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 4 wherein either of said apparatus for acquiring and said apparatus for processing is resident in said at least one server.

6. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus for processing is resident in said communications terminal employable by said seeking user.

7. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 and further comprising a communications terminal employable by a sought user and connectable to said communications network.

8. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 and further comprising a telephone connectable to said telephone line.

9. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 8 wherein said apparatus for acquiring is resident in said telephone.

10. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 7 wherein said apparatus for acquiring is resident in said communications terminal employable by said sought user.

11. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 10 and wherein said sought user communicates said status to said apparatus for acquiring via said communications terminal employable by said sought user.

12. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 wherein said telephone line is part of a PABX system, and wherein said status is communicated to a user not regularly connected to said PABX system.

13. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 and further comprising a cellular telephone in communication with said communications terminal employable by said seeking user.

14. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 7 and further comprising a cellular telephone in communication with said communications terminal employable by said sought user.

15. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 wherein said communications terminal employable by said seeking user is a cellular telephone.

16. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 7 wherein said communications terminal employable by said sought user is a cellular telephone.

17. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 7 wherein said communications terminal employable by said sought user is adapted to receive a call-back request from said seeking user and initiate a call to said seeking user via said telephone line.

18. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 17 wherein said seeking user has a telephone line status, and wherein said communications terminal employable by said sought user is further adapted to initiate said call to said seeking user once said seeking user telephone line status has been determined.

19. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 17 wherein said sought user has a telephone line status, and wherein said communications terminal employable by said sought user is further adapted to initiate said call to said seeking user once said sought user telephone line status has been determined.

20. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 17 wherein said sought user has a telephone line status, wherein said seeking user has a telephone line status, and wherein said communications terminal employable by said sought user is further adapted to initiate said call to said seeking user once either of said sought user telephone line status and said seeking user telephone line status has been determined.

21. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 and further comprising apparatus for conferencing connectable to said communications network and adapted to receive a conferencing request from said seeking user and initiate a conference call between said seeking user and at least one sought user.

22. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 21 wherein said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to first initiate a call to said seeking user and telephonically receive from said seeking user either of a telephone number of said sought user and an identifier associated with a telephone number of said sought user.

23. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 21 wherein said at least one sought user has a telephone line status, and wherein said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate said conference call once said sought user telephone line status has been determined.

24. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 21 wherein said seeking user has a telephone line status, and wherein said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate said conference call once said seeking user telephone line status has been determined.

25. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 21 wherein said at least one seeking user has a telephone line status, wherein said at least one sought user has a telephone line status, and wherein said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate said conference call once either of said seeking user telephone line status and said sought user telephone line status has been determined.

26. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus for acquiring maintains at least one telephone number associated with at least one sought user.

27. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 and wherein either of said apparatus for acquiring and said apparatus for processing comprises apparatus for checking said status request from said seeking user for an authorization.

28. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 1 wherein said communications network is the Internet.

29. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 13 wherein said cellular telephone is adapted to communicate using either of IP protocols and non-IP protocols.

30. A method for providing telephone line status, the method comprising:

providing at least one telephone line having a status;

providing a communications network;

communicating via said communications network a status request from a seeking user, said status request concerning said status of said at least one telephone line belonging to at least one sought user for which status is required wherein the request contains the telephone numbers of the sought users for which status is required;

acquiring said status of said at least one telephone line; and

communicating said status via said communications network, thereby providing said telephone line status.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said communicating via said communications network a status request step comprises communicating a unique identification of any of said users.

32. A method according to claim 31 and further comprising identifying a network address associated with said unique identification.

33. A method according to claim 30 wherein said acquiring step comprises acquiring said status of said at least one telephone line from a sought user.

34. A method according to claim 30 and further comprising the steps of:

receiving a call-back request from said seeking user at a sought user; and

initiating a call-back to said seeking user from said sought user via said telephone fine.

35. A method according to claim 30 and further comprising the steps of:

receiving a conferencing request from said seeking user; and

initiating a conference call between said seeking user and at least one sought user.

36. A method according to claim 34 wherein said initiating step comprises initiating once either of said seeking user'"'"'s telephone line status and said sought user'"'"'s telephone line status has been determined.

37. A method according to any of claim 30 wherein said acquiring step comprises checking said status request from said seeking user for an authorization.

38. A method according to any of claim 30 wherein said communicating said status step comprises communicating said status to either of said seeking user and a recipient indicated in said status request.

39. A telephone line status notification system for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the system comprising:

client software operable by a seeking user for receiving a list of telephone numbers provided by the user;

a request server operative to receive said list of telephone numbers from said client software together with a request to determine the status thereof; and

a telephone status acquirer coupled to said telephone network and containing information regarding status of said multiplicity of telephone lines,

said request server being operative to;

transmit said list of telephone numbers and said request to determine the status thereof to said telephone status acquirer;

receive from said telephone status acquirer, information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list; and

transmit said information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list to said client software, all without calling said telephone numbers in said list.

40. A telephone line status notification method for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the method comprising:

providing a list of telephone numbers by a seeking user to client software;

transmitting by said client software said list of telephone numbers together with a request to determine the status thereof to a telephone status acquirer;

receiving from said telephone status acquirer, information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list; and

transmitting said information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list to said client software, all without calling said telephone numbers in said list.

41. A telephone line status notification system for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the system comprising:

client software resident in a cellular telephone and being operable by a seeking user for receiving a list of telephone numbers provided by the user;

a telephone status acquirer coupled to said telephone network, said telephone status acquirer including information regarding status of said multiplicity of telephone lines;

said client software and said telephone status acquirer being operative to communicate and to;

transmit said list of telephone numbers and a request for the status thereof to said telephone status acquirer;

receive from said telephone status acquirer, information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list; and

transmit said information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list to said client software, all without calling said telephone numbers in said list.

42. A telephone line status notification method for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the method comprising:

providing a list of telephone numbers by a seeking user to client software resident in a cellular telephone;

transmitting by said client software said list of telephone numbers together with a request to determine the status thereof to a telephone status acquirer;

receiving from said telephone status acquirer, information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list;

transmitting said information regarding the status of the telephone numbers in said list to said client software, all without calling said telephone numbers in said list; and

presenting said status information to a user by means of said cellular telephone.

43. A telephone line status notification system for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the system comprising:

client software for receiving a list of telephone numbers from a user;

a request server receiving said list of telephone numbers from said client software together with a request to determine the status of said telephone numbers;

a telephone status acquirer communicatively coupled to said telephone network for providing status information regarding said multiplicity of telephone lines; and

wherein status of telephone numbers in the list is determined without calling said telephone numbers.

44. A telephone line status notification method for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the method comprising:

receiving a list of telephone numbers from a user;

receiving said list of telephone numbers from said client software together with a request to determine the status of said telephone numbers;

communicatively coupling a telephone status acquirer to said telephone network for providing status information regarding said multiplicity of telephone lines; and

determining status of telephone numbers in the list without calling said telephone numbers.

45. A telephone line status notification system for use with a telephone network having a multiplicity of telephone lines, the system comprising:

means for receiving a list of telephone numbers from a user;

means for receiving said list of telephone numbers from said client software together with a request to determine the status of said telephone numbers;

means for communicatively coupling a telephone status acquirer to said telephone network for providing status information regarding said multiplicity of telephone lines; and

means for determining status of telephone numbers in the list without calling said telephone numbers.