Enhanced subscriber IP alerting

• US 6,826,173 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Jesse Eugene, Sankalia, Anish, Kung, Fen-Chung, Wang, Spencer, Walker, Hopeton
• Primary Examiner(s): QURESHI, AFSAR M
• Application Number:
  US09/475,783
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259-261, 370/401, 370/352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395.52, 379/157, 379/158, 379/205.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.07, 379/201.08, 379/201.1, 379/207.13, 379/207.15, 379/207.16, 379/211.02, 379/90.01, 379/93.35
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• 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 7/006 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

Abstract

A method of alerting a user of a variable bit rate communication between a first terminal and a distant terminal over alternative networks including a circuit switched network and a packet network permits the user the opportunity to change alerting preferences from a remote location or locally and to predetermine instructions for a calling party. A method of alerting a broadband user at a first terminal of an incoming multimedia call from a particular calling party comprises the steps of receiving input data at a broadband gateway of user preferences of calling parties, calling party locations, and terminal configuration data for a terminal normally utilized by the user, alerting a called user by utilizing a user-defined alerting scheme, the scheme including identifying the multimedia call as one specifically intended for the user among a plurality of different users and identifying one of the identity or the location of the calling party, comparing the identity or location with said user preferences and alerting the calling party of the priority of the call, the priority of the call including an indication of whether the called party has left instructions for the calling party. In accordance with a further embodiment, a method of alerting a broadband user at a first terminal of an incoming multimedia call from a particular calling party comprises the steps of receiving input data at a broadband gateway of user preferences of calling parties, calling party locations, and terminal configuration data for a terminal normally utilized by the user, comparing the user preferences with data describing the incoming multimedia call, and, if the terminal normally utilized by the user is not appropriate for the call, alerting the called user to one of moving to another terminal or arranging to equip said terminal so that the terminal is appropriate for the call.

Claims

1. A method of alerting a broadband user at a first terminal of an incoming multimedia call from a particular calling party comprising the steps of:

receiving input data at a broadband gateway of user preferences of calling parties, calling party locations, and terminal configuration data for a terminal normally utilized by the broadband user;

comparing the user preferences with data describing the incoming multimedia call; and

if the terminal normally utilized by the user is not appropriate for the call, alerting the called user to one of moving to another terminal or arranging to equip said terminal so that the terminal is appropriate for the call.

2. A method of alerting a broadband user at a first terminal of an incoming multimedia call from a particular calling party comprising the steps of:

receiving input data at a broadband gateway located at a customer premises of user preferences of calling parties, calling party locations, distinctive ringing identity of the user and terminal configuration data for a terminal normally utilized by the user, said input data having been transmitted from a remote web site, the remote web site having an identification module receiver for receiving a subscriber identity module containing terminal configuration data.