System and method for providing location independent voice communications continuity through disasters

• US 7,289,493 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecontinuity Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Telecontinuity Incorporated
• Inventors: Vera, Raul
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar; Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, KAREN L
• Application Number:
  US10/370,059
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/352, 370/353, 370/270
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method and system, employing IP telephony, for providing continuous, uninterrupted voice communications during disaster conditions wherein the disaster site telephone infrastructure has been rendered inoperable or inaccessible. The system uses Voice over IP (VoIP) and emerging IP telephony standards to enable users to receive telephone calls, normally destined for their work phone, at a personal computer terminal connected to the Internet. Users can also place calls from their terminal to the PSTN or to other users on the system. Combining telephone line redirection with IP telephony capabilities enables the construction of a system that provides users with unlimited flexibility in responding to a severe business interruption with full voice communications. The system can be customized so calling parties will be presented with precisely the same greetings and messages, for each user telephone extension, that were present in the disaster site'"'"'s telephone system. Switching from the disaster site'"'"'s telephone infrastructure to the system can be accomplished in minutes.

Claims

1. A system interconnected with the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet providing switching and delivery of voice telephone calls, redirected from a business subscriber on said Public Switched Telephone Network, to personal computer terminals on the Internet comprising:

at least one of a possible plurality of control segment sites, physically separate and remote from said business subscriber'"'"'s site, wherein components of said system are housed,

a gateway device comprising a plurality of first ports with at least one of said first ports connected to a Central Office switching system of the PSTN and capable of exchanging signaling and telephone call traffic with said Central Office switching system,

said gateway device comprising a plurality of second ports with at least one of said second ports connected to a local data network and capable of exchanging data packets with said local data network,

computer processor means connected to said local data network for call processing and administration and hosting the software programs for said system,

System Controller software, hosted on said computer processor means, comprising;

a System Control Executive software module,

a Call Processing Server whose operation is governed by protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards,

a Data Logger Module,

a Report Generator Module,

a User Profile Database,

a System Statistics Database,

Auto Attendant-Voice Mail-Dialer Software, hosted on said computer processor means, comprising;

an Auto-Attendant module,

a Media Server whose operation is governed by protocols that are selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards,

a Dialer Module,

a Voice Mail Announcements Database

WEB Server software, hosted on said computer processor means,

a software telephone applet, hosted on said WEB server

storage means for storing data and software programs of said system on a storage medium,

a router device connected to said local data network,

a virtual private data network connected to said router through a first high speed data line,

the Internet connected to said virtual private network through a second high speed data line,

a plurality of personal computer terminals with means to connect to and exchange data with said Internet and or said virtual private network,

a WEB browser hosted on said personal computer terminals,

headphones or speakers and a microphone connected to said personal computer terminals,

means to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards, and vice versa through said personal computers,

a plurality of telephone sets with means to connect to and exchange data with said Internet and or said virtual private network,

means to convert sound into data packets, compliant with protocols selected from the group consisting of Internet telephony standards and Internet Protocol standards, and vice versa through said telephone sets,

a plurality of disaster recovery sites, physically separate and remote from each of said business subscriber'"'"'s sites,

a third high speed data line connecting said virtual private network with each of said disaster recovery sites through a second data router device housed within each of said disaster recovery sites,

a second local data network connected to said second data router at each of said disaster recovery sites,

a plurality of said personal computer terminals connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites,

a plurality of said telephone sets connected to said second local data network at each of said disaster recovery sites.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein telephone calls can be made from said user terminals to telephone numbers on the Public Switched Telephone Network.

3. In the system of claim 1 a method for switching a plurality of calls destined for telephone numbers at a first group of locations to said personal computer terminals connected to the Internet or said Virtual Private Network, comprising the steps of:

redirecting a plurality of call paths for said telephone numbers corresponding to local communication lines at said first group of locations to local communication lines at one or more said control segment sites,

connecting said personal computer terminals to the Internet or said Virtual Private Network,

initiating a session for each of said personal computer terminals by logging into said system,

downloading said software telephone applet, containing a session identification code generated by said System Controller thus uniquely identifying each said telephone applet to said System Controller,

obtaining the Internet Protocol address of each of said personal computer terminals at the beginning of said session,

transmitting each said Internet Protocol address to said System Controller,

forming a Session-Telephone-Internet Protocol Address-Map through a process comprising the following steps;

storing said Internet Protocol addresses in said User Profile Database,

associating said Internet Protocol addresses with users of said personal computer terminals through pre-established accounts in said User Profile Database, for said users,

further associating said telephone numbers corresponding to said users with said pre-established accounts on said system,

further associating said Internet Protocol addresses with said telephone numbers,

further associating said Internet Protocol addresses with said session identification code,

registering said personal computer terminals with said Call Processing Server by using said Session-Telephone-Internet Protocol Address-Map,

registering said gateway device with said Call Processing Server,

whereby said calls, having been redirected to said control segment sites, will reach said gateway device wherein said gateway device signals said Call Processing Server wherein said Call Processing Server signals said personal computer terminals logged into said system thereby causing an indicium to issue from said software telephone applet,

whereby said user can elect to answer the call by interacting with said software telephone applet thereby causing an answer signal to issue from said software telephone applet,

whereby said answer signal is received by said Call Processing Server wherein said Call Processing Server signals said gateway device to establish a media connection to said software telephone applet,

whereby said gateway device establishes a direct connection, using said Internet Protocol, with said software telephone applet and media begins to flow thereby establishing the conversation between the calling party and said user.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said calls, having been redirected to said control segment sites, will reach said gateway device wherein said gateway device signals said Call Processing Server wherein said Call Processing Server provides said Internet Protocol address corresponding to each of said Personal Computer Terminals to said gateway device wherein said gateway device establishes a direct connection with each of said personal computer terminals wherein said gateway device signals each of said personal computer terminals logged into said system thereby causing an indicium to issue from said software telephone applet, wherein said user can elect to answer the call by interacting with said software telephone applet thereby causing an answer signal to issue from said software telephone applet wherein said answer signal is received by said Call Processing Server wherein said Call Processing Server signals said gateway device to establish a media connection to said software telephone applet wherein media begins to flow between said gateway device and each of said personal computer terminals thereby establishing the conversation between the calling party and said user.