System and method for determining the status of a telephone in a packet switched network

• US 7,499,527 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Far North Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robelight LLC
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Creighton H
• Application Number:
  US11/280,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20060078103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 379/62.1, 379/69, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/201, 379/213, 379/214, 379/215, 379/34, 379/88.13, 379/88.15, 379/88.16
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23178 Display status of currently selected controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• 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 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• 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: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1318 : Ringing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13274 : Call rejection, call barring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 : Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet

Abstract

A system and method for determining the status of a telephone in a packet switched network. The system and method provides for the telephone status to be determined by a status monitoring device or, where the network is a cable network and the equipment comprises a telephone, by a subscriber cable interface device. The equipment status file is accessible over a network, such as the Internet, by status accessing device. The status file provides status information indicative of the telephone for which the status is being determined.

Claims

1. A system for communicating a status of a telephone connected to a packet switched network (PSN) comprising:

a telephone status monitor to monitor a status of the telephone in communication with the PSN; and

a telephone status file connectable to the telephone status monitor for receiving the telephone status of the telephone, wherein the telephone status file is accessible by a status accessing device via a status network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone is a voice over IP telephone.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an analog-to-packet converter connected to the PSN and adapted to;

receive analog voice signals from an analog telephone;

convert the analog voice signals into voice data packets; and

transmit the voice data packets over the PSN.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the PSN comprises a DOCSIS-compliant cable network and the analog-to-packet converter comprises a media terminal adapter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the PSN is selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the status network is selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone status is selected from the group consisting of an on-hook status, an off-hook status, a forwarded status, do-not-disturb status, a transfer-to-voicemail status, and a caller preference.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising logic enabling the user of the status accessing device to place a telephone call to the telephone when the status of the telephone changes from off-hook to on-hook.

9. A system for obtaining the status of a telephone connected to a packet switched network (PSN) comprising:

a status monitoring device adapted to provide output signals indicative of the status of the telephone to a first network;

a status file connectable to the first network for receiving the output signals from the telephone over the first network; and

a status accessing device connectable to a second network, the status accessing device adapted to access the status file over the second network to convey the status of the telephone to a user of the status accessing device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the telephone is a voice over IP telephone.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

an analog-to-packet converter connected to the PSN and adapted to;

receive analog voice signals from an analog telephone;

convert the analog voice signals into voice data packets; and

transmit the voice data packets over the PSN.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the PSN comprises a DOCSIS-compliant cable network and the analog-to-packet converter comprises a media terminal adapter.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the PSN is selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network and the second network are selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the telephone status is selected from the group consisting of an on-hook status, an off-hook status, a forwarded status, do-not-disturb status, a transfer-to-voicemail status, and a caller preference.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising logic enabling the user of the status accessing device to place a telephone call to the telephone when the status of the telephone changes from off-hook to on-hook.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network is a cable network, and wherein the status monitoring device comprises a cable interface device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscriber cable interface device is selected from the group consisting of a set top box, a media terminal adapter (MTA) connected to a cable modem, an MTA integrated with a cable modem, and a softswitch.

19. A method for communicating a status of a telephone connected to a packet switched network (PSN) comprising:

monitoring a telephone status of the telephone, wherein the telephone is adapted to communicate via the PSN; and

sending the telephone status to a telephone status file, wherein the telephone status file is accessible by a status accessing device via a status network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the telephone is a voice over IP telephone.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the telephone is an analog telephone and the method further comprises:

sending analog voice signals from the analog telephone to an analog-to-packet converter;

converting the analog voice signals into voice data packets; and

transmitting the voice data packets over the PSN.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the PSN comprises a DOCSIS-compliant cable network and the analog-to-packet converter comprises a media terminal adapter.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the PSN is selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the status network is selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the telephone status is selected from the group consisting of an on-hook status, an off-hook status, a forwarded status, do-not-disturb status, a transfer-to-voicemail status, and a caller preference.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

determining when the status of the telephone changes from off-hook to on-hook; and

placing a telephone call to the telephone.

27. A method for obtaining the status of a telephone connected to a packet switched network (PSN) comprising:

monitoring a telephone status of the telephone, wherein the telephone is adapted to communicate via the PSN;

sending the telephone status to a telephone status file via a first network; and

accessing the telephone status file via a second network using a status accessing device connected to the second network, the status accessing device adapted to convey the status of the telephone to a user of the status accessing device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the telephone is a voice over IP telephone.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the telephone is an analog telephone and the method further comprises:

sending analog voice signals from the analog telephone to an analog-to-packet converter;

converting the analog voice signals into voice data packets; and

transmitting the voice data packets over the PSN.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the PSN comprises a DOCSIS-compliant cable network and the analog-to-packet converter comprises a media terminal adapter.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the PSN is selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the first and second networks are selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a cable network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a wired network, and a wired-wireless hybrid network.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the telephone status is selected from the group consisting of an on-hook status, an off-hook status, a forwarded status, do-not-disturb status, a transfer-to-voicemail status, and a caller preference.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

determining when the status of the telephone changes from off-hook to on-hook; and

placing a telephone call to the telephone.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the first network is a cable network, and wherein monitoring the telephone status of the telephone comprises monitoring the telephone status of the telephone using a cable interface device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the cable interface device is selected from the group consisting of a set top box, a media terminal adapter (MTA) connected to a cable modem, an MTA integrated with a cable modem, and a softswitch.