Dial up telephone conferencing system controlled by an online computer network

• US 8,077,844 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xugave Holding DE LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Johnson, Clark E. Jr., Solomon, Richard J., DeYoung, Tice F., Farber, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US12/410,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.21, 379/90.01, 370/260, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/93.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5027 Dropping a party from a conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/16 with computer telephone integration
• 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 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/06 using auxiliary connections for control or supervision , e.g. where the auxiliary connection is a signalling system number 7 link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

In a telephone conferencing system, a digital communication network such as the Internet is used to establish and control the telephone connections between multiple conferees with the telephone network being the means of exchanging verbal information. Each conferee may have a computer connected to the digital network, and each has an independent telephone instrument connected to the public switched telephone network. An in-charge conferee utilizes his computer containing appropriate software to initiate the conference and to control the participation of the conferees. The in-charge conferee sends digital control signals to a switch interface controlling a telephone switch as a gateway to the telephone network using SS7 control signals. These SS7 control signals include the commands by which the conferee telephones are rung up, brought on line, or dropped from the conference. The switch provides telephone status information back over the digital network, and the in-charge conferee, as well as other conferees provided with appropriate software, display this status information on their PC monitors.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a telephone, on an SS7 controlled network, such telephone to be used in exchanging audio information, the method comprising:

receiving, over an IP network, digital control signals relating to a telephone number of the telephone;

transmitting SS7 commands over an SS7 controlled network in response to the digital control signals to control the telephone;

obtaining connection status information relating to the telephone from the SS7 controlled network; and

transmitting the connection status information over the IP network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the digital control signals relating to the telephone number is performed by a switch interface via the IP network.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting the digital control signals into the SS7 commands.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status information comprises an SS7 message that characterizes ringing.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status information comprises an SS7 message indicating the telephone has been successfully brought on line.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status information comprises an SS7 message that characterizes an off-hook condition.

7. A method for controlling a telephone, the method comprising:

receiving, over an IP network, digital control signals relating to a telephone number of the telephone to be brought on line;

obtaining connection status information relating to the telephone from an SS7 controlled network, wherein the telephone is controlled on the SS7 controlled network;

sending via the IP network a message indicating the telephone has been successfully brought on line;

receiving via the SS7 controlled network an SS7 message containing information indicating a disconnect of the telephone; and

sending via the IP network a disconnect message responsive to the SS7 message containing information indicating the disconnect.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the connection status information comprises an SS7 message that characterizes ringing.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the SS7 message is a first SS7 message, the method further comprising converting the digital control signals into a second SS7 message for ringing up the telephone.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting over the SS7 controlled network the second SS7 message for ringing up the telephone in response to the digital control signals.

11. A method of controlling a telephone over an SS7 network, the method comprising:

receiving over an IP network a first digital control signal;

transmitting a first SS7 command over the SS7 network in response to the first digital control signal;

receiving a second SS7 command from the SS7 network, wherein at least one of the first and second SS7 commands includes real time status information of the telephone; and

transmitting over the IP network a second digital control signal in response to the second SS7 command.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first digital control signal includes a telephone number.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the real time status information characterizes ringing.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the real time status information characterizes an off-hook condition.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first SS7 command is for ringing up the telephone.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second SS7 command includes real time status information characterizing one of an off hook condition or an on hook condition.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second digital control signal indicates a disconnect of the telephone.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the real time status information characterizes a busy condition.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

operating a switch interface coupled to the SS7 network and to the IP network to perform the acts of receiving over an IP network a first digital control signal, transmitting a first SS7 command, receiving a second SS7 command, and transmitting over the IP network a second digital control signal.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

translating the first digital control signal into the first SS7 command.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

translating the second SS7 command into the second digital control signal.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein translating the second SS7 command includes using a lookup table.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein translating the first digital control signal includes using a lookup table.