System for effecting a telephone call over a computer network without alphanumeric keypad operation

• US 8,320,543 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vonage Business Inc (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Vonage Network LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Citron, Jeffrey, Wason, Andrew, Shah, Nilesh
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/494,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.07, 379/201.01, 379/242, 379/216, 37935501-3551, 379/189, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A system for effecting a telephone call between telephonic devices is operative to use a computer network, without manual use of the alphanumeric keypads. A third party call control (3PCC) application program interface (API) provides the capability for users to use a web browser or other Internet capable software to place a call, rather than using the telephone keypad. A third party call control application program interface includes a uniform resource locator operable over the Internet to cause a call between a first telephonic device and a second telephonic device to be completed. The uniform resource locator includes identification of the first telephonic device and identification of the second telephonic device.

Claims

1. A system for effecting a telephone call comprising:

a server configured to receive a uniform resource locator including call setup information over a computer network operable to effect a telephone call from a first telephonic device to a second telephonic device, wherein the call setup information includes an identification of the first telephonic device and an identification of the second telephonic device;

a call controller server configured to receive the call setup information for establishing the telephone call between the first telephonic device and the second telephonic device from the server and, in response to receiving the call setup information;

initiate a call from the call controller server to the first telephonic device or the second telephonic device using a session initiation protocol (SIP) INVITE method and the received call setup information; and

, in response to an answer of the call, transferring the call from the call controller server to the first telephonic device using a SIP REFER method and the received call setup information to establish the telephone call from the first telephonic device to the second telephonic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the call setup information includes a “

from”

telephone number of the first telephonic device and a “

to”

telephone number of the second telephonic device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a telephonic number identifying means for identifying the respective first and second telephonic devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of said first and second telephonic devices comprises a telephone.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one of said first and second telephonic devices comprises an alphanumeric keypad.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said alphanumeric keypad is inoperable in said system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to receive the uniform resource locator from a web browser coupled to the computer network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first telephonic device comprises a telephone keypad, said system being operable without use of the telephone keypad.

10. A method of telephone call completion comprising:

(a) displaying contact information comprising information relating to a telephone call that may be completed;

(b) receiving a uniform resource locator (URL) including call setup information having an indication of the telephone call to be completed from a first telephonic device to a second telephonic device, wherein the call setup information includes an identification of the first telephonic device and an identification of the second telephonic device;

(c) initiating a call to the first telephonic device or the second telephonic device using a session initiation protocol (SIP) INVITE method and the received call setup information; and

(d) transferring the call using a SIP REFER method and the received call setup information in response to an answer of the call to establish the telephone call from the first telephonic device to the second telephonic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the contact information relating to the telephone call that may be completed comprises a telephone number.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the identification of the first telephonic device or the identification of the second telephonic device comprises a telephone number.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the displayed contact information comprises information relating to a plurality of telephone calls.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the indication of the telephone call to be completed comprises information relating to at least one of the plurality of telephone calls, and being selected from the displayed contact information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the information relating to the plurality of calls comprises a plurality of telephone numbers.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication of the telephone call to be completed comprises at least one telephone number selected from among a plurality of telephone numbers.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the identification of the first telephonic device and the identification of the second telephonic device comprises the at least one telephone number selected from among the plurality of telephone numbers.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the contact information is displayed in one selected from the group consisting of phone book software, address book software, email software, contact manager software, a plug in to phone book software, a plug in address book software, email software, and contact manager software and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the displayed contact information comprises information relating to a plurality of telephone calls that may be completed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the indication of the telephone call to be completed comprises information relating to at least one of the plurality of telephone calls that may be completed, selected from the displayed contact information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the information relating to the plurality of telephone calls that may be completed comprises a plurality of telephone numbers.

22. A computer program product having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of call completion comprising:

(a) displaying contact information comprising information relating to a telephone call that may be completed;

(b) receiving a uniform resource locator (URL) including call setup information having an indication of the telephone call to be completed from a first telephonic device to a second telephonic device, wherein the call setup information includes an identification of the first telephonic device and an identification of the second telephonic device;

(c) initiating a call to the first telephonic device or the second telephonic device using a session initiation protocol (SIP) INVITE method and the received call setup information; and

(d) transferring the call using a SIP REFER method in response to an answer of the call to establish the telephone call from the first telephonic device to the second telephonic device and the received call setup information.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the contact information relating to the telephone call that may be completed comprises a telephone number.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein at least one of the identification of the first telephonic device or the identification of the second telephonic device comprises the telephone number.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the displayed contact information comprises information relating to a plurality of telephone calls that may be completed.

26. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the indication of the telephone call to be completed comprises information relating to at least one of the plurality of telephone calls that may be completed, selected from the displayed contact information.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the information relating to the plurality of telephone calls that may be completed comprises a plurality of telephone numbers.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the indication of the telephone call to be completed comprises at least one telephone number selected from among the plurality of telephone numbers.

29. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the contact information is displayed in one selected from;

phone book software, address book software, email software, contact manager software, a plug-in to phone book software, plug-in to an address book software, email software, and contact manager software.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the displayed contact information comprises information relating to a plurality of telephone calls that may be completed.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the indication of the telephone call to be completed comprises information relating to at least one of the plurality of telephone calls that may be completed, selected from the displayed contact information.