Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A call broker comprising means for receiving first messages from on-line users, said users including
text chat session users, each said first message including a request to identify a
telephone call session maintaining the anonymity of chat participants, means for sending a second message in response to each said first message,
each said second message identifying a telephone call session, means for receiving third messages from on-line text chat sessions, each said
message including callback information allowing the establishment of a telephone
link to one of said chat participants, and means for sending control messages to a telephone network identifying
callback information associated with at least two chat participants and authorization
to complete connections between said at least two chat participants.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
17 words
The call broker of claim 1, wherein said first and third messages originate
from on-line chat clients.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The call broker of claim 2, wherein said second messages are sent to on-line
chat client sessions and further comprise at least one Participant Authorization
Code (PAC).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The call broker of claim 3, wherein at least some of said third messages
further comprise a identification of a telephone call session .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The call broker of claim 3, wherein at least some of said third messages
further comprise a PAC.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The call broker of claim 1, wherein said first messages identify all
participants in a text chat session.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The call broker of claim 6, wherein said means for sending response
messages comprises means for sending messages to an on-line chat server session.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for establishing an anonymous telephone call involving
participants in an on-line text chat session comprising the steps of receiving a request from one of said participants to set up a telephone call
connecting said one of said participants and at least one selected participant from
among others of said participants, sending a message to said one participant, said message comprising a
telephone call session identifier and at least one Participant Authorization Code
(PAC), receiving PAC and callback information from at least one of said selected
other participants, and sending control information to a telephone network to establish telephone
links to said initiating participant and each of said selected other participants from
whom said PAC and callback information was received, and to bridge said
telephone links together.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said one of said participants is an initiating
participant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said PAC is received by said at least one of
said selected other participants using instant messaging.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said PAC is received by said at least one of
said selected other participants using a private chat venue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one of said selected other
participants consists of one participant.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said control information is sent in common
channel signaling form.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said telephone link for an initiator or
selecected other participant is bridged together only if the telephone line identified
by said callback information for said selected other participant is idle.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for establishing an anonymous telephone call involving
participants in an on-line text chat session comprising a server chat session hosting a
plurality of remote client chat sessions, said server chat session being enhanced by a
Call Broker session, said method comprising the steps of receiving requests at said server chat session from each of a plurality of said
client chat sessions to set up a telephone call connecting participants associated with
each of said client chat sessions, sending a message to each of said participants from whom a request is
received, said message comprising a telephone call session identifier and at least one
Participant Authorization Code (PAC), receiving at said Call Broker session from each of a plurality of said client
chat sessions said PAC and callback information for the telephone associated with
respective client chat sessions, and sending control information to a telephone network to establish telephone
links to said initiating participant and each of said selected other participants from
whom said PAC and callback information was received, and to bridge said
telephone links together.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
14 words
The method of calim 15, wherein said plurality of participants consists of
one participant.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said control information is sent in common
channel signaling form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said telephone link for participant is
bridged together only if the telephone line identified by said callback information
for said selected participant is idle.