Apparatus and method for virtual private telephone line with automatic ring down

Claim 2

Apparatus for a virtual private telephone connection between a User A telephone equipment and a User B telephone equipment, comprising: a first telephone switch coupled to said User A telephone equipment, said first telephone switch capable for switching a plurality of trunk groups including at least one virtual private line trunk group; a second telephone switch coupled to said first telephone switch and further coupled to said User B telephone equipment, said second telephone switch capable for switching a plurality of trunk groups including at least one virtual private line trunk group at least one optional telephone switch coupled between said first and second telephone switches; a database residing in both said first and second telephone switches, being capable of associating said virtual private line trunk group of said first switch with said virtual private line trunk group of said second switch; means for detecting a substantially simultaneous requests for service from both said User A and B telephone equipment; means for selecting one of said User A telephone equipment and said User B telephone equipment as an originator of call setup and the other as a terminator of call setup and transmitting a Release Message to only said selected call terminator; and means for accepting said request for service from said originator user telephone equipment and continuing to establish said virtual private line connection.

Claim 3

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said User A telephone equipment includes at least one telephone and said User B telephone equipment includes at least the same number of telephones as User A.

Claim 4

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said virtual private telephone connection processing means comprises: means coupled to said User A telephone equipment for detecting said User A telephone being off-hook; means coupled to said User B telephone equipment for detecting said User B telephone being off-hook; means for transmitting an SS7 Initial Address Message from said first telephone switch to said second telephone switch; means for transmitting another SS7 Initial Address Message from said second telephone switch to said first telephone switch; means residing in said first and second telephone switches for comparing a switch identification number of said first telephone switch with a switch identification number of said second telephone switch in response to receiving said SS7 Initial Address Message from said second telephone switch and said SS7 Initial Address Message from said first telephone switch; means residing in said first and second telephone switches for comparing a trunk group identification number of said virtual private line trunk group of said first telephone switch with a trunk group identification number of said virtual private line trunk group of said second telephone switch in response to the switch identification numbers being identical; means for transmitting an SS7 Release Message from the telephone switch with the lower switch or trunk group identification number to the telephone switch with the higher switch or trunk group identification number; means for transmitting an SS7 Address Complete Message from the telephone switch with the higher switch or trunk group identification number to the telephone switch with the lower switch or trunk group identification number in response to receiving the SS7 Release Message; and means for transmitting an SS7 Answer Message from the telephone switch with the higher switch or trunk group identification-number to the telephone switch with the lower switch or trunk group identification number, and establishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 5

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the virtual private line processing means comprises: means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Initial Address Message to said second telephone switch; means coupled to said User B telephone equipment for ringing said User B telephone in response to receiving said SS7 Initial Address Message by said second telephone switch; means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Address Complete Message to said first telephone switch in response to said received SS7 Initial Address Message; means coupled to said User B telephone equipment for detecting said User B telephone being off-hook; and means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Answer Message to said first telephone switch in response to detecting said User B telephone being off-hook, and establishing a virtual private line connection.

Claim 6

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the virtual private line processing means comprises: means in response to establishing the virtual private line connections coupled to said User A telephone equipment for detecting said User A telephone being on-hook; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Suspend message to said second telephone switch in response to said User A telephone being on-hook; a suspend timer residing in said first telephone switch for keeping the time that said User A telephone being on-hook and expiring within a predetermined amount of time; means for detecting said User A telephone being off-hook prior to the expiration of said suspend timer and alerting said first switch accordingly; and means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Resume message to said second telephone switch in response to the alert from said detecting means and reestablishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 7

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said virtual private line processing means comprises: means in response to establishing the virtual private line connection coupled to said User B telephone equipment for detecting said User B telephone being on-hook; means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Suspend message to said first telephone switch in response to said User B telephone being on-hook; a suspend timer residing in said second telephone switch for keeping the time that said User B telephone being on-hook and expiring within a predetermined amount of time; means coupled to said User B telephone equipment for detecting said User B being off-hook prior to the expiration of said suspend timer and alerting said second switch accordingly; and means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Resume message to said first telephone switch in response to the alert from said detecting means and reestablishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 8

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said database includes a one-to-one correspondence between said first and second telephone switches and virtual private line trunk groups, said database being accessible by indexing with an originating trunk group identification number and accessing the corresponding terminating switch and trunk group identification numbers in said database.

Claim 9

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first telephone switch and said second telephone switch each maintains a database associating said first telephone switch and trunk group with said second telephone switch and trunk group and vice versa.

Claim 10

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said virtual private line processing means resolves end-to-end glare.

Claim 11

Apparatus for a virtual private telephone line connection between two callers using a first and second customer premises equipment respectively, comprising: a first telephone switch coupled to said first customer premises equipment, said first telephone switch capable for switching a plurality of trunk groups including at least one virtual private line trunk group; a second telephone switch coupled to said second customer premises equipment, said second telephone switch capable for switching a plurality of trunk groups including at least one virtual private line trunk group; an SS7 switched network coupled between said first and second telephone switches; a database, residing in both said first and second telephone switches, being capable of associating said virtual private line trunk group of said first switch with said virtual private line trunk group of said second switch, and vice versa; means for detecting a substantially simultaneous requests for service from both said first and second customer premises equipment; means for selecting one of said first and second customer premises equipment as an originator of call setup and the other as a terminator of call setup and transmitting a Release Message to only said selected call terminator; and means for accepting said request for service from said originator user telephone equipment and continuing to establish said virtual private line connection.

Claim 12

Apparatus for a virtual private telephone line connection between two callers using a first and second customer premises equipment respectively, comprising: a first telephone switch coupled to said first customer premises equipment, said first telephone switch capable for switching a plurality of trunk groups including at least one virtual private line trunk group; a second telephone switch coupled to said second customer premises equipment, said second telephone switch capable for switching a plurality of trunk groups including at least one virtual private line trunk group; an SS7 switched network coupled between said first and second telephone switches; a database, residing in both said first and second telephone switches, being capable of associating said virtual private line trunk group of said first switch with said virtual private line trunk group of said second switch, and vice versa; means for detecting a substantially simultaneous requests for service from both said first and second customer premises equipment; means for selecting one of said first and second customer premises equipment as an originator of call setup and the other as a terminator of call setup and transmitting a Release Message to only said selected call terminator; and means for accepting said request for service from said originator user telephone equipment and continuing to establish said virtual private line connection.

Claim 13

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, further including at least one telephone coupled to each said first and second customer premises equipment, hereafter first and second telephones, respectively.

Claim 14

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said virtual private telephone connection processing means includes means for resolving end-to-end glare.

Claim 15

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said end-to-end glare resolving means comprises: means coupled to said first customer premises equipment for detecting said first telephone being off-hook; means coupled to said second customer premises equipment for detecting said second telephone being off-hook; said first switch being adapted for transmitting an SS7 Initial Address Message to said second telephone switch in response to detecting said first telephone being off-hook; said second switch being adapted for transmitting another SS7 Initial Address Message to said first telephone switch in response to detecting said second telephone being off-hook; said first and second telephone switches, in response to receiving said SS7 Initial Address Messages from one another, for independently comparing a switch identification number of said first telephone switch with a switch identification number of said second telephone switch; said first and second telephone switches, in response to said switch identification numbers being equal, being adapted for independently comparing a trunk group identification number of said virtual private line trunk group of said first telephone switch with a trunk group identification number of said virtual private line trunk group of said second telephone switch; said telephone switch with the lower switch or trunk group identification number being adapted for transmitting an SS7 Release Message to the telephone switch with the higher switch or trunk group identification number; said telephone switch with the higher switch or trunk group identification number, being adapted for transmitting an SS7 Address Complete Message to the telephone switch with the lower switch or trunk group identification number in response to receiving the SS7 Release Message; and said telephone switch with the higher switch or trunk group identification number, being adapted for transmitting an SS7 Answer Message to the telephone switch with the lower switch or trunk group identification number, and establishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 16

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the virtual private line processing means comprises: means for detecting said first telephone being off-hook; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Initial Address Message to said second telephone switch; means coupled to said second customer premises equipment for ringing said second telephone in response to receiving said SS7 Initial Address Message from said first telephone switch; means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Address Complete Message to said first telephone switch in response to said received SS7 Initial Address Message; means coupled to said second customer premises equipment for detecting said second telephone being off-hook; and means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Answer Message to said first telephone switch in response to detecting said second telephone being off-hook.

Claim 17

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said virtual private telephone connection processing means includes means for suspending temporarily and then resuming an already established connection.

Claim 18

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said suspending temporarily and resuming means comprises: in response to establishing the virtual private line connection, means coupled to said first customer premises equipment for detecting said first telephone being on-hook; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Suspend message to said second telephone switch; a suspend timer residing in said first telephone switch for keeping the time that said first telephone being on-hook, and expiring within a predetermined amount of time; means for detecting said first telephone being off-hook prior to the expiration of said suspend timer; and means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Resume message to said second telephone switch, and reestablishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 19

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said virtual private telephone connection processing means includes means for automatic ring down.

Claim 20

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said virtual private telephone connection processing means includes means for releasing an established connection.

Claim 21

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said virtual private telephone connection processing means includes means for alerting one of said callers that the other caller has hung up.

Claim 22

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 19, wherein said virtual private line processing means comprises: in response to establishing the virtual private line connection, means coupled to said first customer premises equipment for detecting said first telephone being on-hook; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Suspend message to said second telephone switch; a suspend timer of said first telephone switch adapted for keeping first telephone on-hook time and expiring within a predetermined amount of time; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Release message to said second telephone switch in response to the expiration of said suspend timer; means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Release Complete Message to said first telephone switch in response to receiving said SS7 Release Message; and means for issuing a predetermined treatment to said second telephone.

Claim 23

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 20, wherein said virtual private line trunk groups include at least one trunk circuit, and said virtual private telephone connection processing means includes means for ignoring an attempt to establish a connection with a trunk circuit while a connection established on the same trunk circuit is in the process of being released.

Claim 24

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 21, wherein said virtual private line connection means comprises: in response to establishing the virtual private line connection, means coupled to said first customer premises equipment for detecting said first telephone being on-hook; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Suspend message to said second telephone switch; first and second suspend timers residing in respective first and second telephone switches for keeping on-hook time and expiring within a predetermined amount of time; means residing in said second telephone switch for detecting said second telephone being on-hook prior to the expiration of said second suspend timer; means for detecting said first telephone being off-hook again prior to the expiration of said first suspend timer; means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Resume Message to said second telephone switch in response to detecting said first telephone being off-hook prior to the expiration of said first suspend timer; means residing in said second telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Release Message to said first telephone switch in response to detecting said second telephone being on-hook prior to receiving said SS7 Resume Message from said first telephone switch; means for issuing a predetermined treatment to said first telephone in response to receiving said SS7 Release Message from said second telephone switch; and means residing in said first telephone switch for transmitting an SS7 Release Complete Message to said second telephone switch.

Claim 27

The method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the virtual private line connection establishing step comprises the steps of: transmitting an SS7 Initial Address Message from the originating switch to the terminating switch; ringing the User B telephone in response to receiving the SS7 Initial Address Message at the terminating switch; transmitting an SS7 Address Complete Message from the terminating switch to the originating switch in response to the SS7 Initial Address Message; detecting User B telephone being off-hook; transmitting an SS7 Answer Message from the terminating switch to the originating switch in response to detecting User B telephone being off-hook; and establishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 28

The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the steps of: after establishing the VPL connection, detecting User A telephone being on-hook; transmitting an SS7 Suspend message from said originating switch to said terminating switch; starting a suspend timer due to expire within a predetermined amount of time; detecting User A being off-hook prior to the expiration of said suspend timer; transmitting an SS7 Resume message from said originating switch to said terminating switch; and reestablishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 29

The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the step of: after establishing the VPL connection, detecting User B telephone being on-hook; transmitting an SS7 Suspend message from said terminating switch to said originating switch; starting a suspend timer due to expire within a predetermined amount of time; detecting User B being off-hook prior to the expiration of said suspend timer; transmitting an SS7 Resume message from said terminating switch to said originating switch; and reestablishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 30

In a switching system, apparatus for establishing a virtual private line connection between first user telephone equipment and second user telephone equipment with a switching network coupled therebetween, comprising: means for detecting substantially simultaneous request for service from both said first user telephone equipment and said second user telephone equipment; means for selecting one of said first user telephone equipment and said second user telephone equipment as an originator of call setup and the other as a terminator of call setup and transmitting a Release Message to only said selected call terminator; and means for accepting said request for service from said originator user telephone equipment and continuing to establish said virtual private line connection.

Claim 31

In a switching system, apparatus for establishing a virtual private line connection between first user telephone equipment and second user telephone equipment with a switching network coupled therebetween, comprising: means for detecting substantially simultaneous request for service from both said first user telephone equipment and said second user telephone equipment; means for selecting one of said first user telephone equipment and said second user telephone equipment as an originator of call setup and the other as a terminator of call setup and transmitting a Release Message to only said selected call terminator; and means for accepting said request for service from said originator user telephone equipment and continuing to establish said virtual private line connection.

Claim 32

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said selecting means includes means for comparing a first identification number associated with said first user telephone equipment with a second identification number associated with said second user telephone equipment as a basis for said selection.

Claim 33

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said call setup originator selecting means includes means for comparing a switch and trunk group identification number associated with said first user telephone equipment with a switch and trunk group identification number associated with said second user telephone equipment.

Claim 34

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 29, wherein said call setup originator selecting means includes means for selecting the user telephone equipment associated with a lower switch or trunk group identification number.

Claim 35

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said accepting means includes means for notifying said terminator to back down in response to said selection.

Claim 36

The apparatus, as set forth in claim 27, wherein said accepting means includes: means for transmitting an SS7 Release Message from the selected originator user telephone equipment to said terminator user telephone equipment; means for transmitting an SS7 Address Complete Message from said originator user telephone equipment to said terminator user telephone equipment in response to receiving the SS7 Release Message; and means for transmitting an SS7 Answer Message from said selected originator user telephone equipment to said terminator user telephone equipment and establishing the virtual private line connection.

Claim 39

The method, as set forth in claim 33, wherein said selecting step includes the steps of: comparing an identification number associated with said first telephone with an identification number associated with said second telephone; and selecting the telephone with a lower identification number.

Claim 40

The method, as set forth in claim 34, wherein said comparing step includes the step of comparing switch identification numbers associated with said respective first and second telephones.

Claim 41

The method, as set forth in claim 34, wherein said comparing step includes the step of comparing trunk group identification numbers associated with said respective first and second telephones.

Claim 42

The method, as set forth in claim 33, wherein said notification step includes the step of transmitting an SS7 Release Message to said terminating telephone.