US6351464B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Virtual second line hybrid network communication system
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc
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Filing: 1999-09-20
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Granted: 2002-02-26
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Expires: 2019-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for routing a telephone call on a PSTN network to a data device. The present invention utilizes an automatic call processing system that has a one number location service. A called party provides a calling profile that is stored in the automatic call processing (ACP) system. When a call is placed to a telephone number that is assigned to the called party, the call is routed to the ACP system. The ACP system calls each of the numbers of the calling profile for that called party until that party is reached. At least one of the destinations in the calling profile is a logical address for a data network. The automatic call processing system recognizes the logical address and queries a directory to determine if an IP address has been registered in the directory for the logical address of the called party. If the called party is using a data device that is logged on the Internet, an IP telephony agent, such as an IP telephony client running on the data device, registers the IP address of the data device together with the logical address of the caller. If the ACP system determines if an IP address is registered with the directory, the ACP system will direct the call to an Internet telephony gateway. The Internet telephony gateway encodes and packetizes the voice information for transmission over the data network to the data device.
Inventors
- 👤 Tom J. Galvin
- 👤 Joel K. Hanson
- 👤 Mike C. Kirchner
- 👤 Tony W. S. Moey
- 👤 Mark J. O'Brien
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 10:03
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42229; H04L; H04L61/00; H04L61/45; H04L61/4547; H04L61/4557; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04M7/00; H04M7/12; H04M7/1205; H04M7/128; H04L69/00; H04L69/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S379/00; Y10S379/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
A method communicating a voice call from a caller on a PSTN network to a called party utilizing a data device that is connected to a data network at an IP address indicating a location of said data device on said data network comprising the steps of: registering said data device with a gatekeeper that stores said IP address in association with an alias assigned to said called party while said data device is connected to said data network; dialing a PSTN number that is assigned to said called party; routing said voice call to a sequence of destinations assigned to said called party such that at least one of said destinations in said sequence corresponds to said alias; connecting said voice call to a gateway that transmits said voice call over said data network to said called party on said data device at said IP address; and registering said data device with the gatekeeper, the gatekeeper storing a second IP address in association with the alias, the second IP address indicating a second location of the data device on said data network, wherein the gatekeeper stores only one IP address in association with the alias at any given time.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
200 words
A method communicating a voice call from a caller on a PSTN network to a called party utilizing a data device that is connected to a data network at an IP address indicating a location of said data device on said data network comprising the steps of: registering said data device with a gatekeeper that stores said IP address in association with an alias assigned to said called party while said data device is connected to said data network; dialing a PSTN number that is assigned to said called party; routing said voice call to a sequence of destinations assigned to said called party such that at least one of said destinations in said sequence corresponds to said alias; connecting said voice call to a gateway that transmits said voice call over said data network to said called party on said data device at said IP address; and registering said data device with the gatekeeper, the gatekeeper storing a second IP address in association with the alias, the second IP address indicating a second location of the data device on said data network, wherein the gatekeeper stores only one IP address in association with the alias at any given time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: querying said gatekeeper whenever one of the sequence of destinations corresponds to said alias to determine if said data device is connected to said data network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of registering said data device comprises registering a personal data assistant data device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of registering said data device comprises registering a data device that is wirelessly connected to said data network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of registering said data device further comprises: using an IP telephony agent to automatically register said data device with said gatekeeper.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
236 words
A system for placing a call from a calling party to a called party over a hybrid PSTN/data network comprising: a telephone connected to said PSTN network that originates a call from said calling party over said PSTN network; a data device that is connected to said data network; a directory connected to said data network that registers an address on said data network in association with a network alias, the network address corresponding to a location of said data device on said data network; an automatic call processing system that receives said call and sequentially routes said call in accordance with a calling profile having a plurality of destinations of which at least one destination of said plurality of destinations is the network alias; and a translation device connected to both said PSTN network and said data network that queries said directory to determine if said data device has registered an address on said data network and to route said call over said data network to said address whenever said data device has a registered address on said data network, wherein said directory registers a second address on said data network in association with the network alias, the second address corresponding to a second location of said data device on said data network, and wherein the directory registers only one address of said data device in association with the network alias at any given time.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
236 words
A system for placing a call from a calling party to a called party over a hybrid PSTN/data network comprising: a telephone connected to said PSTN network that originates a call from said calling party over said PSTN network; a data device that is connected to said data network; a directory connected to said data network that registers an address on said data network in association with a network alias, the network address corresponding to a location of said data device on said data network; an automatic call processing system that receives said call and sequentially routes said call in accordance with a calling profile having a plurality of destinations of which at least one destination of said plurality of destinations is the network alias; and a translation device connected to both said PSTN network and said data network that queries said directory to determine if said data device has registered an address on said data network and to route said call over said data network to said address whenever said data device has a registered address on said data network, wherein said directory registers a second address on said data network in association with the network alias, the second address corresponding to a second location of said data device on said data network, and wherein the directory registers only one address of said data device in association with the network alias at any given time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 6 further comprising an agent operative on said data device that registers said data device with said directory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said agent is an IP telephony agent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said directory is a gatekeeper that is locally connected to said translation device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said data network is an IP network.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said IP network is the Internet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said translation device is an IP/telephony gateway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said data device is a personal data assistant.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said data device is a personal data assistant having a wireless connection to said data network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said telephone comprises a wireless communication device that is connected to said PSTN network.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of communicating a voice call from a caller on a PSTN network to a called party utilizing a data device that is connected to a data network at an address on said data network that may change each time said data device is connected to said data network, the method comprising the steps of: registering said address of said data device with a directory in association with an alias; routing a call from said caller on said PSTN network to a sequence of destinations that are assigned to said called party such that at least one of said destinations in said sequence is said alias; determining said address of said data device on said data network; routing said call from said PSTN network through a translator to said address on said data network whenever said data device has registered said address with said directory and said call is routed to said alias; and registering a second address of said data device with the directory in association with said alias, wherein only one address of said data device is registered with the directory in association with the alias at any given time.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of communicating a voice call from a caller on a PSTN network to a called party utilizing a data device that is connected to a data network at an address on said data network that may change each time said data device is connected to said data network, the method comprising the steps of: registering said address of said data device with a directory in association with an alias; routing a call from said caller on said PSTN network to a sequence of destinations that are assigned to said called party such that at least one of said destinations in said sequence is said alias; determining said address of said data device on said data network; routing said call from said PSTN network through a translator to said address on said data network whenever said data device has registered said address with said directory and said call is routed to said alias; and registering a second address of said data device with the directory in association with said alias, wherein only one address of said data device is registered with the directory in association with the alias at any given time.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
215 words
A method for placing a call from a calling party on a telephone on a PSTN network to a called party on a data device on a data network, said called party having a unique alias, comprising the steps of: registering said data device in association with said alias in a directory that indicates whether said called party is logged-on to said data device and provides an address of said data device on said data network; storing a destination profile for said called party using said alias in an automatic call processing system; sequentially routing said call to a series of destinations in accordance with said destination profile; accessing said directory to determine said log-on status of said called party and said address of said data device whenever a destination in said destination profile corresponds to said alias; routing said call to said address if said called party is logged on to said data network; translating said call to a data telephony call; and registering said data device in association with said alias in the directory, indicating whether said called party is logged-on to said data device and providing a second address of said data device on said data network, wherein the directory provides only one address of said data device at any given time.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
215 words
A method for placing a call from a calling party on a telephone on a PSTN network to a called party on a data device on a data network, said called party having a unique alias, comprising the steps of: registering said data device in association with said alias in a directory that indicates whether said called party is logged-on to said data device and provides an address of said data device on said data network; storing a destination profile for said called party using said alias in an automatic call processing system; sequentially routing said call to a series of destinations in accordance with said destination profile; accessing said directory to determine said log-on status of said called party and said address of said data device whenever a destination in said destination profile corresponds to said alias; routing said call to said address if said called party is logged on to said data network; translating said call to a data telephony call; and registering said data device in association with said alias in the directory, indicating whether said called party is logged-on to said data device and providing a second address of said data device on said data network, wherein the directory provides only one address of said data device at any given time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-25 | 2005-08-27 | 2006-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-25 | 2009-08-27 | 2010-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-25 | 2013-08-27 | 2014-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |