US 6,661,785 B1 · Method and apparatus for providing internet call waiting with voice over internet protocol

Abstract

An Internet Call Waiting-Voice over Internet Protocol (ICW-VOIP) service that uses a service control point and service node of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), acting as a gatekeeper and bridge respectively, to enable ICW subscribers to answer telephone calls during an internet session without having to disconnect internet access. The primary network components of the ICW-VOIP service comprise a proxy firewall, a service node, and a gateway. When a PSTN call is placed to a subscriber whose line is being used for internet access, the service control point accesses the subscriber's internet address from a database and transmits a message over the internet to the subscriber giving the subscriber the option to accept the call as a VOIP call. Once accepted, the subscriber places an H.323 call through the gateway to the service node. The service control point also forwards the PSTN call to the service node. Using bridging information, the service node matches the subscriber H.323 call and PSTN call and bridges them together to provide a VOIP connection.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for providing an internet call waiting—voice over internet protocol service that facilitates simultaneous voice communication and internet access on a single telephone line comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a service switching point an incoming telephone call to a subscriber connected to an internet, triggering a first query from the service switching point to a service control point, and forwarding bridging information from the service control point to a service node;
(b) initiating an internet protocol call from the subscriber through a gateway to the service switching point and triggering a second query to the service control point, the second query prompting the service control point to send call routing information to the service switching point;
(c) forwarding the internet protocol call from the service switching point to the service node based on the call routing information;
(d) forwarding the incoming telephone call from the service switching point to the service node;
(e) bridging the internet protocol call to the incoming telephone call with the service node using the call routing information and the bridging information;
(f) maintaining the internet protocol call and the incoming telephone call on the service node;
and
(g) controlling further disposition of the internet protocol call and the incoming telephone call by communication between the service control point and the service node.

5 more elements

(a) receiving at a service switching point an incoming telephone call to a subscriber connected to an internet, triggering a first query from the service switching point to a service control point, and forwarding bridging information from the service control point to a service node;
(b) initiating an internet protocol call from the subscriber through a gateway to the service switching point and triggering a second query to the service control point, the second query prompting the service control point to send call routing information to the service switching point;
(c) forwarding the internet protocol call from the service switching point to the service node based on the call routing information;
(d) forwarding the incoming telephone call from the service switching point to the service node;
and
(e) bridging the internet protocol call to the incoming telephone call with the service node using the call routing information and the bridging information, wherein the call routing information comprises a telephone number of the subscriber and a service node multi-line hunt group number.

3 more elements

A method for providing an internet call waiting—voice over internet protocol service comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a service control point registration information of a subscriber that has an active internet connection;
(b) receiving an incoming telephone call directed to the subscriber;
(c) retrieving an internet protocol address from the registration information of the subscriber;
(d) sending a message to the internet protocol address;
(e) displaying call information associated with the incoming telephone call;
(f) prompting the subscriber to choose to
(i) ignore the incoming telephone call;
(ii) forward the incoming telephone call to a default telephone number;
(iii) forward the incoming telephone call to a telephone number chosen by the subscriber;
(iv) hold the call;
(v) accept the incoming telephone call directly and disconnect the active internet connection;
or
(vi) accept the incoming telephone call by voice over internet protocol and maintain the active internet connection;
and
(g) if accepting the telephone by voice over internet protocol is chosen,
(i) forwarding bridging information to a service node;
(ii) initiating an internet protocol call from the subscriber through a gateway to a service switching point;
(iii) activating a trigger on the service switching point that causes the service control point to direct the service switching point to route the internet protocol call to a first multi-line hunt group provisioned on the service node;
(iv) routing the internet protocol call to the first multi-line hunt group on the service node and notifying the service control point when the internet protocol call is connected to the first multi-line hunt group;
(v) forwarding the incoming telephone call to a second multi-line hunt group provisioned on the service node;
and
(vi) bridging the first multi-line hunt group to the second multi-line hunt group using the bridging information.

19 more elements

A method for providing an internet call waiting—voice over internet protocol service comprising the steps of:

(a) provisioning a public feature code trigger on a service switching point that queries a service control point in response to receiving a public feature code;
(b) initiating an internet access call from a subscriber to an internet service provider through the service switching point using the public feature code;
(c) triggering a public feature code query to the service control point in response to which the service control point recognizes that the subscriber is accessing the internet service provider, sets up a service control point call setup table, and instructs the service switching point to connect the internet access call from the subscriber to the internet service provider;
(d) forwarding registration information from the subscriber to the service control point and recording the registration information in the service control point call setup table;
(e) forwarding gateway access information from the service control point to the subscriber;
(f) provisioning a termination attempt trigger on the service switching point that queries the service control point in response to calls to the subscriber;
(g) receiving at the service switching point a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call to the subscriber from a PSTN caller, said PSTN call triggering the termination attempt trigger and sending a PSTN call query to the service control point, which causes the service control point to match the PSTN call with the subscriber in the service control point call setup table, to record a PSTN caller number in the service control point call setup table, and to find the registration information associated with the subscriber;
(h) sending a message using the registration information from the service control point to the subscriber advising the subscriber of the PSTN call and presenting the subscriber with an option of accepting the PSTN call while maintaining the internet access call;
(i) forwarding bridging information from the service control point to a service node and recording the bridging information in a service node call setup table;
(j) initiating an internet protocol call from the subscriber to a gateway based on the gateway access information, and forwarding the internet protocol call from the gateway to the service switching point by calling the subscriber;
(k) triggering the termination attempt trigger such that the service control point recognizes that the internet protocol call is being received from the gateway, recognizes that the subscriber originated the internet protocol call, and issues routing instructions to the service switching point;
(l) forwarding the internet protocol call from the service switching point to a first multi-line hunt group provisioned on the service node and sending a notification from the service node to the service control point advising the service control point that the service node received the internet protocol call and that the internet protocol call originated from the subscriber;
(m) consulting the service control point call setup table and determining that the PSTN call corresponds to the subscriber and forwarding the PSTN call to a second multi-line hunt group provisioned on the service node;
and
(n) bridging the first multi-line hunt group to the second multi-line hunt group based on the bridging information and the service node call setup table, so that the internet protocol call is connected to the PSTN call and the subscriber can communicate by voice over internet protocol with the PSTN caller.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for providing internet call waiting with voice over internet protocol

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for providing internet call waiting with voice over internet protocol

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17