Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Special service
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2001-05-01
Nguyen, Lee (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Special service
C455S415000, C455S413000, C455S566000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226512
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a system and method for a server based telephone system wherein interactive handsets can operate within a data communication mode and a voice communication mode concurrently.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wireless in building telephones deploying a pico-cellular architecture allow employees to work away from their desks without the worry associated with missing incoming callers. A communication system such as this consisting of a central controller, base stations connected to the controller, and wireless handsets carried by the employees have allowed increased freedom and accessibility in the work place.
The central controller manages all incoming calls for the individual wireless handsets using an in building telecommunication network. The network is divided into cells which service the handsets in a defined area. Each cell contains a base station which exchanges voice and data information with the handsets located within the cell's coverage area. When a call arrives for a particular handset, the controller determines the cell location of the requested handset and alerts the user with a notification alarm on the handset.
As aforementioned, one key advantage of this system is the ability of the user to work away from their work area while not missing incoming calls. A problem results from the fact that this inevitably increases the time the employee is away from his/her Personal Computer (PC) and its associated applications and databases. This reduction in access to valuable resources can harm productivity and limits the true freedom gained by the use of the portable telephone system.
The ability to communicate caller identification data from the central controller to the handset is well known. Generally, this information which includes the name and/or number of the calling party is transferred to the liquid crystal display (LCD) of the handset when the handset is alerted of an incoming call. Such an apparatus is typified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,599 Tsuji et al, issued Dec. 3, 1996, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This innovation allows limited information about the calling party to become available to the user of the portable telephone. This information, although useful, does not allow a user to gain access to applications or databases that may be located on a PC. If a user required additional information about a calling party before accepting the call, it would necessitate access to a PC and the specific databases needed.
There are presently available digital telecommunication systems that allow data sessions between the portable handset and the central controller. These data sessions may be initiated by the user or by applications running on a personal computer (PC) connected to the controller. Samples of these systems include the Companion 200 and Meridian Companion Mobility Option (MCMO) produced by Northern Telecom Limited and the Pocket Communication Systems (PCS) PCS50E, PCS150E, and PCS2000E produced by SpectraLink Corporation. These data sessions allow the user to access applications located on a server connected to the central controller remotely through a handset. While the user is away from a PC, this system allows for the activating and running of computer programs that may be required without prescribing that the user be situated at the same location as the PC. This increased accessibility of information for the user while away from a PC does not directly aid in the case that the user requires additional information about a calling party prior to accepting an incoming call. Since the user has a predetermined amount of time to answer the call, there is not sufficient time to start a data session with an application to gain access to calling party information required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantage of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a technique whereby on receipt of an incoming call, may obtain further information about the calling party before deciding to accept the call.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a telephone communications network capable of operation in both data communication and voice communication mode, the network comprising: at least one display based telephone handset; a central switching controller coupled to the telephone handset and connectable to a external switched telephone network for selective switching of the telephone handset to the external switched network; and a central computing device connected to the central switching controller and controlling operation of the central switching controller by means of control software running on the central computing device and providing selective access by the telephone handset through the central switching controller to a database coupled to the control software, the database listing at least one attribute for a plurality of calling parties, wherein the control software operates, upon receipt of an incoming voice call from a calling party for the telephone handset, to obtain from the central switching controller identification of the calling party, to interrogate the database to determine whether the calling party is listed in the database, to start the telephone handset in a data communication mode with the database, to offer an attribute for the calling party from the database to a display on the telephone handset, to write the attribute for the calling party to the display on the telephone handset in the event that an attribute acceptance signal is sent from the telephone handset, to offer the incoming voice call to the display on the telephone handset, and to connect the voice call to the telephone handset in the event that a call acceptance signal is sent from the telephone handset.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of offering at least one attribute corresponding to a calling party to a display based telephone handset in a telephone communications network during the occurrence of an incoming voice call from the calling party to the telephone handset, the telephone communications network capable of operation in both data communication and voice communication mode and comprising at least one of the display based telephone handsets; a central switching controller coupled to the telephone handset and connectable to an external switched telephone network for selective switching of the telephone handset to the external switched network; and a central computing device connected to the central switching controller and controlling operation of the central switching controller by means of control software running on the central computing device and providing selective access by the telephone handset through the central switching controller to a database coupled to the control software, the database listing at least one attribute for a plurality of calling parties, the method comprising:
A) obtaining from the central switching controller identification of the calling party;
B) interrogating the database to determine whether the calling party is listed in the database;
C) starting the telephone handset in a data communication mode with the database;
D) offering an attribute for the calling party from the database to the display on the telephone handset;
E) writing the attribute for the calling party to the display on the telephone handset in the event that an attribute acceptance signal is sent from the telephone handset;
F) offering the incoming voice call to the display on the telephone handset; and
G) connecting the voice call to the telephone handset in the event that a call acceptance signal is sent from the telephone handset.
According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer readable storage medium containing control software that when running on a central computing device connected to a central switching controller which is further coupled to at least one display based telephone handset capable of operation in both data communication and voice communication
Egan Brian
Macaulay Robert Paul
Nguyen Lee
Nortel Networks Limited
Sobutka Philip J.
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