Telephonic communications – Special services – Automatic directory service
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2003-09-02
Smith, Creighton (Department: 2745)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Automatic directory service
C370S395430
Reexamination Certificate
active
06614899
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for providing advanced IP telephony services in an intelligent endpoint. Specifically, the present invention is directed to an IP telephony intelligent endpoint that is capable of updating local IP telephony directories from an IP network server, performing click-to-dial services using the local IP telephony directories, and performing advanced IP telephony services on incoming IP telephony communications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Internet Protocol (IP) telephony is generally known in the art. In IP telephony, a user may make telephone calls over an IP network, such as the Internet. One of the main advantages of using IP telephony is that all IP telephone calls are considered local area telephone calls. This is because the user typically makes a local telephone call to an IP server in order to gain access to the IP network and from there on, the telephone call is merely comprised of IP data packets over the IP network. Thus, long distance charges for long distance telephone calls are not incurred when the long distance telephone call is an IP telephony call.
Typically, the user must have an IP configured telephone or must dial into an IP telephony server in order to initiate the IP telephony communication. The known IP configured telephones are “non-intelligent” telephones, meaning that they rely on the IP network to provide advanced services, such as call forwarding.
Because network evolution is a slow process, a large amount of time may pass before new advanced services are made available to IP telephony users. Furthermore, IP network based advanced services are very inflexible and do not allow individual users to customize their IP telephony service. Thus, it would be beneficial to have an intelligent IP network endpoint device that is easily upgradable and provides the ability to customized IP telephony service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for providing advanced IP telephony services using an intelligent endpoint device. The apparatus includes a directory update device, a click to call device and an incoming call processor.
The apparatus is capable of performing updates to a local directory by retrieving directory information from a directory server using an Internet connection. The Internet connection makes use of a web browser application and a directory server applet to perform the download of updated directory information. In this way, firewalls and other security precautions are circumvented so that the directory information may be downloaded.
The apparatus further compares the directory update information against local directory information to determine if corresponding directory listings are present. If so, the apparatus provides the user with the option to accept the update directory information from the directory server, keep the local directory information, select portions of the update directory information and the local directory information for creating a new combined directory listing, or to add a new directory listing using the update directory information.
The apparatus may further use either directory information from the directory server or local directory information to initiate IP telephony calls using a click to call interface. The user need only select a desired party's directory listing and click a virtual button corresponding to a call function. If the directory listing is on the directory server, the directory listing selection may be made using a browser application that initiates an applet to download corresponding directory information to the apparatus and to instruct the apparatus to initiate an IP telephony communication connection. Otherwise, the local directory listing is utilized.
The apparatus further performs intelligent processing of incoming IP telephony calls. Based on an identification of the calling party, the apparatus is able to screen calls and perform customized intelligent processing on the incoming IP telephony calls. The customized intelligent processing may include ignoring the call, redirecting the call to another address, redirecting the call to a web page or electronic mail address, playing a greeting, and/or executing an application. The particular intelligent processing may be customized based on time of day, day of week, date range, and the like.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6243815 (2001-06-01), Antur et al.
patent: 6470357 (2002-10-01), Garcia, Jr. et al.
Handley, et al.; SIP: Session Initiation Protocol; Mar. 1999; pp. 1-134.
Barretto Robert
Jessen Christopher
Sollee Patrick
Nortel Networks Limited
Smith Creighton
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