Telephonic communications – Reception of calling information at substation in wireline...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-08
2001-10-16
Kuntz, Curtis (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Reception of calling information at substation in wireline...
C379S142040, C379S142080, C379S215010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304642
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for data transfer using FSK signals and in particular to peer to peer data communication using pre-existing caller ID CLASS FSK signaling infrastructure.
2. Background
Introduction of SS7 switching in central office switching systems provided the technological capability to introduce caller ID services to customers. Caller ID services utilize the ability of a modern call switching and routing system, referred to in the telecommunications industry as a Stored Program Control System (SPCS), to record and provide to a call recipient information regarding the calling party in a Calling Party Number Message (CPN Message). This information, commonly referred to as caller ID information, may comprise the calling party's telephone number or name.
Telephones capable of displaying caller ID information are increasingly common. In fact, caller ID services are one of a group of network-provided enhanced services known as custom local area signaling services (CLASS). Telecordia Technologies, Inc., Morristown, N.J., originally Bellcore, has defined three classes of caller ID services, known respectively as Type I, Type II, and Type III. In the Type I service, a phone is equipped with a Frequency Shift Key (FSK) detector, a controller, and a display. When a call is placed to the phone, a SPCS server situated within the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) activates a corresponding FSK generator also situated within the PSTN to transmit to the phone a FSK signal encoding the caller ID information. At the phone, as indicated in
FIG. 1
, when a first ring is detected, step
100
, the controller enables the FSK detector, step
102
, which listens for a FSK signal. If a FSK signal is detected before the second ring, the Yes branch of decision point
104
, it is demodulated to obtain the caller ID information. That information is then displayed, step
106
. If, however, the FSK signal is not detected before the second ring, the No branch of decision point
104
, the FSK detector is disabled, step
110
.
In the Type II or Type III service, a phone is also equipped with a Customer Premises Equipment Alerting Signal (CAS) detector. When a call is placed to the phone, as illustrated in
FIG. 5
, the SPCS server first determines if the phone is on-hook or off-hook. If on-hook, the procedure described for the Type I category of service is followed. If off-hook, step
250
, a call waiting/caller ID service is provided in which the server first activates a corresponding CAS generator situated within the PSTN to generate and transmit a CAS signal to the phone, step
252
. The CAS detector at the phone, which has been previously enabled by the controller upon the occurrence of the off-hook condition, listens for the CAS signal, indicated by the No loopback to the beginning of decision point
254
. Upon detecting the CAS signal, indicated by the Yes branch of decision point
254
, the controller mutes the audio channel at the phone, step
256
, and sends a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tone, which serves as an acknowledgement signal. In the case of a Type II unit, the acknowledgement signal is a DTMF ‘D’ tone; in the case of a Type III unit, the acknowledgement signal is a DTMF ‘A’ tone. Muting of the audio channel is required since the FSK signal in one implementation is transmitted at a range of frequencies, 500-2500 Hz, which is within the audio band of 0 to about 3000 Hz.
The controller then enables the FSK detector, step
258
, which listens for an FSK signal. If a FSK signal is detected before a predetermined timeout period, indicated by the Yes branch of decision point
260
, the FSK signal is demodulated and the caller ID information obtained and displayed, step
262
. If there is a timeout before the FSK signal is detected, indicated by the No branch of decision point
260
, the controller un-mutes the audio channel, step
264
, and resumes listening for a CAS signal, indicated by the branch from block
264
to the beginning of decision point
254
.
As indicated, the process for the Type III service is identical to that of the Type II category, except that the acknowledgement signal is a DTMF ‘A’ tone. This identifies the Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), that is, the phone, as a Type III unit.
An Analog Display Services Interface (ADSI) is a Telecordia-defined interface and related protocol for bi-directional transmission of data between a SPCS server and an ADSI-compatible phone. The interface is such that an ADSI-compatible phone is backward compatible with a Type III phone. Data transmission to the phone is achieved via the FSK receiver already present in the phone. In early embodiments, data transmission from the phone was achieved by DTMF tones. In later embodiments, a FSK generator was added to a Type III phone, and data transmission from the phone originated from the FSK generator.
The class of services which can be supported through the ADSI is limited to those services which involve communication between a SPCS server and an ADSI-compatible phone, such as the transmission or reception of e-mail messages. However, services involving peer-to-peer communication, that is, direct communication between two CPEs, is not supported by the ADSI even though such services are desirable and unmet by the services supported by the ADSI interface.
Furthermore, it would be desirable to offer such services using the existing infrastructure for caller ID and ADSI services to the extent possible.
Therefore, a need exists for a data communication mechanism that allows peer-to-peer transmission of data over a telecommunications network using the existing infrastructure for CLASS Caller ID FSK signals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the purpose of the invention as broadly described herein, there is provided a method and apparatus for transmitting data between peer CPEs over a telecommunications network using the Caller ID CLASS FSK signaling infrastructure. In one implementation, the telecommunications network is a telephone network such as the PSTN.
In one embodiment, a CPE is a device known as a dataphone. In one implementation, the dataphone is an ADSI-compatible telephone to which is added a CAS generator. In another implementation, the dataphone is a Type II or Type III phone to which is added an FSK generator and a CAS generator.
However derived, the dataphone includes a CAS detector, an FSK receiver, a CAS transmitter, an FSK transmitter, a controller, and a display configured to provide peer-to-peer data communication functionality. In one implementation, these components are also configured to provide ADSI-compatible functionality. In a second implementation, these components are also configured to provide Type II or Type III caller ID functionality. In one implementation, the dataphone further includes a CODEC, a user interface such as a keypad, and a storage device, such as computer memory accessible by the controller.
The CAS generator is configured to generate a CAS signal upon being enabled by the controller. The CAS detector is configured to detect an incoming CAS signal from a calling dataphone upon being enabled by the controller. The FSK generator, upon being enabled by the controller, is configured to transmit to a target dataphone information in the form of FSK signals. The FSK receiver, upon being enabled by the controller, is configured to receive incoming FSK signals from a calling dataphone, and demodulate the same to provide the underlying information.
A peer-to-peer data communication proceeds as follows, it being assumed that a call has previously been made by the calling dataphone to a target dataphone, and a circuit established between the two over the telecommunications network (which in one implementation is the PSTN) upon the target phone being place in an off-hook condition. Accordingly, it is further assumed that the CAS detector of the target dataphone has been enabled in accordance with Type II or Type III functionality.
First, a CAS sign
Beamish Norman J.
Saunders Robert S.
Walley John S.
Yung Raymond Hon Mo
Conexant Systems Inc.
Kuntz Curtis
Lyon & Lyon LLP
Tran Quoc D.
LandOfFree
Peer-to-peer data transfer using pre-existing caller ID... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Peer-to-peer data transfer using pre-existing caller ID..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Peer-to-peer data transfer using pre-existing caller ID... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2556468