Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-21
2001-03-13
Felber, Joseph L. (Department: 2732)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Combined circuit switching and packet switching
C370S352000, C379S088170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201805
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to computer telephone integration (CTI) and, more specifically, to an improved method and apparatus for utilizing CTI techniques in a packet switched telephone network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telephony over packet networks, particularly over wide area networks such as the Internet, has received considerable attention in recent months. Specifically, scientists have begun exploring the possibility of sending voice and video information streams over packet switched data networks. The transmission of such information streams over packet switched networks can be more cost efficient than traditional telephony, which requires a dedicated circuit between the calling and called party.
Computer telephone integration has been widely applied to traditional telephony methods and apparatus, but has not as yet been successfully applied to the methods and apparatus used for packet network telephony. This invention specifies novel apparatus and methods, supplementary to known packet network telephony apparatus and methods, which enable CTI capabilities in such an environment.
One possible set of methods and apparatus for completing calls over a packet switched network, which calls can handle voice and other information streams, is defined by ITU recommendation H.323. The H.323 standard is available from the International Telecommunications Unit, Geneva and is incorporated herein by reference. The H.323 standard defines various protocols dealing with call control, call setup, call termination, and other similar techniques known to those in the packet network telephony art.
The H.323 standard defines a functional entity called a gatekeeper. The gatekeeper handles network functions such as bandwidth control, zone management, address translation, and admissions control for a designated set of network terminals. While all these functions are further defined in the previously incorporated standard, we set forth two examples below.
Bandwidth control provides a protocol by which the gatekeeper allocates a particular amount of network bandwidth to a particular connection. The gatekeeper can be contacted by either the calling or called party in order to change the amount of bandwidth allocated to a particular call.
As an another example, the gatekeeper performs zone management. This function, as further defined in the H.323 standard, provides a mechanism for allocating sets of different terminals and other nodes in the network to a particular gateway. The H.323 standard provides a mechanism for dynamically altering the allocation of different network nodes to different gatekeepers.
The gatekeeper function provides services analogous to the call processing function within a private branch exchange (PBX) in conventional telephony. In traditional telephony, CTI features are provided by creating an interface between external application software and the call processing function within the PBX. By contrast, in the known packet network telephony art, interfaces to the gatekeeper are only defined from other gatekeepers, end points, and other network entities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other problems of the prior art are overcome and a technical advance is achieved in accordance with the present invention which relates to a packet network telephony call processing device (e.g.; an H.323 gatekeeper) which is arranged to interface with a plurality of external call processing applications programs which may be located on one or more remote computers. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a call processing application computer is connected via a data network to a gatekeeper computer, and these two entities exchange messages in the manner specified by the invention. The gatekeeper computer may be located with one of the terminals or may be located on a separate computer.
The gatekeeper computer and applications computer(s) communicate with one another in order to perform various call control functions over the data network and to provide call information and control to a user of the applications computer. As packet switched telephone connections are set up between various terminals or other nodes, the gatekeeper communicates with one or more application computers in order to provide the call information and call control functions required by the computer telephony applications residing on the application computers. Examples of these functions include establishing and tearing down calls, transferring calls, call conferencing, associating the applications computer with one or more specific end points in the gatekeeper zone for monitoring and control, determining the state of calls at a given end point, and various other functions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5867494 (1999-02-01), Krishnaswamy et al.
Dialogic Corporation
Felber Joseph L.
Kaplan & Gilman LLP
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for computer telephone integration in... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for computer telephone integration in..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for computer telephone integration in... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2536249