Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Interaction with an external nontelephone network
Reexamination Certificate
1996-06-28
2001-10-02
Hoosain, Allan (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Interaction with an external nontelephone network
C379S219000, C379S244000, C379S901000, C379S220010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298120
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a method for establishing communication over a computer network and more particularly to a method for establishing communication over the Internet with Intelligent processing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Intelligent network telephone call processing is now quite common. For example, when an “800” number or “toll-free” number is dialed, the call can be routed to a regular telephone number, and the charge for that call may be billed to the called number. In order to process the call, a database is queried to determine or define the actual destination for the call. Characteristics concerning the handling of the call, such as routing, can thus involve not only the dialed number, but also various other factors, such as the location where the call originated, information indicating the history of the caller, and the day of the week or the time of day that the call is being made.
FIG. 1
shows in simplified form an intelligent telephone network
100
. Telephone network
100
comprises originating stations
102
and
104
, destination stations
114
and
116
, and long-distance network
118
, illustratively the AT&T network. Originating stations
102
and
104
are representative of a plurality of network endpoints, the remainder of which are not shown for clarify of exposition. Only those portions of the telephone network necessary for completing calls from an originating station to a destination station are shown.
LEC networks
106
,
108
,
110
, and
112
contain switching machines
120
,
122
,
124
, and
126
, respectively. Switching machines
120
,
122
,
124
, and
126
are capable of connecting to the long distance network
118
. Such switching machines are well known and may be, for example, AT&T 5ESS® switch. Long distance network
118
comprises switching machines
128
and
130
, network control point (NCP)
132
and optional adjunct processor
136
. NCP
132
is of a type well known in the art, an example of which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,860. Switching machines
128
and
130
, NCP
132
, and AP
136
are interconnected in the manner shown by signaling network
138
, represented by dashed lines. Signaling network
138
, which may be an SS
7
system, for example, allows switching machines
128
and
130
to query NCP
132
. Information received in response to such queries may be returned to the switch in the form of data messages. Originating stations
102
and
104
, destination stations
114
and
116
, switching machines
120
,
122
,
124
, and
126
, and switching machines
128
and
130
are interconnected by information links
140
in the manner shown. Information links
140
are of well known types for interconnecting communicating apparatus and can carry at least voice, data and video.
Depending upon the particular arrangement of the elements in network
100
, switch
128
may, responsive to receipt of a dialed number recognized as a number requiring “intelligent call processing,” launch a query, via the signaling network
138
, to the NCP
132
, in order to retrieve a destination number that is associated with the dialed number. After the query is launched, the destination number corresponding to the dialed number may be ascertained and returned to switch
128
, assuming there is an appropriate entry in NCP
132
. This destination number is then used to route the call through the other elements of network
100
to the appropriate destination, such as destination station
114
.
It should be noted that the signaling path between the switches
128
and
130
and the NCP
132
, denoted by signaling network
138
, is distinct from the actual communication path between any of the originating stations
102
and
104
and any of the destination stations
114
and
116
. That is, the query from the switch
128
to the NCP
132
employs out-of-band signaling to provide intelligent call services such as 800, 900 and ISDN services. In contrast, in-band signaling is carried along the same communication path as the data. For example, in a conventional telephone call, in-band signaling may be accomplished by touch tone dialing, in which numbers are pressed on the telephone keypad to transmit signals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present inventors have recognized that it would be advantageous to provide networks other than the telephone network with out-of-band signaling capabilities so that an origination station or client may perform a transaction having service attributes requiring intelligent processing.
The present invention provides a method for establishing communication between an originating station and a destination station over a computer network such as the Internet, for example. In accordance with the invention, at least one service attribute requested by the originating station is received over a signaling path. A communication path is then established between the originating and destination stations in conformance with the requested service attribute. The signaling path is an out-of-band signaling path with respect to the communication path.
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Colin, “The Internet Telephony Red Herring” Hewlett Packard Publication, May 15, 1996.
Civanlar Seyhan
Leighton, III William J.
Saksena Vikram R.
AT&T Corp.
Hoosain Allan
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