Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02568095 2006-11-20
TELEPHONE STATUS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
This application ins a Divisional of Application Ser. No. 2,299,422, filed
lunc 23, 1998.
s FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to telephone status notification systems in
general, and
more particularly to the use of computer networks to relay the status of one
or more tclcphones.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to provide users connected via a computer terminal to a computer
network
to with details of the network .connection status of other users similarly
connected. U.S. Patent No.
6,798,873 to Vardi discloses a system for providing a user with the network
address, network
connection status, and availlability status of one or more users, to enable
them, for example, to
initiate a point to point connection with each other.
Public telephone systems, as presently constituted, generally only provide the
status of
t a a telephone at the time onE; attempts to establish a connection with it.
Thus, one gets a busy
signal, call waiting signal, or a ringing tone, etc. Some telephone carriers
provide a service
whereby a person who calls another party and receives a busy signal will be
alerted when the
telephone number called becomes available, but again status information is
provided conditionally
on having dialled a number previously. The ability to get an on-line report on
the status of one or
z o more telephone numbers automatically, or of receiving the logical status
set by a user regarding
his availability for a telephone call, as separate from its actual physical
status, independent of the
need to try to call the desired number, does not exist today among telephone
carriers or telephune
devices connected to the public telephone system, or the telephone line at
home (as opposed to the
carrier), or among telephone owners today. However, in general, all the
necessary information
zs exists or can be acquired, and c:an be made available by telephone
carriers, by a telephone device
which is connected to the system, or the telephone line at home which is
connected to the public
system, or by the telephone owner. PABXs and other specialized telephony
systems such as call
centers, telephony help desks, or Automatic Call Distribution Systems do
possess the possibility
of getting the status of their extensions, but while this information may be
available to users
s o cunnected to such systems by various known methods, it is not available to
seeking users of the
general public who are not subscribers or extensions of such systems.
CA 02568095 2006-11-20
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide a system for requesting the status of a
telephone line, recognizing the status, and passing on the status to one or
more requesting
computer network addresses. The system additionally provides for automatic
call-back and
conferencing once a telephone line's status has been determined.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present
invention a telephone line status notification system including at least one
telephone line having a
status, a communications network, at least one communications terminal which
is connectable to
the communications network and which is employable by a seeking user to
communicate via the
communications network a status request concerning the status of the at least
one telephone line,
apparatus for processing the status request the apparatus for processing is
connectable to the
communications network for receiving the status request from the seeking user
therethrough and
communicating the request, and apparatus for acquiring the status of the at
least one telephone
line, the apparatus for acquiring is in communication with the apparatus for
processing for
receiving the status request therefrom, and the apparatus for acquiriteg is
connectable to the
communications network for communicating the status via the communications
network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
status
request includes a unique identiLication of any of the users.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention
apparatus is included for identifying a network address associated with the
unique identification.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention at
least one server is included which is connectable to the communications
network.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
either
of the apparatus for acquiring and the apparatus for processing is resident in
the at least one
server.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodim~t of the present invention the
apparatus for processing is resident in the communications terminal employable
by the seeking
user.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention a
communications terminal employable by a sought user and connectable to the
communications
network is included.
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Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention a
telephone connectable to the telephone tine is included.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
apparatus for acquiring is resident in the telephone.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
apparatus for acquiring is resident in the communications terminal employable
by the sought user,
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
sought user communicates the status to the apparatus for acquiring via the
communications
terminal employable by the sought user.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
telephone line is part of a PABX system, and the status is communicated to a
user nat regularly
connected to the PABX system..
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a
cellular
telephone in communication with the communications terminal employable by the
seeking user is
induded.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention a
cellular telephone in cornmunic~ation with the communications terminal
employable by the sought
user is included,
Additionally in accardance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention a the
communications terminal emplayable by the seeking user is a cellular
telephone.
Moreover in accordance with a prefemd embodiment of the present invention the
communications terminal employable by the sought user is a cellular telephone.
Further in accordrunce with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
communications terminal employable by the sought user is adapted to receive a
call-back request
from the seeking user and initiate a call to the seeking user via the
telephone line.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
seeking user has a telephone line status, and the communications terminal
employable by the
sought user is further adapted to initiate the call to the seeking user once
the seeking user
telephone line status has been determined.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
sought user has a telephone line status, and the communications terminal
employable by the
CA 02568095 2006-11-20
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sought user is further adapted to initiate the call to the seeking user once
the sought user
telephone line status has been determined.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
sought user has a telephone line status, the seeking user has a telephone line
status, and the
communications terminal employable by the sought user is further adapted to
initiate the call to
the seeking user once either of the sought user telephone line status and the
seeking user
telephone line status has been determined.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
apparatus
is included for conferencing connectable to the communications network and
adapted to receive a
conferencing request from the seeking user and initiate a conference call
between the seeking user
and at least one sought user.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
apparatus for conferenciag is further adapted to fast initiate a call to the
seeking user and
telephonically receive from the seeking user either of a telephone number of
the sought user and
an identifier associated with a telephone number of the sought user.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
at least one sought user has a telephone line status, and the apparatus for
conferencing is further
adapted to initiate the conference call once the sought user telephone line
status has been
determined.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
seeking user has a telephone line status, and the apparatus for conferencing
is further adapted to
initiate the conference call once the seeking user telephone line status has
been determined.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
at
least one seeking user has a telephone line status, the at least one sought
user has a telephone line
status, and the apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate the
conference call once
either of the seeking user telephone line status and the sought user telephone
line status has been
determined.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
apparatus for acquiring maintains at least one telephone number associated
with at least one
sought user,
CA 02568095 2006-11-20
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
either of the apparatus for acquiring and the apparatus for processing
includes apparatus for
checking the status request from the seeking user for an authorization.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
5 communications network is the Internet.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
cellular telephone is adapted to communicate using either of IP protocols and
non-IP protocols.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the
present invention a method for providing telephone line status, the method
including providing at
least one telephone line having a status, providing a communications network,
communicating via
the communications network a status request from a seeking user, the status
request concerning
the status of the at least one telephone line, acquiring the status of the at
least one telephone line,
and communicating the status via the communications network, thereby providing
the telephone
line status.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
communicating via the communications network a status request step includes
communicating a
unique identification of any of the users.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
method includes identifying a network address associated with the unique
identification.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
acquiring step includes acquiring the status of the at least one telephone
line from a sought user.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
method includes the steps of receiving a call-back request from the seeking
user at a sought user,
and initiating a call-back to the seeking user from the sought user via the
telephone line.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
method includes the steps of receiving a cooferencing request from the seeking
user, and initiating
a conference call between the seeking user and at least one sought user.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
initiating step includes initiating once either of the seeking user's
telephone line status and the
sought user's telephone line status has been determined.
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Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the
acquiring step includes checking the status request from the seeking user for
an authorization.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the
communicating the status step includes communicating the status.to either of
the seeking user and
a recipient indicated in the status request.
It is noted that throughout the specification and claims the phrase "status of
a
telephone," "status of a telephone number," or derivations and pemwtations
thereof refer to
whether a telephone line at a given telephone number is physically in use or
not, or whether it is
logically "in use" or not, that is, whether or not the end-user or owner of a
telephone line wishes
to be contacted there through specifically by a telephone.
It is further noted that throughout the specification and claims the term
"PABX"
encompasses other specialized telephony systems such as call centers,
telephony help desks, or
Automatic Call Distribution Systems
It is further noted that throughout the specification and claims the term
"user"
l5 encompasses any entity, preferably human, that operates a computer or other
communications
terminal, preferably for the purpose of connecting to and communicating via a
communications
network. It is further noted that the term "seeking user" encompasses any user
who requests the
status of a telephone line, It is further noted that the term "sought user"
encompasses any user
whose telephone line status is desired by a seeking user. It is further noted
that the term
"Internet" encompasses other communications systems using the Internet
Protocol such as, but
not limited to, "Intranet" and "Extranet" networks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be understood and appreciated from the following
detailed
description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Fig, 1 is a simplified block diagram of a telephone status notification system
constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the
following detailed description wherein reference is made, purely by way of
example, to the
following embodiments.
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Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which is a simplified block diagram of a
telephone status notification system constructed and operative in accordance
with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. A user 10 wishes to determine the status
of a telephone line
14 associated with a user 12. User 10 typically sends a request for telephone
line status
s information to a request server 16. The request typically comprises the
telephone number, or other
information identifying telephone line 14 associated with user 12. User 10
typically sends the
request via a computer terminal 18 connectable to a communications network
such as the Internet,
the request being sent using known Internet protocols. It is appreciated that
the request may he
sent by user 10 using any known messaging means, or may be sent via client
software running on
io computer terminal 18. User 10 may provide a list of such telephone numbers
that is sent to the
request server once for ongoing fulfillment or submitted each time user 10
connects to the
Internet. Additionally or alternatively, user 10 may send individual telephone
number status
requests on an ad hoc basis for one-time fulfillment. Each request typically
comprises information
identifying one or more telephones by their number, owner's name, or by any
other identification
is method. Request server 16 is typically connectable to the Internet and is
capable of receiving the
request of user 10. The request also preferably comprises a unique
identification code and/or
network address identifying user 10, and a unique identification code andior
network address to
which the notification of the status of telephone line 14 is to be sent. The
request may also
comprise one or more telephone numbers associated with user 10. The request
may also comprise
zo a unique identification code and,'or network address identifying user 12.
Any of the network
addresses described hereinabove may be user 10's or user l2's permanent IP
address, should user
14 or user 12 possess one. Where user 10 or user 12 have a dynamic (P address,
the network
address may be identified by other identifying information, such as a
permanent subscriber code
with which the dynamic IP address is related in a given session. Where a
unique identification
zs code is used, apparatus rnay be provided to determine a network address
associated therewith. An
example of this is described with reference to Applicant's U.S. Patent No.
6,798,873.
Request server 16 then typically forwards the request to a telephone status
acquirer
20, typically via the Internet. Telephone status acquirer 20 may be a server
or other apparatus at a
telephone company or other entity to which telephone line statuses may become
known. It is
o appreciated that request server 16 and telephone status acquirer 20 may be
housed within a single
CA 02568095 2006-11-20
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server. It is further appreciated that request server 16 may be embodied
within client software
running on computer terminal 18, being capable of sending a request directly
to the telephone
status acquirer 16 as described hereinabove.
It is appreciated that telephone status acquirer 20 may be embodied within
client
software running on a computer terminal 22 used by user 12 that is connectable
to the Internet.
In ttus case, the client software typically determines the status of telephone
tine 14 by being in
communication with a device that determines the on-hook/off hook status of
telephone line 14.
The device may be attached to the telephone line (a line detector), connected
directly to a
telephone 24, be part of telephone 24 itself, or contained within computer
terminal 22 to which
telephone 24 or telephone tine 14 may be connected via any one of a number of
well-known
interface devices. Alternatively, the client software can be integrated with
and reside in telephone
24. Alternatively, telephone line 14 may be a PABX extension. In this case,
telephone status
acquirer 20 acquires the status from a known and integral part of a PABX
system configured to
determine the status of telephone line 14, and then delivers the status,
typically via the Internet or
other non-PABX connection, to requesting server 16, computer terminal 18, or
whatever
destination or destinations specified in user 10's request. User 12 may
additionally or
alternatively enter the physical status of telephone line 14 into the client
software to indicate that
telephone Line 14 is busy, available, etc., and/or "logical" telephone
statuses such as "available/not
available far calls," or more detailed status information such as "available
for calls, but only to the
following list of users..." and the like.
User 12 may additionally or alternatively enter one or more telephone numbers
with
which user 12 is associated into the client software. Should user 10 not know
with which
telephone number user 12 is associated, or otherwise not wish to refer to user
12 by a telephone
number, user 10 may include information in his request identifying user 12 by
means other than a
telephone number. In this case, the status returned typically includes a
telephone number or
numbers entered by user 12 into client software as descrihed hereinahove.
Alternatively, user 10
may request the statuses of telephone numbers user 12 uses regularly,
typically with telephone
status acquirer 20 or request server 16 storing one or more telephone numbers
recently used by
user 12.
Requesting server 16 or telephone status acquirer 20 may be provided with
means for
checking the authorization of user 10 to request the status of telephone line
14 before divulging
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such. For example, the status may only be divulged if user 10 possesses a
certain security rating
or a certain level of account, or if user 10 provides a given password.
In response to the request forwarded from request server 16, telephone status
acquirer 20 preferably sends the requested status information to the
destination address or
S addresses indicated by user 10. It is appreciated that user 10's request may
specify different
destinations depending on the nature of the status determination.
User 10 may alternatively input telephone line status requests into a cellular
telephone
26. In this case, the cellular telephone company, or the Internet Service
Provider with which
cellular telephone 26 is in contact, typically forwards the request to request
server 16 as described
hereinabove. Client software may reside in cellular telephone 26. Cellular
telephone 26 may
additionally be connected to the Internet or other communications network. The
client software
residing in cellular telephone 26 typically generally functions as described
hereinabove with
reference to computer terminal 18, with telephone status information
preferably being displayed
on cellular telephone 26's display. It is appreciated that request server 16
may be embodied
within client software running on cellular telephone 26 being capable of
sending a request directly
to the telephone status acquirer 16 as described hereinabove. It is further
appreciated that cellular
telephone 26 may be used alone or in combination with computer terminal 18,
and that cellular
telephone 26 may communicate using IP or other protocols.
User 12 may additionally or alternatively communicate via a cellular
telephone, which
may comprise any of the client software and functionality described herein
with reference to
computer terminal 22 and telephone 24. It is appreciated that the cellular
telephone of user 12
may be used alone or in combination with computer terminal 22 and telephone
24, and that the
cellular telephone of user 12 may communicate using IP or other protocols.
It is appreciated that the client software described hereinabove with
reference to the
cellular telephones of users 10 and 12 may reside in a computer located
remotely from the cellular
telephone. In this case, communication between the cellular telephones of
users 10 and 12 and
the client may use IP or other protocols.
It will be appreciated that a notification system as described hereinabove may
be used
to provide other kinds of status information, for example the statures of
monitors, sensors, yr
measuring apparatus and/or logical statures input by the user. It will be
further appreciated that a
notification system as described hereinabove may be used in conjunction with
IP telephones
CA 02568095 2006-11-20
designed for use with the Internet, where the IP telephones comprise computer
circuitry and voice
processing capability. In addition, a notification and acquisition system as
described hereinabove
may be used in conjunction with communication devices using CATV as part of
the network
infrastructure.
5 It is appreciated that once user 10 receives telephone number and other
status
information associated with user 12 as described hereinabove, or once it is
stored in his client
software, user !0 may send a request to computer terminal 22, typically via
the Internet, for a
telephone call to be placed from user 12 to user 10. Client software residing
in computer terminal
22 may automatically place a call to user 10 either immediately, or when the
telephone line
10 statures of user 10 and/or user 12 become known to computer terminal 22.
User 10 may alternatively send a request, typically via the Internet, to an
operator or
an automatic telephone switch 28 to initiate two calls, one to user 10 and one
to user 12, and
conference the two calls using known conferencing means. User 10 typically can
configure his
client software to send the telephone numbers for himself and for user 12, or
other means of
IS identifying user 10 and user 12, in addition to billing information
indicating who should be billed
for the call, along with proper authorization. User 10 may request a
conference call with more
than one user by sending multiple telephone numbers and/or identifiers in this
manner. User 10
may additionally indicate if a conference call is to be tried immediately,
with calls to be
conferenced-in as the specified telephone numbers become available, or tried
only when all the
telephone numbers requested for a conference are known to be available, such
as through
requesting the status of the telephone numbers as described hereinabove. User
10 may also
initiate a call back, delivering his telephone number and availability to an
automated switch, to be
conferenced with one of the switch's outgoing dialing lines, User 10 may
additionally indicate if a
call back is to be tried immediately or tried only when the telephone number
with which the call
back is concerned is known to be available, such as through requesting the
status of the telephone
number as described hereinabove.
It is appreaated that various featwes of the invention which are, for clarity,
described
in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in
a single
embodiment. Conversely, various featwes of the invartion which are, for
brevity, described in the
context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any
suitable combination.
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It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present
invention is not
limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather,
the scope of the
present invention is defined only by the claims that follow:
