(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`5 April 2001 (05.04.2001)
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/24501 A1
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 7
`
`: H04M 7/00,3/42
`
`(21) International Application Number: PCT/US00/26618
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`27 September 2000 (27.09.2000)
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`09/406,321
`
`27 September 1999 (27.09.1999) US
`
`(63) Related by continuation (CON) or continuation-in-part
`(CIP) to earlier application:
`US
`Filed on
`
`09/406,321 (CON)
`27 September 1999 (27.09.1999)
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): 3COM
`CORPORATION [US/US]; 3800 Golf Road, Rolling
`Meadows, IL 60008 (US).
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only):
`
`SCHUSTER.,
`
`Guido, M. [CHIUS]; Apartment 408, 1433 Perry Street,
`Des Plaines, IL 60016 (US). DEAN, Frederick, D.
`[US/US]; 2311 N. Greenview Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614
`(US). MAHLER, .Jerry, .J. [US/US]; 20 Country Club
`Drive, #B, Prospect Heights, IL 60070 (US). GRABIEC,
`.Jacek, A. [PL/US]; 5903 W. Wilson, Chicago, IL 60630
`(US). SIDHU, Ikhlaq, S. [US/US]; 403 River Grove Lane,
`Vernon Hills, IL 60061 (US).
`
`(74) Agent: PEREZ, Enrique; McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert &
`Berghoff, 32nd Floor, 300 South Wacker Drive, Chicago,
`IL 60606 (US).
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU,
`AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ,
`DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR,
`HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
`LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ,
`NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM,
`TR, TT, TZ, VA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian
`patent(AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`
`[Continued on next page]
`
`(54) Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TELEPHONE SERVICE USING A WIRELESS PERSONAL IN(cid:173)
`FORMATION DEVICE
`
`iiiiOiiiiiiii -iiiiOiiiiiiii -iiiiOiiiiiiii
`
`iiiiOiiiiiiii
`
`iiiiOiiiiiiii -
`iiiiOiiiiiiii -
`
`iiiiOiiiiiiii
`
`~
`Q
`· -
`II') (57) Abstract: A system and method for controlling telephony service to a user with a wireless personal information device (PID).
`~ The user may connect to a telephony control server via a data network. The telephony control server has access to the user's telephony
`S uses the wireless cellular infrastructure to connect to a data network gateway or server. Once the connection is made, the user issues
`...._ account which indicates the user's telephone number in a telephone number entry. The user connection is by a wireless PID that
`0 may then invoke a contacts application in the wireless PID and select a person from the contacts list to call. The user selects the
`:;;,..... entry in the contact application to send a command to initiate a telephone connection between the party selected and the user at the
`~ telephone set at the telephony control server.
`
`a command to set the telephone number entry in the user's data network telephony account to a specific telephone number. The user
`
`Bright House Networks - Ex. 1010, Page 459
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`

`
`WO 01/24501 A1
`
`llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE,
`IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG,
`CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of
`amendments.
`
`Published:
`With international search report.
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refor to the "Guid(cid:173)
`ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin(cid:173)
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.
`
`Bright House Networks - Ex. 1010, Page 460
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`

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`WOOl/24501
`
`PCT/US00/26618
`
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TELEPHONE SERVICE
`USING A WIRELESS PERSONAL INFORMATION DEVICE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`A.
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunication, and more
`
`particularly to methods by which a personal information ~evice ("PID") can be used to
`
`control a telephone system.
`
`B.
`
`Description of Related Art and Advantages of the Present Invention
`For many years, telephone service providers on the Public Switched Telephone
`
`Network (PSTN) provided their customers nothing more than a telephone line to use
`
`to communicate with other subscribers. Over time, telephone service providers have
`
`enhanced their service by providing Custom Local Area Signaling Service (CLASS)
`
`features to their customers. Similar communication services are provided by a Private
`
`Branch Exchange (PBX), which is typically implemented in a nonresidential setting.
`
`The CLASS features permit customer subscribers of the features to tailor their
`
`telephone service according to individual needs. Some of the more well-known
`
`CLASS features are:
`
`• Call blocking: The customer may specify one or more numbers from which
`
`he or she does not want to receive calls. A blocked caller will hear a rejection
`
`message, while the callee will not receive any indication of the call.
`
`• Call return: Returns a call to the most recent caller. If the most recent
`
`caller is busy, the returned call may be queued until it can be completed.
`
`• Call trace: Allows a customer to trigger a trace of the number of the most
`
`recent caller.
`
`• Caller ID: The caller's number is automatically displayed during the silence
`
`period after the first ring. This feature requires the customer's line to be equipped with
`
`a device to read and display the out-of-band signal containing the number.
`
`• Caller ID blocking: Allows a caller to block the display of their number in
`
`a callee's caller ID device.
`
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`• Priority ringing: Allows a customer to specify a list of numbers for which.
`
`when the customer is called by one of the numbers, the customer will hear a
`
`distinctive ring.
`
`• Call forwarding: A customer may cause incoming calls to be automatically
`
`forwarded to another number for a period of time.
`
`A customer subscriber to a CLASS feature may typically activate and/or de(cid:173)
`
`activate a CLASS feature using "*" directives (e.g., *69 to automatically return a call
`
`to the most recent caller). CLASS features may also be implemented with the use of
`
`out-of-band data. CLASS feature data is typically transmitted between local Class-5
`
`switches using the Signaling System 7 (SS7).
`
`Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) and other similar organizations maintain
`
`CLASS offices that typically contain a database entry for each customer. The
`
`database allows specification of the CLASS features a customer has subscribed to, as
`
`well as information, such as lists of phone numbers, associated with those features. In
`
`some cases, customers may edit these lists on-line via a touch-tone interface. A list of
`
`all phone numbers that have originated or terminated a call with each customer is
`
`often included in the CLASS office database. For each customer, usually only the
`
`most recent number on this list is stored by the local Class-5 switch.
`
`A Private Branch Exchange (PBX), is a stored program switch similar to a
`
`Class-5 switch. It is usually used within a medium-to-large-sized business for
`
`employee telephony service. Since a PBX is typically operated by a single private
`
`organization, there exists a wide variety of PBX services and features. Custom
`
`configurations are common, such as integration with intercom and voice mail systems.
`
`PBX's typically support their own versions of the CLASS features, as well as other
`
`features in addition to those of CLASS. Most PBX features are designed to facilitate
`
`business and group communications.
`
`A summary of typical PBX features includes:
`
`• Call transfer: An established call may be transferred from one number to
`
`another number on the same PBX.
`
`• Call forwarding: In addition to CLASS call forwarding, a PBX number can
`
`be programmed to automatically transfer a call to another number when the first
`
`number does not answer or is busy.
`
`2
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`• Camp-on queuing: Similar to PSTN call return, a call to abusy number can
`
`be queued until the callee can accept it. The caller can hang up their phone and the
`
`PBX will ring them when the callee answers.
`
`• Conference calling: Two or more parties can be connected to one another
`
`by dialing into a conference bridge number.
`
`• Call parking: An established call at one number can be put on hold and
`
`then reestablished from another number. This is useful when call transfer is not
`
`warranted.
`
`• Executive override: A privileged individual can break into an established
`
`call. After a warning tone to the two participants, the call becomes a three-way call.
`
`While the CLASS and PBX features have enhanced the offerings of service
`
`providers that use the PSTN, the features are nevertheless limited in their flexibility
`
`and scope. The effect to the user is that the features become clumsy and difficult to
`
`use. For example, in order to use the Call Forwarding function, the user must
`
`perform the steps at the user's own phone prior to moving to the location of the
`
`telephone to which calls will be forwarded. A more desirable approach, from the
`
`standpoint of usefulness to the user, would be to perform the steps at the telephone to
`
`which calls will be forwarded.
`
`Much of the lack of flexibility of the PSTN features is due to the lack of
`
`flexibility in the PSTN system itself. One problem with the PSTN is that the terminal
`
`devices (e.g. telephones) lack intelligence and operate as "dumb" terminals on a
`
`network having the intelligence in central offices. Most PSTN telephones are limited
`
`in functional capability to converting the analog signals they receive to sound and
`
`converting the sound from the handset to analog signals.
`
`Some PSTN telephones have a display device and a display function to display
`
`specific information communicated from intelligent agents in the PSTN network using
`
`the PSTN signaling architecture. For example, some PSTN telephones have a display
`
`function to enable the Caller ID feature. Even such PSTN telephones are limited
`
`however by the closed PSTN signaling architecture, which prohibits access by the
`
`PSTN telephones to the network signaling protocols. The display functions are
`
`effectively limited to displaying text, again, as a "dumb" terminal.
`
`3
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`The Internet presents a possible solution for distributing intelligence to
`
`telephony terminal devices. In Internet telephony, digitized voice is treated as data
`
`and transmitted across a digital data network between a telephone calls' participants.
`
`One form of Internet telephony uses a telephony gateway/terminal where IP telephony
`
`calls are terminated on the network. PSTN telephones are connected by a subscriber
`
`line to the gateway/terminal at the local exchange, or at the nearest central office.
`
`This form of Internet telephony provides substantial cost savings for users. Because
`
`the PSTN portion used in Internet telephony calls is limited to the local lines on each
`
`end of the call, long distance calls may be made for essentially the cost of a local call.
`
`It is presently contemplated that Internet service providers with a Point of
`
`Presence on the Internet will be suitable entities to offer Internet telephony services.
`
`The devices that are used by most Internet service providers for Internet access are
`
`known as Network Access Servers or Remote Access Servers. These products are
`
`commercially available from 3Com Corporation and other telecommunications
`
`equipment manufacturers such as Ascend Communications, Lucent Technologies
`
`(successor to Livingston Enterprises), and Multitech.
`
`A representative Network Access Server is the Total Control Enterprise
`
`Network Hub from 3Com Corporation, described in the patent ofDale M. Walsh, et
`
`al., U.S. No. 5,597,595, which is fully incorporated by reference herein. This device
`
`further includes a plurality of digital modems to perform signal conversions on the
`
`data from the telephone line channels and a bus network connecting the modems to a
`
`network interface card or module. The network interface couples the device to a local
`
`or wide are network, such as the Internet service provider backbone network of the
`
`Internet, network Access Servers are particularly suited for use in Internet telephony,
`
`as they can be configured with software to perform the functions of a Gateway or
`
`terminal, as defined by the relevant ITU-T H.323 and H.225 specifications. This is
`
`particularly so ifthe device is configured with a general purpose computing platform
`
`(such as the EdgeServer card of the Total Control Network Access Server), as
`
`described in the pending patent application of William V erthein, Daniel L. Schoo and
`
`Todd Landry, Serial No. 08/813,173, also incorporated by reference herein.
`
`4
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`
`Notwithstanding the costs savings provided by this form of Internet telephony,
`
`it is no more flexible than the PSTN with respect to providing enhancements and
`
`features to the basic telephone service.
`
`In another form oflnternet telephony, telephones are connected to access
`
`networks that access the Internet using a router. The telephones in this form of
`
`Internet telephony may be substantially more intelligent than typical PSTN
`
`telephones. For example, such a telephone may include-substantially the computer
`
`resources of a typical personal computer.
`
`It would be desirable to incorporate CLASS and PBX features into a data
`
`network telephony system that uses a data network such as the Internet.
`
`It would be desirable to provide new features and enhancements to telephony
`
`service that accommodates and conforms to users' needs.
`
`It would also be desirable to provide features and capabilities to telephone
`
`service that create new opportunities for users and for service providers.
`
`The present invention addresses the above needs by providing a system in a
`
`data network telephony system, such as for example, the Internet, that uses a wireless
`
`personal information device (PID to control the telephony system. A user may
`
`configure his or her telephone service by connecting to a telephony control server
`
`using the wireless PID. The wireless PID connection to the telephony control server
`
`may provide a user with the power to control the behavior of the telephone system to
`
`meet the user's needs.
`
`5
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In a first aspect of the present invention, a personal information device (PID) is
`
`provided for controlling telephone service. The PID includes a user interface having a
`
`display and a user input device. A user profile includes a telephone number entered
`
`by a user. A communications function in the PID establishes a data communications
`
`channel over a wireless network to a telephony control server. The telephony control
`
`server contains the user's telephony account. An account update function in the PID
`
`sends a message over the data communication channel to the telephony control server.
`
`The message contains the user profile telephone number and a request to set the user's
`
`telephony account telephone number the user profile telephone number.
`
`In a second aspect of the present invention, a contacts application is added to
`
`the PID to display a plurality of contact entries. Each entry includes a contact
`
`telephone number. The contacts application includes a function to send the contact
`
`telephone number to the telephony control server over the data communications
`
`channel with a message to call the contact telephone number.
`
`In a third aspect of the present invention, a telephony control server includes a
`
`network interface operable to provide data connectivity with a user accessible over a
`
`wireless network. An accounts program accesses a plurality of user accounts. The
`
`accounts program may receive a message to set a user telephone number. Each user
`
`account contains a telephone number entry, which the accounts program can set to the
`
`telephone number entry in response to the message. A connection signaling function
`
`in the telephony control server may receive a call message from the user to establish a
`
`telephone connection between the user telephone number and a callee telephone
`
`number contained in the call message. The connection signaling function initiates a
`
`telephone call having at least a portion ofthe telephone call connected via the data
`
`network.
`
`In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a gateway locator is included in the
`
`telephony control server to locate a user gateway closest to the user telephone number
`
`and to locate a callee gateway closest to the callee telephone number. The telephony
`
`control server initiates the portion of the call connected via the data network between
`
`the user gateway and the callee gateway.
`
`6
`
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`In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for initiating a
`
`data network telephone call using a wireless PID with a display. A contacts
`
`application is started to display a plurality of contact entries on the display of the PID.
`
`One of the contact entries identifying a callee is selected. A data communications
`
`channel is initiated to a telephony control server having a user telephone number. A
`
`message is sent to the telephony control server to establish the telephone call between
`
`the callee and the user by sending a message to call the callee, connecting a telephone
`
`call to the user. and connecting the telephone call to the callee.
`
`These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become
`
`more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of
`
`the present invention.
`
`7
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are described below in
`
`conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals refer
`
`to like elements in the various figures, and wherein:
`
`FIG. 1 is block diagram of a data network telephony system for providing
`
`advertising services in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
`
`FIG. 2A shows one embodiment ofthe system ofFIG. 1;
`
`FIG. 2B shows one example of one of the personal information device (PID) in
`
`FIG. 2A;
`
`FIG. 3 is a pictorial and block diagram showing one example of a user
`
`controlling a telephone system using a wireless PID;
`
`FIG. 4 is a pictorial and block diagram showing another example of a user
`
`controlling a telephone system using a wireless PID;
`
`FIG. 5 is a pictorial and block diagram showing another example of a user
`
`controlling a telephone system using a wireless PID;
`
`FIG. 6 is a pictorial and block diagram showing another example of a user
`
`controlling a telephone system using a wireless PID;
`
`FIG. 7 is a pictorial and block diagram showing another example of a user
`
`controlling a telephone system using a wireless PID;
`
`FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing one example of a method for controlling a
`
`telephone system with a wireless PID; and
`
`FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another example of a method for controlling a
`
`telephone system with a wireless PID.
`
`8
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`The following references to patent applications filed concurrently herewith are
`
`incorporated be reference:
`*
`
`"System and Method for Advertising Using Data Network Telephone
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`*
`
`*
`
`Connections" to Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Providing User-Configured Telephone Service in a
`
`Data Network Telephony System" to Sidhu, et aL
`
`"System and Method for Accessing a Network Server Using a Portable
`
`Information Device Through a Network Based Telecommunication System" to
`
`Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Interconnecting Portable Information Devices
`
`Through a Network Based Telecommunication System" to Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Enabling Encryption on a Telephony Network" to
`
`Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Using a Portable Information Device to Establish a
`
`Conference Call on a Telephony Network" to Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Associating Notes with a Portable Information
`
`Device on a Network Telephony Call" to Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Providing Shared Workspace Services Over a
`
`Telephony Network" to Schuster, et al.
`
`"System and Method for Providing Service Provider Configurations for
`
`Telephones in a Data Network Telephony System" to Schuster, et al.
`
`The following additional references are also incorporated by reference herein:
`
`"Multiple ISP Support for Data Over Cable Networks" to Ali Akgun, et al.
`
`"Method and System for Provisioning Network Addresses in a Data-Over(cid:173)
`
`Cable System" to Ali Akgun, et al., Serial No. 09/218,793.
`
`"Network Access Methods, Including Direct Wireless to Internet Access" to
`
`Yingchun Xu, et al., Serial No. 08/887,313
`
`9
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`A. Data Network Telephony System
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a system 100 for controlling
`
`a telephony system using a wireless personal information device (PID) 110 according
`
`to one embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a data network 106.
`
`A first voice communication device 1 08a may communicate by a voice connection
`
`over the data network 106 by establishing the connection via first access network 112.
`
`The voice connection may be linked to a second voice communication device 1 08b
`
`which is accessed via a second access network 114.
`
`The data network 106 in the system 100 typically includes one or more Local
`
`Area Networks (LANs) connected to one another or to a Wide-Area Network (WAN),
`
`such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network, to provide wide-scale data connectivity.
`
`The data network 106 may use Voice Over Packet (VOP) schemes in which voice
`
`signals are carried in data packets. In one embodiment, the data network 106 may
`
`include one or more LANs such as Ethernet LANs and support data transport
`
`protocols for performing Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoiP) techniques on the
`
`Internet. For further details regarding VoiP, see the information available through the
`
`Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) at www.ietf.org. In addition, an Internet
`
`Telephony gateway may be included within the system 100 to allow for voice
`
`connections to users connected by subscriber lines at a PSTN Central Office.
`
`The first and second voice communication devices 1 08a and 1 08b may include
`
`a direct interface to a data-switched network, such as a LAN. Such voice
`
`communications devices 1 08a,b typically include a voice input, a voice output and a
`
`voice processing system. The voice processing system converts voice sound from the
`
`voice input to digital data signals that are communicated on a voice connection over
`
`the data network. The voice processing system also converts digital data signals
`
`received from the voice connection to voice sound at the voice output. The voice
`
`communication devices 1 08a and 1 08b typically include a central processing unit and
`
`memory to store and process computer programs. Each voice communication device
`
`1 08a and 1 08b typically includes a unique network address, such as an IP address, in
`
`memory to uniquely identify it to data network 106 and permit data packets to be
`
`routed to the device.
`
`10
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`In one embodiment, the voice communication device 1 08a includes a handset
`
`with a receiver and transmitter similar or identical to handsets of traditional circuit(cid:173)
`
`switched telephones. A console on which the handset sits may include the voice
`
`processing system, a display 116 and a keypad 118. The voice communication device
`
`1 08a may also include a speed dial key set 128 programmed, or assigned to initiate
`
`connections to other voice communication devices that may be connected to the data
`
`network 106. In a preferred embodiment, the keys on the speed dial key set 128 may
`
`be programmed remotely by a message carried on a voice connection using a selected
`
`data transport protocol .
`
`One example of the voice communication device 1 08a in a preferred
`
`embodiment is the NBX 1 00™ communication system phones offered by 3Com®
`
`Corporation, that has been modified, as described herein, to perform speed dial
`
`programming. In alternative embodiments, the voice communication device 1 08a
`
`may include any device having voice communications capabilities. For example, a
`
`personal computer having a microphone input and speaker output may also be used as
`
`the voice communication device 1 08a. Other configurations for the user interface are
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`also intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
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`The voice conununication devices 1 08a, 1 08b may also include a typical plain(cid:173)
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`old telephone set (POTS) currently used for circuit-switched telephony in the Public
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`Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
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`The details relating to operation of the voice communication devices 1 08a and
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`1 08b depend on the nature of the data network 106 and the nature of the access
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`networks 112, 114 connecting the voice communication devices 1 08a and 1 08b to
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`each other and/or to other network entities. The access networks 112, 114 typically
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`include any high bandwidth network adapted for data communications, i.e. a network
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`having a bandwidth greater than 64,000 bits-per-second (bps). The access networks
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`112, 114 may link to the voice communication device 108a using an Ethernet LAN, a
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`token ring LAN, a coaxial cable links (e.g. CATV adapted for digital communication),
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`a digital subscriber line (DSL), twisted pair cable, fiberoptic cable, an integrated
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`services digital network (ISDN) link, and wireless links. In embodiments that may
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`not require bandwidth greater than 64,000 bps, the access networks 112, 114 may also
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`include the PSTN and link the voice communications device 1 08a by a subscriber line.
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`ll
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`The system 100 in FIG. 1 shows a telephony control server 120 and an
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`accounts database 122. The telephony control server 120 includes an interface to the
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`data network 106. The purpose of the telephony control server is to provide users of
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`the telephony system with control over their telephony service. Users may subscribe
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`for telephony service from a telephony service provider (e.g. an Internet Service
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`Provider, or ISP). The service provider configures the users' accounts and maintains
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`the accounts in the accounts database 122. The users' account may include
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`information about the user and the user's service provisions. A typical account may
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`include the information shown in Table A.
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`User Account Information
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`• User identifier: a sequence of alphanumeric elements that uniquely identifies
`the user. The user identifier may be formatted as an E.164 telephone number,
`or as a name.
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`• Telephone Number/Identifier: a sequence of alphanumeric elements that
`uniquely identifies the telephone used by the user. The user identifier may be
`formatted as an E.l64 telephone number, or as a number, such as a MAC
`address.
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`• The user's name, address and other information that may be used primarily for
`billing purposes. For example, the user's checking account number, credit
`card number or other financial information may be provided for automatic
`billing and payment capabilities.
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`• User's telephony service features. The user may subscribe, permanently or
`temporarily, to one or more telephony service features offered by the service
`provider. For example:
`+ Voice mail
`+ Caller ID
`+ Call Forwarding with true number portability
`+ Teleconferencing
`• Menu of functions displayed at the telephone
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`• Help menu displayed at the telephone
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`• Speed dial key programming (e.g. speed dial to customer service)
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`• Features as standard offerings - to compete, a provider may offer features that
`normally cost extra (e.g. caller ID, etc.) as standard features
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`• Packaged configurations- Features and offerings may be grouped as
`distinctly priced packages
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`• Functions using PDA connectivity (e.g. Remote Whiteboard communication,
`control oftele hone use throu PDA
`TABLE A
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`The telephony control server 120 is connected to the data network 106 and
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`configured to allow access by users. For example, users may access the telephony
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`control server 120 by connecting to a web page. The telephony control server 120
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`may also include functions to initiate telephone calls using a call management
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`protocol and one or more data communications channels. In a preferred embodiment,
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`the user connects to the telephony control server 120 from a wireless personal
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`information device (PID) 110. The preferred wireless PID 110 is the Palm 7 from
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`3Com.
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`The wireless PID 110 includes wireless communications capabilities to permit
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`connections to be made over a wireless network 112. The wireless network 112
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`preferably includes any cellular telephone network, although other technologies (e.g.
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`infrared, microwave, non-cellular radio, etc.) may be used. The advantage of using
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`cellular radio is that it is widely available.
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`One advantage of the system 100 in FIG. 1 is that a user may use the wireless
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`PDA 110 to control telephony service provided to voice communications devices
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`1 08a,b that interface directly to data connections (i.e. data network telephones) as well
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`as to voice communications devices 108a,b connected to the PSTN. FIG. 2A shows
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`one embodiment ofthe system 100 in FIG. I that provides a user with the capability
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`of controlling telephone service with a wireless PDA, such as the wireless PDA 110.
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`The system 200 shown in FIG. 2A shows a data network telephony system that
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`provides voice over data communication for both PSTN telephones and data network
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`telephones. The system 200 includes a data network telephony system that includes a
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`first data network telephone 208 connected to a first local area network 212. The first
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`local area network provides the data network telephone 208 with access to a data
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`network 206 via a router 218. The first local area network 212 also includes a first
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`connection server 250, which uses a call management protocol to provide data
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`network telephony service to the first data network telephone 208 (and other
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`telephones connected to the local area network 212).
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`The system 200 in-FIG. 2A also includes a second local area network 214 to
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`provide data network access to a second data network telephone 218 via a router 215.
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`A second connection server 238 provides call management services for the second
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`data network telephone 218.
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`13
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`In one embodiment, the system shown in FIG. 2A uses the Session Initiation
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`Protocol (SIP) as a call management protocol to establish, maintain and teardown
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`sessions, or telephone calls between users. There are two major architectural elements
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`to SIP: the user agent (UA) and the network server. The UA resides at the SIP end
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`st