US5809128A — Method and apparatus permitting notification and …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 94 words

In a public switched telephone network providing telephone link blocked call redirection, a method permitting notification and control of redirected calls over a data communications network, the method comprising the steps of: using a telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via said data communications network; receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; establishing a data path over said data network to a subscriber proxy; and using said data path to provide said proxy with a message containing a dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 94 words

In a public switched telephone network providing telephone link blocked call redirection, a method permitting notification and control of redirected calls over a data communications network, the method comprising the steps of: using a telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via said data communications network; receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; establishing a data path over said data network to a subscriber proxy; and using said data path to provide said proxy with a message containing a dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: receiving a call waiting message at said computer corresponding to a telephone call to said dial number; and processing said call waiting message to produce an output perceptible by a person.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 2 in which said call waiting message includes caller identification information.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method according to claim 3 where said caller identification information includes automatic number identification.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method according to claim 3 where said caller identification information includes calling line identification information.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 2 further including the step of: communicating a control message to said proxy operable to cause the proxy to establish a voice path between the proxy and said telephone call.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 6 further including the step of: communicating a control message to said proxy operable to cause the proxy to provide a selected pre-recorded audio message to said voice path.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 2 further including the step of: communicating a control message to said proxy operable to instruct the proxy to establish a communications path between said computer and said telephone call.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 8 further including the steps of: converting audible sounds proximate to said computer into digital audio messages representative of said sounds; and providing said digital audio messages to said communications path.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 8 further including the step of: receiving digital audio messages over said communications path and converting said digital messages to corresponding audible sounds.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 10 further including the steps of: converting audible sounds proximate to said computer into digital audio messages representative of said sounds; and providing said digital audio messages to said communications path.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 2 where said output comprises messages visually perceptible on a video display connected to said computer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 12 where said output includes audible sounds.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 2 where said output includes audible sounds.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 116 words

In a public switched telephone network (PSTN) providing telephone link blocked call redirection, a method permitting notification and control of redirected calls over a data communications network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a message over said data communications network containing a subscriber dial number and a unique data network address; storing said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address; receiving a telephone call forwarded by the PSTN; obtaining dialed number information from the PSTN; comparing the dialed number information to stored subscriber dial number information; and for matching number information, providing a call waiting message to said data network addressed to said unique data network address corresponding to the dialed number information.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 116 words

In a public switched telephone network (PSTN) providing telephone link blocked call redirection, a method permitting notification and control of redirected calls over a data communications network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a message over said data communications network containing a subscriber dial number and a unique data network address; storing said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address; receiving a telephone call forwarded by the PSTN; obtaining dialed number information from the PSTN; comparing the dialed number information to stored subscriber dial number information; and for matching number information, providing a call waiting message to said data network addressed to said unique data network address corresponding to the dialed number information.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 15 further including the step of: receiving caller identification information from the PSTN and including said caller identification information in said call waiting message.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method according to claim 16 where the caller identification information includes automatic number identification information.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method according to claim 16 where the caller identification information includes calling line identification information.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 15 further including the step of: periodically transmitting messages to said unique data network address requesting a reply for confirmation of the presence of a computer at said unique data network address.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 15 further including establishing a voice path connection with the PSTN.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 20 including providing a pre-recorded audio message to said voice path.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 20 including providing a pre-recorded audio message to said voice path, said message corresponding to the dialed number information.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 20 including the steps of: receiving a control message over said data network corresponding to said unique data network address; and providing a selected pre-recorded audio message to said voice path dependent on the control message contents.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 23 further including the steps of: receiving digital audio messages from said unique data network address; and converting said digital messages to corresponding audio signaling for insertion into said voice path.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 20 further including the steps of: converting audio signaling from the voice path to received digital audio messages representative of said audio signaling; and providing said received digital audio messages to the data network addressed to said unique data network address.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 20 further including the steps of: receiving digital audio messages from said unique data network address: and converting said digital messages to corresponding audio signaling for insertion into said voice path.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 125 words

In a public switched telephone network (PSTN) providing telephone link blocked call redirection, a method permitting notification and control of redirected calls over a data communications network, the method comprising the steps of: activating blocked call forwarding for a subscriber telephone link having a subscriber dial number associated therewith; providing a second dial number corresponding to a subscriber proxy for redirection of blocked calls to said subscriber telephone link; using said telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via said data communications network; receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; and establishing a data path over said data network to said subscriber proxy and providing said proxy with said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 125 words

In a public switched telephone network (PSTN) providing telephone link blocked call redirection, a method permitting notification and control of redirected calls over a data communications network, the method comprising the steps of: activating blocked call forwarding for a subscriber telephone link having a subscriber dial number associated therewith; providing a second dial number corresponding to a subscriber proxy for redirection of blocked calls to said subscriber telephone link; using said telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via said data communications network; receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; and establishing a data path over said data network to said subscriber proxy and providing said proxy with said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 67 words

The method of claim 27 including the steps of: receiving a blocked call forwarded by the PSTN to said second dial number; obtaining dialed number information from the PSTN; comparing the dialed number information to stored subscriber dial number information; and for matching number information, providing a call waiting message to said data network addressed to said unique data network address corresponding to the dialed number information.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 28 further including the steps of: receiving said call waiting message at said computer; and the computer processing said call waiting message to produce an output perceptible by a person.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 29 in which the proxy receives caller identification information from the PSTN and includes said caller identification information in said call waiting message.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method according to claim 30 where the caller identification information includes automatic number identification information.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method according to claim 30 where the caller identification information includes calling line identification information.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 29 where said output comprises messages visually perceptible on a video display connected to said computer.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 33 where said output includes audible sounds.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 29 where said output includes audible sounds.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method according to claim 29, further including the steps of: establishing a voice path between the blocked call and the proxy; said computer delivering a selection message to said data network; said proxy receiving said selection message from said data network and converting said selection message to a corresponding audio message; and inserting said corresponding audio message into said voice path.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 28 further including the step of: the proxy answering said blocked call to establish a voice path over the PSTN.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 37 including providing pre-selected audio messages to said voice path.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method of claim 37 further including the steps of: converting audio signaling from the voice path to received digital audio messages representative of said audio signaling; delivering said received digital audio messages to the data network addressed to said unique data network address; and said computer receiving said digital audio messages and converting said digital messages to corresponding audible sounds.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 39 further including the steps of: converting audible sounds proximate to said computer into digital audio messages representative of said sounds; delivering said digital audio messages to the data network addressed to said proxy; and receiving said digital audio messages and converting said digital messages to corresponding audio signaling for insertion into said voice path.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 119 words

The method of claim 37 further including the steps of: converting audio signaling received from the voice path to digital messages representative thereof; delivering said digital messages to said data network addressed to said unique data network address; said computer receiving and processing said digital messages into corresponding audible sounds; said computer having a microphone responsive to sounds proximate thereto for producing electrical signaling representative of such proximate sounds; processing microphone signaling into subscriber audio messages representative thereof; delivering said subscriber audio messages to said data network addressed to said proxy; and the proxy receiving said subscriber audio messages from said data network and converting said subscriber audio messages into corresponding audio signaling for insertion into said voice path.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 37 further including the step of inserting pre-recorded voice instructions into said voice path.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 37 further including the steps of: converting audio signaling from said voice path to received audio messages representative thereof; and storing said received audio messages.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 27 further including the step of: said proxy periodically confirming the presence of said computer at said unique data network address.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 81 words

Apparatus including computer readable media having structure storing computer executable instructions comprising: means for using a telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via data communications network; means for receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; means for establishing a data path over said data network to a subscriber proxy; and means for using said data path to provide said proxy with a message containing a dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 81 words

Apparatus including computer readable media having structure storing computer executable instructions comprising: means for using a telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via data communications network; means for receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; means for establishing a data path over said data network to a subscriber proxy; and means for using said data path to provide said proxy with a message containing a dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus of claim 45 wherein the computer readable media includes media selected from at least one of: magnetically recordable diskettes; optically recordable read only memory (CD-ROM); or magneto-optical recordable media.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 110 words

Apparatus including computer readable media having structure storing computer executable instructions comprising: means for receiving a message over a data network containing a subscriber dial number and a unique data network address; means for storing said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address; means for receiving a telephone call forwarded by a public switched telephone network (PSTN); means for obtaining dialed number information from the PSTN; means for comparing the dialed number information to stored subscriber dial number information; and means for, for matching number information, providing a call waiting message to said data network addressed to said unique data network address corresponding to the dialed number information.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 110 words

Apparatus including computer readable media having structure storing computer executable instructions comprising: means for receiving a message over a data network containing a subscriber dial number and a unique data network address; means for storing said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address; means for receiving a telephone call forwarded by a public switched telephone network (PSTN); means for obtaining dialed number information from the PSTN; means for comparing the dialed number information to stored subscriber dial number information; and means for, for matching number information, providing a call waiting message to said data network addressed to said unique data network address corresponding to the dialed number information.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus of claim 47 wherein the computer readable media includes media selected from at least one of: magnetically recordable diskettes; optically recordable read only memory (CD-ROM); or magneto-optical recordable media.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 114 words

Apparatus including computer readable media having structure storing computer executable instructions comprising: means for activating blocked call forwarding for a subscriber telephone link having a subscriber dial number associated therewith; means for providing a second dial number corresponding to a subscriber proxy for redirection of blocked calls to said subscriber telephone link; means for using said telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via a data communications network; means for receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; and means for establishing a data path over said data network to said subscriber proxy and providing said proxy with said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 114 words

Apparatus including computer readable media having structure storing computer executable instructions comprising: means for activating blocked call forwarding for a subscriber telephone link having a subscriber dial number associated therewith; means for providing a second dial number corresponding to a subscriber proxy for redirection of blocked calls to said subscriber telephone link; means for using said telephone link to connect a computer to a data communications service (DCS) via a data communications network; means for receiving a unique data network address from said DCS; and means for establishing a data path over said data network to said subscriber proxy and providing said proxy with said subscriber dial number and said unique data network address.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus of claim 49 wherein the computer readable media includes media selected from at least one of: magnetically recordable diskettes; optically recordable read only memory (CD-ROM); or magneto-optical recordable media.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-09-14	2002-03-16	2002-09-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-09-14	2006-03-16	2006-09-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-09-14	2010-03-16	2010-09-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus permitting notification and control of blocked incoming calls over a data network

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