Telephone status notification system

US 20060233324A1
Filed: 05/09/2006
Published: 10/19/2006
Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

Patent Images

1. (canceled)

View all claims

6 Assignments

Timeline View

Assignment View

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

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 acquiring is connectable to the communications network for communicating the status via the communications network.

60 Citations

View as Search Results

37 Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method for providing telephone line status information for at least one telephone line via a computer communications network, the method comprising:
- communicating, via said computer communications network, a request concerning the status of said at least one telephone line;
  
  acquiring information regarding the status of said at least one telephone line without calling said at least one telephone line; and
  
  communicating, via said computer communications network, said information regarding said status of said at least one telephone line.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- - 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said communicating, via said computer communications network, a request comprises communicating a unique identification associated with said at least one telephone line.
  - 4. A method according to claim 3 and further comprising identifying a network address associated with said unique identification.
  - 5. A method according to claim 2 and further comprising:
    - receiving a call-back request from at least one first communications terminal connected to said computer communication network at a second communications terminal connected to said at least one telephone line; and
      
      initiating a call-back to said at least one first communications terminal from said second communications terminal via said at least one telephone line.
  - 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said initiating comprises initiating once at least one of a telephone line status of said at least one first communications terminal and a telephone line status of said second communications terminal has been determined.
  - 7. A method according to claim 2 and further comprising:
    - receiving a conferencing request from at least one first communications terminal connected to said computer communication network at a second communications terminal connected to said at least one telephone line; and
      
      initiating a conference call between said at least one first communications terminal and said second communications terminal.
  - 8. A method according to claim 2 wherein said acquiring comprises checking said request for an authorization.

9. A telephone line status notification system, operative to provide telephone line status information for at least one telephone line via a computer communication network, comprising:
- at least one communications terminal which is connectable to said computer communications network and which is employable to communicate via said computer communications network a request concerning status of said at least one telephone line;
  
  apparatus for processing said request wherein said apparatus for processing is connectable to said computer communications network for receiving said request and communicating said request; and
  
  apparatus for acquiring information regarding said status of said at least one telephone line without calling said at least one telephone line, wherein said apparatus for acquiring is in communication with said apparatus for processing for receiving said request therefrom, and wherein said apparatus for acquiring is connectable to said computer communications network for communicating said status via said computer communications network.
- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- - 10. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 wherein said request comprises a unique identification associated with said at least one telephone line.
  - 11. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 10 and further comprising apparatus for identifying a network address associated with said unique identification.
  - 12. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 and further comprising at least one server which is connectable to said computer communications network.
  - 13. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 12 wherein either of said apparatus for acquiring and said apparatus for processing is resident in said at least one server.
  - 14. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 wherein said apparatus for processing is resident in said at least one communications terminal.
  - 15. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 and further comprising a communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 16. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 15 wherein said apparatus for acquiring is resident in said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 17. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 16 and wherein said status is communicated to said apparatus for acquiring via said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 18. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 15 and further comprising a cellular telephone in communication with said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 19. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 15 wherein said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line is a cellular telephone.
  - 20. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 15 wherein said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line is adapted to receive a call-back request from said at least one communications terminal and to initiate a call to said at least one communications terminal via said at least one telephone line.
  - 21. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 20 wherein:
    - said at least one communications terminal has a telephone line status; and
      
      said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line is further adapted to initiate said call to said at least one communications terminal once said telephone line status of said at least one communications terminal has been determined.
  - 22. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 20 wherein:
    - said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has a telephone line status; and
      
      said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line is further adapted to initiate said call to said at least one communications terminal once said telephone line status of said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has been determined.
  - 23. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 20 wherein:
    - said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has a telephone line status;
      
      said at least one communications terminal has a telephone line status; and
      
      said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line is further adapted to initiate said call to said at least one communications terminal once at least one of said telephone line status of said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line and said telephone line status of said at least one communications terminal has been determined.
  - 24. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 and further comprising a telephone connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 25. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 24 wherein said apparatus for acquiring is resident in said telephone.
  - 26. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one telephone line is part of a PABX system, and wherein said status is communicated to a user not regularly connected to said PABX system.
  - 27. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 and further comprising a cellular telephone in communication with said at least one communications terminal.
  - 28. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 27 wherein said cellular telephone is adapted to communicate using one of IP protocols and non-IP protocols.
  - 29. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one communications terminal is a cellular telephone.
  - 30. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 and further comprising apparatus for conferencing connectable to said computer communications network and adapted to receive a conferencing request from said at least one communications terminal and to initiate a conference call between said at least one communications terminal and a communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 31. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 30 wherein said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to first initiate a call to said at least one communications terminal and telephonically receive from said at least one communications terminal at least one of a telephone number of said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line and an identifier associated with a telephone number of said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line.
  - 32. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 31 wherein:
    - said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has a telephone line status; and
      
      said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate said conference call once said telephone line status of said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has been determined.
  - 33. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 31 wherein:
    - said at least one communications terminal has a telephone line status; and
      
      said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate said conference call once said telephone line status of said at least one communications terminal has been determined.
  - 34. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 31 wherein:
    - said at least one communications terminal has a telephone line status;
      
      said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has a telephone line status; and
      
      said apparatus for conferencing is further adapted to initiate said conference call once at least one of said telephone line status of said at least one communications terminal and said telephone line status of said communications terminal connectable to said at least one telephone line has been determined.
  - 35. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 wherein said apparatus for acquiring maintains at least one telephone number associated with said at least one telephone line.
  - 36. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 and wherein at least one of said apparatus for acquiring and said apparatus for processing comprises apparatus for checking said request for an authorization.
  - 37. A telephone line status notification system according to claim 9 wherein said computer communications network is the Internet.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Current Assignee
Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
Original Assignee
ICQ, Inc.
Inventors
Goldfinger, Yair, Vardi, Joseph, Vigiser, Joseph, Vardi, Arie

Granted Patent

US 7,778,396 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

379/88.120
CPC Class Codes

H04M 1/82   Line monitoring circuits fo...

H04M 3/42   Systems providing special s...

H04M 3/42093   Notifying the calling party...

H04M 3/42365   Presence services providing...

H04M 3/42374   where the information is pr...

H04M 3/48   Arrangements for recalling ...

H04M 3/56   Arrangements for connecting...

H04M 7/006   Networks other than PSTN/IS...

H04M 7/12   for working between exchang...

Y10S 379/90   Internet, e.g. Internet pho...

Y10S 379/913   Person locator or person-sp...

Telephone status notification system

First Claim

6 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

60 Citations

37 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links

Telephone status notification system

First Claim

6 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

60 Citations

37 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links