System for providing hosted telephone services to a subscriber via the internet

Abstract

An Internet controlled telephony system employing a host services processor connected to a subscriber via the Internet and further connected to the public switched telephone system (PSTN). The subscriber employs a web interface to populate a database with preference data which is used by the host services processor to handle incoming calls and establish outgoing telephone connections in accordance with the preference data provided by the subscriber. Incoming calls to a telephone number assigned to the subscriber may be automatically forwarded to any telephone number specified by the preference data. The subscriber may also use the web interface to specify whether call waiting is to be activated, to screen or reroute calls from designated numbers, for recording voice mail messages in designated voice mailboxes, for selectively playing back voice mail messages via the web interface or for forwarding voice mail as an email attachment, for handling incoming fax transmissions using character recognition and email attachment functions, and for automatically paging the subscriber when incoming voice mail, fax or email messages are received, all in accordance with the preference data supplied by the subscriber using the web interface. Outgoing connections and conference calls may be initiated using the web interface, and the subscriber may block the operation of caller identification functions. Call progress information may be visually displayed to the subscriber during calls by transmitting web pages from the host services computer to the subscriber's web browser.

1 . A method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers comprising, in combination, the steps of:
 employing a host data processing system operated on behalf of said service provider to publish one or more web pages which describe said telephone services and invite members of the public to subscribe to said telephone services by using a web browser to display, complete and submit one or more web page subscription forms,   employing said host data processing system to accept and store account information including a credit card number submitted by a given subscriber using said one or more web page subscription forms to establish a subscription account between said telephone service provider and said given subscriber,   on the condition that a password known to said given subscriber and accessible to said host data processing system is satisfactorily received by said host data processing system from said given subscriber, employing said host data processing system to accept preference data submitted by said given subscriber to specify the manner in which telephone calls will be handled on behalf of said given subscriber in accordance with said subscription account,   connecting an interface for transmitting call management and caller identification signals between said host data processing system and the public switched telephone system,   establishing an assigned telephone number to which incoming telephone calls directed to said given subscriber may be placed via said public switched telephone system,   employing said host data processing system and said interface to handle incoming telephone calls directed to said assigned telephone number in a manner specified by said preference specification data, including the sub-steps of forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls in a manner specified by said preference specification data and handling voice mail messages directed to said assigned telephone number in a manner specified by said preference data, and   billing said given subscriber for said telephone services provided by said service provider in accordance with said subscription account.   
   
   
       2 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said sub-step of forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls in a manner specified by said preference specification data comprises forwarding said selected ones of said incoming calls to said given subscriber via a digital communications link using the Internet Protocol or in the alternative forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls to one or more forwarding telephone numbers specified by said preference specification data. 
   
   
       3 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said step of forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming calls to said given subscriber via a digital communications link includes employing a gateway connected between said digital communication link and the public switched telephone system to transform voice signals from said public switched telephone system into packetized signals for transmission via said digital communication link using the Internet Protocol. 
   
   
       4 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 3  includes the step of employing said gateway to transform packetized signals received from said digital communications link into voice signals for transmission via the public switched telephone system. 
   
   
       5 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said Internet Protocol data network is implemented by a cable modem and a cable connection between said given subscriber and said gateway. 
   
   
       6 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said digital communications link is implemented by a local area network, a wide area network, or the combination of a local area network and a wide area network connected between said given subscriber and said gateway. 
   
   
       7 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said digital communications link is implemented by a modem and a dial-up telephone connection. 
   
   
       8 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said preference data is submitted by said given subscriber to said host data processing system via said digital communications link. 
   
   
       9 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said step of employing said host data processing system to accept preference data submitted by said given subscriber comprises the substeps of transmitting one or more web page preference data entry forms to said given subscriber and thereafter accepting said preference data submitted by said given subscriber using a web browser. 
   
   
       10 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said step of employing said host data processing system to accept preference data submitted by said given subscriber comprises providing said given subscriber with a client application program which may be executed on a client computer operated by said given subscriber to submit said preference data to said host data processing system and to display caller identification information describing incoming telephone calls directed to said assigned telephone number. 
   
   
       11 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said client application program is a web browser program. 
   
   
       12 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said client application program is a special-purpose plug-in or applet program that is downloaded to said client computer from said host data processing system and that executes on said client computer using facilities provided by a web browser program. 
   
   
       13 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 10  further including the step of transferring said client application program from said host computer to said client computer. 
   
   
       14 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said client application program is a special purpose application program which communicates with said host data processing system via the Internet or an equivalent data pathway. 
   
   
       15 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said step of employing said host data processing system to accept preference data submitted by said given subscriber comprises the substeps of transmitting one or more web page preference data entry forms to said given subscriber and thereafter accepting said preference data submitted by said given subscriber using a web browser. 
   
   
       16 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said step of employing said host data processing system to accept preference data submitted by said given subscriber comprises providing said given subscriber with a client application program which may be executed on a client computer operated by said given subscriber to submit said preference data to said host data processing system and to display caller identification information describing said incoming telephone calls directed to said assigned telephone number. 
   
   
       17 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said client application program is a special-purpose plug-in or applet program that is transferred to said client computer from said host data processing system and that may be executed on said client computer using facilities provided by a web browser program. 
   
   
       18 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 16  further including the step of downloading said client application program from said host computer to said client computer. 
   
   
       19 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said client application program is a special purpose application program which communicates with said host data processing system via the Internet or an equivalent data pathway. 
   
   
       20 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein host data processing system and said public switched telephone system exchange SS7 call management signals via said interface to control the manner in which telephone calls are be handled on behalf of said given subscriber as specified by said preference data. 
   
   
       21 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein host data processing system transmits DTMF key sequence signals to said public switched telephone system to control the manner in which telephone calls are handled on behalf of said given subscriber as specified by said preference data. 
   
   
       22 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said sub-step of forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls in a manner specified by said preference specification data comprises transmitting SS7 call management signals to said public switched telephone system via said interface to control the manner in which at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls are forwarded. 
   
   
       23 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said sub-step of forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls in a manner specified by said preference specification data comprises transmitting DTMF key sequences to said public switched telephone system via said interface to control the manner in which at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls are forwarded. 
   
   
       24 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said sub-step of handling voice mail messages directed to said assigned telephone number in a manner specified by said preference specification data includes the step of forwarding information concerning said voice mail messages to a destination specified by said preference specification data. 
   
   
       25 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 24  wherein said preference specification data identifies an email address to which said information concerning said voice mail messages is forwarded. 
   
   
       26 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 24  wherein said preference specification data identifies an email address to which at least selected ones of said voice mail messages are forwarded as a voice file attachments to email messages. 
   
   
       27 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 1  further including the step of employing said host data processing system to transmit to said given subscriber a listing of said voice mail messages that includes the date and time each such voice mail message was recorded and an identification of the caller. 
   
   
       28 . The method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers as set forth in  claim 27  further including the step of employing said host data processing system to transmit to said given subscriber an audio file containing the content of one of said voice mail messages selected by said given subscriber using said listing. 
   
   
       29 . A system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber comprising, in combination:
 a host data processing system operated on behalf of said service provider,   a telephone interface connection between said host data processing system and the public switched telephone network for receiving incoming telephone calls directed to a telephone number assigned exclusively to said subscriber,   a digital data communication link for connecting said host data processing system to a remotely located client data processing system operated by said subscriber, and   a database accessible to said host data processing system for storing:   (1) subscription information establishing a subscription account between said telephone service provider and said subscriber, said subscription information being submitted by said subscriber and received via said digital data communications link from said client data processing system,   (2) preference data submitted by said subscriber and received via said digital data communication link from said remotely located client data processing system, said preference data specifying the manner in which said incoming telephone calls directed to said telephone number assigned exclusively to said subscriber will be handled on behalf of said subscriber, said preference data specifying:
 (1) the conditions under which at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls will be forwarded to destinations specified by said preference data, and 
 (2) the conditions under which voice mail messages from callers placing said incoming telephone calls will be recorded or made available to said subscriber. 
   
   
   
       30 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 29  wherein at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls are forwarded to said subscriber via said data communications link as packetized voice signals conforming to the Internet Protocol. 
   
   
       31 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 30  further comprising an IP gateway coupled between the public switched telephone network and said digital data communications link for converting voice signals from said public switched telephone network into said packetized signals transmitted to said subscriber. 
   
   
       32 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 31  wherein said client data processing system includes a modem or cable modem connected to said digital data communications link. 
   
   
       33 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 31  wherein said subscription information submitted by said subscriber includes a credit card number of a credit card account to which fees for services may be billed by said telephone service provider. 
   
   
       34 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 31  wherein said remotely located client data processing system includes a personal computer operated by said subscriber for executing a client application program for submitting said preference data to said host data processing system via said digital data communication link. 
   
   
       35 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 34  wherein said client application program includes a web browser program. 
   
   
       36 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 35  wherein said client application program includes a special-purpose plug-in or applet program that is downloaded to said remotely located client data processing system from said host data processing system and that executes on personal computer using facilities provided by said web browser program. 
   
   
       37 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 34  wherein all or part of said client application program is transmitted to said remotely located client data processing system from the host services computer for execution on said personal computer. 
   
   
       38 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 34  wherein said client application program is a special purpose application program which communicates with said host data processing system via said data communication link. 
   
   
       39 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 29  wherein said preference data specifying the conditions under which voice mail messages from callers placing said incoming calls will be recorded or made available to said subscriber includes the specification of an email address to which a file or a link to a file containing a recording of a voice mail message may be sent. 
   
   
       40 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 29  wherein said preference data includes an email address to which said information concerning said voice mail messages is to be forwarded. 
   
   
       41 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 39  wherein said preference data identifies an email address to which at least selected ones of said voice mail messages are forwarded as a voice file attachments to email messages. 
   
   
       42 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 29  wherein said host data processing system transmits a listing of said voice mail messages that includes the date and time each voice mail message was recorded and, when available, the telephone number of the calling party that recorded each voice mail message, said listing being transmitted to said remotely located client data processing system via said digital data communications link. 
   
   
       43 . The system operated by a service provider for providing telephone services to a subscriber set forth in  claim 42  wherein host data processing system, upon receiving a request from said subscriber, transmits an audio file containing the content of one of said voice mail messages selected by the subscriber via said digital data communications link for playback by said remotely located client data processing system.