Redirecting telephone call to packet-switched data call via voicemail

Abstract

In embodiments of the disclosed technology, devices and methods for redirecting a telephone call from a public-switched telephone to a packet-switched data network. The phone call is initially received via the public-switched telephone network having a dialed number associated with a hand-held wireless device of a called party. Upon initialization of the phone call, a route is determined from the telecommunications switch to the hand-held wireless device of the called party via a packet-switched network. The bandwidth of the packet-switched network is then detected to determine the ability of the network to handle the call. If the packet-switched network is determined to be capable of handling the call, the call is forwarded over the packet-switched data, thereby reducing or eliminating charges for wireless minutes.

I claim: 
     
       1. A telecommunications switch with,
 a physical data connection to a packet-switched network; 
 an electrical connection to a public-switched telephone network via which a phone call is received, said phone call having a dialed number associated with a hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 a processor coupled to memory executing instructions received from said memory to determine a route from said telecommunications switch to said hand-held wireless device of said called party via said packet-switched network and where said route is found, to determine bandwidth of said packet-switched network; 
 said processor or a different processor coupled to said memory or different memory executing instructions to send said call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via one of:
 said packet-switched network when said determined bandwidth is sufficient to handle said phone call; or 
 said public-switched telephone network when said determined bandwidth is insufficient to handle said phone call, 
 
 wherein said processor carries out instructions to forward said phone call to a non-inward WATS (wide area telephone service) telephone number before said step of sending, and determines ANI (automated number identification) information associated with said phone call and provides said ANI information to said hand-held wireless device. 
 
     
     
       2. A telecommunications switch with,
 a physical data connection to a packet-switched network; 
 an electrical connection to a public-switched telephone network via which a phone call is received, said phone call having a dialed number associated with a hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 a processor coupled to memory executing instructions received from said memory to determine a route from said telecommunications switch to said hand-held wireless device of said called party via said packet-switched network and where said route is found, to determine bandwidth of said packet-switched network; 
 said processor or a different processor coupled to said memory or different memory executing instructions to send said call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via one of:
 said packet-switched network when said determined bandwidth is sufficient to handle said phone call; or 
 said public-switched telephone network when said determined bandwidth is insufficient to handle said phone call; 
 
 wherein said phone call is sent via said packet-switched network; and 
 said telecommunications switch reroutes said call to said public-switched telephone network upon a pre-determined threshold number of dropped packets; and 
 after said telecommunications switch reroutes said to call to said public-switched telephone network, during said phone call said telecommunications switch performs another re-routing back to said packet-switched network upon detection of a pre-determined DTMF (dual-tone multi-frequency) key sequence being entered. 
 
     
     
       3. A telecommunications switch with,
 a physical data connection to a packet-switched network; 
 an electrical connection to a public-switched telephone network via which a phone call is received, said phone call having a dialed number associated with a hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 a processor coupled to memory executing instructions received from said memory to determine a route from said telecommunications switch to said hand-held wireless device of said called party via said packet-switched network and where said route is found, to determine bandwidth of said packet-switched network; 
 said processor or a different processor coupled to said memory or different memory executing instructions to send said call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via one of:
 said packet-switched network when said determined bandwidth is sufficient to handle said phone call; or 
 said public-switched telephone network when said determined bandwidth is insufficient to handle said phone call, wherein said telecommunications switch sends said call to said public-switched telephone network and 
 
 during said call via said packet-switched network, said telecommunications switch receives instructions to reroute said call via said packet-switched network; and 
 said processor of said telecommunications switch determines that said instruction to transfer said phone call to said packet-switched network originated from said hand-held wireless device where said call is currently terminating. 
 
     
     
       4. The telecommunications switch of  claim 3 , wherein said dialed number is determined based on a diversion header associated with said phone call. 
     
     
       5. The telecommunications switch of  claim 3 , wherein said phone call was initially received at said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party and forwarded to said telecommunications switch. 
     
     
       6. The telecommunications switch of  claim 3 , further comprising a billing mechanism coupled to memory executing instructions received from said memory levying a fee to an account associated with said called party, said fee determined based on units of time said phone call is carried on said packet-switched network and units of time said phone call is carried on said public-switched telephone network, wherein said fee per unit time is higher when said phone call is carried on said public-switched telephone network. 
     
     
       7. The telecommunications switch of  claim 6 , wherein said called party is charged for part of the duration of said phone call, said part of said duration of said phone call corresponding to an amount of time said call was active over said public-switched telephone network. 
     
     
       8. A telecommunications switch with,
 a physical data connection to a packet-switched network; 
 an electrical connection to a public-switched telephone network via which a phone call is received, said phone call having a dialed number associated with a hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 a processor coupled to memory executing instructions received from said memory to determine a route from said telecommunications switch to said hand-held wireless device of said called party via said packet-switched network and where said route is found, to determine bandwidth of said packet-switched network; 
 said processor or a different processor coupled to said memory or different memory executing instructions to send said call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via one of:
 said packet-switched network when said determined bandwidth is sufficient to handle said phone call; or 
 said public-switched telephone network when said determined bandwidth is insufficient to handle said phone call, 
 
 wherein said determining bandwidth is based on a data network type reported via said packet-switched network from said hand-held wireless device; and 
 wherein said sending to said public-switched telephone network is carried out in all cases when said data network type is known to be unable to support said call on said packet-switched network. 
 
     
     
       9. A method of switching telecommunications networks, comprising:
 receiving a phone call to a hand-held wireless device via the public-switched telephone network, said phone call having a dialed number associated with said hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 determining by way of a telecommunications switch if, in addition to a network path via said public-switched telephone network, said hand-held wireless device of said called party has an active and authenticated data connection via a packet-switched network with said telecommunications switch or another telecommunications switch; 
 determining that sufficient bandwidth exists over said packet-switched network for said phone call; 
 sending said phone call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via said authenticated data connection; and 
 where an insufficient bandwidth condition arises over said packet-switched network, connecting said phone call via said public-switched telephone network; 
 wherein said call is first sent to said handheld wireless device via said PSTN (public switched telephone network); and 
 after receiving a command from said wireless device said call is sent via said packet-switched network. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein said call is received at said telecommunications switch after having been initially received via said public-switched telephone network and forwarded from said called party. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said call is carried out via said telecommunications switch. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  wherein said phone call is received at said telecommunications switch after having been initially received from said wireless device and automatically forwarded to said telecommunications switch. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11  wherein said call is automatically forwarded to said telecommunications switch. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  wherein said call is sent to said hand-held wireless device via said packet-switched network. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , wherein said call is transferable to said packet-switched network by a prompt on said hand-held wireless device. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11  wherein said phone call was forwarded over the public-switched telephone network. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11  wherein said phone call was forwarded via said packet-switched data network. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 9 , charging a fee for only a portion of minutes of said phone call, wherein said portion consists of minutes during which said call continues on said public-switched telephone network. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining network conditions of said packet-switched network before said step of attempting to send said phone call via said packet-switched network; and 
 at a first connecting of said call to said called party, connecting said call via said public-switched telephone network based on insufficient network conditions for said call. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising transferring said phone call, to said packet-switched network upon detection of a pre-determined DTMF (dual tone multi-frequency) key sequence being entered. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 9 , wherein said phone call is sent via said packet-switched network; and
 during said call, said call is transferred to said public-switched telephone network upon a pre-determined threshold number of packets being dropped. 
 
     
     
       22. A method of switching telecommunications networks, comprising:
 receiving a phone call to a hand-held wireless device via the public-switched telephone network, said phone call having a dialed number associated with said hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 determining by way of a telecommunications switch if, in addition to a network path via said public-switched telephone network, said hand-held wireless device of said called party has an active and authenticated data connection via a packet-switched network with said telecommunications switch or another telecommunications switch; 
 determining that sufficient bandwidth exists over said packet-switched network for said phone call; 
 sending said phone call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via said authenticated data connection; and 
 where an insufficient bandwidth condition arises over said packet-switched network, connecting said phone call via said public-switched telephone network; 
 further comprising receiving an indication from said hand-held wireless device to reconnect said call via the public-switched telephone network. 
 
     
     
       23. A method of switching telecommunications networks, comprising:
 receiving a phone call to a hand-held wireless device via the public-switched telephone network, said phone call having a dialed number associated with said hand-held wireless device of a called party; 
 determining by way of a telecommunications switch if, in addition to a network path via said public-switched telephone network, said hand-held wireless device of said called party has an active and authenticated data connection via a packet-switched network with said telecommunications switch or another telecommunications switch; 
 determining that sufficient bandwidth exists over said packet-switched network for said phone call; 
 sending said phone call to said hand-held wireless device associated with said called party via said authenticated data connection; and 
 where an insufficient bandwidth condition arises over said packet-switched network, connecting said phone call via said public-switched telephone network; 
 wherein said phone call is forwarded to a non-inward WATS (wide area telephone service) telephone number before said step of sending, and ANI (automated number identification) information is sent to said hand-held wireless device in the form of caller identification (caller ID) information.