System and method for triggering actions at a host computer by telephone

Abstract

A system and method for remotely triggering a predetermined program at a host computer system using a telephone ring signal is disclosed. The host computer system includes a ring detection and triggering circuit, a control monitor program, and at least one activation script, wherein the activation script could be a series of commands which create a connection between the host system and the Internet. A ring signal on a phone line connected to the host system is detected by the ring detection circuitry, and subsequently a trigger signal is generated by a trigger circuit which is detected by the control monitor program running on the host system. The control monitor program responds to the trigger signal and executes the activation script, thereby causing a connection to be established between the host system and the Internet. Other features, such as multiple activation scripts, remote user authentication, and feedback validation tones are also disclosed. Further disclosed is a method of operating an ISP server computer for detecting whether a connection is being requested of a customer's host computer system, of determining whether the host computer system is presently connected to the Internet, and if the host system is not connected, of dialing a phone number which triggers an activation program stored at the host system, thereby causing the host system to connect to the Internet so that it can be accessed.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method of triggering a program stored at a host computer system using a telephone ring signal, wherein the host system includes a ring detection circuit connected to a phone line, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) dialing the telephone number of the phone line connected to the host system, thereby generating a ring signal on the phone line;    (b) detecting the ring signal on the phone line using the ring detection circuit, and then generating a trigger signal to the host system indicating a phone call has been detected;    (c) the host system receiving the trigger signal and executing a predetermined program stored at the host system.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined program executed by the host system is a script of commands which creates a connection between the host system and the Internet using a communication device connected to the host system.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further including the step of 
 (d) a remote user then utilizing a local computer system to create a connection to the host computer via the Internet.    
     
     
         4 . A system for triggering predetermined actions at a host computer system using a telephone, the system comprising: 
 (a) a host computer system, including at least one activation program stored at the host system, and further including a control signal monitor program which waits for a trigger signal and upon receiving the trigger signal causes the activation program to be executed by the host computer system; and    (b) a ring detection and triggering circuit connected to a phone line, wherein said circuit includes a ring detector which detects a ring signal on the phone line, and upon detection of the ring signal said circuit generates the trigger signal to the host system, thereby triggering execution of the activation program stored at the host computer system by dialing the phone number of the phone line connected to the host computer system.    
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , further including: 
 (c) a communications device connected to the host system, said communications device is further connected to a communications network.    
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the activation program is a script of commands which causes the host computer system to connect to the Internet using the communications device.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein multiple activation programs are stored at the host system, and wherein a numeric value transmitted on the phone line indicates which activation program is to be executed, said value being transmitted to the host system along with the trigger signal in order to enable execution of the indicated program.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 4 , further including means for authenticating a user validation sequence transmitted on the phone line and for only triggering execution of the activation program upon authentication of the transmitted sequence.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the ring detection and triggering circuit further includes tone generating circuitry activated upon receipt of an authenticated user validation sequence, said tone generating circuitry generating a sequence of tones onto the external phone line to indicate successful triggering of the system.  
     
     
         10 . A method of connecting a host computer system to a network based on a determination that the host computer is not presently connected to the network, the host computer system including an activation program which when executed causes the host computer system to connect to the network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) detecting destination information contained in data packets being transmitted over the network, wherein the destination information corresponds to the host computer system, the detection of said host computer system's destination information indicating that access to the host computer system is being requested by another computer system;    (b) determining whether the host system is currently connected to the network; and    (c) if it is determined that the host system is not connected to the network, dialing a telephone number associated with the host system, said dialing step causing a ring signal on the phone line associated with the host system, wherein the ring signal is detected by the host computer system and triggers the activation program stored at the host system, thereby causing the host system to connect to the network for access by the other computer system.    
     
     
         11 . A method of a remote user selecting and connecting a host computer system to a network using an intermediate network server, wherein the host computer system includes an activation program which when executed causes the host computer system to connect to the network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) the remote user connecting to the intermediate network server, wherein the network server includes a list of at least one host computer system that can be selected for triggering to connect to the network;    (b) the remote user then selecting from the list the host computer system to be triggered for connection to the network;    (c) the intermediate network server then dialing a telephone number associated with the host system, said dialing step causing a ring signal on the phone line associated with the host system, wherein the ring signal is detected by the host computer system and triggers the activation program stored at the host system, thereby causing the host system to connect to the network for access by the remote user.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including the step of: 
 (d) the network server then determining whether the host system has successfully connected to the network and notifying the remote user of said connection.    
     
     
         13 . A ring detection and triggering circuit for detecting a ring signal on a phone line and for generating a trigger signal to a host computer system which causes the host computer system to execute a predetermined program, the circuit comprising: 
 a solid state data access arrangement including optical isolation circuits connected to the phone line, and further including a ring detector circuit that generates a signal on a ring indicator signal line when the phone line is ringing;    a DTMF transceiver, including a digital databus and an analog input/output port, wherein the analog input/output port is connected to the solid state data access arrangement in order to receive and transmit DTMF tones over the phone line; and    a microcontroller connected to the digital databus and further connected to the ring indicator signal line, wherein the microcontroller includes a serial port connection to the host system and wherein the microcontroller is programmed to monitor the ring indicator signal line for a phone call and generates a trigger signal to the host computer system over the serial port, thereby triggering the execution of the predetermined program.    
     
     
         14 . A system for triggering a program stored at a host computer system using a telephone ring signal, comprising: 
 means for detecting the telephone ring signal on a connected phone line and for generating a trigger signal to the host computer system indicating that a phone call has been detected;    said host system including means for receiving the trigger signal and for executing the program stored at the host system.    
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the program stored at the host system is a series of commands which cause the host system to connect to the Internet using a communication device connected to the host system.  
     
     
         16 . A system for connecting a host computer system to a network based on a determination that the host computer is not presently connected to the network, the host computer system including an activation program which when executed causes the host computer system to connect to the network, the system comprising: 
 means for detecting destination information contained in data packets being transmitted over the network, wherein the destination information corresponds to the host computer system;    means for determining whether the host computer system is presently connected to the network;    means for dialing a telephone line associated with the host system when it is determined that the host computer system is not presently connected to the network; and    said host computer system including means for detecting a ring signal on the telephone line associated with the host computer system and for triggering the activation program stored at the host system, thereby causing the host system to connect to the network.