US2008096588A1PendingUtilityA1

Telecommunication System

48
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Oct 19, 2006Filed: Oct 19, 2006Published: Apr 24, 2008
Est. expiryOct 19, 2026(~0.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:William L. Waytena, Jr.Eric T. Stone
H04W 4/14H04L 51/18H04L 51/04H04L 12/1818H04L 51/58H04L 61/4535
48
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

An apparatus and methodology are provided that initiates voice calls in response to receipt of text-based messages having a plurality of diverse messaging formats. Each text-based message encapsulates text conforming to a predefined syntax that includes at least one target text field representing a participant of a voice call. A database stores short names and associated telephone numbers. The target text fields are expected to match the short names stored in the database. The text is extracted from each received text-based message and parsed to identify the at least one target text field therein. The database is accessed to retrieve a first telephone number associated with a short name corresponding to the at least one target text field. A voice call is initiated to at least the first telephone number retrieved from the database. In the preferred embodiment, the database is accessed and updated in accordance with user input communicated over an Internet connection (e.g., user-interaction with a web browser). The plurality of diverse messaging formats preferably include SMS-type text-based messages, IM-type text-based messages, and IP-type text-based messages that are addressed to a reserved IP address.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus for establishing voice calls between multiple participants comprising:
 a database that stores short names and associated telephone numbers;   interface means for receiving text-based messages communicated over at least one communication network, the text-based messages having a plurality of diverse messaging formats, each text-based message encapsulating text conforming to a predefined syntax that includes at least one target text field representing a participant of a voice call; and   message processing means, operably coupled to the interface means, that extracts text from each received text-based message;   a text parsing engine, operably coupled to the message processing means, for parsing the extracted text of a given received text-based message to identify the at least one target text field of the given received text-based message;   means for accessing the database to retrieve a first telephone number associated with a short name corresponding to the at least one target text field of the given text-based message; and   call initiation means for initiating a voice call to at least the first telephone number retrieved from the database.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 means for accessing and updating the database in accordance with user input communicated over an Internet connection.   
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the means for accessing and updating the database comprises an Internet-connected server that provides for user input through user interaction with a web browser.   
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of diverse messaging formats include at least SMS-type text-based messages and IM-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the plurality of diverse messaging formats include IP-type text-based messages that are addressed to a reserved IP address.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first telephone number is one of the following: a number assigned to a traditional POTS telephony device, a number assigned to a mobile telephony device, an identifier assigned to an IP telephony device, and an identifier that is used to establish a voice connection to a user.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the call initiation means comprises a central conference bridge that connects together participants of the voice call.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 a second telephone number is part of one of said plurality of received text-based message, and the central conference bridge initiates a call to the second telephone number in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the second telephone number is one of the following: a number assigned to a traditional POTS telephony device, a number assigned to a mobile telephony device, an identifier assigned to an IP telephony device, and an identifier that is used to establish a voice connection to a user.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the database stores contact lists for a plurality of users, each contact list including at least short names and associated telephone numbers for contacts of a given user.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the database stores information for each one of a plurality of users, the information including calendar information for a given user.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least one identifier is part of one of the plurality of received text-based messages; and   the first telephone number is retrieved from the contact list of the database for the particular user having information associated therewith that corresponds to the at least one identifier of the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the information stored in the database for the particular user and the at least one identifier of the one received text-based message both comprise a second telephone number assigned to the device that generated the one received text-based message; and   the central conference bridge initiates a call to at least the first and second telephone numbers in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the information stored in the database for the particular user and the at least one identifier of the one received text-based message both comprise at least an IM user name;   a second telephone number is retrieved from the database for the particular user whose IM user name associated therein corresponds to the IM user name of the one received text-based message; and   the central conference bridge initiates a call to at least the first and second telephone numbers in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the encapsulated text of the one received text-based message includes a third telephony number; and   the central conference bridge initiates a call to at least the first and third telephone numbers in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said predefined syntax includes at least one command text field representing a predefined command; and   the text parsing engine parses the extracted text of each received text-based message to confirm it includes the at least one command text field therein.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said predefined syntax includes at least one field specifying a date and time;   the text parsing engine parses the extracted text of a given received text-based message to identify the at least one field specifying a date and time and generates data corresponding thereto; and   the call initiation means utilizes the data corresponding to the specified date and time to initiate at the specified date and time a voice call corresponding to the given received text-based message.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each text-based message is addressed to a predetermined identifier.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the predetermined identifier is at least one of the following: a reserved telephone number for SMS-type text-based messages, a reserved IM short name and IM Service Provider for IM-type text-based messaging, and a reserved IP address and port for IP-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the interface means comprises means for receiving SMS-type text-based messages addressed to the reserved telephone number for SMS-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the interface means comprises means for receiving IM-type text-based messages addressed to the reserved IM short name and IM Service Provider for IM-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the interface means comprises means for receiving IP-type text-based messages addressed to the reserved IP address and port for IP-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         23 . A method for establishing voice calls between multiple participants comprising:
 providing a database that associates short names with telephone numbers;   receiving text-based messages communicated over at least one communication network, the text-based messages having a plurality of diverse messaging formats, each text-based message encapsulating text conforming to a predefined syntax that includes at least one target text field representing a participant of a voice call; and   for each one of a plurality of the received text-based messages,
 extracting text from the text-based message and parsing the extracted text to identify the at least one target text field of the text-based message, 
 accessing the database to retrieve a first telephone number associated with a short name corresponding to the at least one target text field of the text-based message, and 
 initiating a voice call to at least the first telephone number retrieved from the database. 
   
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 accessing and updating the database via user input communicated over an Internet connection.   
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the user input is accomplished by user interaction with a web browser.   
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 the plurality of diverse messaging formats include at least SMS-type text-based messages and IM-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein:
 the plurality of diverse messaging formats include IP-type text-based messages that are addressed to a reserved IP address.   
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 the first telephone number is one of the following: a number assigned to a traditional POTS telephony device, a number assigned to a mobile telephony device, an identifier assigned to an IP telephony device, and an identifier that is used to establish a voice connection to a user.   
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 controlling a central conference bridge to connect together participants of the voice call.   
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 a second telephone number is part of one of said plurality of received text-based message, and the central conference bridge initiates a call to the second telephone number in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein:
 the second telephone number is one of the following: a number assigned to a traditional POTS telephony device, a number assigned to a mobile telephony device, an identifier assigned to an IP telephony device, and an identifier that is used to establish a voice connection to a user.   
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 the database stores contact lists for a plurality of users, each contact list including at least short names and associated telephone numbers for contacts of a given user.   
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein:
 the database stores information for each one of a plurality of users, the information including calendar information for a given user.   
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 at least one identifier is part of one of the plurality of received text-based messages; and   the first telephone number is retrieved from the contact list of the database for the particular user having information associated therewith that corresponds to the at least one identifier of the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein:
 the information stored in the database for the particular user and the at least one identifier of the one received text-based message both comprise a second telephone number assigned to the device that generated the one received text-based message; and   the central conference bridge initiates a call to at least the first and second telephone numbers in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein:
 the information stored in the database for the particular user and the at least one identifier of the one received text-based message both comprise at least an IM user name;   a second telephone number is retrieved from the database for the particular user whose IM user name associated therein corresponds to the IM user name of the one received text-based message; and   the central conference bridge initiates a call to at least the first and second telephone numbers in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         37 . An apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein:
 the encapsulated text of the one received text-based message includes a third telephony number; and   the central conference bridge initiates a call to at least the first and third telephone numbers in order to connect together the participants of the voice call corresponding to the one received text-based message.   
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 said predefined syntax includes at least one command text field representing a predefined command; and   the parsing of the extracted text of each received text-based message analyzes the text to confirm that that extracted text includes the at least one command text field therein.   
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 said predefined syntax includes at least one field specifying a date and time;   the parsing of the extracted text of a given received text-based message identifies the at least one field specifying a date and time and generates data corresponding thereto; and   the data corresponding to the specified date and time is used to initiate at the specified date and time a voice call corresponding to the given received text-based message.   
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 each text-based message is addressed to a predetermined identifier.   
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein:
 the predetermined identifier is at least one of the following: a reserved telephone number for SMS-type text-based messages, a reserved IM short name and IM Service Provider for IM-type text-based messaging, and a reserved IP address and port for IP-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41 , further comprising:
 receiving SMS-type text-based messages addressed to the reserved telephone number for SMS-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 41 , further comprising:
 receiving IM-type text-based messages addressed to the reserved IM short name and IM Service Provider for IM-type text-based messages.   
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 41 , further comprising:
 receiving IP-type text-based messages addressed to the reserved IP address and port for IP-type text-based messages.

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