Patent ID: 6732143
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A method for directing a received digitized representation of a telephone call having a call destination indicator, from a calling party, over a client-server network to a first user, the method comprising:maintaining, at a server, an association among a first-user identifier corresponding to a first user and a first-user call destination-identifier; generating, at a first client within said client-server network, a first-user identifier in response to a user-identification event; transmitting, from said first client to said server, said generated first-user identifier and a generated first-client identifier associated with said first client, without said first user explicitly identifying said client to said server; receiving at said server said generated first-user identifier and said generated first-client identifier; dynamically associating at said server said generated first-client identifier with said first-user identifier for a period temporally concurrent with the use of said first client by said first user; in response to receipt at said server of a digitized representation of a telephone call initiated by said calling party and including said first-user call-destination identifier, establishing a real-time bi-directional voice connection between said server and said first client having said first-client identifier, said real-time bi-directional voice communication including first and second digitized voice communications in opposite directions; forwarding from said server at least a portion of said first digitized voice communication to a telephone appliance communicably coupled to said first client; and receiving at said server from said telephone appliance via said first client at least a portion of said second digitized voice communication.