Patent Abstract:
A method and system, employing IP telephony, for providing continuous, uninterrupted voice communications during disaster conditions wherein the disaster site telephone infrastructure has been rendered inoperable or inaccessible. The system uses Voice over IP (VoIP) and emerging IP telephony standards to enable users to receive telephone calls, normally destined for their work phone, at a personal computer terminal connected to the Internet. Users can also place calls from their terminal to the PSTN or to other users on the system. Combining telephone line redirection with IP telephony capabilities enables the construction of a system that provides users with unlimited flexibility in responding to a severe business interruption with full voice communications. The system can be customized so calling parties will be presented with precisely the same greetings and messages, for each user telephone extension, that were present in the disaster site&#39;s telephone system. Switching from the disaster site&#39;s telephone infrastructure to the system can be accomplished in minutes.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/370,059, filed Feb. 21, 2003, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/359,281, filed Feb. 21, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This invention relates to communications capabilities available to businesses, specifically communications capabilities available to businesses during and immediately following disaster events. In the present context, a disaster is characterized by any event that renders one or more sites of a business incapable of receiving and responding to telephone calls from the external world. Disasters are also characterized by a business site&#39;s inability to place telephone calls to the outside world. During some disasters, it is possible that the site&#39;s communication infrastructure will be rendered inoperable viz. the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) suffers damage.  
         [0003]     In other situations, the communications infrastructure may be inaccessible by business users (users) but left intact. In either case normal methods of communication by telephone are no longer available to the business.  
         [0004]     By way of example during the Sep. 11, 2001 terrorist tragedy, where the World Trade Center in New York City was destroyed, corporate users, henceforth referred to as users, were dispersed throughout the City and its Boroughs. Some started to work out of their homes. Others set up operations in hotels or were transported to the appropriate hot site. Hot sites are locations where the business had contracted with a third party to provide disaster recovery services and systems access to data for users. It is likely that telephone service was provided at these hot sites.  
         [0005]     However, the fabric that is known as the telephone directory for the businesses undergoing the disaster was destroyed. Thus, customers were not able to speak to points of contact (users) within the business by dialing their phone number on a business card as they usually did. Normal channels of voice communications such as cellular phones were also disrupted on a wide scale due to overloading of the cell grids. Hotel private branch exchanges (PBX) were likely overloaded by the sheer traffic being experienced far in excess of conditions that these systems were designed to handle. All of this adds up to a severe business interruption even though corporate data was well safeguarded and available in the vast majority of cases. Businesses subjected to such disasters have no effective way of dealing with day-to-day, routine voice communications. This capability is crucial to businesses where voice communications with customers is the primary method of conducting business (insurance companies, brokerage houses, etc) and making sales.  
         [0006]     Hot sites can be equipped to handle telephone communications in addition to providing on-line access to customer data. To take advantage of this capability customers must provide their telephone company a switchover plan to be executed in the event of a disaster. The plan must be coordinated with the hot site vendor. The switchover can take from twenty-four to forty eight hours. Thus the customer is left with no telephone communications during and immediately after the disaster event. What&#39;s more, it is likely that the customers&#39; PBX was loaded with numerous announcements and features, each employee having customized their extension. All of these will be lost during the disaster. Finally, since most medium to large customers have PBXs connected to the telephone company via T-1 with DIDs they rely on the PBX to provide the intelligence required to direct individual calls to particular extensions. It is likely that this capability will also be lost as a result of the disaster.  
       PRIOR ART  
       [0007]     Prior art contains numerous examples of methods and systems designed to address the problem of reliable telephone communications. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,949 to Schorr et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,404 to Sansom et al show methods and systems for ensuring that Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines to a customers premise remain active and powered during a power outage at said customer&#39;s premises. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,827 to Dale et al shows a local exchange system for integrating analog plain old telephone service (POTS) lines with ISDN lines and controlling the switchover of telephone service. This also provides the capability to maintain telephone service through a power outage at the customer&#39;s premises. The foregoing prior art do not address the issue of a disaster occurring at the customer&#39;s premises wherein said customer no longer has use of the PBX.  
         [0008]     In another area of prior art emergency telephone communications are addressed with respect to traffic congestion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,974 to Ichikawa et al shows a method and system of ensuring that customers can place calls during emergency situations regardless of the number of regular outbound trunks in service. The prior art addresses telephone communications through and immediately after disaster events in U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,870 to Pershan et al. Pershan et al present a method for concurrently redirecting, or call forwarding, a multitude of phone numbers to alternative phone numbers and therefore locations. The method disclosed by Pershan et al does not allow for individual freedom of movement and does not provide an inherent capability to anticipate problems that may be a direct result of the disaster or for other reasons. For example, it is reasonable to assume that the alternate locations where lines are redirected may be inaccessible due to traffic problems caused by the disaster. These locations may also have become inaccessible as a result of the disaster. In any case, it may be several hours or days before individuals can reach the intended redirection location(s). In the case of biological disasters, such as terrorist use of a biological weapon, employees may be sequestered or quarantined in their homes or their current location. As stated previously, in the event individuals have access only to a hotel it may prove impractical to redirect their phones to that hotel for a number of reasons. Still, if it were practical, arrangements would have to be made ahead of time with the hotel which, in and of itself, restricts users to specific locations during the disaster. Further, unless well thought out in advance with appropriate agreements in place, lines may have to be redirected to phones that are currently in use for another purpose. Thus callers to the business may be presented with an unfamiliar greeting or worse a complete rejection of the call. In general, Pershan et al do not address other critical issues such as diversity in redirection location in real-time and end-user flexibility.  
         [0009]     Other practical limits exist on the disclosure of Pershan et al. For example, treatments applied to extensions that normally originate in a PBX, and are now redirected to another number and location, will most likely not be available. Extensions applied by the PBX to direct inward dial (DID) lines will also not be available. Users with an assigned to them may have to share the redirected DID line at the same physical location. This becomes impractical and also removes the ability for callers to get to a specific individual by dialing their number then their extension (originally assigned by the PBX). Even leaving voicemail may not be practical depending on the equipment available at the various preset disaster sites, and in any case will require additional and expensive infrastructure to be available (perhaps a full featured PBX).  
         [0010]     There is yet another subtle but significant limitation on the Pershan et al patent for the communications continuity application. Pershan et al rely exclusively on the existing PSTN infrastructure. Indeed, this is one of the more elegant aspects of the present invention. At the same time, widespread availability of the service afforded by the Pershan et al patent has not materialized and is geographically limited.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0011]     The invention comprises a system and method for enabling users to receive telephone calls, placed to telephone extensions at their job site, at any location they see fit so long as an Internet connection and a personal computer terminal are available. In accordance with the present invention a system comprises a gateway device connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and a geographically dispersed data network such as the Internet or a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Said gateway is connected to a control segment comprised of a sufficient number of computers to permit controlling said gateway, storing user profiles, extensions, telephone numbers, voicemail messages, text messages, control algorithms, and other data, databases, and running the system software. Said users establish a connection with the control segment over said data network by using application software such as an Internet browser. Said control segment directs said gateway to establish a connection with said personal computer for the purpose of receiving phone calls normally destined for said users work extension or work phone number. Thus said users will be able to receive and place phone calls through their work phone number or extension, as if they were at their normal job site, from any location where there is an Internet connection or access to a pre-established VPN.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are:  
         [0013]     To provide a system to enable users to conduct telephone communications during a disaster condition where the normal communications infrastructure is not available, has been destroyed or rendered inoperable, or simply cannot be accessed physically.  
         [0014]     To provide a mechanism for re-routing existing telephone numbers to ring where required, in real time, independent of location or the existence of a ready telephone number at the new location.  
         [0015]     To provide for additional line capacity precisely for disaster conditions when telephone traffic is higher than normal.  
         [0016]     To present calling parties with the numbers and options to reach users in a manner that precisely duplicates normal calling conditions (i.e. non-disaster conditions) if so desired by said users.  
         [0017]     To provide users with a means of creating and maintaining profiles within the system to enable rapid login and redirection of their phone number or extension to the personal computer at their current location.  
         [0018]     To enable users to add features and other enhancements, such as scheduled messages, calling options, etc, to their profile so as to present calling parties with appropriate information during and subsequent to the disaster condition.  
         [0019]     To enable creation of telecommuting services and options for users during disaster recovery phases by enabling said users to redirect their phones and extensions to the location of their choice on demand and in real-time as many times as necessary to compensate for the unplanned nature of the disaster.  
         [0020]     To provide a voice conference capability during and subsequent to a disaster condition thereby permitting users to form, direct, and consult in teams and groups which better able to deal with the catastrophe and attendant recovery actions.  
         [0021]     To provide businesses with a simple and effective method of accounting for users during and after a disaster event by providing a tally of those employees that have logged into the system and their present location (which is manually entered by the employee).  
         [0022]     To enable businesses to rapidly deploy a simplified disaster recovery infrastructure so that a single cable plant is required to deliver phone and data services at an alternate location (disaster recovery site).  
         [0023]     To further enable businesses to rapidly deploy a simplified and low cost disaster recovery infrastructure by removing the need for a PBX at the disaster recovery site or enhanced services from the telephone company (such as Centrex services).  
         [0024]     To provide businesses with a method of integrating the existing enterprise messaging infrastructure including email, faxing, etc. with disaster recovery voice communications.  
         [0025]     Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram, according to the invention, depicting the network interconnections and associated devices to redirect telephone calls from a business&#39;s location to data terminals connected to a VPN or the Internet.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram depicting a generalized PBX connected to a central office switch.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram depicting a third method of connecting the system to the PSTN.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram depicting a third method of connecting the system to the PSTN through the PBX.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a possible software architecture for the system depicting one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing a routine for system login and redirection of lines from central office A to the system and ultimately the user on the Internet.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of a sub-routine of the flowchart of  FIG. 6  showing a process for updating the Telephone Extension Translation Table (STIM) of the system by users logging in using IP phones.  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a sub-routine of the flowchart of  FIG. 6  showing a process for updating the Telephone Extension Translation Table (STIM) of the system by users logging in using personal computers and a telephone applet.  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a flowchart of a sub-routine of the flowchart of  FIG. 6  showing a process for registering a user&#39;s telephone applet or IP phone with the Session Initiation Protocol Server shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a sub-routine of the flowchart of  FIG. 6  showing a process for creating a Session Identification number (SID) during login.  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing a sequence of steps and processes for receiving a telephone call from the PSTN by a user logged into the system shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing a sequence of steps and processes for making a telephone call to a number in the PSTN by users logged into the system of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 13  is a flowchart showing a sequence of steps and processes for forwarding (redirecting) telephone numbers to new numbers and locations by the system of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 14  is a simplified data model of the User Profile Database (UPD  74 ) of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0040]     In  FIG. 1 a  business site  15  houses a PBX  16  with telephone sets  17 ,  18 , and  82  attached. The three telephone sets are representative of telephones for users at the business site (maybe up to several hundred or more). Telephone set  82  is connected  45  to a DID line. Telephone sets  17  and  18  are connected to extension lines. The PBX  16  is connected  14 , e.g. by voice T-1 lines, to the Telephone Company&#39;s Central Office A (COA)  20  within the PSTN  19 . Central Office B (COB)  21 , also within the PSTN  19 , is connected  22  to a Voice over IP (VoIP) gateway (GW)  24  device housed within a Control Segment (CS) site  23  which is removed from the business site  15 . GW  24  is further connected  50  to a local area network (LAN)  26  to which are also connected a plurality of computers of the system. Said computers include a WEB Server (WS)  70 , the Auto Attendant Voice Mail Dialer Server (AVDS)  79 , a SIP Conference Server (SCS)  78 , and the System Controller (SC)  25 . SC  25  has access  28  to the User Profile database and the System Statistics database collectively referred to as  27 . The UPD contains all information necessary to administer and control the system of the invention. For example, the UPD houses all of the user profiles including first name, last name, password, announcements, telephone numbers, IP addresses, etc. The SSD houses all transaction and performance related information viz. call start times, number of SIP registrations, failed connection attempts, connect times, online times, etc.  
         [0041]     The LAN  26  of  FIG. 1  is connected  50  to a Router  46  which is further connected through a high speed data line  29  to a virtual private data network (VPN)  30 . The VPN  30  is connected through a high-speed data line  31  to the Internet  32 . Each personal computer  34  is equipped with a sound card, headphones  35 , and a microphone  36 . The connection  33  can be made through any Internet Service Provider (ISP) by dial-up, high-speed cable service, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or through any other method available.  
         [0042]     The VPN  30  is also connected through a high-speed data line  37  to one of a possible plurality of hot sites or disaster recovery sites  38 . Connection to the disaster recovery site  38  is accomplished through a router  39  that is connected to a local area network (LAN)  42  within the site  38 . Personal computer terminals  34  are connected to the LAN  42  in the disaster recovery site  38 .  
         [0043]      FIG. 2  is introduced to aid illustration of other methods of connecting the system of the invention to the PSTN. Connection  14  comprises direct inward dial (DID) lines implemented over digital T-1 lines or analog lines. This is usually the case for medium to large businesses with many users (on the order of hundreds). Connection  14  may also comprise plain old telephone service (POTS) lines over T-1s or analog lines.  
         [0044]      FIG. 3  shows an another method of connecting the CS  23  to the PSTN. Connection  14  of  FIG. 2  is replaced by a connection  47  from the switch  13  at the COA  20  to a GW  24 . An Internet protocol (IP) connection  44  is made between the GW  24  and another VoIP gateway (GW)  49  at the business site  15 . GW  49  is connected to the PBX  16  through analog or digital phone lines  47 . An IP line  41  connects GW  24  to the router  46  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 4  shows another method of connecting the system of the invention to the PBX  16  and the COA  20  switch  13 . Connection  14  of  FIG. 1  between the central office and PBX  16  is left intact. In  FIG. 4 a  connection  48  is made between the PBX  16  and a GW  24 . The GW  24  is connected  41  to the router  46  of  FIG. 1  through a data line  41 .  
         [0046]      FIG. 5  depicts a possible software architecture of the system of the invention for the current embodiment. The system controller (SC)  25  software hosts  4  software modules as follows: 
    1. System Control Executive (SCE)  72      2. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Server (SS)  73      3. Data Logger Module (DLM)  67      4. Report Generator Module (RGM)  76  (connected to the three system databases  74 ,  75 , and  68 ) 
 
 Additionally, the SC  25  comprises two databases in this architecture: 
    1. User Profiles Database (UPD)  74      2. System Statistics Database (SSD)  68       
         [0053]     The system controller is logically connected to WEB server (WS)  70  through which users log into the system from their WEB browser (WB)  60  running on their personal computer terminal  34 . WS  70  hosts WEB pages and applets (such as the telephone applet (TA)  61  that enable users to navigate and use a plurality of user interface screens comprising administrative and other system functions (such as recording messages, playing back voice mail, entering extension numbers, etc.).  
         [0054]     The Auto Attendant-Voice Mail-Dialer Server (AVDS)  79  is hosted on another computer server platform and hosts three software modules and a database as follows: 
    1. Auto Attendant Module (AAM)  66 ,     2. Dialer Module (DM)  71 ,     3. SIP Compliant Media Server (MS)  69 , and     4. Voice Mail and Announcements Database (VMAD)  75     
 
         [0059]     The AVDS  79  is logically connected to the SC  25  and can also establish SIP sessions with callers located in the PSTN or connected to the system.  
         [0060]     The Telephone Applet  61  runs in a WB  60  on the user&#39;s personal computer terminal  34  of  FIG. 1 . A calling party  63 , is connected to the PSTN, and establishes a virtual connection  77  to the Telephone Applet  61  through the Gateway  24  of  FIG. 1 , the VPN  30  and the Internet  32 . The original business site  15  is also shown.  
       REFERENCE NUMERALS  
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               14  Telephone trunk lines  
               15  Business site  
               16  PBX (private branch exchange)  
               17  Telephone set assigned extension A (Line A)  
               18  Telephone set assigned extension B (Line B)  
               19  Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)  
               20  Central Office A (COA) connected to business PBX (original destination for calls)  
               21  Central Office B (COB) connected to the Control Segment (alternate destination for calls)  
               22  Telephone voice trunk lines (TDM) e.g. POTS lines or T-1 PRI spans  
               23  Control segment (CS)  
               24  Voice over IP (VoIP) Gateway or Gateway (GW)  
               25  System Controller (SC)  
               26  Local Area Network (LAN)  
               27  System databases: User Profile Database and System Statistics Database  
               28  Connection between SC  25  and system databases  27   
               29  Digital data line or lines e.g. T-1 or multiple T-1&#39;s  
               30  Virtual Private Network (VPN) using IP  
               31  Digital data line or lines e.g. T-1 or multiple T-1&#39;s  
               32  Internet  
               33  Internet Service Provider connection to the Internet  
               34  Personal Computer with sound card (Terminal)  
               35  Audio headset  
               36  Microphone  
               37  Digital data line or lines e.g. T-1 or multiple T-1&#39;s  
               38  Hot site or other disaster recovery location  
               39  IP Router  
               41  Digital data line or lines e.g. T-1 or multiple T-1&#39;s  
               44  Digital data line or lines e.g. T-1 or multiple T-1&#39;s  
               45  POTS Line running through PBX to telephone set  
               46  IP Router  
               47  Telephone trunk lines  
               49  VoIP Gateway  
               50  LAN connection (e.g. twisted pair, thin coaxial cable, etc)  
               51  IP LAN (e.g. 10BaseT, 100BaseT, Ethernet, etc)  
               52  LAN connection (e.g. twisted pair, thin coaxial cable, etc)  
               60  WEB Browser (WB)  
               61  Telephone applet (software telephone)  
               63  Calling party telephone set  
               66  Auto Attendant Module (AAM)  
               67  Data Logger module (DLM)  
               68  System Statistics database (SSD)  
               69  Media Server (MS)  
               70  WEB Server (WS)  
               71  Dialer Module (DM)  
               72  System Control Executive (SCE)  
               73  SIP Server (SS)  
               74  User Profile Database (UPD)  
               75  Voicemail &amp; Announcements Database (VMAD)  
               76  Report Generator module (RGM)  
               77  Virtual circuit  
               78  SIP Conference Server (SCS)  
               79  Auto Attendant-Voice Mail-Dialer Server (AVDS)  
               80  IP phone  
               82  Telephone set with DID number 301-555-9999  
           
         
       
     
       OPERATION  
       [0115]     In  FIG. 1 , calls placed over the PSTN  19  to the telephone numbers assigned to telephone sets  17  and  18  reach the PBX  16  causing telephone sets  17  or  18  to ring once the calling party has entered the proper extension numbers when prompted by the PBX auto attendant. A preferred embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , assumes that the Telephone Company serving the business site  15  offers a service for concurrently redirecting multiple lines in the PSTN. In lieu of this, a method of redirecting the telephone lines  14  to the alternate lines  22  should be available. Such a method is made part of the system of the invention and its operation is described later. In accordance with the present invention, however, the redirection should take place on demand through manual intervention or automatically through other features available in the PSTN  19 . For example, depending on the nature of the lines  14  a feature could be invoked at the central office  20  that redirects the lines  14  on failure of the PBX (as in “transfer on no answer”). Using a line forwarding method based within the PSTN obviates the need to introduce equipment at either the COA  20  or the business site  15  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  thereby making the system of the invention more robust, less intrusive, easier to implement, more flexible, and easier to manage than the prior art including Pershan, et al.  
         [0116]     In  FIG. 1 , during disaster conditions, telephones lines normally directed to the PBX  16 , over connection  14 , are redirected to the Gateway  24  within the CS  23  over the trunk lines  22 . The call would be presented to the GW  24  and signaling information arriving with the call is translated by the GW  24  and sent to the SS  73  of the SC  25 .  
         [0000]     User Login Process  
         [0117]     The user login process, which is central to the establishment of calls between the user and the PSTN, will be presented prior to examining call processing by the system of the invention. The login process is presented by way of example and, using  FIG. 1 , assumes that the user has a terminal  34  which is connected  33  to the Internet  32 .  
         [0118]     The login process must uniquely identify a user in order to properly route calls to their terminal.  FIG. 6  is a flowchart of the login process. In this embodiment of the invention the login process resides partly in the SCE  72  software module of the SC  25  and partly in the UPD  74  (perhaps through the use of stored procedures) both shown in  FIG. 5 . In  FIG. 6 , after completing step  140  by logging into the Internet using an ISP, the user proceeds to execute their WB  60  and enter the System Website URL, step  141 . WB  60  brings up the system home page initiating the system user login process, step  142 , and the user is prompted for a user name or account number and password, steps  143  and  145 . If the account number cannot be found, step  144 , in the UPD  74  or the password does not correspond to the account number, step  145 , the user is directed to re-enter the information. This is a simple procedure to authenticate the user base and can be enhanced as needed for specific applications requiring varying levels of security. It is also possible to implement X.500 or LDAP directory service authentication or other similar administrative security methodologies.  
         [0000]     System Initialization  
         [0119]     Having successfully logged into the system the user is now online with respect to the system. The SCE  72  issues a query to the UPD  74  that returns a list of voice mail messages, step  146 , (if any) that the user may have received while offline. Concurrently SCE  72  determines that the user is using a terminal  34  by querying WB  60 , step  147 , and generates a session ID (SID) (see  FIG. 10  for process: create SID), step  148 . The session ID is bundled, or packaged, along with TA  61  by the SCE  72  which then instructs the WS  70  to download TA  61  to the users WB  60 , step  149 . Packaging the SID with TA  61  can be a accomplished in a variety of ways including:  
         [0120]     (1) Placing the SID in a text file and using Pkzip to archive said text file and TA  61  into a single file for transmission; or  
         [0121]     (2) Compiling the TA as part of step  148  and embedding the SID within the executable during compilation; or  
         [0122]     (3) Constructing TA  61  using software technology such as JAVA. In this case the SID can be transferred as part of a CAB file containing the executable code for TA  61 ; or  
         [0123]     (4) Combining the SID in a self-extracting file along with the TA as is done with software installation programs.  
         [0124]     Incorporating the SID into the TA ensures that the TA used to connect to the system is the proper TA and enables control of the TA by the system which may be required to ensure proper CODEC selection, for example. Verification of the SID occurs in step  150  where the Session-Telephone-IP address Map (STIM) is updated. It is useful to go into some detail about the purpose and construction of the STIM.  
         [0000]     The Session-Telephone-IP Address Map (STIM)  
         [0125]      FIG. 14  shows an example of what a STIM would look like within the current embodiment. The basic function of the STIM is to provide a dynamic, session dependent, logical mapping of user telephone numbers and extensions to their IP address. Since the current invention directly addresses communications continuity within a disaster context in accordance with one embodiment, it is expected that IP addresses of users of the system will change from session to session. In this context a session is defined to be the period of time a user is in the online state. Factors that create this dynamic are: 
    1. Domain Name Service (DNS) lookups for locating users within an internetwork cannot be relied upon to provide IP address mapping, and     2. ISPs normally implement DHCP or WINS services to enable IP address re-use. Thus each time a user connects to the Internet through their ISP the IP address assigned to their terminal  34  will be different.     3. During and post-disaster users may have to stay home or be forced to log in from a hotel, library, a friend&#39;s house, or other location making sessions temporary in most cases. When they log in again, say from another location, their IP address will be different all the way to the top-level domain.      
         [0129]     Point 1 above bears closer scrutiny as it represents a subtle but significant limitation overcome by creation and use of the STIM. IP telephony standards rely on DNS to locate users within and across domains. This approach assumes prior knowledge of the user&#39;s whereabouts within the domain structure of the enterprise. Further, it assumes ready access to IP address maps contained in hosts and routers. None of this data exists in the disaster scenario for which the system of the invention has been designed.  
         [0130]     These factors make the IP address session dependent and difficult to determine through traditional internetwork resources. Thus, the STIM must be a self-contained, dynamically adaptive, logical entity, driven by user interaction with the system, that maps each new IP address to the corresponding user&#39;s telephone number on a session by session basis.  
         [0131]      FIG. 14  shows an example of a STIM in table format, for the current invention, that is a logical entity formed as a result of a query issued by the SCE  72  to the UPD  74 . For reference, letters across the top of the table correspond to columns and numbers down the left side of the table correspond to rows. Row  1  contains column labels that are actually field names (or columns) from various tables in the sample data model for the UPD  74  shown in  FIG. 13 . Columns A, B, and C are formed from table User, columns D, E, and F are formed from table Tel_Line and columns G and H are formed from table Session in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0132]     Referring to  FIG. 10  it is seen that a session ID (SID) is generated using a random number generator (or a unique sequence number generator present in most RDBMS engines), step  156 . UPD  74  is updated by inserting the newly created SID in table Session (in the session_id field), step  157 . This step is key in forming a new row in the STIM since row creation is driven by session creation or user logins. That is, in one embodiment, there will be a new row created for each session for each user. Finally, the SID is inserted into or packaged with TA  61  in preparation for downloading, step  158 .  
         [0133]     Step  150  in  FIG. 6  is the updating of the STIM with the IP address of the terminal  34 . This process is shown in more detail in  FIG. 8 . TA  61  executes in the WB  60 , step  159 , and during execution it logs itself into UPD  74  as a client using the SID as a password, step  160 . TA  61  then updates the STIM by inserting the IP address of the terminal  34  into table Session of UPD  74 , step  161 . This last step completes one row of the STIM thereby satisfying all conditions for the user to receive and make telephone calls over the terminal  34  through the system.  
         [0000]     SIP Registration  
         [0134]     Returning to  FIG. 6  the user is prompted to select to accept calls or remain in auto attendant mode, step  151 . If the user responds with a “no” in step  151  the account remains in auto attendant mode, TA  61  is updated with the chosen account status and the message indication received from executing step  146 . Both of these data are displayed on the user interface (UI) for TA  61 , step  155 . On the other hand, if the user responds with a “yes” in step  151  TA  61  is registered with SS  73 , step  153 .  
         [0135]     SS  73  is the SIP server module of the SC  25 . SIP was chosen for the current embodiment due to its ease of implementation, simplicity of design, and ease of troubleshooting. SIP call processing is much simpler than that offered by other IP telephony standards. SIP is a text-based protocol that “rides” on top of IP and as such makes system design and debugging relatively straightforward. Also there are significant performance gains to be had by using SIP over, say H.323 for constructing the system&#39;s call processing function. However, in other embodiments the same functionality can be achieved by using H.323, S/MGCP, or other call control and processing models and protocols. All three protocols are well understood, albeit still in the formative stages, and systems, such as the current system, can be readily by those skilled in the art. Indeed, there are numerous sources of open source code available for users agents (in the current embodiment using SIP these would be the TA  61 ), SIP servers, and Media Servers. Many of these can be obtained for free over the Internet.  
         [0136]      FIG. 9  shows the “Process: Register with SS  73 ” which is a detail of step  153  in  FIG. 6 . Using the newly created SID the SCE  72  issues a query to UPD  74  to obtain the IP address of the terminal  34 , step  165 . The account number (acct_num) of the present user is used to enter table Tel_Line and return the user&#39;s telephone number (tel_num) or extension (tel_ex). Acct_num is also used to enter table Session, find the most recent SID (session_id), and return the corresponding IP address (ip_address). Here again we have formed the STIM for a single user to obtain their telephone number and the IP address of their terminal  34 .  
         [0137]     After obtaining the telephone number and the IP address for the user the SCE  72  issues a third party SIP REGISTER request to the SS  73  on behalf of the users TA  61 , step  166 . To direct call requests to the TA  61  of terminal  34  SS  73  uses the IP address.  
         [0138]     Both the GW  24  and SS  73  use the phone number to make call requests and proxy calls as specified in IETF RFC 2543. Thus the GW  24  forwards all incoming calls to the SS  73  as call requests. This process will be examined later in the call processing section.  
         [0000]     Initialization Complete-Ready to Take Calls  
         [0139]     After registration with SS  73  the program flow returns to  FIG. 6  where the TA  61  is updated with the registration status, step  152 . AAM  66  of the AVDS  79  is de-activated in step  154 . This allows calls to be directed to the TA  61  of terminal  34  instead of to the auto attendant. The status of the auto attendant is reflected in the TA  61 , step  152 , by indication on the UI, step  155 . Thus the user is now ready to receive and place calls using their TA  61  through the system to the PSTN. Calls can also be placed to other users of the system without going through the PSTN so long as said users are online.  
         [0000]     Call Processing with the System  
         [0140]     For the purpose of illustration of operation of the preferred embodiment it is assumed that a call has been placed to a number that would ordinarily ring at telephone set  82  assigned DID number 301-555-5000. The DID nature of this line is designated by connection  45 , in the PBX shown  FIG. 1 , which goes straight through the PBX to the telephone set  82 . Juliet Prouse, the user to whom 301-555-5000 belongs, has logged into the system from a terminal  34  connected  33  to the Internet  32  and is online. Review of the STIM, shown in  FIG. 14 , shows the information for Prouse in row  4 . Two call processing scenarios will be described which demonstrate the basic capability of the system of the invention. Chief among these is the processing of calls for Prouse that originates in the PSTN. The second scenario will cover processing of calls that are originated by Prouse bound for the PSTN. Both call processing scenarios are covered in the flowchart of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0141]     Call from PSTN to an Online User the System  
         [0142]     Prouse&#39;s number is dialed from a telephone  63  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) on the PSTN  19 . Numbers normally routed to the PBX of  FIG. 1  have been redirected to COB  21 . GW  24  receives SS7 signaling from the PSTN that a call has arrived for 301-555-5000. GW  24  forms a SIP INVITE request 5000@SS_IP_address and sends it to SS  73 , step  168  in  FIG. 11 . SS_IP_address is the IP address of the SIP server SS  73  in SC  25 . GW  24  is configured to view SS  73  as a call peer therefore all calls arriving from the PSTN are sent to SS  73  for processing and signaling by SIP proxy. SS  73  parses the request and strips the “5000” to form a query to UPD  74  in order to determine the most recent SID for telephone number 5000 in table Session, steps  169  and  170 . UPD  74  returns the current IP address of user Prouse from the STIM, step  171 . SS  73  forms and sends INVITE request to TA  61  at 172.48.96.20, step  172 . This initiates the proxy call processing and, using  FIG. 1 , the first event at TA  61  is a ringing indication on its UI or through headphones  35  attached to terminal  34 . When user Prouse selects off-hook (answers the call) from the UI on TA  61  media flows between GW  24  and TA  61  and the conversation can begin, steps  173  and  174 . The call is terminated when either party goes on-hook, which immediately stops the media flow, and sends a BYE signal to the other party, step  175 .  
         [0143]     If Prouse does not answer, or had chosen during the login process or at any other time, not to accept calls ( FIG. 6  step  151 ) the call would be answered by the AVDS  79  with the appropriate message as pre-programmed by Prouse through the TA  61 . Call processing would have progressed as described above (steps  168  through  175 ) with some exceptions. SS  73  would have issued the INVITE request, step  172 , to the AVDS  79  instead of the TA  61  of terminal  34 . The redirection could be triggered as a result of the query issued at step  173  to locate the IP address for 301-555-5000.  
         [0144]     Call Originating within the System to the PSTN  
         [0145]     For this scenario Prouse wants to place a call through her terminal  34  to 301-333-9999, a number on the PSTN that is not in UPD  74 . Conditions are as in the previous scenario. After logging in Prouse sets up her preferences for call processing (records announcements, greetings, etc.) then dials 301-333-9999 all through TA  61 , step  176 . TA  61  converts the dialed number to a SIP URL: 3013339999@SS_IP_address and forwards an INVITE request to SS  73 , step  177 . SS  73  determines whether the dialed number is a user on the system by querying UPD  74  for the following: Prouse registration, finding 301-333-9999 in the STIM, and user Prouse has rights to make calls to the PSTN, step  178 . UPD  74  returns to SS  73  that Prouse is registered with rights to dial the PSTN and that 301-333-9999 is not in the STIM, step  179 . SS  73  initiates a proxy call to GW  24  by issuing an INVITE request to 301-333-9999, step  180 . GW  24  receives and processes the INVITE by selecting an available trunk line and initiating signaling with the PSTN to dial 301-333-9999, step  181 . The rest of the call processing is identical to that used for receiving calls from the PSTN as specified in the previous example, steps  173  through  175 .  
         [0000]     Redirecting Telephone Numbers  
         [0146]     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is assumed that a method for redirecting all of the necessary telephone numbers from the disaster site to the CS  23  is available. By combining the remote call forwarding for single lines with some basic capabilities of the system of the invention it is possible to mimic multiple line redirection features.  FIG. 12  shows a flowchart of a process for achieving multiple line redirection using the capabilities of the system of the invention as described herein. The software to implement the flowchart could be made an integral part of the SCE  72  and its features made available to a system administrator through an appropriately crafted UI. The process of  FIG. 12  assumes that the Telephone Company servicing the business undergoing the disaster offers remote call forwarding and that lines can be forwarded by issuing DTMF tones to a Voice Response Unit (VRU) at the appropriate redirection service number.  
         [0147]     The program flow in  FIG. 12  also assumes that certain data were entered into UPD  74  with respect to forwarding the telephone numbers for users in the database. Some of these data include: 
    1. Redirection service number for each DID.     2. DTMF tone sequence for redirecting each DID.     3 Responses and sequence of responses from the VRU with respect to pauses and speech.    
 
         [0151]     During a redirection call the system must respond with the proper DTMF tones in response to cues or questions from the VRU. Some redirection services require only the issuance of DTMF tones after entering the number to be redirected. The system and method described herein for redirecting multiple telephone numbers clearly requires customization for each user and group of lines. It is further assumed that this customization would be performed during initial system setup. Finally, VRU responses may be in the form of human speech, in which case the AVDS would require a speech recognition module. Program logic would also be needed to interpret the output from the speech recognition module and direct the AVDS to respond accordingly.  
         [0152]     Line fowarding, using the system of the invention, is accomplished by a user with administrative privileges (SYSAD) logging into the system using the site URL, step  182  in  FIG. 12 . Upon selecting the redirection option from a menu provided by the system over a WEB page the SYSAD selects from all or number of telephone numbers to be redirected and selects the redirect command, steps  183  and  184 . The redirection command is received by the SCE  72 , which then: 
    1. Issues a query to UPD  74  that will return the telephone numbers to be redirected and their corresponding redirection service numbers, step  185 , and     2. Issues another query to UPD  74  that returns the location of the DTMF tone sequence and responses from the redirect service for each redirection service number to be used, step  186 .    
 
         [0155]     With the returned data the SCE  72  creates a Master Line Forwarding Plan (MLFP), step  187 . The whole process for a single number may be very simple. For example, dialing the fowarding service number, detecting a simple response like a tone, and issuing #-7-3 then entering the destination number. It may be that a password is required by the redirection service in which case this too will be entered by DTMF tones.  
         [0156]     The SCE  25  executes a programmed loop that starts by issuing third party proxy call requests for the DM  71  to SS  73  for each number to be redirected (forwarded), step  188 . Concurrently, the MLFP loaded into fields in UPD  74  corresponding to the DM  71 , step  189 . This action prepares the DM  71  for issuing the proper DTMF sequences once proxy calls are connected to the AVDS  79 . Proxy calls are made and media flows between GW  24  and MS  69  as required to execute the MLFP, steps  190  through  192 . The number of simultaneous calls placed to redirection service numbers will depend on availability of outbound trunks (connected to GW  24 ) and the number of discrete redirection service numbers. For example, it may be that a single redirection service number could be called and the DM  71  can redirect any quantity of telephone numbers in turn during a single call.  
         [0157]     Certain system implementations may require verification of redirection for each number. A program sequence may be created that places a call to each user telephone number and detects the arrival of the call at GW  24  in the form of a proxy call request for that number. Once the proxy request with the dialed number in it is detected the SCE  72  can issue a go on-hook and proceed to the next number to be verified.  
         [0158]     In this disclosure there is shown and described only one embodiment of the invention along with a few examples of its versatility, flexibility, and ease of use. Thus it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to the above described illustrative embodiment of the invention. For example, in  FIG. 1  the VPN  30  may be removed and the Router  46  directly connected to the Internet. In high security environments, the Internet  32  may be removed and terminal  34  connected to the VPN  30 . Also, call processing functions may be implemented with any existing or future Internet telephony protocol standard as created and produced by the Internet Engineering Task Force. For example, instead of using the Session Initiation protocol and call processing model another embodiment can employ the H.323 protocol and call processing model. It is intended, therefore, changes and modifications of the like described above to create other embodiments of the invention be covered by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7