Patent ID: 7408919

Claim:
A method for processing a call using call direction services that selectively forward the call as Internet Protocol (IP) data to one of several registered clients, the method comprising: registering one or more clients with a call direction server, wherein the call direction server includes: (1) a circuit-switched network interface card directly interfacing a circuit switched network and configured to receive one or more calls routed to the call direction server using registered call processing functions at a signaling system, (2) a data network interface card configured to communicate IP data with a data communications network, (3) a database of dialed number identifiers for valid subscribers, and (4) a controller configured to: (a) provide the call direction services, (b) receive client state and registration information from the data network interface card, and (c) update the database with the received client state and registration information, hosting the dialed number identifiers for valid subscribers on the call direction server; registering call processing functions with a signaling system to route calls from unique client numbers to the call direction server; receiving, from a client, a call routed to the call direction server using the registered call processing functions at the signaling system, the call received on the circuit-switched network interface card at the call direction server; obtaining dialed number information related to a unique client number registered at the signaling system; identifying a called party and corresponding computer address by comparing the dialed number information related to the unique client number registered at the signaling system to the dialed number identifiers in the database; determining, based on the registration information, whether the identified called party is a registered subscriber to the call direction services; determining, based on the state information, whether the identified called party is available to receive communications from the call direction services; and providing a message to the identified computer address corresponding to the dialed number identifier when the identified called party is determined to be a registered subscriber and available to receive communications.