Method, system and apparatus for remote initiation of communications
The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for remote initiation of communications. In some embodiments, an initiation apparatus establishes communications with a remote device via an intermediate apparatus. The initiation apparatus is coupled to the intermediate apparatus via a packet-based network and the intermediate apparatus is coupled to the remote device via a second network. The initiation apparatus lacks direct access to the second network. The initiation apparatus verifies the integrity of the communication link with the intermediate apparatus. If the integrity of the communications link is confirmed, the initiating apparatus generates a connection initiation request that comprises information representing changed state of at least one control lead. The connection initiation request is relayed to the intermediate apparatus via the packet-based network. The intermediate apparatus extracts information representing the changed state of at least one control leads. Based on the received information, the intermediate apparatus establishes a communication session with the remote device. Upon successful establishment of the communication session, the intermediate device transmits a call set-up confirmation comprising information representing the changed state of at least one control lead to the initiation apparatus. Upon receipt of the call set-up confirmation, a two-way end-to-end communication session is established between the initiation apparatus and the remote device. The present invention further provides an apparatus that allows for generating and relaying various requests via a packet-based network while preserving the information representing the changed state of at least one control lead.
1 . An apparatus for initiating communications with a remote device, the apparatus comprising:
a first interface adapted to be coupled to a packet-based network;
a second interface adapted to be coupled to a second network;
a processing apparatus, coupled to said first and second interfaces, operable to receive a connection initiation request comprising control information via said first interface and to initiate communication with the remote device using said control information through said second interface.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said processing apparatus is further operable to receive communication data via said first interface and to transmit said communication data to the remote device via said second interface.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control information comprises a triggering signal.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said triggering signal comprises information representing a changed state of at least one control lead.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said processing apparatus is further operable to at least one of store an identifier associated with the remote device and access an identifier associated with the remote device.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control information comprises an identifier associated with the remote device.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control information comprises information representing a changed state of at least one control lead and an identifier associated with the remote device.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said processing apparatus is operable to receive said changed state of at least one control lead separately from said identifier associated with the remote device.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said processing apparatus comprises a translation apparatus and a network communication apparatus.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said translation apparatus is coupled to said network communication apparatus via an RS232 link and wherein said translation apparatus comprises a packet to RS232 converter.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said translation apparatus is operable to receive said connection initiation request, to extract said control information from said connection initiation request and to relay said control information to said network communication apparatus.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said control information comprises at least one of information representing a changed state of at least one control lead and an identifier associated with the remote device.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said network communication apparatus comprises a modem.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second network comprises a switched network.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said network communication apparatus comprises a modem and said control information comprises a number associated with the remote device to be dialled by said modem in order to initiate communication with the remote device.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the remote device comprises a modem within a financial transaction processing facility.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said processing apparatus is further operable to receive a request for financial transaction authorization via said first interface and to transmit said request for financial transaction authorization to the remote device via said second interface.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said processing apparatus is further operable to receive a response for said financial transaction authorization request from the remote device via said second interface and to transmit said response via said first interface.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said remote device comprises a modem coupled to a network management apparatus.
20 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second network comprises a direct connection.
21 . The apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein said network communication apparatus comprises a modem and said control information comprises a number associated with the remote device to be dialled by said modem in order to initiate communication with the remote device.
22 . The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said remote device comprises a modem coupled to a set-top box.
23 . The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said remote device comprises a modem coupled to a network management apparatus.
24 . A method of initiating communication with a remote device, comprising:
receiving a connection initiation request comprising control information via a packet-based network;
extracting said control information from said connection initiation request;
initiating communication with the remote device using said extracted control information via a second network;
25 . The method according to claim 24 , further comprising:
receiving communication data;
transmitting said communication data to the remote device via said second network.
26 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said control information comprises a triggering signal.
27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein said triggering signal comprises information regarding a changed state of at least one control lead.
28 . The method according to claim 26 further comprising retrieving an identifier associated with the remote device upon said extracting said control information from said connection initiation request and wherein said initiating communication with the remote device is further using said identifier.
29 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said control information comprises an identifier associated with the remote device.
30 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said control information comprises information representing a changed state of at least one control lead and an identifier associated with the remote device.
31 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein extracting said control information comprises depacketizing said connection initiation request and converting said control information to RS232.
32 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein said control information comprises information representing a changed state of at least one control lead and wherein said converting said control information to RS232 is performed while preserving said information regarding the changed state of the at least one control lead.
33 . The method according to claim 24 , further comprising verifying the readiness to establish communications via said second network and transmitting a readiness confirmation signal via said packet-based network.
34 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein said verifying the readiness to establish communications via said second network is triggered by receiving a connection verification request.
35 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein said verifying the readiness to establish communications via said second network and transmitting said readiness confirmation signal is performed periodically.
36 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein said verifying the readiness to establish communications via said second network and transmitting said readiness confirmation signal is performed at one or more predetermined times.
37 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein said verifying the readiness to establish communications via said second network and transmitting said readiness confirmation signal is performed after a pre-determined event.
38 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said remote device comprises a modem and said second network comprises a switched network; and wherein said initiating communication with the remote device comprises dialling a number associated with the remote device and handshaking with the remote device.
39 . The method according to claim 38 , wherein said control information comprises said number associated with the remote device.
40 . The method according to claim 38 further comprising retrieving said number associated with the remote device from a storage device.
41 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the remote device is a modem located at a financial transaction processing facility and said communication data comprises a request for financial transaction authorization.
42 . The method according to claim 41 further comprising receiving a response from the remote device based on said request for financial transaction authorization.
43 . The method according to claim 42 further comprising disengaging said initiated communication after said response has been received.
44 . A system for initiating communication with a remote device comprising:
an initiation apparatus, coupled to a packet-based network, for generating a connection initiation request comprising control information; said initiation apparatus operable to packetize and transmit said connection initiation request over said packet-based network; and
an intermediate apparatus, coupled to said packet-based network and to a second network, for receiving said packetized connection initiation request from said packet-based network; said intermediate apparatus further operable to depacketize said packetized connection initiation request to extract said control information and to initiate communication with the remote device via the second network based on said control information.
45 . The system according to claim 44 , wherein said initiation apparatus is further operable to generate communication data and to transmit said communication data to the intermediate apparatus via said packet-based network; and said intermediate apparatus is further operable to receive said communication data from said packet-based network and to transmit said communication data to the remote device via said second network.
46 . The system according to claim 45 , wherein the remote device is operable to generate a response based on said communication data and transmit said response to said initiation apparatus via said second network, said intermediate apparatus and said packet-based network.
47 . The system according to claim 44 , wherein said initiation apparatus comprises a requesting apparatus and a first translation apparatus coupled to said packet-based network; said intermediate apparatus comprises a second translation apparatus coupled to said packet-based network and a modem; and said remote device comprises a remote modem.
48 . The system according to claim 47 , wherein said requesting apparatus is operable to generate said connection initiation request and to transmit said connection initiation request to said first translation apparatus;
wherein said first translation apparatus is operable to packetize and transmit said connection initiation request via said packet-based network to said second translation apparatus;
wherein said second translation apparatus is operable to depacketize and transmit said connection initiation request to said modem; and
wherein said modem is operable to receive said connection initiation request and to initiate communications with said remote modem based on said control information upon receipt of said connection initiation request.
49 . The system according to claim 48 , wherein said requesting apparatus comprises a financial transaction apparatus operable to generate a financial transaction authorization request and said generation of said connection initiation request is in response to said generation of said financial authorization request.
50 . The system according to claim 49 , wherein said financial transaction apparatus is operable to transmit said financial authorization request to said remote modem via said first translation apparatus, said packet-based network, said second translation apparatus, said modem and said second network, upon initiation of communication between the modem and the remote modem.
51 . An apparatus for initiating communication with a remote device, the apparatus comprising:
means for receiving a connection initiation request comprising control information from a packet-based network;
means for extracting said control information from said connection initiation request; and
means for initiating communication with the remote device using said control information via a second network.
52 . The apparatus according to claim 51 further comprising
means for receiving communication data,
means for transmitting said communication data to the remote device via said second network.
53 . A computer-readable media storing a plurality of programming instructions for execution on a computing apparatus that is connectable to a packet-based network and to a second network, said instructions for rendering said computing apparatus to receive a connection initiation request comprising control information via said packet-based network; to extract said control information from said connection initiation request; and to initiate communication with a remote device using said control information through said second network; said instructions for further rendering said computing apparatus to receive communication data and to transmit said communication data to the remote device via the second network.