Telephone terminal and method of telephone communication between a calling terminal and a called terminal for optimizing a cost reduction of calls

US6269094A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• ALCATEL · FR

Inventors

• Daniel Lecomte · Paris, FR
• Michel Coudreuse · Paris, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 8, 1998
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2001
• Expiry date: Jan 8, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L51/04
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A calling telephone terminal and a called telephone terminal optimize the cost reduction of real time communication via a first communication network operating in real time. The calling terminal recognizes the status of a called terminal as "real time communication" in the case of a called terminal requiring real time communication or "off-line communication" in the case of a called terminal tolerating off-line communications and constructs and temporarily stores a message off-line and then sends it to the called terminal via a second communication network operating off-line if the status of the called terminal is "off-line communication". The called terminal sends a "real time communication" or "off-line communication" status signal to a calling terminal in response to detection of an incoming call and receives and optionally stores a message sent by the calling terminal via a second communication network operating off-line if the status of the called terminal is "off-line communication".