Importance

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Abstract

A control node, such as a services control point, of an intelligent telephone network interfaces to a wireless broadband network for signaling communications with broadband terminals. In normal operation, the terminals present video or other broadband information carried on the wireless network, typically via an associated television set. During processing of a telephone call, a central office switching system of the telephone network will recognize a predetermined event in call processing which triggers a query to the control node. Ultimately, the control node will return an instruction to the switching system to continue call processing. However, as part of its own processing, the control node sends a message through the broadband network to the broadband terminal of the subscriber to which the telephone call relates. If operational, the terminal may display call related information contained in the message, e.g. Caller ID information for an incoming call. The display may also prompt the user to input information. If so, the set-top terminal will transmit the subscriber input information upstream through the wireless broadband network to the control node. In such a case, the control node formulates its instruction to the central office switching system to control further processing of the telephone call, at least in part, based on the subscriber input information. The call processing of the present invention applies to both incoming and outgoing calls.

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First Claim