1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved telecommunications and in particular to a method for telephony based remote location monitoring. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to allocating a listen only channel from a caller telephony device to a remote location telephony device for the caller to monitor the audible occurrences at that remote location.
2. Description of the Related Art
A telephone carrier receives call requests, allocates systems resources to those call requests, and establishes a connection with a requested location. In a typical call, sufficient resources are allocated to establish bidirectional conversation, also known as full duplex bandwidth allocation. Other allocations of system resources, however, may be implemented that use less system resources and thus are often less expensive. For example, current telephones may include a “push-to-talk” feature that when selected directs the telephone carrier to only allocate system resources enabling the selector to talk and the recipient to listen, also known as half-duplex bandwidth allocation. When a “push-to-talk” feature is implemented, communication seems to operate in real time, however, typically the communication actually operates in near-real time with approximately a 0.25 to 2.0 second time lapse in the communication.
Teleconferencing systems are an example of another system that may allocate system resources for calls received and placed in a private telephone network. Teleconferencing systems may restrict some callers to listen only and allow other callers to listen and talk with full duplex allocation. In these systems, a participant calls into an intermediary teleconferencing system that handles the conference call within a private telephone network. The intermediary may reallocate resources during the conference call. For example, investors may call in to a particular number to listen to a board meeting. Investors may be restricted to listen only unless they are given time to speak by the board, in which case the intermediary system would allocate resources for the investor to talk.
While teleconferencing systems can control half duplex and full duplex resource allocation for a call, these systems are limited in application and require an intermediary system controlling communications between those participating in the conference, rather than a direct connection. Further, the teleconferencing system decides what resources to allocate to a caller, rather than allowing the caller to decide what resources are needed for the call.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to place callers in full control of the type of resource allocation needed for a call. In particular, it would be advantageous to place callers in control of placing a “listen only” call that allows the caller to request resource allocation that will allow the caller to listen in on a remote location via a telephone.