System and method for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and facsimile over internet protocol (FoIP) calling over the internet

• US 20040047345A1
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iBasis Incorporated (Tofane Global SAS)
• Original Assignee: iBasis Incorporated (Tofane Global SAS)
• Inventors: Zhang, Lizhong, Joseph, Ajay, Tang, Hwan, Skelly, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/3065 for real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

A system and method for sending long distance telephone calls over the Internet utilizes cost and quality of service data to optimize system performance and to minimize the cost of completing the calls. The system utilizes a network of gateways connected to the Internet. The gateways receive calls from various service providers and convert the analog calls into data packets which are then placed onto the Internet. Similarly, the gateways take data packets off the Internet, convert the data packets back into analog format, and provide the analog telephone calls to the same or another service provider. The system periodically checks the quality of communications between each of the gateways, and uses this information, in combination with cost information, to determine how to route the calls over the Internet. Special addressing protocols can be used by a system embodying the invention to reduce or eliminate unnecessary signaling between gateways as call setup procedures are carried out.

Claims

1. A method for routing telephone calls over the Internet between an originating gateway and a destination gateway, comprising:

selecting a destination gateway that is capable of routing a telephone call to a destination telephone;

selecting an optimal route from a plurality of routes, wherein each route includes an originating gateway capable of sending data packets to the selected destination gateway, and wherein the originating gateway on the optimal route comprises a source gateway; and

inserting header data into digital data packets containing a call setup request, wherein the header data ensures that data packets containing a failed call setup request are returned to the source gateway, regardless of which gateway acts as the originating gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising making a first call setup attempt by sending the data packets containing the call setup request from the source gateway to the destination gateway.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if the first call setup attempt fails and the data packets containing the call setup request are returned to the source gateway, the method further comprises:

identifying the next-most optimal route;

inserting new header data into the data packets containing the call setup request, wherein the new header data identifies the originating gateway connected with the next-most optimal route; and

sending the data packets containing the call setup request to the originating gateway connected with the next-most optimal route.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

stripping off the header data identifying the originating gateway connected with the next-most optimal route from the data packets containing the call setup request; and

making a second call setup attempt by sending the data packets containing the call setup request from the originating gateway connected with the next-most optimal route to the destination gateway, wherein if the second call setup attempt fails, the data packets containing the call setup request will be returned to the source gateway.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the second call setup attempt fails, the method further comprises:

identifying a third-most optimal route;

inserting new header data into the data packets containing the call setup request, wherein the new header data identifies the originating gateway connected with the third-most optimal route;

sending the data packets containing the call setup request to the originating gateway connected with the third-most optimal route;

stripping off the header data identifying the originating gateway connected with the third-most optimal route from the data packets containing the call setup request; and

making a third call setup attempt by sending the data packets containing the call setup request from the originating gateway connected with the thirst-most optimal route to the destination gateway, wherein if the third call setup attempt fails, the data packets containing the call setup request will be returned to the source gateway.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting step comprises inserting header data that identifies an originating gateway, and a path onto the Internet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the inserting step also comprises inserting header data that identifies a destination gateway.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting step comprises inserting header data that identifies a source gateway, an interim gateway and a destination gateway.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the header data identifying an interim gateway can be stripped off the data packets containing the call setup request by the interim gateway such that the information identifying the source gateway and the destination gateway is left intact.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting an optimal route from a plurality of routes comprises selecting an originating gateway, and a path onto the Internet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting a path onto the Internet comprises selecting an Internet Service Provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a destination gateway comprises selecting an optimal destination gateway and at least one additional destination gateway from among a plurality of candidate destination gateways.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a route comprises selecting an optimal originating gateway an Internet Service Provider, and at least one additional originating gateway and Internet Service Provider.

14. A system configured to route telephone calls over the Internet, comprising:

a routing controller configured to generate routing information that identifies routes for communicating digital data packets bearing telephone calls over the Internet;

a source gateway configured to receive the routing information and to insert header data into data packets containing a call setup request, wherein the header data is configured to ensure that if a call setup attempt fails, the data packets containing the call setup request will be returned to a source gateway, regardless of which originating gateway placed the data packets onto the Internet.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the routing controller is configured to generate routing information that includes an originating gateway and an Internet Service Provider.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the routing controller is configured to generate routing information that includes an optimal route, and at least one additional route, and wherein the optimal route includes the source gateway.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the system further comprises an interim gateway, and wherein the source gateway is configured to insert header data into the data packets containing the call setup request such that the header data identifies the source gateway, and the interim gateway, and wherein the source gateway is configured to forward the data packets to the interim gateway.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the interim gateway is configured to receive the data packets forwarded by the source gateway, to remove the header data identifying the interim gateway, and to place the data packets onto the Internet.