Internet telephony network and methods for using the same

• US 20040160946A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Managed Inventions LLC
• Original Assignee: theglobe.com
• Inventors: Fowler, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• 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: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A telephony network for enabling the origination and termination of telephone calls between one or more subscriber terminals connected to a public packet network with an open addressing protocol and one or more non-subscriber terminals connected to a PSTN network. Subscribers to the telephony network have E.164 numbers mapped to their current IP address and published by a mapping server so other subscribers and non-subscribers can call the subscriber. The mapped information is published on either a HTML or XML page for direct use over the Internet by other subscribers or for use by a gateway device. The gateway device enables non-subscribers on the PSTN to directly call subscribers. Calls between subscribers completely by-pass the PSTN. Subscribers can also call anyone with a phone number whether they are a subscriber or not.

Claims

1. A telephony network for enabling the origination and termination of telephone calls between a first subscriber terminal having a first unique terminal identifier and a first unique address and connected to a public packet network with an open addressing protocol, and a second subscriber terminal having a second unique terminal identifier and a second unique address and connected to said public packet network, and a non-subscriber terminal having a telephone number and connected to a PSTN network, comprising:

a gateway connected to said public packet network and said PSTN network, said gateway being operative to be accessed over said public packet network by said first subscriber terminal and said second subscriber terminal, said gateway having a physical connection to said PSTN network that enables said gateway to be accessed by said non-subscriber terminal over said PSTN network; and

a mapping server connected to said public packet network, said mapping server being operative to be accessed over said public packet network by said first subscriber terminal, said second subscriber terminal and said gateway, said mapping server being operative to receive said first unique terminal identifier and said first unique address from said first subscriber terminal, said mapping server being operative to receive said second unique terminal identifier and said second unique address from said second subscriber terminal, said mapping server being operative to provide said first unique address to said second subscriber terminal in response to a first request containing said first unique terminal identifier from said second subscriber terminal, said mapping server being operative to provide said first unique address to said gateway in response to a second request containing said first unique terminal identifier from said gateway, said mapping server being operative to query said first subscriber terminal to determine a first call status for said first subscriber terminal;

said gateway being operative to enable voice communication between said second subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal when said second subscriber terminal provides said gateway with said first unique address in response to said first request and said gateway establishes a connection between said second subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal over said public packet network,

said gateway being operative to enable voice communication between said first subscriber terminal and said non-subscriber terminal when said non-subscriber terminal establishes a connection from said non-subscriber terminal to said gateway over said PSTN network and when said gateway obtains said first unique address in response to said second request and establishes a connection from said gateway to said first subscriber terminal over said public packet network,

said gateway being operative to enable voice communication between said non-subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal when said first subscriber terminal establishes a connection to said gateway over said public packet network and provides said gateway with said telephone number and when said gateway establishes a connection from said gateway to said non-subscriber terminal over said PSTN network using said telephone number,

said gateway further being operative to monitor voice communication between said second subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal and voice communication between said first subscriber terminal and said non-subscriber terminal for a call length,

said gateway further being operative to request and receive said first call status from said mapping server and to establish a connection between said second subscriber terminal and an alternative call destination for said first subscriber terminal based on said first call status.