Method and apparatus for correlating a unique identifier, such as a PSTN telephone number, to an internet address to enable communications over the internet
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a directory service (DS), accessible via the Internet, containing unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A directory service, containing unique identifiers (e.g., telephone numbers) and related Internet address(es), accessible through the Internet. An Internet-enabled communication system, such as IP-PBX or voice mail system, accepts a telephone number as a destination address. It then contacts the directory service and requests the Internet address related to that telephone number. The communication system uses the Internet address to set up a delivery path via the Internet to the destination. Thus, all time-dependent charges normally associated with message delivery by the telephone network can be avoided.
51 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
a directory service (DS), accessible via the Internet, containing unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11-21. -21. (Canceled)
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22. A method comprising:
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registering a telephone number and associated Internet address with a directory service (DS), the DS being accessible via the Internet; and
accessing the DS via the Internet with a request for resolution of the telephone number to an associated Internet address, wherein the DS resolves the associated Internet address. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25-56. -56. (Canceled)
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57. A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of:
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providing a directory service (DS), residing on a data network, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and
one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user;
the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; and
wherein end users are charged for registering with the DS.
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Specification