Packet-switched telephony call server

• US 20060098619A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G02Call.Com, Inc., Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Go2call Com Incorporated (Praescient LLC)
• Inventors: Nix, John A., Wiles, Brian C., Mumma, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,145,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/127 where the session control protocols comprise SIP and SS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A system and method for providing packet-switched telephony service. The system provides call control, signaling, and/or delivery of voice, video, and other media in substantially real time. One embodiment of the system includes a call client application on a user device, and a call server located at a packet-switched telephony service provider. The call server is preferably operable to communicate with the call client in a non-native protocol and with the gateway in a native protocol.

Claims

1-91. -91. (canceled)

92. A system for providing telephony service over the Internet, comprising in combination:

a call client downloadable to a user device located on the Internet, the call client operable to communicate both media and first call-control data across the Internet according to a non-native protocol, the media including voice data;

a database for determining whether a user associated with the user device is authorized to communicate via a call with a second user accessible through a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

a gateway located at an interface between the Internet and the PSTN, the gateway operable to communicate according to a native protocol;

a Packet-switched Telephony Service Provider (PTSP) operable to communicate both the media and the first calkontrol data across the Internet with the call client according to the nonnative protocol, the PSTP being further operable to communicate both the media and second call-control data across the Internet with the gateway according to the native protocol so that the call can be connected to the PSTN; and

a call logger associated with the PTSP and operable to track calls.

93. The system of claim 92, the PTSP including a call director and a plurality of call handlers, the call director operable to receive the first calkontrol data in the nonnative protocol over the Internet from a plurality of user devices and distribute further call processing to the plurality of call handlers.

94. The system of claim 92, further comprising:

a plurality of gateways; and

a proxy server associated with the PTSP, the proxy server operable to receive and distribute calls across the plurality of gateways according to one or more non-proprietary protocols, including the native protocol.

95. The system of claim 92, the call client being operable to transmit both the media and the first call-control data in packets formatted according to the HTTP protocol.

96. The system of claim 92, wherein the native protocol is selected from H.323, SIP, and MGCP, and wherein messages according to the non-native protocol are in a format selected from UDP, TCP, and HTTP.

97. The system of claim 92, wherein the non-native protocol includes a set of data messages in a proprietary format, including telephone number, user device IP address, port number, and user identification token.

98. The system of claim 92, wherein the call client receives an “

unauthorized”

message if, by accessing the database, the PTSP determines that the user does not have a sufficient balance to place the call.