Internet telephony arrangement and method

• US 20070025343A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Deierling, Kevin, Martin, Bryan, Singh, Hardish
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• 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 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

An arrangement which includes a telephone and an interface unit, which interfaces the telephone to both a standard switched telephone communications network and an Internet communications network, is disclosed. The interface unit includes an input coupled to the telephone to receive audio information and two output ports configured to be respectively coupled to the standard switched telephone communications network and the Internet communications network. A processing unit couples the audio information received from the telephone to the first output port when the telephonic communication is to be performed using the standard switched telephone communications network. Alternatively, the processing unit processes the audio information received from the telephone in accordance with standard Internet transfer protocols and couples the processed audio information to the second output port when the telephonic communication is to be performed using the Internet communications network and the standard protocols.

Claims

1. An interface arrangement for providing telephonic communication between a calling party and another party, the interface unit comprising:

first means, including a first output port, for coupling to a standard switched telephone communications network;

second means, including a second output port, for coupling to an internet communications network; and

processing means for;

receiving from the calling party a telephone number designating a telephonic communications addressee;

communicating with an internet appliance to determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee;

in response to determining that the telephonic communications addressee is not accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications, telephonically connecting audio information from the calling party to the other party via the first output port to establish standard telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the standard switched telephone communications network; and

in response to determining that the telephone number is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications, telephonically connecting audio information from the calling party to the other party via the second output port to establish internet telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the internet communications network.

2. The interface arrangement of claim 1, wherein the processing means is configured and arranged to communicate with an internet appliance to determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee by determining whether an internet protocol telephone call made to the communications addressee is connected.

3. The interface arrangement of claim 1, wherein the processing means is configured and arranged to connect audio information from the calling party to the other party via the first output port to establish standard telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the standard switched telephone communications network in response to an internet connection previously available to the interface unit being disabled.