Communication device supporting both Internet and public switched telephone network telephony

• US 20070183440A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennet, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/419
• 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

A voice communication device, supporting both Internet and public switched telephone network telephony, performs call session hand off between Internet and public switched telephone networks. Hand off, with or without user confirmation, may be half or full duplex, yielding common and differing incoming and outgoing call session pathways. In addition to mid-call hand offs, hand off may also be performed as part of the call session setup. Information regarding the destination network is exchanged on the network from which the hand off will occur. Voice communication devices are each configured with a plurality of communication interfaces including a public switched telephone network interface and an Internet interface. Basic full-duplex operations include immediate and mid-call hand offs between the public switched telephone network and Internet. Mixed pathway communication and handoffs using partly Internet and partly public switched telephone network are also contemplated.

Claims

1. A voice communication device that communicates with a receiving device via Internet and a public switched telephone network, the receiving device having a telephone number and an Internet identifier, the voice communication device comprising:

a first interface that supports communication via the public switched telephone network;

a second interface that supports communication via the Internet;

processing circuitry establishes communication with the receiving device via the first interface using the telephone number of the receiving device to retrieve the Internet identifier of the receiving device; and

the processing circuitry establishes communication with the receiving device via the second interface using the Internet identifier of the receiving device.

2. The voice communication device of claim 1, wherein the Internet identifier comprising an Internet address.

3. The voice communication device of claim 1, wherein the Internet identifier comprising an Internet handle that is used to retrieve an Internet address.

4. The voice communication device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry retrieves the Internet identifier by sending a request signal to the receiving device.

5. The voice communication device of claim 4, wherein the request signal comprising caller identification information.

6. The voice communication device of claim 4, wherein the request signal comprising an audible modulation signal.

7. The voice communication device of claim 6, wherein the audible modulation comprising an Internet identifier associated with the second interface.

8. A voice communication device, coupled to Internet and a public switched telephone network that communicates with a receiving device, the voice communication device comprising:

a plurality of communication interfaces comprising a public switched telephone network interface and an Internet interface;

processing circuitry establishes a voice call with the receiving device via a first of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

the processing circuitry hands off the voice call from the first of the plurality of communication interfaces to a second of the plurality of communication interfaces.

9. The voice communication device of claim 8, wherein the hand off occurs based on user input.

10. The voice communication device of claim 9, wherein the user input comprising authorization.

11. The voice communication device of claim 9, wherein the user input comprising a hand off request.

12. The voice communication device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry performs voice pathway analysis.

13. The voice communication device of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry prompts for the hand off request.

14. The voice communication device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry performs an automatic hand off.

15. The voice communication device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry considers link cost before performing the hand off.

16. A voice communication device that communicates with a remote device, the voice communication device comprising:

a plurality of communication interfaces, the plurality of communication interfaces comprising an Internet interface and a public switched telephone network interface;

processing circuitry communicatively coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces;

the processing circuitry establishes communication with the remote device via an outgoing pathway through a first of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

the processing circuitry switches the outgoing pathway from the first of the plurality of communication interfaces to a second of the plurality of communication interfaces to support a call session.

17. The voice communication device of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry establishes an incoming pathway from the remote device via the first of the plurality of communication interfaces to support the call session.

18. The voice communication device of claim 17, wherein both the incoming pathway via the first of the plurality of communication interfaces and the outgoing pathway via the second of the plurality of communication interfaces together supporting the call session.

19. The voice communication device of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry delivers information relating to the second of the plurality of communication interfaces over the first of the plurality of communication interfaces.

20. The voice communication device of claim 19, wherein the remote device, using the information, cooperates with the processing circuitry to switch of the outgoing pathway.

21. The voice communication device of claim 16, wherein the remote device cooperates with the processing circuitry to switch of the outgoing pathway.

22. The voice communication device of claim 19, wherein the information comprising a network identifier.

23. The voice communication device of claim 22, wherein the network identifier comprising a handle.

24. The voice communication device of claim 22, wherein the network identifier comprising a telephone number.

25. The voice communication device of claim 22, wherein the network identifier comprising an Internet address.

26. The voice communication device of claim 16, wherein the communication with the remote device comprising an exchange of information between the remote device and the processing circuitry regarding the second of the plurality of communication interfaces.

27. The voice communication device of claim 26 wherein the communication with the remote device via the first of the plurality of communication interfaces comprising a pre-call exchange for setting up a voice exchange via the second of the plurality of communication interfaces.

28. The voice communication device of claim 26 wherein the communication with the remote device via the first of the plurality of communication interfaces further comprising a first portion of a call session.

29. In a voice communication network comprising a plurality of Internet and public switched telephone network communication pathways, a method for operating a voice communication device that supports both Internet telephony and public switched telephone network telephony, the method comprising:

setting up a call session with a remote terminal via a first pathway of the plurality of Internet and public switched telephone network communication pathways;

handing off to a second pathway of the plurality of Internet and public switched telephone network communication pathways to continue the call session; and

at least one of the first pathway and the second pathway comprising an Internet pathway, and at least one of the first pathway and the second pathway comprising a public switched telephone network pathway.