System and method for providing carrier-independent VoIP communication

• US 20090080411A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sangoma US, Inc. (Sangoma Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fonality Incorporated (NetFortris, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lyman, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,097,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/33 containing protocol addresses or telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/288 taking into account the usage mode, e.g. hands-free, data transmission, telephone

Abstract

Systems and methods for seamlessly providing carrier-independent VoIP calls initiated using an existing carrier-issued telephone number are provided. In exemplary embodiments, the existing carrier-issued telephone number to be called is received. Subsequently, a status regarding if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is a registered telephone number stored in a carrier-independent database is determined. If the existing carrier-issued telephone number comprises a registered telephone number in the carrier-independent database, a call is established via peer-to-peer connection using an address associated with the registered telephone number. However, if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is not a registered telephone number in the carrier-independent database, the call is placed via a standard route.

Claims

1. A method for seamlessly providing a carrier-independent peer-to-peer VoIP call initiated using an existing carrier-issued telephone number, comprising:

receiving the existing carrier-issued telephone number to be called;

determining if the existing carrier-issued telephone number comprises a registered telephone number stored in a carrier-independent database;

if the existing carrier-issued telephone number comprises a registered telephone number, placing a call via a carrier-independent peer-to-peer connection using an address associated with the registered telephone number; and

if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is not a registered telephone number, placing the call via a standard route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising testing the carrier-independent peer-to-peer connection to determine if a user specification is acceptable.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein if the user specification is not acceptable, automatically falling back to placing the call via the standard route.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the user specification comprises quality standards for the carrier-independent peer-to-peer connection.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the user specification comprises availability of the carrier-independent service.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the standard route comprises a PSTN connection.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the standard route comprises a third-party VoIP connection.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering the existing carrier-issued telephone number for carrier-independent VoIP calling service.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a verification process on the existing carrier-issued telephone number.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the verification process comprises requesting a DTMF sequence from a device associated with the existing carrier-issued telephone number.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the verification process comprises a re-verification of the registered telephone number.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a dynamic address for the registered telephone number.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the telephone number comprises a registered telephone number comprises using the existing carrier-issued telephone number as a lookup key in the carrier-independent database.

14. A system for seamlessly providing a carrier-independent peer-to-peer VoIP call initiated using an existing carrier-issued telephone number, comprising:

a carrier-independent database configured to store registered telephone numbers and corresponding addresses;

a routing instruction module configured to determine if the existing carrier-issued telephone number being called is a registered telephone number stored in the carrier-independent database, and configured to provide the corresponding address if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is registered; and

a call routing module configured to establish the call via a peer-to-peer connection over a carrier-independent network if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is registered, and configured to establish the call via a standard route if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is not registered.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a verification module configured to perform a verification process on a telephone number being registered.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising a fallback module configured to automatically switch the call to the standard connection if the carrier-independent network does not met user specifications.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising a dynamic address engine configured to determine a dynamic address associated with the registered telephone number and provide the dynamic address to the carrier-independent database.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising a system monitoring module configured to determine quality and availability of the peer-to-peer connection.

19. The system of claim 14 further comprising an update module configured to provide an updated copy of the carrier-independent database to coupled nodes.

20. A method for seamlessly providing a carrier-independent peer-to-peer VoIP call initiated using an existing carrier-issued telephone number, comprising:

receiving the existing carrier-issued telephone number to be called;

determining if the existing carrier-issued telephone number comprises a registered telephone number stored in a carrier-independent database; and

returning a status based on the determination, the status triggering a call via peer-to-peer connection using an address associated with the registered telephone number if the existing carrier-issued telephone number comprises a registered telephone number and triggering a call via a standard route if the existing carrier-issued telephone number is not a registered telephone number.