Telephone Number Binding in a Voice-Over-Internet System

• US 20100195811A1
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Televolution Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Televolution Incorporated
• Inventors: Beckemeyer, David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/755,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

Telephone number binding in a voice-over-Internet system is provided. One embodiment is a method for provisioning a customer voice-over-Internet device for voice-over-Internet service. One such method comprises: providing a customer voice-over-Internet device for communicating with an existing telephone line and a data network; providing a telephone number associated with the existing telephone line to a voice-over-Internet platform; and linking the existing telephone number to a unique identifier associated with the customer voice-over-Internet device.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for provisioning a customer device for voice-over-Internet service, the method comprising:

simultaneously controlling a data session and a telephone call between a voice-over-Internet platform and a customer device connected to a customer'"'"'s telephone; and

linking a telephone number received via the telephone call to the customer device, if a transmitted session identifier received via the telephone call matches a session identifier associated with the data session.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the linking a telephone number to a customer device comprises binding the telephone number to a device identifier received via the data session, the device identifier uniquely identifying the customer device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the data session involves a session initiation protocol.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the linking a telephone number to the customer device comprises:

receiving, via the data session, a device identifier associated with the customer device;

instructing the customer device to initiate the telephone call;

capturing the telephone number via the telephone call; and

instructing the customer device to transmit the session identifier via the telephone call.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the data session occurs via the Internet.

22. A method for provisioning a customer device for voice-over-Internet service, the method comprising:

establishing a data session between a customer device and a voice-over-Internet platform via a data network;

receiving a device identifier associated with the customer device via the data session;

instructing the customer device, via the data session, to make a telephone call to a predetermined telephone number that terminates at the voice-over-Internet platform;

capturing a telephone number corresponding to the customer device via the telephone call;

instructing the customer device, via the data session, to transmit a session identifier associated with the data session to the voice-over-Internet platform via the telephone call; and

associating the telephone number with the customer device if the transmitted session identifier matches the session identifier.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the establishing a data session involves a session initiation protocol.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the establishing a data session comprises registering with an SIP proxy.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the device identifier comprises a digital certificate stored in the customer device.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the data session comprises an SIP session.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the associating the telephone number with the customer device comprises binding the telephone number to the customer device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the telephone number is linked to the device identifier.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the data network comprises the Internet.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the telephone call is a wireless telephone call.

31-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A voice-over-Internet platform for binding a telephone number to a customer voice-over-Internet device identifier, the voice-over-Internet platform comprising:

a first interface for communicating over a data network;

a telephone number binding system coupled to the first interface and configured to receive a customer voice-Internet device identifier, communicate a request via the data network to a customer device associated with the customer voice-over-Internet device identifier;

a second interface coupled to the telephone number binding system for communicating over the public-switched telephone network, the second interface configured to receive a call from the customer device associated with the customer voice-over-Internet device identifier, wherein the telephone number binding system upon receipt of the call, transmits a session identifier over the data network along with a request for the customer voice-over-Internet device to communicate the session identifier via the call, and upon receipt of a session identifier in the call that matches the session identifier transmitted via the data network, the telephone number binding system stores a record that includes a telephone number and the device identifier.

52. The voice-over-Internet platform of claim 51, wherein the telephone number binding system uses the customer voice-Internet device identifier to provision the customer voice-over-Internet device for a voice-over-Internet service.

53. The voice-over-Internet platform of claim 52, wherein voice-over-Internet calls originating from a participating origination device can be directed to the customer voice-over-Internet device over the data network.

54. The voice-over-Internet platform of claim 52, wherein voice-over-Internet calls originating from a non-participating origination device can be directed to the customer voice-over-Internet device over the public-switched telephone network.

55. The voice-over-Internet platform of claim 52, wherein the voice-over-Internet service is provided by a provider functioning absent cooperation of a telephone service provider.