Internet telephone service

• US 6,125,113 A
• Filed: 08/16/1996
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Farris, Robert D., Bartholomew, Dale L., Flaherty, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/698,713
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/380, 370/389, 370/392, 370/396, 370/401, 370/404, 370/427, 370/435, 370/450, 370/465, 370/485, 379/88.17, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 379/100.15, 379/100.16
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• 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 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A public switched telephone network utilizing program controlled switching systems controlled by common channel interoffice signaling (CCIS) and preferably an advanced intelligent network (AIN) CCIS network is arranged in an architecture to provide a methodology for facilitating telephone use of the Internet by customers on an impromptu basis. Provision is made to permit a caller to set-up and carry out a telephone call over the Internet from telephone station to telephone station without access to computer equipment and without the necessity of maintaining a subscription to any Internet service. Billing may be accomplished on a per call basis. The calls may be inter and intra LATA, region or state and may be nationwide. Usage is made of CCIS signaling to set up the call and establish the necessary Internet connections and addressing. Calls may be made from telephone station to telephone station, from voice capable computer to voice capable computer, or from telephone to computer or computer to telephone. Provision is made to permit such Internet connection via wireless telephone stations.

Claims

1. A communications network comprising:

a switched land line telecommunications network having interconnected central office switching systems and having subscriber lines connected to said central office switching systems providing connection between terminals connected to said subscriber lines, each of said central office switching systems responding to a service request on a subscriber line connected thereto to selectively provide a communication connection between the requesting line and another selected subscriber line through the connected central office switching system or through the connected central office switching system and at least one other central office switching system;

a separate control network for said switched telecommunications network comprising a Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) network including Signal Transfer Points (STPs) connected to said central office switching systems through Signal Switching Points (SSPs) via links between said SSPs and STPs;

a wireless cellular communication system including cell site stations arranged for communication with wireless subscriber terminals, a Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO), and cell site control entities linked to the MTSO over data links;

a first interface between said MTSO and one of said central office switching systems;

a second interface between said MTSO and said control network;

a public packet data internetwork separate from said switched telephone network and said wireless cellular communication system comprising multiple remotely spaced computer networks of varying types connecting computers of varying types, said computer networks being connected together by links including telecommunication links and using transmission control protocols for linking dissimilar computers through an internet protocol to provide addressing to provide connectionless packet service between said computers;

each of two of said central office switching systems having connected thereto an Internet module and a MTSO to provide selective connection between said modules and subscriber terminals;

each of said Internet modules including a processor;

said Internet modules being linked to STPs in said control network whereby in response to control signals a virtual connection is established from a first subscriber terminal through said internetwork to a second subscriber terminal to provide voice communication between said subscriber terminals.

2. A communications network according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said subscriber terminals is a cellular telephone.

3. A communications network according to claim 1 wherein said Internet modules provide domain name translations and provide temporary Internet addresses used in establishing said virtual connection.

4. A communications network comprising:

a switched land line telecommunications network having interconnected central office switching systems and having subscriber lines connected thereto and to subscriber terminals;

a separate control network for said switched telecommunications network comprising a Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) network including Signal Transfer Points (STPs) connected to said central office switching systems through Signal Switching Points (SSPs) via links between said SSPs and STPS;

a wireless cellular communication system including cell site stations arranged for communication with wireless subscriber terminals, a Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO), and cell site controllers linked to said MTSO over data links;

a first interface between said MTSO and one of said central office switching systems;

a second interface between said MTSO and said control network;

a public packet data internetwork separate from said switched telephone network and said wireless cellular communication system comprising multiple remotely spaced computer networks of varying types, said computer networks being connected together by links including telecommunication links and using transmission control protocols for linking dissimilar computers through an internet protocol to provide addressing to provide connectionless packet service between said computer networks;

at least a pair of said central office switching systems having connected thereto an internetwork interface and a MTSO to provide selective connection between said interfaces and said subscriber terminals;

each of said internetwork interfaces including a processor and being linked to STPs in said control network whereby in response to control signals a virtual connection is established from a first subscriber terminal through said internetwork to a second subscriber terminal to provide voice communication between said subscriber terminals.

5. A communications network according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said subscriber terminals is a cellular telephone.

6. A communications network according to claim 4 wherein said internetwork interfaces provide domain name translations and provide temporary internetwork addresses used in establishing said virtual connection.

7. A method of establishing from a wireless terminal a voice connection via the Internet comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting from a calling wireless terminal a wireless signal identifying the call as an Internet call and identifying a called terminal, said signal having sufficient information content to establish routing the call;

(b) receiving said transmitted signal at a first switching entity and translating said signal to a Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) protocol signal;

(c) in response to said receiving step, transmitting said CCIS protocol signal from said first switching entity via a land line CCIS network to a second switching entity;

(d) receiving said CCIS protocol signal at said second switching entity and responsive thereto determining the availability of the identified called terminal;

(e) if said called terminal is available transmitting a reply CCIS protocol signal to said first switching entity via said land line CCIS network and blocking other connections to said called terminal via said second switching entity;

(f) responsive to said reply signal establishing TCP/IP address parameters for an Internet link between said switching entities and establishing said Internet link; and

(g) signaling said calling terminal that said Internet link has been established.

8. A method according to claim 7 including the steps of receiving said wireless signal from said calling terminal at a cellular base station site;

transmitting from said base station site to a Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) a signal identifying the call as an Internet call and identifying said called terminal and identifying said calling terminal;

responsive to receipt of said signal at said MTSO creating said CCIS protocol signal.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein said address parameters are assigned for temporary use for purposes of said voice connection via the Internet.

10. A method according to claim 7 wherein both the calling and called terminals are wireless terminals.

11. A method of establishing from a subscriber terminal in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) a voice connection via the Internet comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting from a calling subscriber PSTN terminal a signal identifying the call as an Internet call and identifying a called terminal said signal having sufficient information content to establish routing the call;

(b) receiving said transmitted signal at a first switching entity and translating said signal to a Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) protocol signal;

(c) in response to said receiving step, transmitting said CCIS protocol signal from said first switching entity via a land line CCIS network to a second switching entity;

(d) receiving said CCIS protocol signal at said second switching entity and responsive thereto determining the availability of the identified called terminal;

(e) if said called terminal is available transmitting a reply CCIS protocol signal to said first switching entity via said land line CCIS network and blocking other connections to said called terminal via said second switching entity;

(f) responsive to said reply signal establishing TCP/IP address parameters for an Internet link between said switching entities and establishing said Internet link; and

(g) signaling said calling terminal that said Internet link has been established.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said address parameters are assigned for temporary use for purposes of said voice connection via the Internet.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein both the calling and called terminals are wireless terminals.

14. A method of communicating via plural communication networks comprising;

a switched land line telecommunications network having interconnected central office switching systems and having subscriber lines connected thereto and to subscriber terminals;

a separate control network for said switched telecommunications network comprising a Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) network including Signal Transfer Points (STPs) connected to said central office switching systems through Signal Switching Points (SSPs) via links between said SSPs and STPs;

a wireless cellular communication system including cell site stations arranged for communication with wireless subscriber terminals, Mobile Telephone Switching Offices (MTSOs), and cell site controllers linked to said MTSOs over data links;

a first interface between one of said MTSOs and one of said central office switching systems;

a second interface between said one of said MTSOs and said control network;

a third interface between a second of said MTSOs and another one of said central office switching systems;

a fourth interface between said second of said MTSOs and said control network;

a public data packet internetwork separate from said switched telephone network and said wireless cellular communication system comprising multiple remotely spaced computer networks of varying types, said computer networks being connected together by links including telecommunication links and using transmission control protocols for linking dissimilar computers through an internet protocol to provide addressing to provide connectionless packet service between said computer networks;

a first internetwork interface between said one of said MTSOs and said internetwork;

a second internetwork interface between said second one of said MTSOs and said internetwork;

each of said first and second internetwork interfaces being linked to STPs in said control network;

said method comprising the steps of;

responsive to a request from a first of said wireless terminals to establish voice communication through said internetwork with a designated called second terminal, signaling through said control network to establish that said second called terminal is available;

upon establishing that said second called terminal is available, holding said second called terminal and signaling through said control network to notify said second interface that said called second terminal is available;

establishing TCP/IP address parameters for a link through said internetwork;

using said address parameters to establish a virtual connection through said internetwork from said first calling terminal to said called second terminal; and

conducting a voice communication through said first calling terminal and said called second terminal.