System and method for establishing long distance voice communications using the internet
First Claim
1. An apparatus for establishing long distance voice communications between an origination number supplied by a calling party having Internet access and a telephone connected by a first line to a public switched telephone network, and a termination number of a called party having access to a telephone connected by a second line to the public switched telephone network, comprising:
- a long distance service provider node accessible by the calling party'"'"'s computer through the Internet, the node being programmed to;
a) on a one time basis, to download to a calling party'"'"'s computer a membership identification form and to obtain identification information and verify the credit rating of the calling party on receipt of the completed form;
b) on a per session basis, to download a logon form to identify the calling party and verify the calling party'"'"'s eligibility to place long distance calls;
c) on a per session basis, in an instance where the calling party is eligible to place long distance calls, to download call request enabling software to permit the calling party to request a long distance call;
d) on a per call basis, to accept a call request from the calling party and to forward the call request to a call connection control computer;
the call connection control computer having an interface with a toll switch connected to the public switched telephone network and programmed to;
a) receive the call request from the long distance service provider node and instruct the toll switch through the interface to;
1) establish communications with the origination number using a first trunk;
2) establish communications with the termination number using a second trunk;
3) conference together the first and second trunks; and
4) pass back at least a variable representing a duration of the call on call termination;
whereby at least the variable representing the duration of the call is stored in a data base by the call connection control computer or returned by the call connection control computer to the long distance service provider node for storage in the data base to permit billing the calling party for the long distance charges for the call.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for completing long distance telephone calls over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using an automated Internet Operator are disclosed. The apparatus includes a long distance service provider node connected to the Internet and a call connection control computer connected to the Internet and interfaced to a toll switch connected to the PSTN. The method permits a calling party to request the automated Internet Operator to complete long distance call connections by connecting to the long distance service provider node and identifying himself. The caller completes a call request form which is uploaded to the long distance service provider node and passed to the call connection control computer for processing. The call connection control computer instructs the toll switch to dial the calling party, dial the called party and conference the two lines. The call control computer preferably uses a least cost routing algorithm to select an interexchange carrier for each call, depending on the origination and termination location of the call. The advantage is a flexible long distance service that is not interexchange carrier dependent for the best long distance rates.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus for establishing long distance voice communications between an origination number supplied by a calling party having Internet access and a telephone connected by a first line to a public switched telephone network, and a termination number of a called party having access to a telephone connected by a second line to the public switched telephone network, comprising:
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a long distance service provider node accessible by the calling party'"'"'s computer through the Internet, the node being programmed to;
a) on a one time basis, to download to a calling party'"'"'s computer a membership identification form and to obtain identification information and verify the credit rating of the calling party on receipt of the completed form;
b) on a per session basis, to download a logon form to identify the calling party and verify the calling party'"'"'s eligibility to place long distance calls;
c) on a per session basis, in an instance where the calling party is eligible to place long distance calls, to download call request enabling software to permit the calling party to request a long distance call;
d) on a per call basis, to accept a call request from the calling party and to forward the call request to a call connection control computer;
the call connection control computer having an interface with a toll switch connected to the public switched telephone network and programmed to;
a) receive the call request from the long distance service provider node and instruct the toll switch through the interface to;
1) establish communications with the origination number using a first trunk;
2) establish communications with the termination number using a second trunk;
3) conference together the first and second trunks; and
4) pass back at least a variable representing a duration of the call on call termination;
whereby at least the variable representing the duration of the call is stored in a data base by the call connection control computer or returned by the call connection control computer to the long distance service provider node for storage in the data base to permit billing the calling party for the long distance charges for the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of establishing long distance voice communications on a public switched telephone network, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing Internet access with a logon form for accessing a long distance service provider node connected to the Internet;
b) accepting the logon form on an indication that the logon form has been completed by the calling party;
c) verifying entitlement to establish long distance voice communications on the public switched telephone network on receipt of the logon form;
d) enabling access to call request software where entitlement to establish long distance voice communications is verified;
e) accepting a call request including at least an indication of a call origination number and a call termination number for the long distance voice communications to be established between a calling party and a called party; and
f) forwarding the call request to a call connection control computer interfaced with a telephone toll switch connected to the public switched telephone network;
whereby the call connection control computer operates on receipt of the call request to instruct the telephone toll switch to establish communications with the origination number using a first trunk and with the termination number using a second trunk and to conference together the first and second trunks to establish voice communications between the calling party and the called party. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeBlackbird Tech LLC, Innosys Communications, Inc.
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Original AssigneeSoftalk, Inc. (Dynatec International, Inc.)
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InventorsLang, Alexander C., Mahammadi, Mansour
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Primary Examiner(s)NGO, RICKY QUOC
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Application NumberUS08/811,099Time in Patent Office1,443 DaysField of Search370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 379/90.01, 379/91.01, 379/219, 379/220, 379/222, 379/223, 379/229, 379/230, 379/93.01, 379/93.09US Class Current370/352CPC Class CodesH04M 7/003 Click to dial servicesH04M 7/1245 where a network other than ...
