Internet telephony directory server

• US 6,310,873 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1997
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ng, Stephen, Rainis, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/780,888
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/356, 370/401, 379/88.17, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.07, 379/111, 379/112, 379/113, 379/114, 379/130, 379/133
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/26 with real-time recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection user is asked if he wants to recharge or not
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

The invention relates to a system that provides telephonic communication over the Internet, and more particularly relates to an Internet telephony system that allows the user to select a service to handle the call, to choose a method of payment, and to call a party by ringing the party'"'"'s standard telephone. When the user desires to place a call, the user receives rate quotes from candidate telephony servers and selects a telephony server, which connects the call to the receiving party'"'"'s standard telephone. The selected telephony server handles payment for the call and provides the user with information regarding progress and cost of the call.

Claims

1. An Internet telephony system, comprising:

user input means for allowing a user to input data, the data including a destination telephone number of a receiving party;

identifying means for identifying a plurality of candidate telephony servers from a telephony server list, wherein each of the candidate telephony servers provides service to one or more receiving parties based on predetermined criteria;

telephony server selection means for allowing the user to select one of the candidate telephony servers; and

call initiation means responsive to the telephony server selection means for requesting the selected candidate telephony server to connect a call to the destination telephone number.

2. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising:

quote request means for requesting rate quotes from the candidate telephony servers based on the data;

quote receiving means for receiving the rate quotes from candidate telephony servers responding to the quote request means; and

quote displaying means for displaying to the user the rate quotes of the responding candidate telephony servers.

3. An Internet telephony system according to claim 2, wherein the rate quotes include a quote for an unavailable telephone line.

4. An Internet telephony system according to claim 2, wherein each of the rate quotes includes a lifetime indication of the time period in which the rate quote will be honored.

5. An Internet telephony system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the rate quotes includes additional candidate telephony server information.

6. An Internet telephony system according to claim 5, wherein the additional candidate telephony server information includes advertising.

7. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising payment selection means for allowing a user to select a payment method.

8. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising payment means for providing payment to the selected candidate telephony server.

9. An Internet telephony system according to claim 8, wherein the payment includes an initial prepayment for the beginning of the call.

10. An Internet telephony system according to claim 9, wherein the payment further includes a plurality of additional prepayments.

11. An Internet telephony system according to claim 8, wherein the selected candidate telephony server periodically requests for an additional payment.

12. An Internet telephony system according to claim 8, wherein the payment includes a payment token, wherein the payment token serves as proof of ability to pay for the call.

13. An Internet telephony system according to claim 12, wherein the payment token includes security features.

14. An Internet telephony system according to claim 13, wherein the security features include encryption and digital signatures.

15. An Internet telephony system according to claim 14, further comprising means for decrypting and verifying the payment token.

16. An Internet telephony system according to claim 8, wherein the payment comprises funds from a digital calling card.

17. An Internet telephony system according to claim 16, further comprising means for registering the digital calling card.

18. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating a bill.

19. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising progress means for providing the user with progress data.

20. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising progress exchange means for exchanging progress data packets with the selected candidate telephony server.

21. An Internet telephony system according to claim 20, wherein the progress data packets include security features.

22. An Internet telephony system according to claim 21, wherein the security features include encryption and digital signatures.

23. An Internet telephony system according to claim 22, further comprising means for decrypting and verifying the progress data packets.

24. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising exchange means for exchanging digitized speech packets with the selected candidate telephony server.

25. An Internet telephony system according to claim 24, wherein the digitized speech packets are encrypted.

26. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising termination means for allowing the user, the receiving party or the selected candidate telephony server to terminate the call.

27. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, wherein the telephony server list is a database.

28. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising registering means for registering telephony server data with the telephony server list.

29. An Internet telephony system according to claim 28, wherein the registering means includes an on-line service.

30. An Internet telephony system according to claim 1, further comprising means for accessing information sources and additional telecommunications services.

31. An internet telephony system, comprising:

a client that enables a user to input data, including a destination telephone number of a receiving party;

a telephony server identifier that enables identification of at least one candidate telephony server providing service to one or more receiving parties based upon predetermined criteria;

a telephony server selector that enables a user to select at least one of the at least one candidate telephony servers; and

a call initiator, responsive to the telephony server selector, that enables the selected at least one candidate telephony server to connect a call to the destination telephone number.

32. An Internet telephony system according to claim 31, further comprising a payment object that provides payment to the selected at least one candidate telephony server.

33. An Internet telephony system according to claim 31, further comprising an exchanger that exchanges digitized speech packets with the selected at least one candidate telephony server.

34. An Internet telephony system according to claim 31, further comprising, a progress indicator that provides the user with progress data.

35. An Internet telephony system according to claim 31, further comprising a terminator that enables the user, the one or more receiving parties, or the selected at least on candidate telephony server to terminate the call.

36. An Internet telephony system according to claim 31, wherein the data is in the form of dual tone multifrequency signals.

37. A method for providing Internet telephony service, comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to input data, the data including a destination telephone number of a receiving party;

identifying a plurality of candidate telephony servers from a telephony server list, wherein each of the candidate telephony servers provides service to one or more receiving parties based on predetermined criteria;

allowing the user to select one of the candidate telephony servers; and

requesting the selected candidate telephony server to connect a call to the destination telephone number.

38. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the steps of:

requesting rate quotes from the candidate telephony servers based on the data;

receiving the rate quotes from candidate telephony servers responding to the quote request means; and

displaying to the user the rate quotes of the responding candidate telephony servers.

39. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 38, wherein each of the rate quotes includes a lifetime indication of the time period in which the rate quote will be honored.

40. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of allowing a user to select a payment method.

41. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of providing payment to the selected candidate telephony server.

42. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 41, wherein the payment includes an initial prepayment for the beginning of the call.

43. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 42, wherein the payment further includes a plurality of additional prepayments.

44. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 41, wherein the selected candidate telephony server periodically requests for an additional payment.

45. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of providing the user with progress data.

46. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of exchanging progress data packets with the selected candidate telephony server.

47. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 46, wherein the progress data packets include security features.

48. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of exchanging digitized speech packets with the selected candidate telephony server.

49. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, wherein the telephony server list is a database.

50. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of registering telephony server data with the telephony server list.

51. A method for providing Internet telephony service according to claim 37, further comprising the step of accessing information sources and additional telecommunications services.

52. An electronic storage medium having code embodied thereon for causing at least one processor to enable an Internet telephony system, the medium comprising:

client user input code that enables a user to input data, including a destination telephone number of a receiving party;

telephony server identifier code that enables identification of at least one candidate telephony server providing service to one or more receiving parties based upon predetermined criteria;

telephony server selector code that enables a user to select at least one of the at least one candidate telephony servers; and

call initiator code, responsive to the telephony server selector code, that enables the selected at least one candidate telephony server to connect a call to the destination telephone number.

53. An electronic storage medium according to claim 52, further comprising payment provider code that enables the provision of payment to the selected at least one candidate telephony server.

54. An electronic storage medium according to claim 52, further comprising exhanger code that enables exchanging digitized speech packets with the selected at least one candidate telephony server.

55. An electronic storage medium according to claim 52, further comprising progress code that enables the provision of progress data.