Voice over internet protocol telephone system and method

• US 6,404,764 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cotton, Timothy, Holland, Robert Victor, Jones, Wesley Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/618,376
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/358, 370/401, 370/410, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/207.16, 379/229, 379/230, 379/221.01
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• 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 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

An Internet Protocol telephone system and method uses a telephone (26) to place and receive voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based telephone calls and public switched telephone network (PSTN)-based telephone calls. An off-hook condition with the telephone (26) is detected and a sequence of signals generated by the telephone (26) is received. At least a first signal generated by the telephone (26) is buffered while the system attempts to detect a predetermined signal that signifies a VoIP-based call. Upon detection of the predetermined signal, the system intercepts subsequent signals in the sequence, absent the at least first signal that was buffered, and places the VoIP-based call via an internet (12). Otherwise, the system places the PSTN-based call via a PSTN (16).

Claims

1. In an Internet Protocol telephone using a telephone to place and receive voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based and public switches telephone network (PSTN)-based telephone calls, a method which occurs during a PSTN-based telephone call, the method comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition from the telephone;

receiving a sequence of signals generated by the telephone;

buffering at least a first signal generated by the telephone;

attempting to detect a predetermined signal that signifies a VoIP-based call; and

intercepting subsequent signals in the sequence, absent the at least first signal that was buffered, and placing the VoIP-based call via an internet when the predetermined signal is detected.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a presence of an incoming telephone call; and

signaling a user of the telephone during the VoIP-based call of the presence of the incoming telephone call.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the user of the telephone is signaled via an audible tone.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the audible tone is of a first ringing cadence when the incoming telephone call is a VoIP-based call and the audible tone is of a second ringing cadence when the incoming telephone call is a PSTN-based call.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the incoming telephone call is a VoIP-based call.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the incoming telephone call is a PSTN-based call.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising ringing the telephone via the internet when an electronic mail message arrives at a mailbox.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising utilizing a PSTN to send a telephony-based page to a wireless pager on receipt of an electronic mail message.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

translating the electronic mail message into a voice message; and

transmitting the voice message over the PSTN to be communicated on the telephone.

10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a facsimile from a PSTN; and

redistributing the facsimile as an electronic mail message via the internet.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising forwarding the facsimile to another facsimile number.

12. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an electronic mail message; and

converting the electronic mail message into a facsimile.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising forwarding the facsimile to another facsimile number.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising, when the predetermined signal is not detected that signifies a VoIP-based call:

determining that a telephone call is being made;

transmitting the sequence of signals generated by the telephone to a PSTN;

detecting a presence of an incoming VoIP-based call having Internet Protocol address information; and

signaling a user of the telephone during the telephone call of the presence of the incoming VoIP-based call.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the user is signaled via an audible tone.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

translating the Internet Protocol address information into a format compatible for caller identification to create VoIP caller identification information; and

presenting to the user of the telephone the VoIP caller identification information.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of presenting to the user of the telephone occurs at the time of signaling the user of the telephone during the telephone call of the presence of the incoming VoIP-based call.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the telephone is cordless.

19. In an Internet Protocol telephone system using a digital wireless handset to place and receive internet-based telephone calls using a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as well as public switched telephone network (PSTN)-based calls via a common compression decompression engine, a method for dynamically routing a voice stream call over either the PSTN or an internet comprising steps of:

entering an active mode;

receiving a sequence of signals from a user, wherein the sequence of signals comprises a network selection and voice stream routing information and wherein the sequence of signals are received without a prompting of the user to make the network selection; and

interacting with a network premises gateway to initiate the call, wherein the network premises gateway connects to a PSTN when initiating PSTN-based calls and connects to an internet when initiating VoIP-based calls.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising steps of:

converting analog signals to digital signals at the digital wireless handset to be transmitted to a network premises gateway when placing an outgoing call;

translating digital signals to a format compatible for a network used in completing the outgoing call at the network premises gateway, wherein the network is the PSTN for PSTN-based calls and the internet for VoIP based calls; and

converting digital signals transmitted form the network premises gateway to analog signals at the digital wireless handset when receiving an incoming call.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the digital signals to the network premises gateway using low-bit addressing and encoding.

22. In an Internet Protocol telephone system using a telephone to place and receive voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone calls and public switched telephone network (PSTN)-based telephone calls, a system for dynamically routing a telephone call over either the PSTN or an internet comprising:

a telephony subsystem having;

a state detector for detecting an off-hook condition with the telephone;

a detector for receiving a sequence of signals generated by the telephone, wherein the sequence of signals comprises a type-of-call selection and telephone call routing information and wherein the sequence of signals are received without a prompting of the user to make a type-of-call selection;

a system controller and memory, coupled to the telephony subsystem, having;

a memory system for buffering at least a first signal generated by the telephone;

a comparator for attempting to detect a predetermined signal in the sequence of signals comprising a type-of-call selection that signifies a VoIP-based call; and

a microprocessor and associated software for intercepting subsequent signals in the sequence, absent the at least first signal that was buffered, and placing the VoIP-based call via an internet when the predetermined signal in detected.