System and method for simulating telephone use in a network telephone system
First Claim
1. In a network-based telephone system comprising a calling telecommunications device communicably connected to a packet-based network to communicate with a called telecommunications device, a method for simulating a typical plain old telephone system (POTS) connection for a user of said telecommunications device, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting a condition in a telephone connection between said calling telecommunications device and said at least one called telecommunications devices, the condition selected from the group consisting of an off-hook condition, a dialing condition, an error condition, a satisfactory condition, a silence condition, and a hook-on condition;
generating a sound in response to said condition by inserting sound data streams into the telephone connection that simulate a corresponding POTS sound when a POTS condition corresponding to said condition exists in said typical POTS telephone connection; and
communicating the sound on said telephone connection.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method in a network-based telephone system for simulating a typical plain old telephone system (POTS) connection by generating sounds in response to conditions in the telephone connection that simulate POTS sounds that occur during the typical POTS connection. Telephones in a network-based telephone system are connected to a wide-area network (WAN) such as the Internet via an Internet telephony gateway. A calling telephone connects to the local exchange carrier to permit a user to connect to a calling Internet telephony gateway by dialing an access telephone number. The calling Internet telephony gateway receives access information and the destination telephone number and uses the destination telephone number to determine the Internet telephony gateway that is closest to the called telephone with the destination telephone number. The calling Internet telephony gateway connects to the called Internet telephony gateway which connects to the called telephone number. During the setup of the connection, the calling Internet telephony gateway generates dialing sounds to the calling telephone. The Internet telephony gateway may also generate busy signals, fast busy signals, click sounds and comfort noise sounds to provide the caller with a POTS feel.
125 Citations
29 Claims
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1. In a network-based telephone system comprising a calling telecommunications device communicably connected to a packet-based network to communicate with a called telecommunications device, a method for simulating a typical plain old telephone system (POTS) connection for a user of said telecommunications device, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a condition in a telephone connection between said calling telecommunications device and said at least one called telecommunications devices, the condition selected from the group consisting of an off-hook condition, a dialing condition, an error condition, a satisfactory condition, a silence condition, and a hook-on condition;
generating a sound in response to said condition by inserting sound data streams into the telephone connection that simulate a corresponding POTS sound when a POTS condition corresponding to said condition exists in said typical POTS telephone connection; and
communicating the sound on said telephone connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
establishing said telephone connection by the steps of;
said first user actuating said telecommunications device to connect to said packet-based network;
dialing a destination telephone number;
generating a dialing sound that simulates a corresponding dialing sound in said typical POTS connection;
connecting to said called telecommunications device using said destination telephone number; and
completing said telephone connection by a second user actuating said called telecommunications device.
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3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of dialing said destination telephone number includes the step of generating a comfort noise sound and communicating said sound to said calling telecommunications device.
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4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of connecting to said called telecommunications device includes the step of generating a comfort noise sound and communicating said sound to said calling telecommunications device.
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5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
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actuating said calling telecommunications device to end said telephone connection, said end of said telephone connection being the condition detected in said detecting step; and
whereby said sound generated in said generating step is a click sound.
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6. The method of claim 1 wherein the condition detected in said detecting step is a period of silence and whereby said sound generated in said generating step is a comfort noise sound.
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7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of communicating said sound to said calling telecommunications device.
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8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of communicating said sound to said called telecommunications device.
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9. In a network-based telephone system comprising a calling telecommunications device communicably connected to a packet-based network to communicate with a called telecommunications device, a method for simulating a typical plain old telephone system (POTS) connection setup for a user of said telecommunications device, the method comprising the steps of:
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said user actuating said telecommunications device to connect to said packet-based network;
dialing a destination telephone number;
generating a dialing sound by inserting dialing sound data streams into data packets for transmission, the dialing sound simulates a corresponding dialing sound in said typical POTS connection;
detecting an error condition at said called telecommunications device;
generating an error sound in response to said error condition by inserting error sound data streams into data packets for transmission, the error sound simulates a corresponding POTS error sound when a POTS error condition corresponding to said error condition exists in said typical POTS telephone connection setup; and
communicating said error sound over said telephone connection. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A network-based telephone system comprising a calling telecommunications device and a called telecommunications device over a packet-based network, the system comprising:
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a calling network access server connected to said calling telecommunications device and a called network access server connected to said called telecommunications device, said calling network access server comprising;
a call process driver for connecting to said called network access server to initiate a telephone connection when a user actuates said calling telecommunications device and for detecting conditions in said telephone connection, the conditions selected from the group consisting of an off-hook condition, a dialing condition, an error condition, a satisfactory condition, a silence condition, and a hook-on condition; and
a POTS-sound generator for generating POTS-sounds sound by inserting sound data streams into data packets for transmission that simulate sounds made in a typical POTS telephone connection when said call process driver detects a corresponding condition in said telephone connection; and
said called network access server being operable to complete said telephone connection by connecting to said called telecommunications device when said call process driver connects to said called network access server. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
a sound memory for storing at least one sound data stream.
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16. The system of claim 15 wherein:
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one of said sound data streams includes a ‘
click’
sound data stream; and
wherein said POTS-sound generator imposes said ‘
click’
sound data stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a hang-up condition.
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17. The system of claim 15 wherein:
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one of said sound data streams includes a dialing sound data stream; and
wherein said POTS-sound generator imposes said dialing sound data stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a connection initiating condition.
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18. The system of claim 15 wherein:
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one of said sound data streams includes a comfort noise sound data stream; and
wherein said POTS-sound generator imposes said ‘
click’
sound data stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a silent connection normal condition.
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19. The system of claim 15 wherein:
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one of said sound data streams includes a comfort noise sound data stream; and
wherein said POTS-sound generator imposes said comfort noise sound data stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a connection initiating condition.
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20. The system of claim 15 wherein:
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one of said sound data streams includes a busy sound data stream; and
wherein said POTS-sound generator imposes said busy sound data stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a called party busy condition.
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21. The system of claim 15 wherein:
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one of said sound data streams includes a fast busy sound data stream; and
wherein said POTS-sound generator imposes said fast busy sound data stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a connecting error condition.
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22. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one sound data stream is stored as a WAV file.
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23. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one sound data stream is stored as a G.711 stream.
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24. The system of claim 14 wherein said POTS-sound generator further comprises:
a ‘
click’
stream generator for generating a ‘
click’
sound stream and imposing said ‘
click’
sound stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a hang-up condition.
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25. The system of claim 14 wherein said POTS-sound generator further comprises:
a dialing stream generator for generating a dialing stream and imposing said dialing stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a connection initiating condition.
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26. The system of claim 14 wherein said POTS-sound generator further comprises:
a comfort noise stream generator for generating a comfort noise stream and imposing said comfort noise stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a silent connection normal condition.
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27. The system of claim 14 wherein said POTS-sound generator further comprises:
a comfort noise stream generator for generating a comfort noise stream and imposing said comfort noise stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a connection initiating condition.
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28. The system of claim 14 wherein said POTS-sound generator further comprises:
a busy signal stream generator for generating a busy signal stream and imposing said busy signal stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a called party busy condition.
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29. The system of claim 14 wherein said POTS-sound generator further comprises:
a fast busy stream generator for generating a fast busy stream and imposing said fast busy stream in said telephone connection when said call process driver detects a connecting error condition.
Specification