System for interconnecting packet-switched and circuit-switched voice communications

• US 6,600,733 B2
• Filed: 02/06/1997
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Deng, Shuang
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US08/796,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,364 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/392, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 370/466, 370/467, 370/474, 370/260, 370/261, 395/200.34, 395/200.36, 395/200.57, 395/200.79, 395/200.8, 379/219, 379/220, 709/249, 709/250
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks

Abstract

A system and method for establishing voice communication between a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network includes a network interface unit for coupling to the packet-switched network, a phone interface unit for coupling to the circuit-switched network and a gateway processor coupled to the network interface unit and to the phone interface unit. In response to a call request, a packet-switched network connection is established between the gateway processor and a first station in the packet-switched network, and a circuit-switched network connection is established between the gateway processor and a second station in the circuit-switched network. Incoming voice data packets received from the first station are converted to outgoing voice signals, which are transmitted over the circuit-switched network connection to the second station. Incoming voice signals received from the second station are converted to outgoing voice data packets, which are transmitted over the packet-switched network connection to the first station. A conference call may be established among three or more conference call participants.

Claims

1. A system for establishing voice communication between an Internet and a circuit-switched network, comprising:

a network interface unit coupled to the Internet;

a phone interface unit coupled to the circuit-switched network;

a gateway processor coupled to the network interface unit and the phone interface unit and configured, in conjunction with the network interface unit and the phone interface unit, to;

receive a call request from at least one of a phone coupled to the circuit-switched network and a host coupled to the Internet, and

establish two-way voice communication, via the Internet and the circuit-switched network, between the phone and the host responsive to the call request,

wherein the gateway processor is further configured to;

designate each of one or more code numbers as corresponding to a respective host of a plurality of hosts coupled to the Internet, the call request comprising one of the one or more code numbers,

wherein the two-way communication is established between the phone and the respective host corresponding to the one of the one or more code numbers.

2. The s stem of claim 1, wherein the circuit-switched network comprises the Public Switched Telephone Network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

receive an account number from the phone, wherein the two-way communication between the phone and the host is further established based on the received account number.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

record a duration of the two-way voice communication.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

initiate billing of a party associated with at least one of the phone and the host based on the recorded duration.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

record an amount of information transferred between the phone and the host during the two-way voice communication.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

initiate billing of a party associated with at least one of the phone and the host based on the recorded amount of information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

receive a credit card number from at least one of the phone and the host prior to establishing the two-way voice communication.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

initiate billing of the credit card number subsequent to establishing the two-way voice communication.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more code numbers is associated with a host name and user name that corresponds to a respective host of the plurality of hosts.

11. A method of establishing voice communication between an Internet and a circuit-switched network, comprising:

interconnecting a gateway between the Internet and the circuit-switched network;

receiving, at the gateway, a call request from at least one of a phone coupled to the circuit-switched network and a host coupled to the Internet;

establishing two-way voice communication, via the Internet, the circuit-switched network and the gateway, between the phone and the host responsive to the call request; and

designating each of one or more code numbers as corresponding to a respective host of a plurality of hosts coupled to the Internet, the call request comprising one of the one or more code numbers,

wherein the two-way communication is established between the phone and the respective host corresponding to the one of the one or more code numbers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the circuit-switched network comprises the Public Switched Telephone Network.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an account number from the phone, wherein the two-way communication between the phone and the host is further established based on the received account number.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

recording a duration of the two-way voice communication.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

billing a party associated with at least one of the phone and the host based on the recorded duration.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

recording an amount of information transferred between the phone and the host during the two-way voice communication.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

billing a party associated with at least one of the phone and the host based on the recorded amount of information.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a credit card number from at least one of the phone and the host prior to establishing the two-way voice communication.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

billing the credit card number subsequent to establishing the two-way voice communication.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more code numbers is associated with a host name and user name that corresponds to a respective host of the plurality of hosts.

21. A system for establishing voice communication between an Internet and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), comprising:

a network interface unit coupled to the Internet;

a phone interface unit coupled to the PSTN;

a gateway processor coupled to the network interface unit and the phone interface unit and configured, in conjunction with the network interface unit and the phone interface unit, to establish two-way voice communication, via the Internet and the PSTN, between a phone coupled to the PSTN and a host coupled to the Internet, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to;

designate each of one or more code numbers as corresponding to a respective host of a plurality of host computers coupled to the Internet, the call request comprising one of the one or more code numbers,

wherein the two-way communication is established between the phone and the respective host corresponding to the one of the one or more code numbers.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

receive an account number from the phone, the two-way communication between the phone and the host being further established based on the received account number.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

record a duration of the two-way voice communication.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

initiate billing of a party associated with at least one of the phone and the host based on the recorded duration.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

record an amount of information transferred between the phone and the host during the two-way voice communication.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

initiate billing of a party associated with at least one of the phone and the host based on the recorded amount of information.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

receive a credit card number from at least one of the phone and the host prior to establishing the two-way voice communication.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the gateway processor is further configured to:

initiate billing of the credit card number subsequent to establishing the two-way voice communication.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the one or more code numbers is associated with a host name and user name that corresponds to a respective host of the plurality of hosts.