Method and apparatus for selecting an internet/PSTN changeover server for a packet based phone call
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer system comprising:
- a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions; and
an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium to execute the plurality of programming instructions to provide a set of communication services including a service for soliciting inputs from one or more other computer systems on one or more operating characteristics associated with establishment and support of a voice call from a client computer coupled to a packet switched network to a circuit switched network extension, and selecting one of the solicited computer systems to place the voice call through a circuit switched network to the circuit switched network extension on behalf of the client computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension on behalf of a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for soliciting inputs from one or more other apparatuses on one or more operating characteristics associated with the establishment and support of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and selecting one of the solicited apparatuses to place the voice call to the PSTN extension.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A computer system comprising:
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a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions; and
an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium to execute the plurality of programming instructions to provide a set of communication services including a service for soliciting inputs from one or more other computer systems on one or more operating characteristics associated with establishment and support of a voice call from a client computer coupled to a packet switched network to a circuit switched network extension, and selecting one of the solicited computer systems to place the voice call through a circuit switched network to the circuit switched network extension on behalf of the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for selecting a computer system to route a packet based phone call, destined for a circuit switched network extension that does not employ pulse code modulation (PCM), off a packet switched network and onto the circuit switched network, the method comprising:
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(a) soliciting inputs by a computer system from a plurality of other computer systems on one or more operating characteristics associated with routing the packet based phone call off the packet switched network and onto the circuit switched network at other computer systems; and
(b) selecting by the soliciting computer system, one of the solicited computer systems to route the packet based phone call off the packet switched network and onto the circuit switched network based on the solicited operating characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer system comprising:
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a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions; and
an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, to execute the plurality of programming instructions to provide a set of communication services including a service to establish and facilitate a voice call from a client computer coupled to a packet switched network to a circuit switched network extension on behalf of the client computer, wherein the communication services include services to receive solicitation inputs from a soliciting computer system on one or more operating characteristics associated with the establishment and support of the voice call to the circuit switched network extension, the soliciting computer system also soliciting other computer systems for their operating characteristics associated with the establishment and support of the voice call, and wherein the communication services further include services to determine the solicited one or more operating characteristics, and to respond to the solicitation with the determined one or more operating characteristics to enable the soliciting computer system to determine from the solicited operating characteristics which of the solicited computer systems is in a better position to place the voice call to the circuit switched network extension through a circuit switched network for the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for selecting a computer system to route a packet based phone call, destined for a circuit switched network extension, off a packet switched network and onto the circuit switched network, on behalf of a client computer, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving by a computer system solicitation inputs from a soliciting computer system for one or more operating characteristics associated with routing the packet based phone call off the packet switched network and onto the circuit switched network on behalf of the client computer, the soliciting computer system also soliciting other computer systems for their operating characteristics associated with routing the packet based phone call;
(b) determining by the solicited computer system the solicited one or more operating characteristics; and
(c) responding by the solicited computer system to said soliciting computer system with the determined one or more operating characteristics, to enable the soliciting computer system to determine which of the solicited computer systems is in a better position to route the packet based phone call to the circuit switched network extension through the circuit switched network on behalf of the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification