Internet telephone system and method therefor

• US 6,636,506 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanstel Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fanstel Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Fan, Yuan-Neng
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US09/192,761
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/351, 370/352, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/389, 370/395, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/474, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 379/100.15, 379/100.16
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

An internet telephone system is disclosed. The internet telephone system is comprised of an internet system, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) coupled to the internet system, and a plurality of internet telephone stations coupled to the PSTN. In the internet telephone system a first internet telephone station establishes a PSTN telephone connection to a remote number, and upon coupling to a second internet telephone station at the remote number, the first and the second internet telephone stations exchange their names and IP addresses, terminate the PSTN telephone connection and then automatically establish an internet telephone TCP/IP connection.

Claims

1. An internet telephone station which can make telephone calls through a standard PSTN system and through an internet system comprising:

a DAA interface wherein said DAA is coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

an audio transceiver device coupled to said DAA;

a CODEC circuit coupled to said DAA;

a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) coupled to said CODEC for exchanging user information with another internet telephone and for establishing an internet telephone call between parties via IP addresses of both parties by using said identification information to automatically establish communications between said first and second internet capable telephone stations via an internet system and disconnecting said first internet capable telephone station from a non-internet communication system when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at a remote number then automatically establishing an internet connection when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number and transmitting a call waiting signal to said second internet capable telephone station located at said remote number when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number; and

ring and hook detect/control circuitry coupled to said DSP for monitoring incoming ring voltage and to determine if an incoming call is from a second internet telephone or a non-internet telephone.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said DSP comprises a packet disassembler coupled to said CODEC.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said DSP comprises a packet assembler coupled to said CODEC.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said DSP comprises a MODEM transmitter coupled to said CODEC.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said DSP comprises a MODEM receiver coupled to said CODEC.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said DSP comprises a data compressor coupled to said CODEC.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said DSP comprises a data de-compressor coupled to said CODEC.

8. An internet telephone system, comprising, in combination:

an internet system;

a public switched telephone network (PSTN) coupled to said internet system; and

a plurality of internet telephone stations coupled to said PSTN, wherein a first internet-telephone station establishes a PSTN telephone connection to a remote number, and upon coupling to a second internet telephone station at said remote number, said first and second internet telephone stations terminate said PSTN telephone connection and automatically establish an internet telephone connection wherein said first internet telephone and said second internet telephone comprises;

a DAA interface wherein said DAA is coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

an audio transceiver device coupled to said DAA;

a CODEC circuit coupled to said DAA;

a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) coupled to said CODEC for exchanging user information with another internet telephone and for establishing an internet telephone call between parties via IP addresses of both parties by using said identification information to automatically establish communications between said first and second internet capable telephone stations via an internet system and disconnecting said first internet capable telephone station from a non-internet communication system when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at a remote number then automatically establishing an internet connection when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number and transmitting a call waiting signal to said second internet capable telephone station located at said remote number when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number; and

ring and hook detect/control circuitry coupled to said DSP for monitoring incoming ring voltage and to determine if an incoming call is from a second internet telephone or a non-internet telephone.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said PSTN further comprises at least one plain old telephone set (POTS) coupled to said PSTN.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said first internet telephone station establishes said PSTN telephone connection with said POTS.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said PSTN is from the group consisting of non-internet telephony systems.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of internet telephone stations further comprises an internet capable personal computer.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein each of said plurality of internet telephone stations comprises busy signal response circuitry to establish said internet telephone connection with an in-use unit of said plurality of internet telephone stations.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein said DSP comprises a packet disassembler coupled to said CODEC.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said DSP comprises a packet assembler coupled to said CODEC.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein said DSP comprises a MODEM transmitter coupled to said CODEC.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said DSP comprises a MODEM receiver coupled to said CODEC.

18. The system of claim 8 wherein said DSP comprises a data compressor coupled to said CODEC.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said DSP comprises a data de-compressor coupled to said CODEC.

20. A method of using the internet for voice communication comprising the steps of:

selecting and dialing a remote telephone number via a non-internet communication system from a first internet capable telephone station;

automatically detecting the presence of a second internet capable telephone station at said remote telephone number;

automatically exchanging identification between said first and second internet capable telephone stations;

automatically disconnecting said first and second internet capable telephone stations from said non-internet communications systems;

using said identification information to automatically establish communications between said first and second internet capable telephone stations via an internet system;

disconnecting said first internet capable telephone stations from said non-internet communication system when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number;

automatically establishing an internet connection when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number; and

transmitting a call waiting signal to said second internet capable telephone station located at said remote number when said first internet capable telephone station detects a busy signal at said remote number.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of automatically establishing audio communications between said first internet capable telephone station and a plain old telephone set (POTS).

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of establishing audio communications between said first internet capable telephone station and the previously busy said second internet capable telephone station.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

detecting a busy signal at said remote number;

disconnecting said first internet capable telephone stations from said non-internet communications system;

automatically establishing an internet connection; and

transmitting a call waiting signal to an internet telephone capable computer system located at said remote number.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of establishing audio communications between said first internet capable telephone stations and the previously busy said internet telephone capable computer system.