×

Method and system for unlimited use of telephony services over a data network without incurring long distance calling tolls

  • US 6,714,535 B1
  • Filed: 11/08/1999
  • Issued: 03/30/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for providing a telephony service between a first party and a second party through a data network, the method comprising:

  • providing a pair of gateway phones, a first one assigned to a first phone number and a second one assigned to a second phone number, both of the gateway phones coupled between a telephone network and the data network, but the first one installed closely enough to the first party and the second one installed close enough to the second party so that either one of the two parties can make a local call to the respective gateway phone thereof;

    provisioning the telephony service by storing respectively the first and second phone numbers of the gateway phones in a gatekeeper server coupled to the data network after a contract relationship is established with either one of the two parties, wherein the gatekeeper server includes an account manager configured to control the telephony service and a predetermined service level in accordance with the contract relationship;

    establishing a connectionless link over the data network between the two gateway phones when receiving a calling request from the first gateway phone, only after the account manager determines that the contract relationship is still in good standing, wherein the calling request is generated automatically in the first gateway phone when the first party dials the first phone number followed by a phone number of the second party, the calling request including the first phone number of the first gateway phones and the phone number of the second party; and

    causing the second gateway phone device to connect to the second party after the gatekeeper server retrieves an address identifier identifying the second gateway phone associated with the second phone number of the second gateway phone so that the telephony service can be provided between the first and second parties.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×