Method and apparatus for cosocket telephony
First Claim
1. A method of establishing and operating a packet switched data connection between a first computerized device and second computerized device, wherein the first and second computerized devices are respectively coupled by a first telephone subscriber interface and a second telephone subscriber interface to a circuit switched telephone network, the method comprising:
- coupling a set of telephone dialing digits via the first telephone subscriber interface to the circuit switched telephone network to cause a circuit-switched telephone call to be placed and a telephone ringing signal indication to be delivered by the telephone network to the second telephone subscriber interface, whereby a circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection is established to couple into communication the first and second telephone subscriber interfaces when the second telephone subscriber interface is placed into an off-hook state in response to the incoming telephone ringing signal indication;
sending a data segment from the first computerized device to the second computerized device via the established circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection so as to initiate the establishment of the packet switched data connection, wherein the data segment comprises information that indicates a desire to set up the packet switched data connection between the first and second computerized devices; and
communicating with the first and second computerized devices via the packet switched data connection;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, and wherein at least one of the computerized devices is a user computerized device with a user interface, and the packet switched data connection is used to carry application layer data for presentation by the user interface.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for allowing a packet data connection to be established by sending an indication of a network address through a telephony path. In a first embodiment, a protocol stack initiates the establisment of an Internet connection by sending a data segment through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) telephony path and then operates and maintains the Internet connection on separate packet connection. Dialing digits are used to indicate the address of a remote computer or wireless device via the telephony path. This invention also enables mixed PSTN/internet multimedia telephone calls. In an exemplary embodiment, when a point-to-point telephone PSTN connection is established, a screen of information automatically appears at one or both ends of the connection via the Internet.
-
Citations
60 Claims
-
1. A method of establishing and operating a packet switched data connection between a first computerized device and second computerized device, wherein the first and second computerized devices are respectively coupled by a first telephone subscriber interface and a second telephone subscriber interface to a circuit switched telephone network, the method comprising:
-
coupling a set of telephone dialing digits via the first telephone subscriber interface to the circuit switched telephone network to cause a circuit-switched telephone call to be placed and a telephone ringing signal indication to be delivered by the telephone network to the second telephone subscriber interface, whereby a circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection is established to couple into communication the first and second telephone subscriber interfaces when the second telephone subscriber interface is placed into an off-hook state in response to the incoming telephone ringing signal indication;
sending a data segment from the first computerized device to the second computerized device via the established circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection so as to initiate the establishment of the packet switched data connection, wherein the data segment comprises information that indicates a desire to set up the packet switched data connection between the first and second computerized devices; and
communicating with the first and second computerized devices via the packet switched data connection;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, and wherein at least one of the computerized devices is a user computerized device with a user interface, and the packet switched data connection is used to carry application layer data for presentation by the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
receiving from the second computerized device via the circuit switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection a second data segment, wherein the second data segment comprises information used to set up the packet switched data connection between the first and second computerized devices.
-
-
25. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
receiving from the second computerized device, via a packet switched network path different from the subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, a second data segment, wherein the second data segment comprises information used to set up the packet switched data connection between the first and second computerized devices.
-
26. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
receiving from the second computerized device a second data segment, wherein the second data segment comprises a packet switched network address associated with the second computerized device.
-
27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the packet network address comprises a session layer address.
-
28. The method according to claim 26 wherein the packet network address comprises a transport layer address.
-
29. The method according to claim 26 wherein the packet network address comprises a network layer address.
-
30. The method according to claim 26 wherein the packet network address comprises an application layer address.
-
31. A first computerized device for use in a system wherein the first computerized device initiates a telephone call via a circuit switched telephone network to a second computerized device, the first computerized device comprising:
-
a first telephone subscriber interface adapted to be coupled to a circuit switched telephone network;
a processor;
a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium including;
a first software function that causes a set of telephone dialing digits to be coupled via the first telephone subscriber interface to the circuit switched telephone network to cause a circuit-switched telephone call to be placed and a telephone ringing signal indication to be delivered by the telephone network to a second telephone subscriber interface, whereby a circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection is established to couple into communication the first and second telephone subscriber interfaces when the second telephone subscriber interface is placed into an off-hook state in response to the incoming telephone ringing signal indication;
a second software function that causes a data segment to be sent from the first computerized device to the second computerized device via the established circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, wherein the data segment comprises information that indicates a desire to set up the packet switched data connection between the first and second computerized devices; and
a third software function that causes data to be communicated with the second computerized device utilizing the packet switched data connection;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, and wherein at least one of the computerized devices is a user computerized device with a user interface, and the packet switched data connection is used to carry application layer data for presentation by the user interface.
-
-
32. A method of establishing and operating a packet switched data connection between a first computerized device and second computerized device, wherein the first and second computerized devices are respectively coupled by a first telephone subscriber interface and a second telephone subscriber interface to a circuit switched telephone network, the method comprising:
-
receiving at the second telephone subscriber interface an incoming telephone call generated in response to a set of telephone dialing digits being coupled by the first telephone subscriber interface to a circuit switched telephone network, wherein the incoming telephone call comprises a telephone ringing signal;
in response to the incoming telephone call, placing the second subscriber interface into an off-hook state to establish a circuit switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection between the first and second telephone subscriber interfaces;
receiving at the second subscriber interface a data segment, wherein the data segment was transmitted from the first subscriber interface via the established circuit switched, subscriber-to-subscriber connection;
initiating the establishment of the packet switched data connection by extracting and using a set of information contained in the data segment; and
communicating with the first and second computerized devices via the packet switched data connection;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, and wherein at least one of the computerized devices is a user computerized device with a user interface, and the packet switched data connection is used to carry application layer data for presentation by the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A second computerized device for use in a system where the first computerized device initiates a telephone call via a circuit switched telephone network to a second computerized device, the second computerized device comprising:
-
a second telephone subscriber interface adapted to be coupled to the circuit switched telephone network;
a processor;
a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium including;
a first software function that detects at the second telephone subscriber interface an incoming telephone call generated in response to a set of telephone dialing digits being coupled by the first telephone subscriber interface to a circuit switched telephone network, wherein the incoming telephone call comprises a telephone ringing signal;
a second software function, responsive to the detection, that causes the second subscriber interface to be placed into an off-hook state to establish a circuit switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection between the first and second telephone subscriber interfaces;
a third software function that identifies a data segment received at the second subscriber interface, wherein the data segment was transmitted from the first subscriber interface via the established subscriber-to-subscriber connection;
a fourth software function that causes a packet switched data connection to be initiated with the first computer device by using a set of information contained in the data segment; and
a fifth software function that causes data to be communicated with the second computerized device via the packet switched data connection;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the circuit-switched, subscriber-to-subscriber telephone connection, and wherein at least one of the computerized devices is a user computerized device with a user interface, and the packet switched data connection is used to carry application layer data for presentation by the user interface.
-
-
37. For use in a computerized system that couples to a packet switched data network and to a public switched telephone network, a method of initiating a packet switched data connection, the method comprising:
-
sending a set of telephone number dialing digits to a telephony interface, wherein the set of telephone number dialing digits are to be coupled to the public switched telephone network to identify a recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device, wherein the public switched telephone network determines a route for an outgoing communication to follow in order for the outgoing communication to be delivered to the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device associated with the telephone number dialing digits;
sending a data segment via the telephony interface to the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device, wherein the outgoing communication comprises the data segment and the data segment contains an indication that the packet switched data network connection needs to be initiated, and once the packet switched data connection is initiated, the packet switched data connection is coupled to an application layer program in the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device, wherein the application program is configured to receive and process data packets sent over the packet switched data connection; and
sending a data packet to the application program in the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device via the packet switched data network connection;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the path used to route the outgoing communication through the public switched telephone network to the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device based upon the set of telephone number dialing digits. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
-
48. A computerized system comprising:
-
a processor;
a computer readable medium that comprises a set of software functions, the set of software functions including;
a first software function that causes a set of telephone number dialing digits to be sent to a telephony interface, wherein the set of telephone number dialing digits are to be coupled to the public switched telephone network to identify a recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device, wherein the public switched telephone network determines a route for an outgoing communication to follow in order for the outgoing communication to be delivered to the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device associated with the telephone number dialing digits;
a second software function that causes a data segment to be sent via the telephony interface to the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device, wherein the outgoing communication comprises the data segment and the data segment contains an indication that the packet switched data network connection needs to be initiated, and once the packet switched data connection is initiated, the packet switched data connection is coupled to an application layer program in the recipient telephony subscriber endpoint device, wherein the application program is configured to receive and process unsolicited data packets sent over the packet switched data connection; and
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path that is different than the path used to route the outgoing communication through the public switched telephone network to the recipient wireless subscriber endpoint device based upon the set of telephone number dialing digits, and the recipient wireless subscriber endpoint device is a computerized device that includes a packet data network interface. - View Dependent Claims (49)
a third software function that causes an unsolicited data packet to be sent to the application program in the recipient wireless subscriber endpoint device via the packet switched data network connection.
-
-
50. For use in a wireless subscriber handset that provides both a telephony connectivity and a packet data service connectivity by wirelessly coupling to separate underlying network switching infrastructures, characterized in that the telephony connectivity is supported by a public switched telephone network switching infrastructure that uses dialed telephone numbers to route information to subscriber telephony endpoints and the packet data service connectivity is supported by a packet switched data network switching infrastructure that supports at least network and transport communication protocol stack layers, and the packet switched data network switching infrastructure uses packet header information associated with one or more of these layers to determine how a packet is to be routed to its destination, a method comprising:
-
receiving at a telephony interface in the wireless subscriber handset an indication of incoming communication, wherein the incoming communication is directed to the telephony interface based upon a set of telephone number dialing digits coupled from an initiating communications endpoint to the public switched telephone network, wherein the telephone number dialing digits identify the wireless subscriber handset on the wireless telephony network, and wherein the incoming communication traverses a path through the public switched telephone network switching infrastructure;
receiving, at the telephony interface in the wireless subscriber handset as a part of the incoming communication, a data segment, wherein the data segment contains an indication of a packet network connection to be initiated, wherein the data segment is coupled to the public switched telephone network from the initiating communications endpoint;
processing the incoming communication by evaluating the information contained in the data segment and causing the packet data connection to be established in response thereto;
receiving via the packet switched data connection a data packet; and
coupling at least a portion of the data packet to an application layer program;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path through the packet switched data network switching infrastructure, and this path is different than the path through the public switched telephone switching infrastructure used to route the incoming communication to the wireless subscriber handset. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A wireless subscriber handset that provides both a telephony connectivity and a packet data service connectivity by wirelessly coupling to separate underlying network switching infrastructures, characterized in that the telephony connectivity is supported by a public switched telephone network switching infrastructure that uses dialed telephone numbers to route information to subscriber telephony endpoints and the packet data service connectivity is supported by a packet switched data network switching infrastructure that supports at least network and transport communication protocol stack layers, and the packet switched data network switching infrastructure uses packet header information associated with one or more of these layers to determine how a packet is to be routed to its destination, the wireless subscriber handset comprising:
-
a user interface capable of supporting user interactions;
a wireless air interface that supports both the telephony connectivity and the packet data service connectivity;
a processor;
a computer readable medium that comprises a set of software functions, the set of software functions including;
a first software function that causes an indication of incoming communication to be detected at a telephony interface in the wireless subscriber handset, wherein the incoming communication is directed to the telephony interface based upon a set of telephone number dialing digits coupled from an initiating communications endpoint to the public switched telephone network, wherein the telephone number dialing digits identify the wireless subscriber handset on the wireless telephony network, and wherein the incoming communication traverses a path through the public switched telephone network switching infrastructure;
a second software function that causes the incoming communication to be received for processing, wherein the incoming communication is coupled via the telephony interface in the wireless subscriber handset and the incoming communication comprises a data segment, wherein the data segment contains an indication of a packet network connection to be initiated, wherein the data segment is coupled to the public switched telephone network from the initiating communications endpoint;
a third software function that causes the incoming communication to be processed by evaluating the information contained in the data segment and in response thereto, also causes the packet data connection to be established;
a fourth software function that listens for a data packet received via the packet data connection; and
a fifth software function that causes at least a portion of the data packet to be coupled to an application layer program;
wherein the packet switched data connection uses a packet switched transmission path through the packet switched data network switching infrastructure, and this path is different than the path through the public switched telephone switching infrastructure used to route the incoming communication to the wireless subscriber handset. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
Specification