Distributed gateway system for telephone communications

• US 6,738,470 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Aronovitz, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US09/561,752
• Time in Patent Office: 1,480 Days
• Field of Search: 370/276, 379/220.01, 379/93.09, 379/209.01, 709/220
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A distributed system of gateways for establishing telephone communication connections between digital telephone service (e.g., DSL) subscribers and analog subscribers. A DSL subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection includes digital and analog channels. In one method of operating the system, when a DSL subscriber initiates a telephone call to a party that is not a subscriber to the same service, the call is routed through a DSL Access Multiplexer to a digital network. A portal or directory server on the digital network determines that the called party is not a subscriber and therefore locates a “pass-through” subscriber served by the same central office as the called party. The portal routes the call to the pass-through subscriber, where the call is transferred from the digital channel of the subscriber'"'"'s DSL connection to the analog channel. It is then directed back to the central office and switched over the local loop to the called party.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a telephone connection from a digital telephone service subscriber to an analog telephone service subscriber, wherein the telephone connection is converted from analog to digital form without a central gateway, the method comprising:

receiving at a call server a telephone call from a first digital telephone service subscriber using a first digital telephone device;

determining whether a destination party of said telephone call is a digital telephone service subscriber;

identifying a second digital telephone service subscriber having a second digital telephone device connected through an analog channel of said second subscriber'"'"'s telephone service to an analog telephone service provider supplying analog telephone service to said destination party; and

routing said telephone call to said second digital telephone device through a digital channel of said second subscriber'"'"'s telephone service, after which said telephone call is transferred to said analog channel and routed to said analog telephone service provider for completion to said destination party.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection between said first digital telephone device and said call server; and

updating said first digital telephone device via said connection between said first digital telephone device and said call server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises searching a database for a telephone number of said destination party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said telephone call is a local call and said first subscriber comprises said second subscriber.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said telephone call is initiated by said first digital telephone device over a digital channel of said first subscriber'"'"'s digital telephone service, further comprising:

issuing a command from said call server to said first digital telephone device to re-initiate said telephone call on an analog channel of said first subscriber'"'"'s telephone service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises determining whether said analog channel of said second subscriber'"'"'s telephone service can be used for delivering said telephone call to said destination party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises determining whether said digital channel of said second subscriber'"'"'s telephone service can be used for delivering said telephone call to said second digital telephone device.

8. A method of converting a digital telephone call for completion to an analog telephone service subscriber without a central gateway, comprising:

at a first digital telephone service subscriber'"'"'s telephone device, initiating a telephone call over a digital portion of said first subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection;

receiving said telephone call at a communication server of a communication network configured to transmit telephone calls digitally;

determining whether a destination party of said telephone call subscribes to a digital telephone service;

identifying a pass-through digital telephone service subscriber served by the same analog telephone service provider as said destination party;

routing said telephone call to said pass-through digital telephone service subscriber'"'"'s telephone device over a digital portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection; and

at said pass-through telephone device, transferring said telephone call over an analog portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection;

wherein said telephone call is switched to said destination party by said analog telephone service provider.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first telephone device is configured by said communication server through said digital portion of said first subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said identifying comprises determining whether said analog portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection is available.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said identifying comprises determining whether said digital portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection is available.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising issuing a command from said communication server to said pass-through telephone device to take said analog portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection off-hook.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said digital telephone service is Digital Subscriber Line telephone service.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said telephone call from said first subscriber to said destination party is a long-distance call.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said telephone call from said first subscriber to said destination party is a local call.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first subscriber is said pass-through subscriber.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein said pass-through digital telephone service subscriber cannot access said analog portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection in a normal mode of operation of said pass-through telephone device.

18. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of converting a digital telephone call for completion to an analog telephone service subscriber without a central gateway, the method comprising:

at a first digital telephone service subscriber'"'"'s telephone device, initiating a telephone call over a digital portion of said first subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection;

receiving said telephone call at a communication server of a communication network configured to transmit telephone calls digitally;

determining whether a destination party of said telephone call subscribes to a digital telephone service;

identifying a pass-through digital telephone service subscriber served by the same analog telephone service provider as said destination party;

routing said telephone call to said pass-through digital telephone service subscriber'"'"'s telephone device over a digital portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection; and

at said pass-through telephone device, transferring said telephone call over an analog portion of said pass-through subscriber'"'"'s telephone connection;

wherein said telephone call is switched to said destination party by said analog telephone service provider.

19. A digital telephone device for use by a digital telephone service subscriber, comprising:

a first port configured to connect the digital telephone device to a digital telephone service provider;

a splitter configured to divide said connection with said digital service provider into a digital portion and an analog portion, wherein a telephone call involving the digital telephone device traverses said digital portion in a normal mode of operation;

pass-through means configured to digitally receive a telephone call on said digital channel and pass said telephone call onto said analog channel for transfer to a destination party of said telephone call; and

a controller configured to control operation of the digital telephone device.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a second port configured to couple a voice communication device to the digital telephone device.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising a life-line module configured to couple said voice communication device to said analog portion.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein said voice communication device is a handset.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein said voice communication device is an analog telephone.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein said voice communication device is a computer.

25. The device of claim 19, further comprising a life-line module configured to allow a telephone call to be placed from the device over said analog portion.

26. The device of claim 19, further comprising a data port configured to facilitate transmission and receipt of data communications over said digital portion on behalf of a computing device.

27. The device of claim 19, further comprising a subscriber line interface circuit.

28. The device of claim 19, wherein said pass-through means comprises a digital modem.

29. A distributed system of subscriber telephone gateways for establishing a telephone call between a digital telephone service subscriber and an analog telephone service subscriber, comprising:

a first digital telephone device at a first customer premise receiving digital telephone services over a first telephone connection having a digital channel and an analog channel;

a second digital telephone device at a second customer premise receiving digital telephone services over a second telephone connection having a digital channel and an analog channel; and

a call server configured to route calls between digital telephone devices over a digital communication network;

wherein a telephone call from said first customer premise to a destination customer premise of an analog telephone service subscriber is;

received by said call server;

routed to said second digital telephone service over said digital channel of said second telephone connection;

transferred to said analog channel of said second telephone connection; and

routed to an analog telephone service provider for completion to said destination customer premise.