Intelligent end user devices for clearinghouse services in an internet telephony system

• US 6,751,652 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Transnexus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transnexus Incorporated
• Inventors: Thomas, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/606,574
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/238, 709/242, 709/244, 709/245, 709/204, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

Clearinghouse services architectures that support the use of end user devices, such as personal computers, Internet Protocol (IP) phones, cable multimedia terminal adapters, and residential gateways, in an Internet telephony system. The innovative architectures include a proxy-based system model, a direct communication model, and a hybrid proxy/direct communication model. A user can operate an “intelligent” end user device. i.e., a device running a client program with knowledge of the architecture particulars, to access a clearinghouse service on an IP network. This enables the user to communicate a telephony call over the IP network and via the combination of a terminating gateway identified by the clearinghouse service and the Public Switched Telephone Network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing clearinghouse services to a client device in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a call set-up request for a call communication to a proxy server from a client application operating on the client device, the call set-up request comprising a called number for the call communication and user authentication information, the client device and the proxy server coupled to an IP network;

determining if the client application is a valid user of the services maintained at the proxy server, then transmitting an authorization request from the proxy server to a clearinghouse service running on a service point coupled to the IP network if the client application is a valid user, the clearinghouse service being accessible only by the proxy server and one or more gateways, the authorization request comprising the called number and a call identifier;

determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the clearinghouse services, then transmitting an authorization response from the service point to the proxy server via the IP network if the proxy server is a valid user, the authorization response comprising the identity of one or more terminating gateways coupled to the IP network and available to deliver the call communication and an authorization token for each identified terminating gateway;

selecting one of the terminating gateways with the proxy server to deliver the call communication and transmitting via the proxy server a call communication set-up request to the selected terminating gateway via the IP network, the set-up request comprising the called number, the call identifier, and the authorization token; and

determining if the proxy server is a valid user of call delivery services of the selected terminating gateway, then delivering the call communication via the selected terminating gateway to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) if the proxy server is a valid user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user authentication information comprises a pass-word.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user authentication information comprises payment information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating the call set-up request if the client application is not a valid user of the services maintained at the proxy server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting via the proxy server a call communication set-up request to the selected terminating gateway via the IP network further comprises formatting the set-up request according to one of a H.323 and SIP protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the call delivery services of the selected terminating gateway further comprises determining if the authorization token has been issued by a known and valid clearinghouse service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the call delivery services of the selected terminating gateway further comprises determining if the authorization token has been issued within an expiration period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the call delivery services of the selected terminating gateway further comprises comparing the called number and the call identifier to information maintained in the authorization token.

9. A computer-implemented method for providing clearinghouse services to a client device in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a call set-up request for a call communication to a proxy server from the client device, the call set-up request comprising a called number for the call communication and user authentication information, the client device and the proxy server coupled to an IP network;

determining if the client application is a valid user of the services maintained at the proxy server, then transmitting an authorization request from the proxy server to a clearinghouse service running on a service point coupled to the IP network if the client application is a valid user, the service point being inaccessible by the client application, the authorization request comprising the called number and a call identifier;

determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the clearinghouse services, then transmitting an authorization response from the service point to the proxy server via the IP network if the proxy server is a valid user, the authorization response comprising the identity of one or more terminating gateways coupled to the IP network and available to deliver the call communication and an authorization token for each identified terminating gateway;

launching a client application at the client device and routing the identity of each terminating gateway and each authorization token from the proxy server to the client application;

selecting one of the terminating gateways with the client application to deliver the call communication and transmitting via the client application a call communication set-up request to the selected terminating gateway via the IP network, the set-up request comprising the called number, the call identifier, and the authorization token; and

determining if the client application is a valid user of the call delivery services of the selected terminating gateway, then delivering the call communication via the selected terminating gateway to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) if the client application is a valid user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising terminating the call set-up request if the client application is not a valid user of the services maintained at the proxy server.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the clearinghouse services further comprises establishing a secure communications link between the proxy server and the service point and evaluating the proxy server with the service point.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein launching a client application at the client device further comprises dynamically constructing a web page.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting via the client application a call communication set-up request to the selected terminating gateway via the IP network further comprises formatting the set-up request according to one of a H.323 and SIP protocol.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the user authentication information comprises a pass-word.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the user authentication information comprises payment information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the payment information comprises a calling card number.

17. A system for providing clearinghouse services to a client device, comprising:

an IP network;

a proxy server;

a service point;

one or more gateways;

a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN); and

a client device for transmitting a call set-up request for a call communication to the proxy server from a client application running on the client device, the client device and the proxy server coupled to the IP network;

the proxy server determining if the client application is a valid user of the services maintained at the proxy server and transmitting an authorization request to a clearinghouse service running on the service point if the client application is a valid user;

the clearinghouse service being accessible only by the proxy server and the one or more gateways;

the service point determining if the proxy server is a valid user of the clearinghouse services and transmitting an authorization response to the proxy server if the proxy server is a valid user;

the one or more gateways determining if the proxy server is a valid user of call delivery services and delivering call communications via the one or more terminating gateways to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) if the proxy server is a valid user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the authorization request comprises a called number and a call identifier.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the authorization response comprises the identity of the one or more terminating gateways coupled to the IP network and available to deliver the call communication and an authorization token for each identified terminating gateway.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the call set-up request comprises a called number for the call communication and user authentication information.