PC-to-phone for least cost routing with user preferences

• US 6,791,970 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SEVAK Ltd.
• Original Assignee: MediaRing Ltd. (Digilife Technologies Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ng, Ede-Phang, Tam, Wee Sin
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US09/398,319
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/401, 370/392, 370/475, 370/201, 370/237, 370/391, 370/389, 709/229, 709/238, 455/415, 455/401
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

A system and method for establishing a communication link between an internet telephony device and a PSTN telephone during a user registration period comprises receiving data from a user indicating a plurality of frequently called countries, accessing a gateway provider table comprising data on a plurality of gateway providers that provide service to the plurality of frequently called countries, determining the lowest cost gateway provider for the plurality of frequently called countries, and displaying to the user information on the lowest cost gateway provider for the plurality of frequently called countries. A system and method for dynamically selecting during a PC-to-Phone call connection procedure a destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a PSTN telephone comprises receiving from a user a destination PSTN phone number, selecting the lowest cost destination gateway provider from a gateway provider database using the destination PSTN phone number; and displaying to the user information on the lowest cost destination gateway provider.

Claims

1. A method for selecting during a user registration period a least cost gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via the least cost gateway provider, the method comprising:

receiving data from a user indicating a plurality of frequently called countries and parameter data including a frequency percentage assigned by the user to at least one of the plurality of frequently called countries;

accessing a gateway provider database comprising data on a plurality of gateway providers that provide service to the plurality of frequently called countries;

determining the lowest cost gateway provider for the plurality of frequently called countries using the parameter data; and

displaying to the user information on the lowest cost gateway provider for the plurality of frequently called countries selecting the lease cost gateway provider from a least cost routing table using the parameter data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving confirmation front the user to select the lowest cost gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

storing in a user data table the lowest cost gateway provider and user identification information.

4. A method for dynamically selecting during a call connection procedure a least cost destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via an originating gatekeeper and the least cost destination gateway provider, the originating gatekeeper having a least cost routing table, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a destination PSTN phone number;

receiving parameter data from the user;

sending a message to the originating gatekeeper, the message including the destination PSTN phone number;

selecting the least cost destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table using the destination PSTN phone number and the parameter data; and

displaying to the user information on the least cost destination gateway provider.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the parameter data indicates a destination gateway provider.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the parameter data indicates a maximum cost.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the parameter data indicates a quality of service.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

receiving confirmation from the user to use the least cost destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between the internet telephony device and the non-internet telephony device.

9. A method for dynamically selecting during a call connection procedure a least cost destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via an originating gatekeeper and the least cost destination gateway provider, the originating gatekeeper having a least cost routing table, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a destination PSTN phone number;

sending a message to the originating gatekeeper, the message including the destination PSTN phone number;

selecting the least cost destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table using the destination PSTN phone number;

displaying to the user information on the least cost destination gateway provider;

receiving confirmation from the user to use the least cost destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between the internet telephony device and the non-internet telephony device; and

using the confirmation from the user to verify a credit balance for the user.

10. A method for dynamically selecting during a call connection procedure a destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via an originating gatekeeper and the destination gateway provider, the originating gatekeeper having a least cost routing table, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a destination PSTN phone number and parameter data;

determining whether a destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table satisfies the parameter data for the destination PSTN phone number;

displaying to the user information indicating that a connection cannot be established using the parameter data for the destination PSTN phone number; and

sending a message to the user at a later time indicating that a destination gateway provider can satisfy the parameter data for the destination PSTN phone number.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

receiving from the user new parameter data; and

determining a destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table using the new parameter data and the destination PSTN phone number.

12. A computer program product, for a computer system including a processor and a memory, for selecting during a user registration period a least cost gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via the least cost gateway provider, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium comprising;

code that directs the processor to receive parameter data from a user indicating a plurality of frequently called countries and a frequency percentage assigned by the user to at least one of the plurality of frequently called countries;

code that directs the processor to access a gateway provider table comprising data on a plurality of gateway providers that provide service to the plurality of frequently called countries;

code that directs the processor to determine the least cost gateway provider for the plurality of frequently called countries using the parameter data; and

code that directs the processor to display to the user subscription information on the least cost gateway provider for the plurality of frequently called countries selecting the least cost gateway provider from a least cost routing table using the parameter data.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising:

code that directs the processor to receive confirmation from the user to select the least cost gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising:

code that directs the processor to store in a user data table the least cost gateway provider and user identification information.

15. A computer program product, for a computer system including a processor and a memory, for dynamically selecting during a call connection procedure a least cost gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via an originating gatekeeper and a destination gateway provider, the originating gatekeeper having a least cost routing table, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium comprising;

code that directs the processor to receive from a user a destination PSTN phone number;

code that directs the processor to receive from a user parameter data;

code tat directs the processor to send a message to the originating gatekeeper, the message including the destination PSTN phone number;

code that directs the processor to select a least cost destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table using the destination PSTN phone number and the parameter data; and

code that directs the processor to display to the user information on the least cost destination gateway provider.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

code that directs the processor to receive confirmation from the user to use the least cost destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between the internet telephony device and the non-internet telephony device.

17. A computer program product, for a computer system including a processor and a memory, for dynamically selecting during a call connection procedure a destination gateway provider for establishing a connection between an internet telephony device and a non-internet telephony device via an originating gatekeeper and the destination gateway provider, the originating gatekeeper having a least cost routing table, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium comprising;

code that directs the processor to receive from a user a destination PSTN phone number and parameter data;

code that directs the processor to determine whether a destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table satisfies the parameter data for the destination PSTN phone number; and

code that directs the processor to display to the user information indicating that a connection cannot be established using the parameter data for the destination PSTN phone number; and

code that directs the processor to send a message to the user at a later time indicating that a destination gateway provider can satisfy the parameter data for the destination PSTN phone number.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

code that directs the processor to receive from the user new parameter data; and

code that directs the processor to determine a destination gateway provider from the least cost routing table using the new parameter data and the destination PSTN phone number.