Internet phone system and directory search engine using same

• US 6,829,231 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US08/777,824
• Time in Patent Office: 2,898 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 379/93.27, 379/93.01, 379/96.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.07, 379/93.08, 379/93.09, 709/245, 375/222
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• 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 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

An Internet compatible dialer pad is used to dial into an Internet server to provide services similar to those found on the Plain Old Telephone System (“POTS”). The dialer pad has an integrated modem set, an extended keypad with alphanumeric entry keys and function keys, display screen and display electronics that renders visual call progress information to the user as well as other communications indicators and related information about the current Internet connection. The dialer uses the Public Switched Telephone System (“PSTN”) and standard LAN/WAN technology to give the user entry into a plurality of Internet calling functions. An Internet database is maintained and permits the dialing party to obtain callee information by entering alphanumeric characters via the dialer. Links from the PSTN to an Internet data base are not restricted to a specific digital data protocol.

Claims

1. A network system for Internet telephony, comprising:

a first local exchange switch within a geographic vicinity of and communicably connected to a plurality of caller dial pads via switched telephone circuits, wherein each of caller dial pads has an alphanumeric keyboard for entering an Internet callee identifier with an alphabetic character, a display screen, an integrated modem set for dialing over the Internet and transmitting the Internet callee identifier with the alphabetic character, and a connection to at least two Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) jacks for a single voice conversation telephone call including concurrent Dual Tone Multifrequency (DTMF) initiated switched voice communication with audio phone format and functionality of a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) via one of the PSTN jacks and Internet connect audio communication with Internet audio format via another of the PSTN jacks, whereby a caller may make the Internet connect audio communication to a callee via an Internet Service Provider while maintaining the DTMF initiated switched voice communication with the callee;

an Internet service provider system communicably connected to the Internet for receiving the Internet callee identifier through said local exchange switch; and

an Internet directory search engine communicably coupled to said Internet service provider system via switched protocol circuits for receiving the Internet callee identifier.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein said Internet directory search engine further comprises:

an Internet Domain Name Server bidirectionally coupled to said switched protocol circuits; and

an Internet user data base containing a plurality of callee Internet Protocol addresses in association with a plurality of Internet callee identifiers having an alphabetic character, said database accessible to said server.

3. The network system of claim 1, wherein:

the Internet directory search engine is configured to determine an Internet Protocol address based on the Internet callee identifier and transmit the Internet Protocol address to the Internet service provider system; and

the Internet service provider system is configured to transmit an Internet formatted message originating from said caller dial pads to one of a plurality of callee dial pads communicably attached to the a second local exchange switch via a plurality of switched telephone circuits based on the Internet Protocol address, said callee dial pads configured to receive Internet formatted messages originating from said caller dial pads via the Internet.

4. The network system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of caller dial pads includes an Internet access button such that said at least one of said plurality of caller dial pads is connected to said at least one Internet service provider once said Internet access button is activated.

5. The network system of claim 4, wherein said Internet access button switches between concurrent DTMF initiated switched voice communication to a callee and Internet connect audio communication to the same callee without interrupting the DTMF initiated switched voice communication.

6. A communication device, comprising:

a dialing pad for providing Dual Tone Multifrequency (DTMF) dialing and alphabetic input, said dialing pad having a connection to at least two Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) jacks for a single voice conversation telephone call including concurrent Dual Tone Multifrequency (DTMF) initiated switched voice communication with audio phone format and functionality of a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) via one of the PSTN jacks and Internet connect audio communication with Internet audio format via another of the PSTN jacks, whereby a caller may make the Internet connect audio communication to a callee via an Internet Service Provider while maintaining the DTMF initiated switched voice communication with the callee;

a receiving device; and

a transmitting device,

wherein said dialing pad is used for inputting a callee identifier with an alphabetic character and initiating a communication connection based on the callee identifier, and said receiving and transmitting devices are used for communicating using a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) circuit and an exchange circuit that routes the initiated communication connection from said dialing pad to an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said ISP provides a caller with a callee'"'"'s internet address using a non-Internet address identification.

8. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said dialing pad comprises numeric keys corresponding to said DTMF dialing.

9. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said dialing pad comprises alphanumeric keys, wherein at least one key corresponds to said DTMF dialing.

10. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said dialing pad comprises Internet access means for switching between DTMF voice calls and Internet operations.

11. The communication device of claim 6, further comprising a display screen that displays information regarding said communication.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein said information regarding said communication includes identification of a current callee.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein said information regarding said communication includes a list of available callees.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein said information regarding said communication includes an Internet address of an available callee.

15. The communication device of claim 13, wherein said information regarding said communication includes identification of a transmitting party.

16. The communication device of claim 11, wherein said information regarding said communication includes an Internet address of said transmitting party.

17. The communication device of claim 11, wherein said information regarding said communication includes list of most currently received and/or transmitted calls.

18. The communications device of claim 6, further comprising a computer and a computer connection to permit transfer of Internet formatted messages between said dialing pad and said computer.

19. The communications device of claim 6, further comprising:

a telephone line interface connecting the dialing pad with a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

a supervisory circuit that provides an on-hook and an off-hook mechanism;

a data pump that supports at least one of a data transmission protocol, a compression protocol, and

an error correction protocol.

20. The communications device of claim 19, further comprising an audio compression circuit, coupled to said data pump, for supporting at least one Internet audio protocol.

21. The communications device of claim 6, further comprising a memory circuit coupled to a processor, wherein said memory circuit stores a process run by said processor.

22. The communications device of claim 6, further comprising an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network server operatively coupled to an Internet DNS (Domain Naming System) to provide conversion between an Internet audio format and an audio phone format.

23. The device of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of dialing pads connected to at least one other local exchange switch via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) circuit and at least one other exchange circuit that routes calls from one of said dialing pads to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a network path.

24. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said communication device comprises an Internet phone device communicatively coupled to a second Internet phone device.

25. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said communication device comprises an Internet phone device communicatively coupled to a traditional telephone device.

26. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said communication device comprises an Internet phone device communicatively coupled to a non-Internet phone device.

27. The communication device of claim 6, wherein said dialing pad includes an Internet access button such that said dialing pad is connected to said Internet Service Provider in response to said Internet access button being activated.

28. The network system of claim 27, wherein said Internet access button switches between concurrent DTMF initiated switched voice communication to a callee and Internet connect audio communication to the same callee without interrupting the DTMF initiated switched voice communication.