Apparatus and method for computer telephone integration in packet switched telephone networks

• US 6,856,618 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Strathmeyer, Carl R., Finnie, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): QURESHI, AFSAR M
• Application Number:
  US10/092,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20020118675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/466, 370/522, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/404, 370/465, 370/467, 379/93.09, 379/100.15, 379/88.17
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• 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: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 2203/651 : Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 : PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0021 : Details of Application Programming Interfaces
• 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

A computer telephony interface (CTI) applications computer interfaces to a Internet telephony system which utilizes, preferably, the session initiation protocol (SIP). In one preferred technique, an additional pass through server is added to connect end users to their associated SIP proxy server, and to connect a CTI applications computer to the system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a proxy server to receive and store a first table for address translation and registration of plural terminals associated therewith, each terminal being capable of participating in a telephone call to be implemented over a packet switching data network, said proxy server being connected to a data network; and

a pass through server connected to said data network and through which information between said proxy server and any of said terminals passes, said pass through server including a second table that mirrors said first table, said pass through server also being configured to communicate information to and from an applications computer, said applications computer including software to at least control or monitor calls among said terminals over said data network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of said terminals are configured to modify addressing information to cause incoming control and monitoring information to be routed through said proxy server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said proxy server and said pass through server are resident on the same hardware platform.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said proxy server is arranged to receive an address in a first form from one of said terminals, translate said address into a second form, and return said address in said second form to said terminal from which said address in said first form was received.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said proxy server is arranged to receive an address in a first form from one of said terminals, translate said address into a second form, and send said address in said second form to another server.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said data network utilizes a Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and said telephone call uses a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

7. The system of claim 6 wherein multiple SIP sessions are contained within a single TCP/IP session, and wherein said proxy server or said pass through server can distinguish among said multiple SIP sessions.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said proxy server or said pass through server includes software to determine whether a particular call is authorized prior to completing said particular call.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said proxy server or said pass through server contains software to implement multiparty conferences.