System for coupling the public telephone network to the internet

• US 7,075,925 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Van Tol, Alphonsus Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, THAI D
• Application Number:
  US09/600,982
• Time in Patent Office: 2,715 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 370/367, 370242-251, 370/395.31, 370/389, 370/390, 370392-393, 370400-410, 379/221.02, 379/221.09, 379/221.12, 379/221.14, 37911427-118
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

System for coupling the public telephone network to the Internet in which a special number sequence is determined for the Internet Service Providers—ISP—and a specific number from the sequence is assigned to a specific ISP. For the Netherlands in particular a number sequence 067xxx can be used. From every telephone connection, a 067xxx-call can be led to an ISP across the shortest trajectory possible, which is to be judged by the network operator (NO). Per traffic exchange, one access to an ISP is established. All Internet traffic is led from the traffic exchange directly to the accompanying calling point of the ISP, in which the calling point can be coupled to an underlying number exchange as well.

Claims

1. A method for coupling a public telephone network to the Internet by dialing a number for obtaining a connection, the number being a predefined number sequence determined for Internet service providers with a specific number in the sequence being assigned to a specific Internet service provider (ISP), the public telephone network having first and second number telephone exchanges and first and second traffic telephone exchanges with the first and second traffic telephone exchanges being respectively connected to the first and second number telephone exchanges, and the first and second traffic telephone exchanges having first and second corresponding calling points respectively associated therewith for providing access to the specific ISP, the method comprising the steps of:

setting a first routing table in the first number telephone exchange such that the specific number refers to the first calling point;

setting a second routing table in the second number telephone exchange such that the specific number refers to the second calling point; and

directing Internet traffic, via said the first and second number telephone exchanges and the first and second corresponding calling points, to the specific ISP.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of invoicing the specific number independent of any calling point used.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of re-directing Internet traffic from the first calling point to the second calling point.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of invoicing the specific number independent of any calling point used.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of using, for the Netherlands, 067xxx (where x represents any digit from 0–

9), as the number sequence.

6. A system for use within a public telephone network to couple the network to the Internet, the network being capable of providing a connection to the Internet through dialing a number, the number being a predefined number sequence determined for Internet service providers with a specific number from the sequence being assigned to a specific Internet service provider (ISP), wherein the system comprises:

first and second number telephone exchanges and first and second traffic telephone exchanges, the first and second traffic telephone exchanges being respectively connected to the first and second number telephone exchanges, and the first and second traffic telephone exchanges having first and second corresponding calling points respectively associated therewith for providing access to the specific ISP;

a first routing table, associated with the first number telephone exchange, being set such that the specific number refers to the first calling point; and

a second routing table, associated with the second number telephone exchange, being set such that the specific number refers to the second calling point; and

wherein Internet traffic is directed, via said the first and second number telephone exchanges and the first and second corresponding calling points, to the specific ISP.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the specific number is invoiced independent of any calling point used.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein Internet traffic can be re-directed from the first calling point to the second calling point.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the specific number is invoiced independent of any calling point used.

10. The system according to claim 6 wherein, for the Netherlands, 067xxx (where x represents any digit from 0–

9) is used as the number sequence.