System and method for network phone having adaptive transmission modes

• US 7,197,029 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sosebee, Mark, McAlear, Jim A., Osterhout, Gregory T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RYMAN, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/671,736
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-353, 370/354, 370463-468, 370/236
• US Class Current: 370/353
• 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 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: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system for an adaptive network phone includes a SIP-enabled handset or other telephone device to be connected to a host computer, for instance via a USB connection. The host computer may initiate a call event when the user picks up the SIP device and wishes to make a call, in one regard by testing line conditions for a data connection to the Internet or other network to determine if a packet-based call will meet minimum noise, delay or other criteria of the user. If the conditions are satisfactory, the call may proceed as a packet network transmission, otherwise the call may revert to the public switched telephone network for fallback completion. The SIP-enabled handset may also interface to multimedia functions in the host computer, for instance to permit paging, answering machine, cordless operation or other features.

Claims

1. A system for adaptively placing a call via one of a plurality of transmission modes, comprising:

a first interface to an SIP-enabled telephone device, wherein the first interface comprises a base station in wireless communication with the SIP-enabled telephone device, wherein the base station includes a converter for converting signals to or from a USB format;

a second interface to at least one communications link; and

a host, communicating with the first interface via a USB connection and the second interface, the host selectively initiating a call from the SIP-enabled telephone device as at least one of a telephone call and a data connection via the at least one communications link according to at least one user-defined transmission criterion, and wherein the host further comprises a Wireless Markup Language (WML) module for accessing WML content via the SIP-enabled telephone device and for associating the SIP-enabled telephone device with a hyperlink.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the host comprises a computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmission criterion comprises at least one of cost, time of day, day of week, user-defined routing data, packet delay and signal to noise ratio.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the call comprises a telephone call and the at least one communications link comprises the public switched telephone network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the call comprises a data connection and the at least one communications link comprises the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a media management module, the media management module executing at least one of a cordless telephone operation, an answering machine operation, a pager operation, an intercom operation, and an audio/visual operation via the SIP-enabled telephone device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the host selectively retries at least a data connection to reassess transmission conditions.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communications link comprises a plurality of communications links, and the host selectively activates one of the communications links according to the at least one transmission criterion.

9. A method for adaptively placing a call via one of a plurality of transmission modes, comprising:

a) receiving a call initiation request, via a first interface to an SIP-enabled telephone device, wherein the first interface comprises a base station in wireless communication with the SIP-enabled telephone device, wherein the base station includes a converter for converting signals to or from a USB format; and

b) selectively initiating a call from the SIP-enabled telephone device as at least one of a telephone call and a data connection via at least one communications link according to at least one user-defined transmission criterion, wherein the communications link is communicating with a host that is communicating with the first interface via a USB connection, and wherein the host further comprises a Wireless Markup Language (WML) module for accessing WML content via the SIP-enabled telephone device and for associating the SIP-enabled telephone device with a hyperlink.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step b) of selectively initiating is executed by a host computer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one transmission criterion comprises at least one of cost, time of day, day of week, user-defined routing data, packet delay and signal to noise ratio.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the call comprises a telephone call and the at least one communications link comprises the public switched telephone network.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the call comprises a data connection and the at least one communications link comprises the Internet.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of d) executing at least one of a cordless telephone operation, an answering machine operation, a pager operation, an intercom operation, and an audio/visual operation via the SIP-enabled telephone device.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of e) selectively retrying at least a data connection to reassess transmission conditions.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one communications link comprises a plurality of communications links, further comprising a step of f) selectively activating one of the communications links according to the at least one transmission criterion.