Internet telephony arrangement and method
First Claim
1. An interface arrangement for providing telephonic communication between a calling party and another party, the interface arrangement comprising:
- first means, including a first output port, for coupling to a standard switched telephone communications network;
second means, including a second output port, for coupling to an internet communications network; and
processing means for;
receiving from the calling party a telephone number designating a telephonic communications addressee;
communicating with an internet appliance to determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee;
in response to determining that the telephonic communications addressee is not accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications, telephonically connecting audio information from the calling party to the other party via the first output port to establish standard telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the standard switched telephone communications network; and
in response to determining that the telephone number is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications, telephonically connecting audio information from the calling party to the other party via the second output port to establish internet telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the internet communications network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement which includes a telephone and an interface unit, which interfaces the telephone to both a standard switched telephone communications network and an Internet communications network, is disclosed. The interface unit includes an input coupled to the telephone to receive audio information and two output ports configured to be respectively coupled to the standard switched telephone communications network and the Internet communications network. A processing unit couples the audio information received from the telephone to the first output port when the telephonic communication is to be performed using the standard switched telephone communications network. Alternatively, the processing unit processes the audio information received from the telephone in accordance with standard Internet transfer protocols and couples the processed audio information to the second output port when the telephonic communication is to be performed using the Internet communications network and the standard protocols.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An interface arrangement for providing telephonic communication between a calling party and another party, the interface arrangement comprising:
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first means, including a first output port, for coupling to a standard switched telephone communications network; second means, including a second output port, for coupling to an internet communications network; and processing means for; receiving from the calling party a telephone number designating a telephonic communications addressee; communicating with an internet appliance to determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee; in response to determining that the telephonic communications addressee is not accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications, telephonically connecting audio information from the calling party to the other party via the first output port to establish standard telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the standard switched telephone communications network; and in response to determining that the telephone number is accessible via internet protocol telephonic communications, telephonically connecting audio information from the calling party to the other party via the second output port to establish internet telephonic communications between the calling party and the other party using the internet communications network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An interface arrangement for providing telephonic communication between a calling party and another party, the interface arrangement comprising:
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an audio communications circuit that is coupled to a standard switched telephone communications network and an Internet communications network; and a telephony processor circuit to receive from the calling party a telephone number designating a telephonic communications addressee; determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via Internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of Internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee; and in response, telephonically connect audio information from the calling party to the other party via the standard switched telephone communications network or the Internet communications network, thru the audio communications circuit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. For an interface arrangement that provides telephonic communication between a calling party and another party and that has an audio communications circuit which is coupled to a standard switched telephone communications network and an Internet communications network, a telephony arrangement comprising:
a telephony processor circuit to receive from the calling party a telephone number designating a telephonic communications addressee; determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via Internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of Internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee; and in response, telephonically connect audio information from the calling party to the other party via the standard switched telephone communications network or the Internet communications network, thru the audio communications circuit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An arrangement for providing telephonic communication between a calling party and another party, the arrangement comprising:
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a telephone; and an interface unit coupled to the telephone and configured and arranged to receive audio information designating a telephonic communications addressee from the calling party via the telephone, the interface unit including a first output port configured to be coupled to an Internet communications network, and a processing unit configured and arranged to determine whether the telephonic communications addressee is accessible via Internet protocol telephonic communications as a function of Internet connectivity status of the telephonic communications addressee, to process the audio information in accordance with standard Internet transfer protocols, and to telephonically connect the processed audio information from the calling party to the other party using the Internet communications network in accordance with the standard Internet transfer protocols. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification