System and method for routing telephone calls over a voice and data network

• US 7,606,217 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Upland Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I2 Telecom International, Inc. (Geos Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bender, Doug, Zalenski, Anthony, Cooney, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Duc T
• Application Number:
  US10/624,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20050002506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,282 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370/400, 370/401, 370465-567, 379/93.02, 379/93.04, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/91.01, 379/114.21
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system and method for routing a mobile phone call over a voice and data network. A user places a call on a mobile phone to an end destination. The call is then routed to a telecommunications gateway, where the call is converted into a medium that is transferable over the voice and data network. The converted call is then sent over the voice and data network to another PSTN and finally to the end destination.

Claims

1. A method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network (VDN), the method comprising:

receiving a call from a remote communication device at a telecommunications gateway (TCG), wherein the call is directed to a called telephone number associated with the TCG and with a telephone physically coupled to the TCG;

determining whether the call is to be redirected as a voice and data network (VDN) call, wherein the determination is made based on whether a caller is authorized to use the VDN;

when the caller is authorized to use the VDN, redirecting the call as the VDN call by converting the call at the TCG into a format compatible with the VDN and connecting the converted call to a destination device via the VDN; and

when the caller is not authorized to use the VDN, allowing the call to proceed by connecting the call to the telephone physically coupled to the TCG.

2. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, wherein the call is received from a plain old telephone.

3. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, wherein the call is received from a mobile device.

4. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 3, wherein the mobile device comprises at least one of a wireless telephone, a wireless personal data assistant, and a computer having a wireless network interface card.

5. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 3, wherein the call from the mobile device is routed via a public switched telephone network prior to routing the call to the TCG.

6. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, wherein the voice and data network is the Internet.

7. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, further comprising receiving a VDN designator via the call, wherein determining whether the call is to be redirected as the VDN call comprises determining whether the VDN designator is received.

8. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 7, wherein the VDN designator comprises information indicating selection of one or more keys at a telephone keypad.

9. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 8, further comprising:

prompting the remote communication device for the VDN designator; and

determining that the call is the VDN call when the VDN designator is received.

10. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 9, wherein the VDN designator comprises information indicating selection of one or more keys at a telephone keypad.

11. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, further comprising capturing caller ID data associated with the call to determine whether the call is authorized to be redirected as the VDN call.

12. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, further comprising determining the destination device before connecting the converted call to the destination device, wherein determining the destination device comprises sending a dialing signal to the remote communication device and receiving a calling code associated with the destination device from the remote communication device.

13. The method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network of claim 1, wherein the call comprises a calling code for the destination device and wherein connecting the converted call to the destination device comprises using the calling code to address data packets to the destination device.

14. A device comprising:

a processor; and

memory accessible to the processor, the memory comprising;

instructions executable by the processor to receive an incoming call directed to a telephone number associated with a location of the device;

instructions executable by the processor to determine whether the incoming call is a call to a remote destination device;

instructions executable by the processor to determine whether a caller is authorized to use a voice and data network (VDN);

instructions executable by the processor to allow the incoming call to proceed by connecting the incoming call to a telephone physically connected to the device when the caller is not authorized to use the VDN; and

instructions executable by the processor to convert the incoming call to a format compatible with the voice and data network (VDN) and to send the converted incoming call to the remote destination device via the VDN when the caller is authorized to use the VDN.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to connect the incoming call to the telephone physically connected to the device when the incoming call is not authorized to be sent to the remote destination device.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to receive a destination address of the remote destination device via the incoming call.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein, when no destination address is received, the incoming call is connected to the telephone physically connected to the device.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein sending the converted incoming call to the remote destination device comprises converting voice data received via the incoming call into a stream of data packets addressed to the remote destination device and sending the stream of data packets via the VDN to the remote destination device.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to authenticate the caller based at least partially on caller ID information received via the incoming call.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to authenticate the caller based at least partially on an electronic serial number of a calling device.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the incoming call is received via a connection to a public switch telephone network and wherein the VDN comprises an Internet.

22. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

a connector to connect to a public switched telephone network;

a connector to connect to the telephone device; and

a connector to connect to the voice and data network.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to receive a signal indicating that the incoming call is not directed to the telephone.