Method and system for routing calls from a standard telephone device to a voice over internet protocol network

• US 7,680,101 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edge Access, Inc. (Florida)
• Original Assignee: Edge Access, Inc. (Florida)
• Inventors: Veschi, Robert Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung; Min
• Application Number:
  US11/359,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20060147019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 379/216.01
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• 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 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856

Abstract

The invention enables accessing and using a Voice over Internet Protocol network, and can use a standard telephone to automatically access a VoIP network. A first aspect of the invention uses an auto dialer to transmit digits, such as a network access number, an account number and a PIN, which remain unchanged from call to call made through a given network service provider. A second aspect of the invention provides a speed dial feature for placing VoIP telephone calls. Speed dial numbers are recorded in a VoIP service provider'"'"'s database on a server, which is accessible through the Internet from a personal computer (PC) or a conventional telephone. A third aspect of the invention enables callers to complete calls from conventional telephones to personal computers connected to the Internet. The VoIP network detects a flag such as leading “0,” determines that the call recipient station is a personal computer, looks up the IP address of the PC and routes the call to the PC.

Claims

1. A method of making a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network call using speed dial, wherein speed dial numbers for a user are recorded in a VoIP service provider'"'"'s database which is accessible through a network, the method comprising the steps of:

responsive to a caller taking a telephone off-hook and entering a speed dial number followed by a marker to signal the network that speed dial is requested,

accessing the VoIP service provider'"'"'s database via the network;

from said database, determining a telephone number corresponding to said speed dial number for said caller; and

said VoIP service determining whether said telephone number corresponds to a computer, and when it is determined that said telephone number corresponds to a computer, determining an IP address corresponding to said computer; and

then establishing a communication link between said telephone and said computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a character that serves as a flag for speed dial.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said database can be modified by a computer accessing a database through a website.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said database can be modified by a telephone accessing a database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the call is made from a conventional telephone.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

converting analog call signals from the telephone into corresponding digital data signals, and providing the digital data signals to the computer.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

converting digital data signals from the computer into corresponding analog signals; and

providing the corresponding analog call signals to the telephone.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is the Internet.