System for interconnecting standard telephony communications equipment to internet protocol networks

• US 7,889,722 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bear Creek Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bear Creek Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US11/253,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20060034265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/466, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• 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: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks

Abstract

A system for linking standard telephony communications with internet protocols. Standard telephony equipment, such as a telephone, can communicate using the internet without special adapters or the like. A network of Internet servers may be connected to the Internet and telephony communications system, enabling telephony communications equipment access to the Internet.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an Internet phone server capable of being in communication with an originating phone device, the originating phone device being capable of both dialing a given destination number of a given destination device and thereby initiating a given call between the originating phone device and the given destination device, an auditory dial tone being caused at the originating phone device when the originating phone device is in an off-hook state and operatively connected to the Internet phone server, the given call including transmission of transmitted media between the originating phone device and the given destination device;

a first media converter configured to convert the transmitted media for the given call received from the originating phone device, to transmitted IP addressed media;

a destination number determination mechanism configured to determine a given destination number of the given call placed by the originating phone device;

an IP versus another phone network discriminator configured to determine, after the transmitted media is converted by the first media converter to the transmitted IP addressed media, whether a given destination phone device addressed by the given destination number resides on an IP addressed network, for which the transmitted IP addressed media is converted by the first media converter, or resides on another phone network;

a second media converter configured to convert the transmitted IP addressed media of the given call to another network signal suitable for another phone network when the discriminator determines that the given destination number resides on the other phone network; and

a communication mechanism configured to connect the given call over an Internet connection without converting the transmitted IP addressed media of the given call to the other network signal, when the discriminator determines that the given destination device addressed by the given destination number resides on the IP addressed network.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the originating phone device includes standard communication equipment.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the originating phone device includes a standard telephone device capable of communicating voice over standard phone lines.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the originating phone device includes standard fax equipment.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Internet phone server is configured to communicate with the originating phone device via a channel using IP addressing.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the channel using IP addressing includes a network.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the channel using IP addressing includes a local area network.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the channel using IP addressing includes the Internet.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an off-hook determiner configured to determine that an off-hook triggering event has occurred in the phone device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a destination number input operable upon the origination phone device getting access to the Internet phone server.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Internet phone server includes the destination number determination mechanism.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Internet phone server includes the IP versus another phone network discriminator.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second media converter includes an analog media converter configured to convert the transmitted IP addressed media of the given call to an analog signal.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted media of the given call includes voice payload.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted media of the given call includes fax payload.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the another network signal is a public phone network signal.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the another phone network includes a switched telephone network.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Internet phone server comprises both a call receipt portion and a call delivery portion, and wherein the call delivery portion includes the discriminator.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an additional phone server that comprises a call deliverer configured to carry out a remaining part of the call between the originating phone device and the given destination device, wherein the additional Internet phone server comprises the IP versus another phone network discriminator.

20. A method comprising:

an Internet phone server communicating with an originating phone device;

the originating phone device being operated to dial a given destination number of a given destination device and thereby initiate a given call between the originating phone device and the given destination device;

causing an auditory dial tone at the originating phone device when the originating phone device is in an off-hook state and operatively connected to the Internet phone server, the given call including transmission of transmitted media between the originating phone device and the given destination device;

converting the transmitted media for the given call received from the originating phone device, to transmitted IP addressed media;

determining a given destination number of a given call placed by the originating phone device;

after the converting of the transmitted media to the transmitted IP addressed media, determining whether a given destination phone device addressed by the given destination number resides on an IP addressed network for which the transmitted IP addressed media is converted, or resides on another phone network;

converting the transmitted IP addressed media of the given call to another network signal suitable for another phone network when the discriminator determines that the given destination number resides on the other phone network; and

connecting the given call over an Internet connection without converting the transmitted IP addressed media of the given call to the other network signal, when it is determined that the given destination device addressed by the given destination number resides on the IP addressed network.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the originating phone device includes standard communication equipment.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the originating phone device includes a standard telephone device, and wherein voice is communicated with the standard telephone device over standard phone lines.