Method and apparatus for routing voice traffic over a residential gateway

• US 7,925,265 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Inventors: Souissi, Slim S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/250,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/426.2, 455/554.2, 455/435.1, 455/446, 455/424, 455/450, 455/422.1, 455/560, 370/328, 370/338, 370/493, 370/351, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

A system and method for managing voice communication between devices located within a local network and other devices. The present invention permits the managing and selective routing of voice communications over VoIP systems, circuit-based cellular systems and public switched telephone network systems based upon predefined criteria such as Quality of Service (QoS) considerations, geographic considerations, cost considerations and other factors.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an indication of an attempted initiation of a voice communication with a contact at a gateway device;

determining whether an instruction has been placed for all attempted communications to use a particular communication link;

if an instruction for using a particular communication link has been placed, routing the attempted communication using the particular communication link;

if an instruction for using a particular communication link has not been placed, automatically selecting a voice communication link from a group of available communication links based upon predefined criteria; and

routing the attempted communication for completion with the contact using the selected communication link,

wherein the predefined criteria includes a list of contact for which a particular communication link is to be used.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the group of available communication links includes a VoIP system link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the group of available communication links includes a public switched telephone network link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the group of available communication links includes a circuit switched cellular communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the cost for the attempted communication using at least one of the communication links.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the geographical location of the contact.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the quality of the attempted communication when completed using at least one of the communication links.

8. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving an indication of an attempted initiation of a voice communication with a contact at a gateway device;

computer code for determining whether an instruction has been placed for all attempted communications to use a particular communication link;

computer code for, if an instruction for using a particular communication link has been placed, routing the attempted communication using the particular communication link;

computer code for, if an instruction for using a particular communication link has not been placed, selecting a voice communication link from a group of available communication links based upon predefined criteria; and

computer code for routing the attempted communication for completion with the contact using the selected communication link,

wherein the predefined criteria includes a list of contact for which a particular communication link is to be used.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the group of available communication links includes a VoIP system link.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the group of available communication links includes a public switched telephone network link.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the group of available communication links includes a circuit switched cellular communication link.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the cost for the attempted communication using at least one of the communication links.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the geographical location of the contact.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the quality of the attempted communication when completed using at least one of the communication links.

15. A gateway device, comprising:

a wide area network module for enabling communication with devices within the at least one wide area network;

a voice module for enabling communication with local telephony devices;

a processor operatively connected to the wide area network module and the voice module; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for receiving an indication of an attempted initiation of a voice communication from a local telephony device to a contact at the gateway device;

computer code for determining whether an instruction has been placed for all attempted communications to use a particular communication link;

computer code for, if an instruction for using a particular communication link has been placed, routing the attempted communication using the particular communication link;

computer code for, if an instruction for using a particular communication link has not been placed, selecting a voice communication link from a group of available communication links based upon predefined criteria; and

computer code for routing the attempted communication for completion with the contact using the selected communication link,

wherein the predefined criteria includes a list of contact for which a particular communication link is to be used.

16. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the group of available communication links includes a VoIP system link.

17. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the group of available communication links includes a public switched telephone network link.

18. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the group of available communication links includes a circuit switched cellular communication link.

19. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the cost for the attempted communication using at least one of the communication links.

20. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the geographical location of the contact.

21. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the predefined criteria includes criteria based upon the quality of the attempted communication when completed using at least one of the communication links.