Peer-to-peer telephone system
First Claim
1. A peer-to-peer system, comprising:
- a VoIP peer-to-peer system including;
a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including a calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device;
the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure;
the peer-to-peer communication structure including an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure;
the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access;
said calling authorized end-user device is configured to receive information regarding an address of said called authorized end-user device and verify, prior to commencing a VoIP call, an authorization certificate provided by said called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the peer-to-peer communication structure to establish a call over the VoIP communication route to said called authorized end-user device; and
the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a peer-to-peer telephone system comprising a plurality of end-users and a communication structure through which one or more end-users are couplable for communication purposes. The system is distinguished in that the communication structure is substantially de-centralized with regard to communication route switching therein for connecting the one or more end-users. One or more end-users are operable to establish their own communication routes through the structure based on exchange of one or more authorization certificates, namely User Identity Certificates (UIC), to acquire access to the structure. The structure comprises an administration arrangement for issuing said one or more certificates to said one or more end-users.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A peer-to-peer system, comprising:
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a VoIP peer-to-peer system including; a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including a calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; said calling authorized end-user device is configured to receive information regarding an address of said called authorized end-user device and verify, prior to commencing a VoIP call, an authorization certificate provided by said called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the peer-to-peer communication structure to establish a call over the VoIP communication route to said called authorized end-user device; and the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of establishing a call in a peer-to-peer communication structure, comprising:
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managing access to a VoIP peer-to-peer system that includes; a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including a calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; and the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, at least one authorization certificate from the administration node; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, information regarding the address of the called authorized end-user device; verifying, at the calling authorized end-user device and prior to commencing a call, an authorization certificate provided by the called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the VoIP peer-to-peer communication structure; and establishing, based on verifying the authorization certificate provided by the called authorized end-user device, the VoIP call over the VoIP communication route in the peer-to-peer communication structure to said called authorized end-user device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer code executed by at least one computer processor to establish a call in a VoIP peer-to-peer system by:
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facilitating VoIP communication in the VoIP peer-to-peer system, the VoIP peer-to-peer system including; a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including a calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including and an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; said calling authorized end-user device is configured to receive information regarding an address of said called authorized end-user device and verify, prior to commencing a call, an authorization certificate provided by said called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the peer-to-peer system to establish a call over a communication route to said called authorized end-user device; and the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate.
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19. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer code executed by at least one computer processor to establish a VoIP call in a VoIP peer-to-peer system, the VoIP peer-to-peer system including:
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a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including and an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; the computer code executed by the at least one processor establishes the VoIP call in the VoIP peer-to-peer system by facilitating; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, at least one authorization certificate from an administration node; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, information regarding the address of the called authorized end-user device; and verifying, at the calling authorized end-user device and prior to commencing the VoIP call, an authorization certificate provided by the called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the VoIP peer-to-peer system; where the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate.
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20. A peer-to-peer system, comprising:
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a VoIP peer-to-peer system using a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure configured to interconnect a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including a calling authorized end-user device, and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure is configured to facilitate authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure is configured to include an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the plurality of authorized end-user devices configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; said calling authorized end-user device is configured to receive information regarding an address of said called authorized end-user device and verify, prior to commencing a call, an authorization certificate provided by said called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the peer-to-peer communication structure to establish a VoIP call over the VoIP communication route to said called authorized end-user device; and the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 37)
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30. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer code executed by at least one computer processor to establish a call in a VoIP peer-to-peer system by:
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managing VoIP communication in the VoIP peer-to-peer system with a calling authorized end-user device, a called authorized end-user device; the VoIP peer-to-peer system including; a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including the calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; said calling authorized end-user device is configured to receive information regarding an address of said called authorized end-user device and verify, prior to commencing a call, an authorization certificate provided by said called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the peer-to-peer system to establish a call over the VoIP communication route to said called authorized end-user device; and the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate.
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31. A method of establishing a call in a peer-to-peer communication structure, comprising:
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facilitating access to a VoIP peer-to-peer system that includes; a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including a calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; and the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, at least one authorization certificate from the administration node; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, information regarding the address of the called authorized end-user device; verifying, at the calling authorized end-user device and prior to commencing a call, an authorization certificate provided by the called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the VoIP peer-to-peer communication structure; and establishing, based on verifying the authorization certificate provided by the called authorized end-user device, the call over the VoIP communication route in the peer-to-peer communication structure to said called authorized end-user device; where the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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38. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer code executed by at least one computer processor to establish a VoIP call in a VoIP peer-to-peer system including:
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a substantially de-centralized peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting a plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate VoIP calls over a VoIP communication route, the plurality of authorized end-user devices including calling authorized end-user device and a called authorized end-user device; the peer-to-peer communication structure providing authorized end user identification by associating a respective username to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices, where the username is useable as a telephone number in the peer-to-peer communication structure; the peer-to-peer communication structure including and an administration node that is configured to circumvent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the peer-to-peer communication structure by issuing an authorization certificate to each of the plurality of authorized end-user devices to facilitate proof of authorized access in the peer-to-peer communication structure; and the plurality of authorized end-user devices are configured to refuse to accept VoIP calls via the peer-to-peer communication structure where there exists an absence of proof of authorized access; the computer program product including computer code executed by the at least one processor for; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, at least one authorization certificate from the administration node; receiving, at the calling authorized end-user device, information regarding the address of the called end-user device; verifying, at the calling end-user device and prior to commencing a call, an authorization certificate provided by the called authorized end-user device, such that verifying the authorization certificate enables access to the VoIP peer-to-peer system; and establishing, based on verifying the authorization certificate provided by the called end-user device, the VoIP call over the VoiP communication route in the peer-to-peer system to said called authorized end-user device; where the calling authorized end-user device is configured to verify the authorization certificate from the called authorized end-user device to establish the VoIP call without needing to communicate with the administration node responsible for issuing the authorization certificate.
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Specification