Peer-to-peer telephone system

• US 8,593,978 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Heinla, Ahti, Kasesalu, Priit
• Primary Examiner(s): Oveissi, David
• Application Number:
  US12/691,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1091 Interfacing with client-server systems or between P2P systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8005 Flat-fee
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/609 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/70 Administration aspects, modify settings or limits or counter-check correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0063 where the network is a peer-to-peer network

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.

Claims

1. A peer-to-peer system, comprising:

an administration node interconnected with a calling end-user device and a called end-user device via a peer-to-peer communication structure, the administration node configured to issue a user identity certificate to the calling end-user device responsive to the calling end-user device subscribing to the peer-to-peer system, and to issue an additional user identity certificate to the called end-user device responsive to the called end-user device subscribing to the peer-to-peer system;

the user identity certificate configured to be provided by the calling end-user device to the called end-user device prior to commencing a call to the called end-user device as proof of subscription to the peer-to-peer system, and the additional authorization certificate configured to be provided by the called end-user device to the calling end-user device prior to commencing the call as proof of subscription to the peer-to-peer system;

wherein prior to commencing the call, the additional user identity certificate enables verification by the calling end-user device that the called end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer system, and the user identity certificate enables verification by the called end-user device that the calling end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer system; and

wherein the call can be established if the user identity certificate and the additional user identity are verified.

2. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the administration node is configured to administer at least one of end-user sign-up and end-user payment for access to the peer-to-peer system.

3. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the administration node is configured to generate one or more private-public key pairs, maintain said one or more private keys secret, and distribute said one or more corresponding public keys within the peer-to-peer system for certificate authentication purposes.

4. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 3, wherein the administration node is configured to generate private-public key pairs using a Rivest-Shamir-Adelman (RSA) method.

5. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the peer-to-peer system is devoid of any centralized exchange for routing calls or verifying authorization certificates.

6. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 5, further comprising interfacing nodes and storage nodes, said storage nodes being configured in one or more slots for database access purposes.

7. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the administration node is further configured to perform at least one of:

providing an end-user accounts database;

providing a synchronizing time reference for the peer-to-peer communication structure;

providing globally-configurable settings for the peer-to-peer system;

providing peer discovery during bootstrap of the peer-to-peer communication structure;

handling new end-user registration;

or

monitoring operation of the peer-to-peer communication structure for controlling desired modes of operation thereof.

8. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the peer-to-peer system is configured to operate concurrently with a plain old telephone system (POTS) and/or a public switch telephone network (PSTN).

9. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the administration node is implemented by one or more computer servers.

10. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the administration node is configured to apply a heuristics fraud detection analysis of end-user registration and system usage data for detecting fraudulent access to the peer-to-peer system by end-users.

11. A computer program product, embodied on a hardware computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer code configured to implement at least a part of the peer-to-peer system according to claim 1.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11 communicable to end-users via a communication network.

13. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the communication route is for a call.

14. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 13, wherein the call is one of a telephone call, a video call, or a conference call.

15. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the communication route is for VoIP communication.

16. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the peer-to-peer system is configured to perform at least one of the following functions:

administering end-user buddy lists;

handling end-user preferences;

providing end-user identification by way of one or more of the following;

node identification (ID), username, and end-user profile data;

maintaining basic statistics;

or

maintaining firewall and/or Network Address Translation (NAT) traversal via random peer nodes within the network functioning as ad hoc proxies supporting communication therethrough.

17. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, in which an end user identification in the form of a user name is used as a telephone number to establish the call through the peer-to-peer communication structure.

18. A peer-to-peer system according to claim 1, wherein the communication route is established for text messaging.

19. A method of establishing a call in a peer-to-peer communication structure, comprising:

receiving, at a calling end-user device, user identity certificate from an administration node responsive to subscribing to the peer-to-peer communication structure;

receiving, at the calling end-user device, information regarding the address of a called end-user device;

prior to commencing a call, providing, to the called end-user device, the user identity certificate as proof of subscription to the peer-to-peer communication structure, the user identity certificate enabling the called-end user device to verify that the calling end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer communication structure;

verifying, at the calling end-user device and prior to commencing the call, an additional user identity certificate provided by the called end-user device, such that verifying the user identity certificate enables access to the peer-to-peer communication structure; and

establishing, based on verifying the user identity certificate provided by the called end-user device, the call over a communication route in the peer-to-peer communication structure to said called end-user device.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the administration node is configured to administer at least one of end-user sign-up and end-user payment for access to the peer-to-peer communication structure.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the administration node is configured to generate one or more private-public key pairs, maintain said one or more private keys secret, and distribute said one or more corresponding public keys to end-user devices for certificate authentication purposes.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the administration node is configured to generate private-public key pairs using a Rivest-Shamir-Adelman (RSA) method.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein the peer-to-peer communication structure is devoid of any centralized exchange for routing calls or verifying authorization certificates.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the peer-to-peer communication structure comprises interfacing nodes and storage nodes, said storage nodes being configured in one or more slots for database access purposes.

25. A method according to claim 19, wherein the administration node is configured to perform at least one of:

providing an end-user accounts database;

providing a synchronizing time reference for the peer-to-peer communication structure;

providing globally-configurable settings for the peer-to-peer communication structure;

providing peer discovery during bootstrap of the peer-to-peer communication structure;

handling new end-user registration;

or

monitoring operation of the peer-to-peer communication structure for controlling desired modes of operation thereof.

26. A method according to claim 19, wherein the peer-to-peer communication structure is configured to operate concurrently with a plain old telephone system (POTS) and/or a public switch telephone network (PSTN).

27. A method according to claim 19, wherein the administration node is implemented by one or more central computer servers.

28. A method according to claim 19, wherein the administration node is configured to apply an heuristics fraud detection analysis of end-user registration and system usage data for detecting fraudulent access to the peer-to-peer communication structure by end-users.

29. A computer program product, embodied on a hardware computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer code configured to perform the method of claim 19.

30. A computer program product according to claim 29 communicable to end-users via a communication network.

31. An administration node for use in a peer-to-peer communication structure, said administration node configured to issue one or more user identity certificates to one or more end-user devices responsive to the one or more end-user devices subscribing to the peer-to-peer communication structure, the one or more user identity certificates enabling the end-user devices to acquire access to the peer-to-peer communication structure based on verification of said user identity certificates at the end-user devices and establish their own calls over communication routes through the peer-to-peer communication structure, said administration node further configured to record at least an identity of a calling end-user device and a called end-user device, the one or more end-user devices unable to communicate with other end-user devices without proof of subscription to the peer-to-peer communication structure, the proof of subscription acquired by verifying, prior to commencing a call, a respective user identity certificate of a respective other end-user device.

32. A hardware computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform a method for establishing a peer-to-peer call between a calling end-user device and a called end-user device in a communication structure, the method comprising:

accessing, by a calling end user device, a global index to locate a called end-user device;

receiving information regarding the address of the called end-user device;

receiving information regarding one or more pathways for communicating with the called end-user device;

receiving a user identity certificate from the called end-user device as proof of subscription of the called end-user device to the communication structure;

verifying, prior to commencing a call, that the called end-user device is subscribed to the communication structure based on the user identity certificate received from the called end-user device, the verifying enabling access to the communication structure; and

establishing the call over a communication route if it is verified that the called end-user device is subscribed to the communication structure based on the user identity certificate received from the called end-user device.

33. A hardware computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform a method for establishing a call, the method comprising:

obtaining a user identity certificate from an administration node responsive to subscribing to a peer-to-peer communication structure;

presenting the user identity certificate to an end-user device as proof of subscription to the peer-to-peer communication structure;

obtaining information regarding an address of the end-user device;

obtaining an additional user identity certificate from the end-user device;

verifying, prior to commencing a call, that the end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer communication structure based on the additional user identity certificate obtained from the end-user device, the verifying enabling access to the peer-to-peer communication structure based on verification of the additional authorization certificate obtained from the end-user device; and

establishing the call over a communication route through the peer-to-peer communication structure if it is verified that the end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer communication structure based on the additional user identity certificate.

34. A peer-to-peer system, comprising:

a calling end-user device;

a called end-user device;

an administration node; and

a peer-to-peer communication structure interconnecting said calling end-user device, said called end-user device, and said administration node,

wherein said administration node is configured to issue a user identity certificate to said calling end-user device responsive to the calling end-user device subscribing to the peer-to-peer communication structure, and to issue an additional user identity certificate to said called end-user device responsive to the called end-user device subscribing to the peer-to-peer communication structure,

wherein said calling end-user device is configured to receive the additional user identity certificate from said called end-user device and verify, prior to commencing a call, that the called end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer communication structure based on the additional user identity certificate provided by said called end-user device, such that verifying that the called end-user device is subscribed to the peer-to-peer communication structure enables access to the peer-to-peer communication structure to establish the call over a communication route to said called end-user device, and

wherein said administration node is also configured to handle new end-user registration.