System for interconnecting standard telephony communications equipment to internet

• US 9,031,058 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• 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:
  US13/301,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20120127917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/001 specially adapted for transmission via digital wireline networks H04N1/00098 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00228 Image push arrangements, e.g. from an image reading device to a specific network destination push-based network services H04L67/55
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32427 Optimising routing, e.g. for minimum cost
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus includes a communication predelivery receiver, configured to communicate with and relay both IP addressed overhead and IP addressed payload data from an originating communication device. The communication predelivery receiver includes a screener configured to, when the communication predelivery receiver is in communication with the originating communication device, receive certain data including first IP addressed data and second IP addressed data of corresponding first and second initiated communications. The communication predelivery receiver is configured and connected within a network so the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data are processed differently. For the first initiated communication, the first payload data is converted, after the point in time at which the screener received the first IP addressed data, from IP addressed first payload data to another network signal. For the second initiated communication, the second payload data is delivered without so converting the second payload data.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of servers configured to communicate with and relay both IP addressed overhead and IP addressed payload data from a plurality of originating communication devices,

a first originating communication device of the plurality of originating communication devices including;

a user interface configured to receive call initiating input from a human operator, the user interface including a targeted destination input, and an online indicator operable to give a human perceptible signal when the first originating communication device is operatively connected to a first server of the plurality of servers,

a second originating communication device of the plurality of originating communication devices being operatively connected to a second server of the plurality of servers,

the second server including a screener configured to, when the first server calls the second server as a result of a first initiated communication from the first originating communication device to a first remote destination, receive first IP addressed data, and the screener being configured to, when the second originating communication device sends a second initiated communication to a second remote destination, receive second IP addressed data from the second originating communication device, at least the first initiated communication being initiated by a respective human operator directly operating the first originating communication device using the user interface while the first originating communication device is operatively connected to the first server, wherein;

the first initiated communication is for sending first payload data from the first originating communication device to the first remote destination specified via the targeted destination input,

the second initiated communication is for sending second payload data from the second originating communication device to the second remote destination, the second remote destination requiring traversal of another phone network,

the second server of the plurality of servers being configured and connected within a first network so that the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data are processed differently, depending on a next portion of a respective communication pathway for a call, whereby, for the first initiated communication corresponding to the first IP addressed data, the first payload data is converted from IP addressed payload data to a signal for the another phone network, and whereby, for the second initiated communication corresponding to the second IP addressed data, the second payload data is sent on a next portion of the respective communication pathway without converting the second payload data from IP addressed payload data to the signal for the another phone network since the second payload data was received by the second server as IP addressed data,

the first server includes a server determination mechanism to determine whether an outbound fax number, specified via the targeted destination input, is served by a corresponding local server of the plurality of servers,

and

when the server determination mechanism determines that the outbound fax number is not served by a corresponding local server, the server determination mechanism is configured determine whether a delivery call costs less as an intra-lata delivery call or as an inter-lata delivery call, and based on the determination regarding the cost of the delivery call, the server determination mechanism is configured to contact either a first target server to dial a destination fax device via the intra-lata delivery call and send a fax formatted message, or a second target server to dial the destination fax device via the inter-lata delivery call and send the fax formatted message.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the targeted destination input includes a touch tone input.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a targeted destination input for the second originating communication device includes an email address input field.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a targeted destination input for the second originating communication device includes an IP address input field.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first server is capable of providing a requisite signal to the first originating communication device so that the human perceptible signal can be given.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pathway wherein the first originating communication device, via the first server, is in communication with the second server via the pathway using IP addressing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pathway includes the first network.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screener is configured to receive and act upon the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data each include connection initiator identifying information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the connection initiator identifying information includes an AIN number.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the connection initiator identifying information includes customer information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data each further include outbound number information corresponding to a destination of the communication.

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

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first originating communication device is a standard telephone device capable of communicating voice over standard phone lines.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first originating communication device is standard fax equipment.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first originating communication device is a wireless communication device using a processed data signal delivered wirelessly.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first originating communication device includes a touchtone device, and wherein the first payload data includes DTMF signals.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second originating communication device is a computer with an Internet connection.

19. 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 first originating communication device.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the targeted destination input is operable upon the first originating communication device getting access to the first server.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first server and the second server each include a respective destination numbered determination mechanism configured to determine a destination number of a given call placed by a respective originating communication device.

22. A method comprising:

communicating with and relaying both IP addressed overhead and IP addressed payload data, the payload data originating from a first originating communication device and a second originating communication device, the second originating communication device being operatively connected to a second server, the first originating communication device including;

a user interface configured to receive call initiating input from a human operator, the user interface including a targeted destination input, and

an online indicator operable to give a human perceptible signal when the first originating communication device is operatively connected to the first server; and

during the communicating with the first originating communication device and the second originating communication device, receiving, by the second server, first IP addressed data and second IP addressed data of corresponding first and second initiated communications, the first initiated communication being initiated by a human operator directly operating the first originating communication device using the user interface while the first originating communication device is operatively connected to the first server,

the first initiated communication being for sending first payload data from the first originating communication device to a first remote destination,

the second initiated communication being for sending second payload from the second originating communication device to a second remote destination, the second remote destination requiring traversal of another phone network, and

processing the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data differently, by the second server, depending on a next portion of a communication pathway for a first call, whereby, for the first initiated communication corresponding to the first IP addressed data, the first payload data is converted, after a point in time at which a screener, included within the second server, received the first IP addressed data, from IP addressed first payload data, to a signal compatible with the another phone network, and whereby, for the second initiated communication corresponding to the second IP addressed data, the second payload data is sent on a next portion of a communication pathway for a second call without converting the second payload data from IP addressed second payload data to the signal compatible with the another phone network, wherein;

the first server determines whether an outbound fax number, specified via the targeted destination input, is served by a corresponding local server of the plurality of servers,

and

when the first server determines that the outbound fax number is not served by a corresponding local server, the first server is configured to determine whether a delivery call costs less as an intra-lata delivery call or as an inter-lata delivery call, and based on the determination regarding the cost of the delivery call, the first server is configured to contact either a first target server to dial a destination fax device via the intra-lata delivery call and send a fax formatted message, or a second target server to dial the destination fax device via the inter-lata delivery call and send the fax formatted message.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first server is operatively connected to and serves multiple originating communication devices.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the targeted destination input includes a tone input DTMF.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the targeted destination input includes a phone number input for receiving phone numbers via a touch pad.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein a targeted destination input of the second originating communication device includes an email address input field.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein a targeted destination input of the second originating communication device includes an IP address input field.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first server is capable of providing a requisite signal to the first originating communication device so that the human perceptible signal can be given.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein the second server is in communication with the first originating communication device via a pathway using IP addressing.

30. The method according to claim 22, wherein the screener is configured to receive and act upon the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data.

31. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first IP addressed data includes connection initiator identifying information.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the connection initiator identifying information includes an AIN number.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the connection initiator identifying information includes customer information.

34. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data each further include outbound number information corresponding to a destination of a communication.

35. The method according to claim 22, wherein the another phone network includes a public switched telephone network.

36. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first originating communication device is a standard telephone device capable of communicating voice over standard phone lines.

37. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first originating communication device is standard fax equipment.

38. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first originating communication device includes a touchtone device, and wherein the first payload data includes DTMF signals.

39. The method according to claim 22, wherein the second originating communication device is a computer with an Internet connection.

40. The method according to claim 22, wherein the targeted destination input is operable upon the first originating communication device getting access to the first server.

41. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first server and the second server each include a respective destination numbered determination mechanism configured to determine a destination number of a given call placed by a respective originating communication device.