Network session management for telephony over hybrid networks
First Claim
1. In a hybrid communications network comprising a circuit switched network and a packet-switched network, wherein the hybrid communications network comprises at least one session control object of a first service provider, a method for establishing a given communication session through the session control object comprising:
- at a unitary logical object of a second service provider different than the first service provider, receiving a request to initiate the given communication session between a calling terminal and a called terminal, the calling terminal communicably coupled to at least one network element of the first service provider, the request identifying a user account associated with the calling terminal and including an address of the called terminal, the unitary logical object including a unitary logical database;
at the unitary logical object, authenticating an identity of a user of the calling terminal by accessing authentication information in the unitary logical database, checking a status of the user account by accessing account status information in the unitary logical database, and determining whether to permit establishment of the given communication session through the session control object based on the status of the user account;
from the unitary logical object, sending a response signal indicating whether establishment of the given communication session through the session control object is permitted; and
wherein the unitary logical object is distributed over multiple physical systems.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system providing telephony communication across combined circuit switched and packet switched networks, such as a telephone network and the Internet, which are connectable to terminals, such as telephones and computers, for selective communication therebetween. The communication system includes an authorization and account control object in the packet switched network, multiple gateways between the circuit switched and packet switched networks providing controlled connectivity between those networks, and an information retrieval object in the packet switched network.
930 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a hybrid communications network comprising a circuit switched network and a packet-switched network, wherein the hybrid communications network comprises at least one session control object of a first service provider, a method for establishing a given communication session through the session control object comprising:
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at a unitary logical object of a second service provider different than the first service provider, receiving a request to initiate the given communication session between a calling terminal and a called terminal, the calling terminal communicably coupled to at least one network element of the first service provider, the request identifying a user account associated with the calling terminal and including an address of the called terminal, the unitary logical object including a unitary logical database; at the unitary logical object, authenticating an identity of a user of the calling terminal by accessing authentication information in the unitary logical database, checking a status of the user account by accessing account status information in the unitary logical database, and determining whether to permit establishment of the given communication session through the session control object based on the status of the user account; from the unitary logical object, sending a response signal indicating whether establishment of the given communication session through the session control object is permitted; and wherein the unitary logical object is distributed over multiple physical systems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a hybrid communications network comprising a circuit switched network and a packet-switched network, wherein the hybrid communications network comprises at least one session control object in a first network domain operated by a first service provider, a method for establishing a given communications session through the session control object comprising:
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at an authorization and usage recording object in a second network domain operated by a second service provider different than the first service provider, receiving a request to initiate the given communication session between a calling terminal and a called terminal, wherein the calling terminal is communicably coupled to at least one network element in the first network domain, and wherein the request identifies a user account associated with the calling terminal and includes an address of the called terminal, the authorization and usage recording object including a unitary logical database that contains account status information associated with user accounts; at the authorization and usage recording object, determining whether to authorize the establishment of the given communication session through the session control object based on the account status information in the unitary logical database that is associated with the user account; from the authorization and usage recording object, sending a response signal indicating whether establishment of the given communication session through the session control object is authorized; and at the authorization and usage recording object, updating the account status information that is associated with the user account in the unitary logical database based on usage information pertaining to the given communication session; wherein the authorization and usage recording object comprises a single logical object distributed over one or more physical systems. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification