Mobile electronic communications combining voice-over-IP and mobile network services
First Claim
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1. An electronic communications system for efficient communications routing through different communications networks, the system comprising:
- a mobile network for providing mobile communication between a plurality of mobile communications devices based on mobile-network telephone numbers associated with plurality of the mobile communications devices, the mobile network supporting at least one mobile-network protocol and an Internet Protocol (IP), the mobile-network telephone numbers being assigned by a carrier of the mobile network for tracking usage of a data service of the mobile network;
a wireless local-area network (WLAN) for providing WLAN communication between the plurality of mobile communications devices and a wide-area IP network, the WLAN operating on at least the Internet Protocol; and
a communications routing system coupled to the mobile network and coupled to the WLAN via the wide-area IP network, the communications routing system operating on the Internet Protocol, the communications routing system comprising;
at least one database storing a plurality of unique associations between account identifiers and the mobile-network telephone numbers, and further between the account identifiers and voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers, the VoIP telephone numbers being assigned by a VoIP service that is distinct from the carrier and the mobile network, the VoIP telephone numbers for making VoIP calls with the plurality of mobile communications devices using the VoIP service including voice calls that are completed as VoIP calls over the mobile network;
a routing engine responsive to incoming communications events including initiation of voice calls, ending of voice calls, and communication of short message service (SMS) messages, the routing engine configured to initiate and end voice calls between the plurality of mobile communications devices as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers, the routing engine further configured to track usage of the data service for any such VoIP calls that occur through the data service of the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers; and
wherein the communications routing system is configured to provide the VoIP telephone numbers as caller ID for the VoIP calls and to exclude the mobile-network telephone numbers from caller ID for the VoIP calls.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A database stores unique associations between account identifiers and mobile-network telephone numbers assigned by a mobile network to mobile communications devices. The account identifiers are also associated with voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers. Voice calls between the mobile communications devices are made as voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers. Tracking of the VoIP calls is performed through the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers, so that a prepaid balance can be enforced.
69 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic communications system for efficient communications routing through different communications networks, the system comprising:
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a mobile network for providing mobile communication between a plurality of mobile communications devices based on mobile-network telephone numbers associated with plurality of the mobile communications devices, the mobile network supporting at least one mobile-network protocol and an Internet Protocol (IP), the mobile-network telephone numbers being assigned by a carrier of the mobile network for tracking usage of a data service of the mobile network; a wireless local-area network (WLAN) for providing WLAN communication between the plurality of mobile communications devices and a wide-area IP network, the WLAN operating on at least the Internet Protocol; and a communications routing system coupled to the mobile network and coupled to the WLAN via the wide-area IP network, the communications routing system operating on the Internet Protocol, the communications routing system comprising; at least one database storing a plurality of unique associations between account identifiers and the mobile-network telephone numbers, and further between the account identifiers and voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers, the VoIP telephone numbers being assigned by a VoIP service that is distinct from the carrier and the mobile network, the VoIP telephone numbers for making VoIP calls with the plurality of mobile communications devices using the VoIP service including voice calls that are completed as VoIP calls over the mobile network; a routing engine responsive to incoming communications events including initiation of voice calls, ending of voice calls, and communication of short message service (SMS) messages, the routing engine configured to initiate and end voice calls between the plurality of mobile communications devices as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers, the routing engine further configured to track usage of the data service for any such VoIP calls that occur through the data service of the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers; and wherein the communications routing system is configured to provide the VoIP telephone numbers as caller ID for the VoIP calls and to exclude the mobile-network telephone numbers from caller ID for the VoIP calls. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communications routing system coupled to a mobile network and coupled to a wireless local-area network (WLAN) via a wide-area Internet Protocol (IP) network for efficient communications routing through different communications networks, the communications routing system comprising:
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at least one database storing a plurality of unique associations between account identifiers and mobile-network telephone numbers assigned by the mobile network to a plurality of mobile communications devices, and further between the account identifiers and voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers, the mobile-network telephone numbers being assigned by a carrier of the mobile network for tracking usage of a data service of the mobile network, the VoIP telephone numbers being assigned by a VoIP service that is distinct from the carrier and the mobile network, the VoIP telephone numbers for making VoIP calls with the plurality of mobile communications devices using the VoIP service including voice calls that are completed as VoIP calls over the mobile network; a routing engine responsive to incoming communications events including initiation of voice calls, ending of voice calls, and communication of short message service (SMS) messages, the routing engine configured to initiate and end voice calls between the plurality of mobile communications devices as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers, the routing engine further configured to track usage of the data service for any such VoIP calls that occur through the data service of the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers; and wherein the routing engine and the at least one database are configured to provide the VoIP telephone numbers as caller ID for the VoIP calls and to exclude the mobile-network telephone numbers from caller ID for the VoIP calls. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for efficient communications routing through different communications networks comprising:
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storing in at least one database a plurality of unique associations between account identifiers and mobile-network telephone numbers assigned by a mobile network to a plurality of mobile communications devices, and further between the account identifiers and voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers, the mobile-network telephone numbers being assigned by a carrier of the mobile network for tracking usage of a data service of the mobile network, the VoIP telephone numbers being assigned by a VoIP service that is distinct from the carrier and the mobile network, the VoIP telephone numbers for making VoIP calls with the plurality of mobile communications devices using the VoIP service including voice calls that are completed as VoIP calls over the mobile network; initiating and ending voice calls between the plurality of mobile communications devices as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers; tracking usage of the data service for any such VoIP calls that occur through the data service of the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers; and providing the VoIP telephone numbers as caller ID for the VoIP calls and excluding the mobile-network telephone numbers from caller ID for the VoIP calls. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification