TECHNIQUES FOR PROVIDING TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATIONS OVER THE INTERNET

• US 20030081590A1
• Filed: 09/12/1996
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: PRATAP, MAHENDRA, MAROULIS, SERAFIM, SPECHT, DENNIS W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,584,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

Improved methods for providing a voice communications path over the internet. According to a first embodiment, a first PBX coupled to a first internet gateway device determines whether or not a second PBX has access to a second internet gateway device and, if so, the second PBX sends the IP (internet protocol) address of the second internet gateway device to the first PBX, and the first PBX sends the IP address of the first internet gateway device to the second PBX, over the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and/or over a network signalling channel. The first and second internet gateway devices then set up a voice communications path over the internet between the first and second PBXes.

Claims

1. A method for providing a voice communications path over the internet, including the steps of:

(a) a first PBX, coupled to a first internet gateway device, determining whether or not a second PBX has access to a second internet gateway device;

(b) and, if the first PBX determines that the second PBX has access to the second internet gateway device, the second PBX sending the IP (internet protocol) address of the second internet gateway device to the first PBX, and the first PBX sending the IP address of the first internet gateway device to the second PBX, wherein the IP addresses of the first and second internet gateway devices are sent over the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and/or over a network signalling channel.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of the first and second internet gateway devices setting up a voice communications path over the internet between the first and second PBXes.

3. A method of providing a voice communications path over the internet for use with a system that includes a first PBX coupled to a first internet gateway device and to a first POTS telephone, wherein the first PBX is equipped to establish a communications path with a second PBX over the PSTN (public switched telephone network), and/or over a network signaling channel, and wherein the second PBX is coupled to the second POTS telephone, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of:

(a) in response to a telephone number entered into the first POTS telephone and corresponding to a second PBX, the first PBX establishing a signalling path to the second PBX;

(b) the first PBX constructing a request packet which includes the IP (internet protocol) address of the first PBX, the IP address of the first internet gateway device, and the telephone number dialed into the first POTS telephone;

(c) the first PBX sending the request packet to the second PBX over the PSTN, and/or over the network signaling channel;

(d) in response to the receipt of the request packet, the second PBX determining whether or not it is coupled to a second internet gateway;

(e) if the second PBX is coupled to a second internet gateway, the second PBX constructing a response packet including the IP address of the second gateway, and sending the response packet to the first PBX over the PSTN, and/or over the network signaling channel;

(f) upon receipt of the response packet, the first PBX sending a reservation signal to the first gateway device;

(g) in response to the reservation signal, the first gateway device requesting the internet to provide a communications path two between the first gateway and the second gateway.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the communications path of step (g) is a voice communications path that includes the first PBX, the first gateway device, the internet, the second gateway device, and the second PBX.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the communications path includes two internet channels between the first gateway device and the second gateway device, the two internet channels providing a voice communications path between the first POTS telephone and the second POTS telephone.

6. A method for providing a communications path between a first POTS (plain old telephone set) telephone and a second POTS telephone over the internet, the method for use with a system that includes a first PBX coupled to a first internet gateway device and to a first POTS telephone, wherein the first PBX is equipped to establish a communications path with a second PBX over the PSTN (public switched telephone network), and/or over a network signaling channel, and the second PBX is coupled to the second POTS telephone;

the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of;

(a) in response to a telephone number entered into the first POTS telephone and corresponding to a second PBX, the first PBX establishing a communications path to the second PBX over at least one of the PSTN and/or the network signalling channel;

(b) the first PBX constructing a request packet which includes the IP (internet protocol) address of the first PBX, the IP address of the first internet gateway device, and the telephone number dialed into the first POTS telephone;

(c) the first PBX sending the request packet to the second PBX over the PSTN, and/or over the network signaling channel;

(d) in response to the receipt of the request packet, the second PBX determining whether or not it is coupled to a second internet gateway;

(e) if the second PBX determines that it is coupled to a second internet gateway, the second PBX constructing a response packet including the IP address of the second gateway, and then sending the response packet to the first PBX over the PSTN, and/or over the network signaling channel;

(f) upon receipt of the response packet, the first PBX sending a reservation signal the first gateway device;

(g) in response to the reservation signal sent by the first PBX, the first gateway device requesting the internet to provide two internet channels between the first gateway and the second gateway, wherein the two internet channels are used to provide telephonic communications between the first POTS telephone and the second POTS telephone.