Method and apparatus for voice over internet protocol telephony using a virtual private network

• US 20060236388A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Edmon, Eugene L., Ying, Goangshiuan Shawn, Chen, Holly Chan, Aspell, Steve M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1056 Multi-site

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for extending communications over the Internet by associating a telephone number with, for example a remote virtual private network (VPN) client IP address. A call can be received to the telephone number and an invite signal is provided to the remote VPN client utilizing the IP address. When the VPN client is able, a VPN can be established and the call can be routed to a phone associated with the remote VPN client IP address.

Claims

1. A method of extending communications over the Internet comprising:

associating a telephone number to a remote VPN client location;

linking the telephone number to an internet protocol address associated with the remote VPN client location;

receiving a call to the telephone number;

recognizing an absence of a secure connection with the remote virtual private network (VPN) client location;

outputting a VPN establishing invitation to a remote VPN client utilizing the IP address;

initiating a virtual private network connection with the VPN client at the remote location; and

routing the call to the VPN client via the virtual private network connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the call can be one of a voice based communication, a facsimile based communication, an e-mail based communication, and message based communication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initializing the VPN client by at least partially connecting with a central VPN server;

authorizing the VPN client as a remote client of the central VPN server;

authorizing a remote phone as a telephone extension of the central VPN server; and

providing the VPN client with an IP address associated with the central VPN server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

timing-out the VPN responsive to a signal;

inviting a VPN tunnel by sending a communication from the central VPN server to the remote client responsive to a second call;

accepting the invite at the remote VPN client; and

re-establishing a VPN between the central VPN server and the remote VPN client responsive to the call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating further comprises authorizing the remote VPN client at the central VPN server utilizing security information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote VPN client is moved to a different location and the invite is sent to the different location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a do not disturb option wherein the remote VPN client can accept or reject invite offers from the central VPN server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote VPN client is co-located with a residential gateway.

9. A system for distribution of Internet based communications comprising:

an Internet enabled call-processing platform having an associated input configured to receive an incoming call signal, the incoming call signal having a destination address useable to route an incoming call to an intended recipient;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processing platform and configured to store a local network address and a remote network address for the intended recipient;

a virtual private network (VPN) server responsive to the call-processing platform and configured to send an invitation to establish a VPN connection to the remote network address if the incoming call is to be routed to the remote network address.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the destination address is one of a telephone number and an IP address.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the call-processing platform supports a direct inward dial configuration.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the destination address is assigned by a private telephone switching network responsive to processing the call.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a voice enabled router configured to convert the destination address of the call to an IP address and to route the call to the remotely located telephone extension over the Internet.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the client provides a do not disturb signal responsive to the invitation to establish a virtual private network.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the VPN server sends an invite to a client VPN engine at the remotely located telephone extension and the client initiates a creation of a virtual private network with the VPN server.

16. A method for providing remote extensions for a telephone exchange comprising:

receiving an IP address for a remote Internet enabled phone at a central Internet enabled telephone switch; and

utilizing the IP address to invite the remote Internet enabled telephone to create a virtual private network with the central Internet enabled telephone switch responsive to a signal received by the central Internet enabled telephone switch.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving authorization parameters at the central Internet enabled telephone switch.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing an IP address of the Internet enabled telephone in a memory local to the central Internet enabled telephone switch.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a request to communicate with a user associated with the Internet enabled telephone and retrieving the IP address from the memory.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising prepopulating the Internet enabled telephone with an IP address of the Internet enabled telephone switch.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising associating a multi-digit telephone number with the IP address.

22. A system for providing secure remote Internet protocol voice communications comprising:

a telephone receiver;

a virtual private network (VPN) client module configured to accept an invite from a central VPN server and to engage in a VPN connection for voice communications associated with the telephone receiver.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a gateway configured to support the VPN client module and to facilitate transmissions between the telephone receiver and the central VPN server.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the invite is received in connection with a message to be provided to the residential gateway.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising an IP address assigned to the gateway and useable to link a central call receiving location to the gateway such that calls to the central call receiving location can be seamlessly routed to the telephone receiver utilizing the IP address.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the telephone receiver is a plug and play receiver.

27. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions to manipulate a processor to:

associate a multi-digit telephone number with a remote virtual private network (VPN) client utilizing an Internet protocol (IP) address;

receive a call to the multi-digit telephone number;

initiate a virtual private network connection with the VPN client at the remote location if an existing VPN connection does not exist; and

route the call to the VPN client via the virtual private network connection.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions further manipulate the processor to send an invite to a remote VPN client responsive to a request for a communication link with the VPN client.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions further manipulate the processor to initialize a virtual private network client with an Internet enabled telephone and negotiate a virtual private network (VPN) session between the Internet enabled telephone and a virtual private network (VPN) server.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions further manipulate the processor to send voice communications via the VPN connection.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instruction further manipulate the processor to send an invite responsive to one of a voice message, an e-mail, a facsimile transmission, a pager and a scheduling client.

32. A network communication system comprising:

a virtual private network (VPN) server including;

a first interface to receive a signal from a messaging system at a network location, the received signal having a destination identifier;

a second interface to send an invite signal to a remote VPN client responsive to the destination identifier; and

a third interface to receive a VPN establishment request from the remote VPN client and to create a secure connection with the remote VPN client.

33. The network communication system as in claim 32, further comprising an Internet protocol private branch exchange (IP-PBX) access point coupled to the VPN server and configured to provide the signal to the first interface.