Method and apparatus for transmitting and routing voice telephone calls over a packet switched computer network

A method for establishing and transmitting a voice conversation between an audio ready computer coupled to a packet switched computer network and a telephone set coupled to a circuit switched telephone network, said method utilizing a phone switch coupled to said circuit switched telephone network and said packet switched computer network, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting a call connection request packet containing a telephone number identifying the telephone set from said audio ready computer to said phone switch;
• (b) establishing a voice connection between said phone switch and said telephone set through said circuit switched telephone network;
• (c) transmitting, in a digital packet protocol format, voice input received by said audio ready computer during said voice conversation to said phone switch via said packet switched computer network;
• (d) transmitting, in a telephone voice and control information protocol format, voice input received by said telephone set during said voice conversation to said phone switch via said circuit switched telephone network;
• (e) converting the digital packet formatted voice input received at said phone switch to a telephone voice and control information protocol;
• (f) transmitting said converted information from step (e) to said telephone set via said circuit switched telephone network;
• (g) converting the telephone voice and control information formatted voice input received at said phone switch to a digital packet protocol;
• (h) transmitting said converted information from step (g) to said audio ready computer via said packet switched computer network;
• and
• (i) reconstructing the digital packet in formation received by said audio ready computer into an analog signal, whereby said phone switch is used to bridge the voice conversation between the circuit switched telephone network protocol and the packet switched computer network protocol.

A system for routing and transmitting voice conversations, said system comprising:

• a circuit switched telephone network supporting at least one voice protocol for routing and transmitting voice conversations;
• a telephone set coupled to said circuit switched telephone network;
• a packet switched computer network supporting a digital data packet protocol;
• an audio ready computer coupled to said packet switched computer network, said audio ready computer for converting analog voice signals into said digital data packet protocol and for converting digital data received from said packet switched computer network into analog signals, said audio ready computer generating a packetized call connection request upon user command;
• at least one phone switch having a network address on said packet switched network and coupled to said circuit switched telephone network, said phone switch for establishing a voice connection through said circuit switched telephone network and for converting voice information and control information between said digital data packet protocol and said at least one voice protocol;
• and
• a routing server coupled to said packet switched computer network, said routing server for selecting a selected phone switch from said at least one phone switch upon receipt of said packetized call connection request from said audio ready computer, said routing server returning the network address of said selected phone switch to said audio ready computer, whereby said audio ready computer establishes a voice conversation by requesting the routing server to return the network address of a selected phone switch, said audio ready computer transmits all further control and voice data to said network address of said selected phone switch.

A method for establishing and transmitting a voice conversation between an audio ready computer coupled to a packet switched computer network and a telephone set coupled to a circuit switched telephone network, said method utilizing a routing server coupled to said packet switched computer network and a plurality of phone switches coupled to said circuit switched telephone network and said packet switched computer network, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting a call connection request packet containing a telephone number identifying the telephone set from said audio ready computer to said routing server;
• (b) selecting a phone switch from said plurality of phone switches upon receipt of said call connection request packet from said audio ready computer;
• (c) transmitting an authorized call connection request packet containing the network address of the selected phone switch from said router to said audio ready computer;
• (d) transmitting the authorized call connection request packet to the selected phone switch from said audio ready computer;
• (e) establishing a voice connection between said selected phone switch and said telephone set through said circuit switched telephone network;
• (f) transmitting, in a digital packet protocol format, voice input received by said audio ready computer during said voice conversation to said selected phone switch via said packet switched computer network;
• (g) transmitting, in a telephone voice and control information protocol format, voice input received by said telephone set during said voice conversation to said selected phone switch via said circuit switched telephone network;
• (h) converting the digital packet formatted voice input received at said selected phone switch to a telephone voice and control information protocol;
• (i) transmitting said converted information from step (h) to said telephone set via said circuit switched telephone network;
• (j) converting the telephone voice and control information formatted voice input received at said selected phone switch to a digital packet protocol;
• and
• (k) transmitting said converted information from step (j) to said audio ready computer via said packet switched computer network, whereby said selected phone switch is used to bridge the voice conversation between the circuit switched telephone network protocol and the packet switched computer network protocol.

A system for routing and transmitting a voice conversation between a first telephone set and a second telephone set over a packet switched computer network supporting a digital data packet protocol including voice and call set-up information, said system comprising:

• a first circuit-switched telephone network coupled to said first telephone set, said first circuit-switched telephone network supporting at least one voice protocol including voice and call set-up information;
• a second circuit switched telephone network coupled to said second telephone set, said second circuit switched telephone network supporting at least one voice protocol including voice and call set-up information;
• a first phone switch coupled to said first circuit switched telephone network and a second phone switch coupled to said circuit switched telephone network, said first and second phone switches each coupled to said packet switched computer network and each having a unique network address on said packet switched network, said first and second phone switches each for converting between voice and call setup information from said first and second circuit switched telephone networks, respectfully, and said digital data packet protocol, said first phone switch further for generating and transmitting a call connection request over said packet switched computer network upon receiving a touch tone request from said first telephone set, said second phone switch further for establishing a call setup over said circuit switched telephone network to said second telephone set upon receipt of said call connection request from first phone switch, whereby a first user accesses said first phone switch to generate a call request over said packet switched computer network to said second phone switch, said second phone switch then establishes a call to said second telephone set, said first and second phone switches then converting and transmitting voice information received between said telephone sets and said packet switched computer network.

A system for routing and transmitting a voice conversation between a first telephone set and a second telephone set over a packet switched computer network supporting a digital data packet protocol including voice and call set-up information, said system comprising:

• a plurality of circuit switched telephone networks each supporting at least one voice protocol including voice and call set-up information;
• plurality of telephone sets coupled to said plurality of circuit switched telephone networks;
• a plurality of phone switches each coupled to said packet switched network and at least one of said circuit switched telephone networks, said plurality of phone switches each having a unique network address on said packet switched network, said plurality of phone switches each for converting voice and call set-up information between said at least one voice protocol and said digital data packet protocol, at least one originating phone switch of said plurality of phone switches capable of generating a call connection request including a called telephone number upon receiving a touch tone request from one of said plurality of telephone sets;
• and
• a routing server coupled to said packet switched computer network, said routing server for selecting a selected phone switch from said plurality of phone switches upon receipt of said call connection request from said originating phone switch, said routing server returning a network address of the selected phone switch to said originating phone switch, whereby a user accesses a first phone switch through a first telephone set coupled to a first circuit switched telephone network and enters a destination telephone number using touch-tone keys, said first phone switch then transmits a call connection request containing said destination telephone number to said routing server which selects a second phone switch based on routing considerations, said second phone switch connects to a second destination telephone set via a second circuit switched telephone network, said first and second phone switches then communicate directly through said packet switched computer network coupling said first and said second telephone sets.

A method for routing and transmitting a voice conversation between a first telephone set and a second telephone set over a packet switched computer network, said method utilizing a routing server coupled to said packet switched computer network and a plurality of phone switches coupled to said packet switched computer network, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) accessing a first phone switch from said first telephone set;
• (b) generating dialing information corresponding to a telephone number for said second telephone set from said first telephone set;
• (c) said first phone switch detecting said dialing information;
• (d) transmitting a call connection request packet containing the telephone number from said first phone switch to said routing server;
• (e) said routing server selecting a phone switch from said plurality of phone switches upon receipt of said call connection request packet from said first phone switch;
• (f) transmitting an authorized call connect-on request packet containing the network address of the selected phone switch from said routing server to said first phone switch;
• (g) transmitting the authorized call connection request packet to the selected phone switch from said first phone switch;
• (h) establishing a voice connection between said selected phone switch and said second telephone set through a circuit switched telephone network coupling said selected phone switch and said second telephone set;
• (i) converting the telephone voice and control formatted voice and control information received at said first phone switch and said selected phone switch to a digital packet protocol and forwarding said converted digital packet voice and control information between said first and said selected phone switches over said packet switched computer network;
• and
• (j) transmitting said converted information from step (i) between said first phone switch and said selected phone switch via said packet switched computer network, whereby said first phone switch and said elected phone switch are used to bridge the voice conversation between said first telephone set and said second telephone set across the packet switched computer network.