US 2007/0110033 A1 · Using PSTN to communicate IP address for point-to-point text, voice, video, or data communication

Abstract

A first device uses a PSTN to send its public IP address to a second device to setup point-to-point communication over the Internet. The first device calls the second device over the PSTN. In one embodiment, the second device answers the call and the first device transmits its public IP address over the connected call to the second device. In another embodiment, the second device does not answer and the PSTN transmits the public IP address as signals in several intervals between telephone rings to the second device. The second device then sends a connection request to the first device over the Internet using the IP address. Once the connection over the Internet has been established, the first and the second devices point-to-point exchange data packets carrying text, voice, video, or data communications between their users.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for using a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to exchange a public computer network address for point-to-point communication between a first device and a second device over a public computer network, comprising:

communicating the public computer network address between the first and the second devices over the PSTN;
establishing a connection between the first and the second devices over the public computer network using the public computer network address;
and
exchanging data packets between the first and the second devices over the public computer network.

1 more element

A method for a first device to use a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to exchange a public computer network address with a second device for point-to-point communication over a public computer network, comprising:

calling a telephone number associated with the second device over the PSTN;
communicating the public computer network address with the second device over the PSTN, wherein said communicating is selected from the group consisting of (1) providing the public computer network address to the second device over the PSTN and (2) receiving the public computer network address from the second device over the PSTN;
establishing a connection with the second device over the public computer network using the public computer network address, wherein said establishing a connection is selected from the group consisting of (1) receiving a connection request from the second device over the public computer network and (2) sending a connection request to the second device over the public computer network;
and
exchanging data packets with the second devices over the public computer network, wherein the data packets carry at least one of text, voice, and video.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Using PSTN to communicate IP address for point-to-point text, voice, video, or data communication

Life of this patent

Using PSTN to communicate IP address for point-to-point text, voice, video, or data communication

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20