Private dialing plan for voice on a packet-based network
AssigneeEdge Access, Inc.
InventorRobert A. Veschi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A private dialing plan for the communication of packetized voice on a packet-based network using a signaling protocol such as Q.931 to establish, maintain and release switched connections over the network. The dialing plan uses a “telephone number” based on a conventional 10-digit telephone number, such as the user's regular telephone number. A leading single digit consisting of a “0” or a “1” is added in front of the conventional telephone number. A leading “0” indicates that the desired call is to be directed to the called party's on-network computer by means of the Internet, while a leading “1” indicates the call is directed through a special gateway to the called party's conventional telephone.
Claims13
A method comprising a private dialing plan for communication of packetized voice on a packet-based network involving at least one network gateway, wherein:
- a caller's on-network access to a gateway is accomplished, at least in part, using a multi-part access sequence consisting of a leading “0”, followed by the caller's conventional telephone number or other telephone number registered with the plan, followed, at least in part, by a multiple digit user personal identification number;
- off-network access to the plan is provided at least in part through telephone dial-up access to a gateway using a public telephone switching system;
- a call to on-network Internet Protocol (IP) addresses is placed by dialing or keying a sequence consisting of a leading “0”, followed by a telephone number registered with the plan corresponding to the IP address;
- and
- a call to an off-net conventional telephone is placed by dialing a “1”, followed by a telephone number corresponding to the off-net telephone,
- wherein at least one call originates on the Internet and terminates off-net, and wherein routing tables determine a least cost route to terminate the call.
A method comprising a private dialing plan for communication of packetized voice on a packet-based network involving at least one network gateway, wherein:
- on-network access to a gateway is accomplished, at least in part, using a multi-part access sequence consisting of a leading “0”, followed by the caller's conventional telephone number or other telephone number registered with the plan, followed, at least in part, by a multiple digit user personal identification number,
- off-network access to the plan is provided at least in part through telephone dial-up access to a gateway using a public telephone switching system;
- calls to on-network Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are accomplished, at least in part, using a sequence consisting of a leading “0”, followed by a telephone number registered with the plan corresponding to the IP address;
- and
- calls to off-net conventional telephones are accomplished, at least in part, by dialing a “1”, followed by a telephone number corresponding to the off-net telephone to be called,
- wherein optional services available for PC-to-PC calls are selected from the group of services comprising:
- forward unconditional;
- forward on busy;
- forward on no answer;
- forward on no response;
- call waiting;
- blind transfer;
- and consultative transfer.
A method, in a system comprising a private dialing plan for communication of packetized voice on a packet-based network involving at least one network gateway, the method comprising:
- obtaining on-network access to a gateway using a multi-part access sequence consisting of a leading “0”, followed by a conventional telephone number or another telephone number registered with the plan, followed, at least in part, by a multiple digit user personal identification number;
- calling an off-net conventional telephone by dialing a “1”, followed by a telephone number corresponding to the off-net conventional telephone,
- wherein routing tables determine a least cost route to terminate the call.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.