IP telephone terminal searching for a destination with a telephone number to set up a call connection over an IP network

A first IP (Internet Protocol) telephone terminal connectable to any of a plurality of second IP telephone terminals over an IP network, the first IP telephone terminal and each of the plurality of second IP telephone terminals having a telephone number and an IP address allotted thereto, wherein the first IP telephone terminal, when originating a call to a desired one of the second IP telephone terminals, transmits the telephone number allotted to the desired one of the second IP telephone terminals, said first IP telephone terminal comprising:

• a communication section for transmitting and receiving data to and from the plurality of second IP telephone terminals on a peer-to-peer connection basis, the data including a telephone number and an IP address;
• and
• a comparing section for comparing the telephone number received by said communication section with the telephone number allotted to said first IP telephone terminal to produce a result from the comparison in dependence upon whether or not the telephone number received coincides with the telephone number allotted to said first IP telephone terminal,
• wherein said communication section transmits, when the result from comparison indicates that the telephone number received does not coincide with the telephone number allotted to said first IP telephone terminal, the telephone number received by said communication section to one of the plurality of second IP telephone terminals;
• whereby a search is allowed to continue from the first IP telephone terminal.

A method of searching for an intended one of a plurality of IP (Internet Protocol) telephone terminals connectable to any other of the plurality of IP telephone terminals over an IP network, comprising the steps of:

• allotting to each of the plurality of IP telephone terminals a telephone number and an IP address;
• transmitting over the IP network from a first one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals to a plurality of other IP telephone terminals, when originating a call, the telephone number allotted to a desired second one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals on a peer-to-peer connection basis;
• receiving the telephone number transmitted over the IP network in said step of transmitting by the second one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals;
• comparing the telephone number received by the second IP telephone terminal with the telephone number allotted to the second IP telephone terminal, the comparing step being conducted in the second IP telephone terminal;
• transmitting the IP address allotted to the second IP telephone terminal over the IP network when a result from said step of comparing indicates that the telephone number received by the second IP telephone terminal coincides with the telephone number allotted to the second IP telephone terminal;
• and
• establishing a call connection over the IP network from the first IP telephone terminal to the second IP telephone terminal by means of the IP address transmitted.

A method of searching for an intended one of a plurality of IP (Internet Protocol) telephone terminals connectable to any other of the plurality of LIP telephone terminals over an IP network, comprising the steps of:

• allotting each of the plurality of IP telephone terminals to a telephone number and an IP address;
• transmitting from a first one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals, when originating a call, the telephone number allotted to a second one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals on a peer-to-peer connection basis;
• receiving the telephone number transmitted in said step of transmitting by the second one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals;
• comparing the telephone number received by the second one of the IP telephone terminals with the telephone number allotted to the second IP telephone terminal;
• transmitting the IP address allotted to the second one of the IP telephone terminals over the IP network when a result from said step of comparing indicates that the telephone number received by the second one of the IP telephone terminals coincides with the telephone number allotted to the second one of the IP telephone terminals;
• establishing a call connection over the W network from the first one of the IP telephone terminals to the second one of the IP telephone terminal by means of the IP address transmitted, and
• transferring, when the result from said step of comparing indicates that a telephone number received by the second one of the IP telephone terminals does not coincide with the telephone number allotted to the second one of the IP telephone terminals, the telephone number received in said step of receiving to a third one of the plurality of IP telephone terminals;
• whereby a search is allowed to continue for a call connection that is to be established from the first IP telephone terminal.