System and method for providing real time indicator of voice transmission quality

#The present invention relates generally to the field of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing a real time indicator of voice transmission quality.

#Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a form of Internet telephony. In an Internet telephone call, an analogue voice signal is converted to digital format and the signal is compressed into Internet protocol (IP) packets for transmission over the Internet.

#Like other data networks, VoIP transfers the data packets via different ways, but not always fast enough, which may lead to transmission leakage or distortion.

#These and other features will be more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 shows a high level symbolic view of a network environment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method of the present invention run on an IP client device.

#Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a high level view of a Voice over IP network 100. A source call IP device 102 initiates a voice communication call to one or a plurality of destination call IP devices 104, 106, 108 over an IP network 110. The source and the destination call devices 104, 106, 108 may be hardware phones, a personal computer with IP software, or any equivalent device that allows an IP based voice communication. It is to be appreciated that for description purposes only, FIG. 1 shows a very simplified IP network 110. However, a person skilled in the art could devise any alternative, for example a direct or indirect connection between the IP devices, a direct connection through the IP network, through another type of network such as a LAN, etc. Moreover the particular details of the connections between the source and the destination call devices 102, 104, 106, 108 and the IP network 110 are not described here, but are within the purview of a person skilled in the art.

#The quality level control protocol monitors the transmission of the voice data packets using a broadband Internet connection or an equivalent IP network by generating and analysing a plurality of parameters that qualify the initiated telephone call. The parameters may include information on the source of the call, the destination of the call and the data packets transmitted, but also on the traffic nature of the initiated telephone call.

#Generally speaking, the quality level control mechanism is based on an interactive process and is configure to: