Internet telephony network and methods for using the same

Abstract

A telephony network for enabling the origination and termination of telephone calls between one or more subscriber terminals connected to a public packet network with an open addressing protocol and one or more non-subscriber terminals connected to a PSTN network. Subscribers to the telephony network have E.164 numbers mapped to their current IP address and published by a mapping server so other subscribers and non-subscribers can call the subscriber. The mapped information is published on either a HTML or XML page for direct use over the Internet by other subscribers or for use by a gateway device. The gateway device enables non-subscribers on the PSTN to directly call subscribers. Calls between subscribers completely by-pass the PSTN. Subscribers can also call anyone with a phone number whether they are a subscriber or not.

1 . A telephony network for selectively enabling the origination and termination of telephone calls between a first subscriber terminal having a first unique terminal identifier and a first unique address and connected to a public packet network with an open addressing protocol, and a second subscriber terminal having a second unique terminal identifier and a second unique address and connected to said public packet network, and a non-subscriber terminal having a telephone number and connected to a PSTN network, comprising: 
 a gateway connected to said public packet network and said PSTN network, said gateway being selectively operative to be accessed over said public packet network by said first subscriber terminal and said second subscriber terminal, said gateway having a physical connection to said PSTN network that enables said gateway to be accessed by said non-subscriber terminal over said PSTN network; and    a mapping server connected to said public packet network, said mapping server being selectively operative to be accessed over said public packet network by said first subscriber terminal, said second subscriber terminal and said gateway, said mapping server being selectively operative to receive said first unique terminal identifier and said first unique address from said first subscriber terminal, said mapping server being operative to receive said second unique terminal identifier and said second unique address from said second subscriber terminal, said mapping server being selectively operative to provide said first unique address to said second subscriber terminal in response to a first request containing said first unique terminal identifier from said second subscriber terminal, said mapping server being selectively operative to provide said first unique address to said gateway in response to a second request containing said first unique terminal identifier from said gateway;    said gateway being selectively operative to enable voice communication between said second subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal after said gateway receives said first unique address in response to said first request and said gateway establishes a connection between said second subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal over said public packet network,    said gateway being selectively operative to enable voice communication between said first subscriber terminal and said non-subscriber terminal after said gateway receives said first unique address in response to said second request, and said non-subscriber terminal establishes a connection to said gateway over said PSTN network, and said gateway establishes a connection to said first subscriber terminal over said public packet network,    said gateway being selectively operative to enable voice communication between said non-subscriber terminal and said first subscriber terminal after said gateway receives said telephone number from said first subscriber terminal, and said first subscriber terminal establishes a connection to said gateway over said public packet network, and when said gateway establishes a connection to said non-subscriber terminal over said PSTN network using said telephone number.    
     
     
         2 . The telephony network recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gateway is a software programmed hardware device.  
     
     
         3 . The telephony network recited in  claim 2 , wherein said hardware device is an add-on card within an existing telecommunications system.  
     
     
         4 . The telephony network recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gateway is further operative to monitor voice communication between said first subscriber terminal and said non-subscriber terminal for a call length.  
     
     
         5 . The telephony network recited in  claim 1 , wherein said mapping server is operative to query said first subscriber terminal to determine a first call status; said first unique address corresponds to a primary call destination and an alternative call destination for said first subscriber terminal, and wherein said gateway is further operative to request and receive said call status from said mapping server and to establish a connection between said second subscriber terminal and either said primary call destination or said alternative call destination based on said call status.  
     
     
         6 . The telephony network recited in  claim 2 , wherein said first subscriber terminal and said second subscriber terminal are selected from a group consisting of a computer, an IP-enabled telephone, an IP-enabled PBX, an IP-enabled messaging system, an IP-enabled handheld device, or an IP-enabled e-mail system.  
     
     
         7 . The telephony network of  claim 1  wherein at least said first subscriber terminal is operative to connect to said public packet network through a wireless connection to a wireless local network in communication with said public packet network.  
     
     
         8 . A process for notifying a user of an IP network of an IP address from a plurality of IP addresses corresponding to a plurality of terminals to facilitate telephony calls to at least one of said terminals from said user over an IP network, comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining said IP addresses for said terminals;    creating a plurality of files containing said IP addresses and corresponding to a plurality of users utilizing said terminals, said files being created on a server connected to said IP network;    publishing said files on said server; updating periodically said files to reflect a service status for one or more of said terminals; and    allowing said user to access at least part of one of said files.    
     
     
         9 . The process recited in  claim 8 , wherein service status is updated to a not-in-service status if a telephony call cannot be connected to said terminal over said IP network.  
     
     
         10 . A process of enabling the origination of a telephone call over a packet network between a first subscriber terminal and a second subscriber terminal connected to said packet network, comprising the steps of: 
 sending a signal to a gateway connected to said packet network when said first subscriber terminal enters telephone number data corresponding to said second subscriber terminal;    identifying an IP address corresponding to said telephone number data stored within said gateway based on said signal;    creating mapping data for connecting said first subscriber terminal to said second subscriber terminal over said packet network utilizing said IP address;    storing said mapping data in a memory of said gateway;    utilizing said mapping data to establish a connection over said packet network between said first subscriber terminal and said second subscriber terminal; and    removing said mapping data from said memory when said connection is terminated.    
     
     
         11 . A telephony network for enabling the origination and termination of telephone calls between a first terminal having a first unique terminal identifier and a first unique address and connected to a packet network, and a second terminal having a telephone number and connected to a telephony network, comprising: 
 a gateway connected to said packet network and said telephony network, said gateway being operative to be accessed over said packet network by said first terminal, and said gateway having a connection to said telephony network that enables said gateway to be accessed by said second terminal over said telephony network; and    a mapping server connected to said packet network, said mapping server being operative to be accessed over said packet network by said first terminal and said gateway, said mapping server being operative to receive said first unique terminal identifier and said first unique address from said first subscriber terminal, said mapping server being operative to provide said first unique address to said gateway in response to a request containing said first unique terminal identifier from said gateway, said mapping server being operative to query said first subscriber terminal to determine a call status for said first subscriber terminal;    said gateway being operative to enable voice communication between said first subscriber terminal and said second terminal after said gateway receives said first unique address in response to said request, said second terminal establishes a connection from said second terminal to said gateway over said telephony network, and said gateway establishes a connection from said gateway to said first subscriber terminal over said packet network;    said gateway being operative to enable voice communication between said second terminal and said first subscriber terminal after said gateway receives said telephone number from said first subscriber terminal, said first subscriber terminal establishes a connection to said gateway over said packet network, and said gateway establishes a connection from said gateway to said non-subscriber terminal over said telephony network using said telephone number.    
     
     
         12 . The telephony network recited in  claim 11 , wherein said telephony network is the PSTN and said second terminal is a PSTN-enabled telephone.