Portable VoIP Service Access Module

Abstract

A voice over IP (VoIP) softphone access module (VSAM) comprises a softphone client installed on a portable memory device (PMD). The softphone client is installed in its own read-only partition. The softphone client is adapted to autorun from the PMD when the PMD is connected to a computing device and to load an instance of the softphone client in the volatile memory of the computing device. When used with a computing device comprising a duplex audio system with analog-to-digital conversion and an Internet connection, the VSAM permits a VoIP service subscriber to send and receive VoIP telephone calls through a VoIP service provider gateway. The VSAM may be associated with an activation code that when sent to the VoIP service provider gateway associates a user with pre-paid softphone usage credits. Alternatively, the softphone client is installed on CD.

1 . A voice over IP service access module (VSAM) comprising: 
 a portable memory device, wherein the portable memory device comprises a read-only memory partition, and wherein the portable memory device is adapted to operate when installed in a computing device comprising a duplex audio system;    a softphone client stored in the read-only memory partition and comprising instructions for: 
 auto-running the softphone client upon detection of the portable memory device by the computing device; and  
 performing the functions of a plain old telephone.  
   
   
   
       2 . The VSAM of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer and a personal data assistant.  
   
   
       3 . The VSAM of  claim 1 , wherein the portable memory device further comprises read/write memory and wherein the computer instructions further comprise instructions for: 
 reading and writing a telephone directory file to the read/write memory;    reading and writing a user preference file to the read/write memory; and    recording a telephone conversation and saving the recording as a file in the read/write memory.    
   
   
       4 . A voice over IP (VOIP) provisioning system comprising: 
 a network;    a VoIP service provider gateway connected to the network and comprising a user record;    a VoIP softphone access module (VSAM) comprising: 
 a portable memory device, wherein the portable memory device comprises a read-only memory partition, and wherein the portable memory device is adapted to operate when installed in a computing device comprising a duplex audio system;  
 a softphone client stored in the read-only memory partition and comprising instructions for: 
 auto-running the softphone client upon detection of the portable memory device by the computing device;  
 performing the functions of a plain old telephone; and  
 communicating with the VoIP service provider gateway to initiate and receive telephone calls over the network.  
 
   
   
   
       5 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 4 , wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer and a personal data assistant.  
   
   
       6 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 4 , wherein the portable memory device further comprises read/write memory and wherein the computer instructions further comprise instructions for: 
 reading and writing a telephone directory file to the read/write memory;    reading and writing a user preference file to the read/write memory; and    recording a telephone conversation and saving the recording as a file in the read/write memory.    
   
   
       7 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 4 , wherein the user record comprises softphone usages credits indicative of minutes of use of the softphone client.  
   
   
       8 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the softphone usage credits are pre-assigned to a purchaser of a VSAM.  
   
   
       9 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the softphone further comprises instructions for communicating with VoIP service provider gateway to add softphone usage credits to the user record.  
   
   
       10 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 4 , wherein a telephone call terminates with a VoIP service subscriber.  
   
   
       11 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 4 , wherein a telephone call terminates with a public switched telephone network service subscriber.  
   
   
       12 . A voice over IP service access disk (VSAD) comprising: 
 a CD, wherein the CD comprises a read-only memory partition, and wherein the CD is adapted to operate when installed in a computing device comprising a duplex audio system;    a softphone client stored in the read-only memory partition and comprising instructions for: 
 auto-running the softphone client upon detection of the portable memory device by the computing device; and  
 performing the functions of a plain old telephone.  
   
   
   
       13 . The VSAM of  claim 12 , wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer and a personal data assistant.  
   
   
       14 . The VSAM of  claim 12 , wherein the CD further comprises read/write media and wherein the computer instructions further comprise instructions for: 
 reading and writing a telephone directory file to the read/write memory;    reading and writing a user preference file to the read/write memory; and    recording a telephone conversation and saving the recording as a file in the read/write memory.    
   
   
       15 . A voice over IP (VoIP) provisioning system comprising: 
 a network;    a VoIP service provider gateway connected to the network and comprising a user record;    a VoIP softphone access module (VSAM) comprising: 
 a CD, wherein the CD comprises a read-only memory partition, and wherein the CD is adapted to operate when installed in a computing device comprising a duplex audio system,  
 a softphone client stored in the read-only memory partition and comprising instructions for:  
 auto-running the softphone client upon detection of the portable memory device by the computing device;  
 performing the functions of a plain old telephone; and  
 communicating with the VoIP service provider gateway to initiate and receive telephone calls over the network.  
   
   
   
       16 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 15 , wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer and a personal data assistant.  
   
   
       17 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 15 , wherein the CD further comprises read/write memory and wherein the computer instructions further comprise instructions for: 
 reading and writing a telephone directory file to the read/write memory;    reading and writing a user preference file to the read/write memory; and    recording a telephone conversation and saving the recording as a file in the read/write memory.    
   
   
       18 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 15 , wherein the user record comprises softphone usages credits indicative of minutes of use of the softphone client.  
   
   
       19 . The VoIP provisioning system  18 , wherein the softphone usage credits are pre-assigned to a purchaser of a VSAM.  
   
   
       20 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 18 , wherein the softphone further comprises instructions for communicating with VoIP service provider gateway to add softphone usage credits to the user record.  
   
   
       21 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 15 , wherein a telephone call terminates with a VoIP service subscriber.  
   
   
       22 . The VoIP provisioning system of  claim 15 , wherein a telephone call terminates with a public switched telephone network service subscriber.