Systems and methods of providing communications services

Abstract

An IP telephony system allows a user to register a telephony device that receives its native telephony service from a different telephony service provider as an extension telephone. The user can then place calls through the IP telephony system using the extension telephone. Such calls may or may not be established using the extension telephone's native telephony service provider.

1 . A method of establishing a telephony communication for a telephony device, comprising:
 receiving a telephony communication setup request from a first telephony device that receives its native telephony service from a first telephony service provider, the setup request being received via a data network by a second telephony service provider; and   establishing the requested telephony communication between the first telephony device and a second telephony device by sending caller ID information to the second telephony device, such caller ID information including a calling party identifier associated with the first telephony device, or a calling party identifier associated with an account maintained by the second telephony service provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the account maintained by the second telephony service provider is also associated with the first telephony device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining what calling party identifier should be included in the caller ID information sent to the second telephony device based on an account setting associated with the first telephony device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received communication setup request includes an indication of the calling party identifier that should be included in the caller ID information that is sent to second telephony device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calling party identifier that is included in the caller ID information sent to the second telephony device is a telephone number of the first telephony device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calling party identifier that is included in the caller ID information sent to the second telephony device is a telephone number associated with a customer account maintained by the second telephony service provider. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a communication from the first telephony device, the communication indicating which identifier to use as the calling party identifier in caller ID information that is sent to a called telephony device when a telephony communication is established for the first telephony device. 
     
     
         8 . A system for establishing a telephony communication for a telephony device, comprising:
 means for receiving a telephony communication setup request from a first telephony device that receives its native telephony service from a first telephony service provider, the setup request being received via a data network by a second telephony service provider; and   means for establishing the requested telephony communication between the first telephony device and a second telephony device by sending caller ID information to the second telephony device, such caller ID information including a calling party identifier associated with the first telephony device, or a calling party identifier associated with an account maintained by the second telephony service provider.   
     
     
         9 . A system for establishing a telephony communication for a telephony device, comprising:
 an extensions connection unit that receives a telephony communication setup request from a first telephony device that receives its native telephony service from a first telephony service provider, the setup request being received via a data network by a second telephony service provider that includes the extensions connection unit, wherein the extensions connection unit establishes the requested telephony communication between the first telephony device and a second telephony device by sending caller ID information to the second telephony device, such caller ID information including a calling party identifier associated with the first telephony device, or a calling party identifier associated with an account maintained by the second telephony service provider.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the account maintained by the second telephony service provider is also associated with the first telephony device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the extensions connection unit also determines what calling party identifier should be included in the caller ID information sent to the second telephony device based on an account setting associated with the first telephony device. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the received communication setup request includes an indication of the calling party identifier that should be included in the caller ID information that is sent to second telephony device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the calling party identifier that is included in the caller ID information sent to the second telephony device is a telephone number of the first telephony device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the calling party identifier that is included in the caller ID information sent to the second telephony device is a telephone number associated with a customer account maintained by the second telephony service provider. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the extensions connection unit receives a communication from the first telephony device, the communication indicating which identifier to use as the calling party identifier in caller ID information that is sent to a called telephony device when a telephony communication is established for the first telephony device. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors of a first telephony device that receives its native telephony service from a first telephony service provider, cause the first telephony device to perform a method of setting up a telephony communication, the method comprising:
 sending a telephony communication setup request from the first telephony device, the setup request being sent to a second telephony service provider via a data network, the setup request indicating which of multiple calling party identifiers should be included in caller ID information that is sent to a second called telephony device when the telephony communication is being established; and   establishing the requested telephony communication by interacting with the second telephony service provider.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, from a user of the first telephony device, an indication as to which of multiple calling party identifiers should be included in caller ID information that is sent to a called telephony device when a telephony communication is being established for the first telephony device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, from a user of the first telephony device, an indication that the user wishes to establish an outgoing telephony communication;   querying the user as to which of multiple calling party identifiers should be included in caller ID information that is sent to a called telephony device when the request telephony communication is being established; and   receiving, from the user of the first telephony device, an indication of the calling party identifier that is to be used.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, from a user of the first telephony device, an indication that the user wishes to establish an outgoing telephony communication; and   checking a setting maintained in the first telephony device, the setting indicating which of multiple calling party identifiers should be included in caller ID information that is sent to a called telephony device when a telephony communication is being established for the first telephony device.