Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-25
2001-10-23
Patel, Ajit (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Combined circuit switching and packet switching
C370S401000, C379S112030, C379S221050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307853
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to routing telephony communications. More specifically, the present invention relates to re-routing telephony communications over a data network or over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
2. Description of Related Art
Two classes of conventional systems have been designed to route typical telephony communications through data networks. The first class of conventional routing systems uses “re-dialers”. Re-dialers re-route specific calls through a separate transmission path, e.g., a data network, using a real-time or store-and-forward transport mechanism. Typically, the re-dialers are placed between an originating telephony device (most typically a fax machine) and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or private branch exchange (PBX).
A first class of conventional routing systems is shown schematically in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 1
illustrates a fax machine
101
connected to a re-dialer
102
. The re-dialer is connected to a PSTN point of presence (POP)
201
. The re-dialer
102
is also connected to a wide area network (WAN) POP
301
. The PSTN POP
201
serves as a gateway to the PSTN
200
. The WAN POP
301
serves as a gateway to the WAN
300
. A fax machine
103
can receive a fax transmission from fax machine
101
. It should be noted that, in the general sense, the fax machine
103
can transmit a fax as well as receive a fax. The fax machine
103
receives the fax from either a PSTN POP
202
(if the fax is transmitted over the PSTN
200
) or a WAN POP
302
(if the fax is transmitted over the WAN
300
). The PSTN POP
202
is similar in operation to PSTN POP
201
. The WAN POP
302
is similar in operation to the WAN POP
301
.
The re-dialer
102
can re-route any fax call through a data network rather than through a PSTN
200
. As used herein a data network can be a private wide-area network, a shared wide-area network such as could be provided by a value-added network service provider, an intranet, the internet, or any combination of these. Such a data network is showing in
FIG. 1
as WAN
300
. Re-routing can be based on the phone number dialed or other telephony condition (e.g., receiver busy). If re-routed, a fax machine
101
communicates with a fax machine
103
through the data network rather than through the PSTN
200
. The communication can be conducted in real-time or can be delayed, e.g., by store and forward delivery. However, this first class of conventional routing systems requires a re-dialer for each telephone device, which is a significant drawback.
The second class of conventional routing systems provides real-time voice communications from and to computer systems which have analog-to-data hardware and appropriate software. Though currently popular on the Internet, the second class of conventional routing systems can be implemented on any data network. The second class of conventional routing systems is shown schematically in
FIG. 2. A
workstation user
104
communicates with a workstation user
105
through the WAN
300
. Recent modifications to the second class of conventional routing systems allow the receiver of the phone call, the user
105
, to use a telephone rather than a computer workstation.
The primary drawback to the second class of conventional routing systems is that the call originator must change his or her telephony interface. In the case of voice calls, for example, the change requires that the call originator speak and listen through a computer system instead of through a telephone. A fairly straightforward modification of the second class of conventional routing systems is to have the call originator dial directly into a WAN POP
301
from a telephone. This modification also requires the user to dial one number for connection, identify himself or herself for authorization purposes, and then identify the receiver's address (i.e., workstation identifier or telephone number.) i.e., Thus, the modification requires the user to change the user's interface.
Neither class of conventional routing systems addresses the most typical implementation of business communications, which includes multiple call originators initiating (currently) telephony-based communications through a PBX. Any solution that requires independent devices for each call originator presents an installation, maintenance, and management challenge that is unrealistic for most organizations. Organizations cannot as easily cost justify a multiple device solution. Furthermore, system administrators have less control over the traffic generated by users who have the option of using or not using a re-routing device at their call origination site. A solution is needed that provides a single point of installation, maintenance and management. This centralized solution is more cost-effective, and lessens user control over routing decisions.
Moreover, any solution that requires a modification of an existing user interface presents a training and acceptance challenge. Users have shown time and again that a drastic change in their communication interface is unacceptable, regardless of the cost-savings that may be realized. For example, MCI was unable to compete successfully against AT&T for long distance telephone traffic when a user had to (a) dial an MCI access number, (b) authenticate himself or herself, and then (c) identify the called party's phone number. MCI was finally able to compete successfully only after their long distance services were allowed to be accessed in the same way that AT&T's long distance services were accessed, i.e., through direct 1+dialing. A solution that involves using a data network based transport instead of PSTN-based transport must similarly be implemented without modification to the user interface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system that overcomes the drawbacks of the aforementioned conventional routing systems. The present invention incorporates a telephony-to-data re-routing system (TDR), located behind a PBX to re-route calls. Because of the location of the TDR, all call originators share the same re-routing system, thereby overcoming the most serious drawback associated with the first class of conventional routing systems in which the re-dialers are located ahead of the PBX, i.e., the requirement for one rerouting device for each telephone device. Moreover, the TDR system does not require either party to the telephone call to change its existing method of telephony communications, thereby overcoming the most serious drawback of the second class of conventional routing systems wherein callers must modify their user interface.
In terms of costs, variable timed charges for use of the PSTN for long-distance connections are replaced with the typically lower, and in some cases non-variable, bandwidth usage or character count charges incurred on a data network. Further cost saving can be achieved in a real-time communications network, for example, by using compression, dynamic bandwidth allocation, and/or other bandwidth-saving means applied to the digital representation of the analog signal, converted for transmission over the data network. In a store-and-forward network, moreover, the TDR system, standard data network routing equipment, or both, can plan for the use of data network bandwidth more efficiently. For example, both can take advantage of the variable nature of other applications' bandwidth requirement gaps. Additionally, whether real-time or store-and-forward transmission is used, encryption and authentication of the communication content of the call can be applied from the call originator's PBX point of presence to the point of presence closest to the call receiver. This virtually end-to-end security represents a significant improvement over conventional routing systems. This is because conventional routing systems require security services with devices attached to or embedded in the originator's and receiver's telephone systems.
In the case of real-time voice phone c
Dutra Antonio
Kamen Benjamin
Nandyal Omprasad S.
Storch Randy S.
Wegner Martin T.
Net2Phone, Inc.
Patel Ajit
Pezzlo John
LandOfFree
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