Internet telephone system

Details Internet telephone system Internet telephone system

1998-03-16

2004-11-16

Phunkulh, Bob (Department: 2661)

Multiplex communications

Pathfinding or routing

Combined circuit switching and packet switching

C370S356000, C379S088170, C379S093010, C709S217000, C709S238000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06819663

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the Internet and, more particularly, to an Internet telephone system which uses the Internet for speech communication between telephone sets and computers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet telephone system according to the related art using the Internet for communication between telephones and computers is implemented by a construction shown in FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
.
FIG. 1
shows an Internet telephone system for enabling speech communication between computers.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, the Internet telephone system comprises a computer
101
, a computer
102
, a dedicated server
103
, and an Internet
105
. The dedicated server
103
has a management database (DB)
104
that centrally manages IP addresses of all the computers connected to the Internet
105
.
For example, when the computer
101
connects to the computer
102
, the computer
101
connects to the dedicated server
103
first, and confirms whether an IP address of the target computer
102
is registered in the management database
104
. For example, the IP address information referred to in the confirmation may be a name with which the computer
102
is managed on a network.
The dedicated server
103
notifies the computer
101
of the IP address if it is registered in the management database
104
, so that the computer
101
uses the IP address to connect to the computer
102
and communicate over the Internet
105
. Each of the computers
101
and
102
should be provided with a microphone for speech communication with each other.
FIG. 2
shows an Internet telephone system which uses computers to enable telephone sets to perform speech communication.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, the Internet telephone system comprises a telephone set
111
, a telephone set
112
, a computer
113
, a computer
114
, and an Internet
117
. The computer
113
and the computer
114
are provided with a management database
115
and a management database
116
, respectively, to manage IP addresses of computers connected to Internet
117
and phone numbers of the telephone sets connected to the respective computers.
For example, the telephone set
111
connects to the nearest computer
113
in order to call the telephone set
112
. The computer
113
executes a user authorization process for determining whether the telephone set
111
is qualified to use the Internet
117
.
The telephone set
111
dials a phone number of the telephone set
112
when it is determined that the telephone set
111
is qualified to use the Internet. The computer
113
then connects to the computer
114
nearest the telephone set
112
. The computer
114
connects to the telephone set
112
so as to enable speech communication over the Internet
117
between the telephone set
111
and the telephone set
112
.
However, the Internet telephone system according to the related art is inconvenient in that it imposes a more complicated operation on a call originator than when an ordinary telephone set is used. More specifically, the call originator is required to register personal information in a managing computer located on a network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an Internet telephone system in which the aforementioned problems are eliminated.
Another and more specific object of the present invention is to provide an Internet telephone system whereby a user can operate a telephone set as any ordinary telephone set.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an Internet telephone system which realizes low-cost speech communication using the Internet.
The aforementioned objects can be achieved by an Internet telephone system for implementing bilateral communication over the Internet between telephone sets and communication devices, by causing the telephone sets and the communication devices to connect to a repeater device via a public network so as to establish a communication channel on the Internet via the repeater device, wherein each of the communication devices comprises: connection means for dialing one of a remote telephone set and a remote repeater device via the public network when a call is originated within the communication device or by a local telephone set connected to the communication device, so as to establish a connection; and communication means for performing data communication over the public network and over the Internet, wherein the repeater device is controlled by the connection means and the communication means to establish the communication channel on the Internet so that users of the local telephone set and the remote telephone set may perform speech communication over the Internet, using the same procedure as employed when the users perform speech communication over the public network.
Each of the communication devices may further comprise: registering means for registering predetermined control information transmitted to and received from a remote communication device connected to the remote telephone set; and information storage means for storing the control information registered by the registering means, wherein the connection means and the communication means may control the repeater device in accordance with the control information.
Each of the communication devices may further comprise: monitoring means for monitoring communication data on the Internet while an Internet call using the Internet is proceeding; and switching means for switching the Internet call using the Internet to a public circuit call using the public network, when it is determined that a predetermined transfer rate for the communication data fails to be guaranteed.
Each of the communication devices may comprise activating means for automatically activating hardware and software necessary for a call, when it is determined upon origination of a call by a telephone set on an originating side that a main power supply of the communication device is on but the necessary hardware and the software are not activated.
Each of the communication devices may comprise converting means for converting analog data output from a telephone set on an originating side into digital data, and converting digital data into analog data to be supplied to a destination telephone set.
The repeater device may comprise conversation data storage means for storing received conversation data when the received conversation data cannot be transmitted to the communication device.
The aforementioned objects can also be achieved by a communication device for an Internet telephone system for implementing bilateral communication over the Internet, by connecting to a telephone set and connecting to a repeater device via a public network, the communication device comprising: connection means for dialing one of a remote telephone set and a remote repeater device via the public network when a call is originated by a local telephone set connected to the communication device, so as to establish a connection; and communication means for performing data communication over the public network and over the Internet, wherein the repeater device is controlled by the connection means and the communication means to establish a communication channel on the Internet so that users of the local telephone set and the remote telephone set may perform speech communication over the Internet, using the same procedure as employed when the users perform speech communication over the public network.
The communication device may further comprise: registering means for registering predetermined control information transmitted to and received from a remote communication device connected to the remote telephone set; and information storage means for storing the control information registered by the registering means, wherein the connection means and the communication means may control the repeater device in accordance with the control information.
The communication device may further comprise: monitoring means for monitoring communication data on the Int

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