Access platform for internet-based telephony
US6205135A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2213/13405
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An alternate access platform is coupled to the Internet, a local-exchange-carrier (LEC), and other communications facilities such as a plurality of long-distance facilities provided by any one of a number of long distance carriers. Access to the alternate access platform occurs in any one of a number of ways. For example, a user, or calling party, establishes an Internet connection to the alternate access platform, or dials into the alternate access platform via a local plain-old-telephone-service (POTS) call. Independent of the access method, the alternate access platform selects a communications facility for routing the call as a function of a "call profile" associated with the calling party. This "call profile" uses any one of a number of parameters to determine routing such as called party, cost, quality, reliability, time-of-day, etc. This "call profile" is either determined by the user on a call-by-call basis, or is separately administered by the user.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.