Method and apparatus for accessing a telephone network from the internet
US6693893B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1998 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L67/02
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A subscriber in communication with an IP network (12) such as the Internet, though a terminal (14) may launch an application on a Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN) (16) by entering a data packet that takes the format of a telephone number that identifies the PSTN application. An IP gateway (22) couples the IP network (12) to the PSTN (16) and serves to recognize the data packet in the format of the PSTN application telephone number as well as translate the packet yield a stream of DTMF or other signals corresponding to the PSTN application telephone number. The IP gateway (22) then launches the stream of signals to dial the telephone number of the PSTN application. The gateway may also request information or control PSTN calls via the signaling/data channel between the gateway and the PSTN.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.