Patent · US Expired

Flexible dial plan for a data network telephony system

US6731630B1 · kind B1 · utility

85Cited by
43References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 29, 2000
Grant dateMay 4, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 29, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S379/90
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A dial plan for a data network telephony system is provided. A variable-length-code scheme is used to assign communication numeral strings to user identifiers and/or device identifiers, such as SIP URIs (Universal Resource Identifier). The dial plan enables a user to enter a user identifier (or device identifier) into a conventional keypad of a data network telephone, such as an Internet telephony phone. Additionally, embodiments of the disclosed dial plan include techniques for dialing from one data network telephone to another data network telephone utilizing the same service provider, dialing from one data network telephone utilizing a first service provider to a second data network telephone utilizing a second service provider, and dialing from a data network telephone to a PSTN phone and vice versa. The flexible dial plan preferably includes formulating a communication number into a domain portion and a subscriber portion, where the domain portion and the subscriber portion each include a quantity indicator to specify a number of digits making up the remainder of the domain portion, the subscriber portion, or the entire communication portion. Upon accepting an entered communic…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.