Method and System for Providing Voice Communication Over Data Networks

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed in which an Internet subscriber can establish real-time voice conversations over the Internet. By performing a call negotiation scheme to identify and locate the other calling party, an Internet telephone can establish a voice communication channel over the Internet to a telephony or computer device.

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         47 . A method for communicating, comprising: 
 receiving a network address and an identification code from a first station, wherein the network address is associated with the first station and the identification code uniquely identifies the first station;    storing the network address and the identification code in a memory;    receiving a search request from a second station, the search request identifying the identification code;    in response to the search request, identifying the network address based, at least in part, on the identification code; and    establishing a communication channel between the first station and the second station.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising assigning the network address to the first station.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the identification code comprises a telephone number.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein: 
 receiving the network address and the identification code from the first station comprises receiving the network address and the identification code at a network server associated with a first network;    storing the network address and the identification code comprises storing the network address and the identification code in a memory at the network server; and    establishing the communication channel comprises establishing the communication channel between the first station and the second station over at least a portion of the first network.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein receiving the search request comprises: 
 transmitting the identification code from the first station to the second station; and    receiving the search request from the second station, wherein the search request identifies the identification code.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein transmitting the identification code from the first station to the second station comprises: 
 establishing a communication channel between the first station and the second station over a second network; and    transmitting the identification code from the first station to the second station over the communication channel established over the second network.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising: 
 determining whether the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network; and    in response to determining that the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network, terminating the communication channel between the first station and the second station over the second network.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein determining whether the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network comprises: 
 transmitting a signal from the first station to the second station; and    determining based on a response received from the second station at the first station whether the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network.    
     
     
         55 . A system for communication, comprising: 
 a first station;    a second station;    a first network operable to communicate information; and    a network server, operable to: 
 receive a network address and an identification code from the first station, wherein the network address is associated with the first station and the identification code uniquely identifies the first station;  
 store the network address and the identification code in a memory;  
 receive a search request from the second station, the search request identifying the identification code;  
 in response to the search request, identify the network address based, at least in part, on the identification code;  
 communicate the network address to the second station; and  
 establish a communication channel between the first station and the second station over the first network.  
   
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the identification code comprises a telephone number.  
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein: 
 the first station is operable to transmit the identification code to the second station; and    the second station is operable to transmit the search request to the network server, wherein the search request identifies the identification code.    
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , further comprising a second network, and wherein the first station is operable to transmit the identification code to the second station by: 
 establishing a communication channel between the first station and the second station over a second network; and    transmitting the identification code to the second station over the communication channel established over the second network.    
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the first station is further operable to: 
 determine whether the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network; and    in response to determining that the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network, terminate the communication channel between the first station and the second station over the second network.    
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the first station is further operable to determine whether the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network by: 
 transmitting a signal to the second station; and    determining, based on a response received from the second station, whether the first station and the second station can support a communication channel for voice communication over the first network.    
     
     
         61 . A communication apparatus, comprising: 
 an authentication module operable to receive a network address and an identification code from the first station, wherein the network address is associated with the first station and the identification code uniquely identifies the first station;    an address/code registration module operable to store the network address and the identification code in a memory;    an address query module operable to: 
 receive a search request from the second station, the search request identifying the identification code; and  
 in response to the search request, identify the network address based, at least in part, on the identification code; and  
   a channel establishment module operable to establish a communication channel between the first station and the second station over the first network.    
     
     
         62 . The communication apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the identification code comprises a telephone number.  
     
     
         63 . A system for communicating, comprising: 
 means for receiving a network address and an identification code from a first station, wherein the network address is associated with the first station and the identification code uniquely identifies the first station;    means for storing the network address and the identification code in a memory;    means for receiving a search request from a second station, the search request identifying the identification code;    means for identifying the network address based, at least in part, on the identification code in response to the search request; and    means for establishing a communication channel between the first station and the second station.    
     
     
         64 . A method for communicating, comprising: 
 receiving an identification code from a first station, wherein the identification code uniquely identifies a second station that is coupled to a circuit-switched network;    identifying a gateway associated with the second station, wherein the gateway couples the circuit-switched network to a packet-based network;    determining a route to the identified gateway;    establishing a first communication channel between the first station and the second station using the determined route, wherein the route traverses at least a portion of the packet-based network and at least a portion of the circuit-switched network;    determining whether the second station supports packet-based communication; and    in response to determining that the second station supports packet-based communication, establishing a second communication channel between the first station and the second station over the packet-based network.    
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein establishing the second communication channel comprises: 
 establishing the second communication channel; and    terminating the first communication channel.    
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising assigning a network address to the first station.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein determining whether the second station supports packet-based communication comprises: 
 transmitting a call setup signal from the first station to the second station over the packet-based network and the circuit-switched network;    determining whether the second station supports packet-based communication based at least in part on whether the first station receives an acknowledgement signal from the second station.    
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein transmitting the call setup signal comprises transmitting an out-of-band signal.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the out-of-band signals comprise Signaling System #7 (SS7) signals.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 67 , further comprising: 
 receiving, at the second station, the call setup message; and    transmitting, from the second station, an acknowledgement signal to the first station without the second station being taken off the hook.    
     
     
         71 . A system for communicating, comprising: 
 a first station;    a second station;    a circuit-switched network operable to communicate information in accordance with a circuit-switched communication protocol;    a packet-based network operable to communicate information in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol; and    a network server operable to: 
 receive an identification code from the first station, wherein the identification code uniquely identifies a second station that is coupled to a circuit-switched network;  
 identify a gateway associated with the second station, wherein the gateway couples the circuit-switched network to the packet-based network;  
 determine a route to the identified gateway; and  
 establish a first communication channel between the first station and the second station using the determined route, wherein the route traverses at least a portion of the packet-based network and at least a portion of the circuit-switched network, wherein the first station is further operable to:  
   determine whether the second station supports packet-based communication; and    in response to determining that the second station supports packet-based communication, establish a second communication channel between the first station and the second station over the packet-based network.    
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the network server is operable to establish the second communication channel by: 
 establishing the second communication channel; and    terminating the first communication channel.    
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the network server is operable to determine whether the second station supports packet-based communication by: 
 transmitting a call setup signal from the first station to the second station over the packet-based network and the circuit-switched network;    determining whether the second station supports packet-based communication based at least in part on whether the first station receives an acknowledgement signal from the second station.    
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 73 , wherein the first station is further operable to transmit the call setup signal by transmitting an out-of-band signal.  
     
     
         75 . The system of  claim 74 , wherein the out-of-band signals comprise Signaling System #7 (SS7) signals.  
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 73 , wherein the second station is operable to: 
 receive the call setup message; and    transmit an acknowledgement signal to the first station without being taken off the hook.    
     
     
         77 . A system for communicating, comprising: 
 means for receiving an identification code from a first station, wherein the identification code uniquely identifies a second station that is coupled to a circuit-switched network;    means for identifying a gateway associated with the second station, wherein the gateway couples the circuit-switched network to a packet-based network;    means for determining a route to the identified gateway;    means for establishing a first communication channel between the first station and the second station using the determined route, wherein the route traverses at least a portion of the packet-based network and at least a portion of the circuit-switched network;    means for determining whether the second station supports packet-based communication; and    means for establishing a second communication channel between the first station and the second station over the packet-based network in response to determining that the second station supports packet-based communication.