Method for initiating internet telephone service from a web page

Abstract

A direct telephone dialing scheme for initiating internet telephone service from a web page is provided. The scheme allows a caller, using an internet telephone service, to place telephone call to a telephone number appearing on any web page directly from that web page. In one embodiment, a caller navigates to a desired web page on the internet and the caller dials a telephone number on that web page directly to initiate a two-way audio communication with the destination telephone number using an internet telephone service. The direct telephone dialing scheme of the present invention improves the accessibility and ease of use of internet telephone services. Furthermore, the direct telephone dialing scheme can be used with video, data, and fax communications which are supported by the VoIP data communication standard.

1 . A method for initiating internet telephone service from a web page containing a telephone number, comprising:
 accessing the web page using a browser;   downloading a web page document associated with the web page;   parsing the web page document for detecting a character string representing a telephone number;   determining if the character string is a hypertext link;   if the character string is not a hypertext link, then:
 modifying the character string in the web page document into a link to the internet telephone service, 
 providing the web page document including the modified character string to the browser; and 
 displaying the web page on the browser including the modified character string, wherein the act of parsing the web page for detecting a character string indicative of a telephone number comprises:
 determining if the character string includes alphanumeric characters matching one or more predetermined telephone number formats; and 
 if the character string matches a first one of the predetermined telephone number format, designating the character string as a telephone number; and 
 
   if the character string is a hypertext link, refraining from designating the character string as a telephone number even if the character string matches a first one of the predetermined telephone number format.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the modified character string indicative of the telephone number;   activating the link to the internet telephone service;   passing the telephone number to the internet telephone service;   initiating a telephone call to the telephone number; and   establishing two-way communications between a caller selecting the character string and a destination audio device designated by the telephone number.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the initiating a telephone call to the telephone number comprises:
 launching a server side script at the internet telephone service for initiating the telephone call.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the act of launching a server side script at the internet telephone service comprises:
 determining if the caller has logged into the telephone service;   if the caller has not logged in, requesting the caller to log into the telephone service; and   placing a telephone call to the telephone number through the internet telephone service.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined telephone number formats include at least one of the following: (###) ###-####, (###) ###-####, ###.###.####, ###/###/####, ###/###-####, ###-###-####, (###-###-####), #-###-###-####, +# (###) ###-####, +# (###) ###-####, +# ### ### ####, +#-### ### ####, +#-### ###-####, +#-###-###-####, ### ### ####, ### ###.####, and ### ###-####, where # represents a digit between 0 and 9 or a character between A and Z. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more predetermined telephone number formats further include ##########, where the first three characters are numeric digits between 0 and 9. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the web page document is written in hypertext markup language (HTML) and the determining if the character string is a hypertext link comprises:
 determining if the character string is preceded by the character A or a.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a caller-selectable interface for selectively enabling or disabling the acts of parsing the web page document and modifying the character string in the web page document.   
   
   
       9 . A system for initiating internet telephone service from a web page containing a telephone number, comprising:
 a browser for use in downloading a web page document associated with the web page; and   a processor for executing instructions that perform actions including:
 parsing the web page document for detecting a character string representing a telephone number; 
 determining if the character string is a hypertext link; 
 if the character string is not a hypertext link, then: 
 modifying the character string in the web page document into a link to the internet telephone service; 
 providing the web page document including the modified character string to the browser; and 
 providing the web page for display on the browser including the modified character string, wherein the act of parsing the web page for detecting a character string indicative of a telephone number comprises:
 determining if the character string includes alphanumeric characters matching one or more predetermined telephone number formats; and 
 if the character string matches a first one of the predetermined telephone number format, designating the character string as a telephone number; and 
 
 if the character string is a hypertext link, refraining from modifying the character string. 
   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the modified display for the telephone number includes at least one of a highlighted telephone number, an underlined telephone number, or a bolded telephone number. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining if the character string includes alphanumeric characters further comprises performing a comparison of the character string to at least one of a domestic telephone area code, international country code, international city code, or an international telephone area code. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the web page document is written in hypertext markup language (HTML) and the determining if the character string is a hypertext link comprises:
 determining if the character string is preceded by the character A or a.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the executed instructions comprise a downloaded application that is arranged as at least one of a dynamic linked library or a java script. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the executing instructions further provide a caller interface that enables a caller to enable or disable a direct telephone dialing function. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the executing instructions further include an application is configured and arranged to perform further actions, including, until a caller is logged into the telephone service, preventing the providing of the telephone service over the gateway. 
   
   
       16 . A client device for initiating internet telephone service from a web page containing a telephone number, comprising:
 a browser that is used to download a web page document associated with the web page; and   a processor that executes instructions that perform actions including:
 parsing the web page document for detecting a character string representing a telephone number; 
 selectively performing the following actions, while avoiding writing over an existing hypertext link within the web page when the character string is determined to be a hypertext link:
 modifying the character string in the web page document into a link to the internet telephone service; 
 providing the web page document including the modified character string to the browser; and 
 providing the web page for display on the browser including the modified character string, wherein the act of parsing the web page for detecting a character string indicative of a telephone number by determining if the character string includes alphanumeric characters matching one or more predetermined telephone number formats, and if the character string matches a first one of the predetermined telephone number format, designating the character string as a telephone number. 
 
   
   
   
       17 . The client device of  claim 16 , wherein selectively performing the following actions, while avoiding writing over existing hyperlinks within the web page further comprises determining if the character string is a hypertext link, and if the character string is a hypertext link preserving an integrity of the web page document. 
   
   
       18 . The client device of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more predetermined telephone number formats further include ##########, where the first three characters are numeric digits between 0 and 9. 
   
   
       19 . The client device of  claim 16 , wherein the web page document is written in hypertext markup language (HTML) and wherein selectively performing the following actions, while avoiding writing over existing hypertext links within the web page further comprises determining if the character string is preceded by the character A or a. 
   
   
       20 . The client device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor executes instructions that perform actions, further including:
 electing the modified character string indicative of the telephone number;   activating the link to the internet telephone service;   passing the telephone number to the internet telephone service;   initiating a telephone call to the telephone number; and   establishing two-way communications between a caller selecting the character string and a destination audio device designated by the telephone number.