PCT
`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`WO 98/37665
`
`(11) International Publication Number:
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 6:
`H04L 12/28, 12/56
`
`A1
`
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`27 August 1998 (27.08.98)
`
`(81) Designated States: AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR,
`BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GE,
`GH, HU, IL, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
`LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ,
`PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT,
`UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZW, ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, SD, SZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian patent (AM, AZ,
`BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European patent (AT, BE,
`CH, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL,
`PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN,
`ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Published
`With international search report.
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of
`amendments.
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/US98/03630
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`25 February 1998 (25.02.98)
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`08/810,148
`
`25 February 1997 (25.02.97)
`
`us
`
`(63) Related by Continuation (CON) or Continuation-in-Part
`(CIP) to Earlier Application
`us
`Filed on
`
`08/810,148 ( CIP)
`2 February 1997 (02.02.97)
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): FONEFRIEND
`SYSTEMS, INC. [US/US]; 3524 Rittenhouse Street, N.W.,
`Washington, DC 20015 (US).
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): VAZIRI, Faramarz
`[IR/US]; 38 Roundout Harbor, Port Even, NY 12466 (US).
`WIMSATT, John, D. [US/US]; 3524 Rittenhouse Street,
`N.W., Washington, DC 20015 (US).
`
`(74) Agent: LEDBETTER, James, E.; Watson Cole Stevens Davis,
`P.L.L.C., Suite 1000, 1400 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC
`20005 (US).
`
`(54) Title: INTERNET SWITCH BOX, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET TELEPHONY
`
`I
`
`---
`:;.1/A
`(
`\~
`(
`
`--
`
`)
`
`f
`I
`
`._-···
`
`J
`! c-l'tt. t-E~ .E
`-- ---- ~--
`
`----
`
`}
`(
`\
`
`/
`
`(57) Abstract
`
`An Internet switch box (100) connects between a telephone set and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) line (212), the latter
`of which is used both for PSTN (702) telephone conversations and for connection to an Internet service provider (ISP) (706). The switch
`box (100) contains hardware and embedded software for establishing a connection to an ISP (706) and for Internet (712) telephony. When
`two users, each having an Internet switch box (lOOA, lOOB) connected to the telephone set (21 lA, 212B), wish to have an Internet (712)
`telephony conversation, one calls the other over the PSTN (702). When they agree to an Internet telephony conversation, they signal their
`Internet switch boxes (100), by pressing either buttons (301, 303) on the switch boxes (100) or certain keys on the telephone keypads, to
`switch to Internet (712) telephony. The switch boxes (100) disconnect the PSTN (702) call and connect to their ISPs (706A, 706B). Once
`the switch boxes are on the Internet (712), they contact each other through a server (714) which supplies Internet protocol (IP) addresses of
`switch boxes (100), and the users continue their conversation by Internet (712) telephony. The users can also prearrange to call each other
`solely by Internet (712) telephony, in which case they do not need to talk to each other over the PSTN (702).
`
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. Ex. 1108 Page 1193
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`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international applications under the PCT.
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`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`AL
`AM
`AT
`AU
`AZ
`BA
`BB
`BE
`BF
`BG
`BJ
`BR
`BY
`CA
`CF
`CG
`CH
`CI
`CM
`CN
`cu
`cz
`DE
`DK
`EE
`
`Albania
`Armenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Azerbaijan
`Bosnia and Herzegovina
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Cote d'Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Cuba
`Czech Republic
`Germany
`Denmark
`Estonia
`
`ES
`FI
`FR
`GA
`GB
`GE
`GH
`GN
`GR
`HU
`IE
`IL
`IS
`IT
`JP
`KE
`KG
`KP
`
`KR
`KZ
`LC
`LI
`LK
`LR
`
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Ghana
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Israel
`Iceland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgyzstan
`Democratic People's
`Republic of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakstan
`Saint Lucia
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`
`LS
`LT
`LU
`LV
`MC
`MD
`MG
`MK
`
`ML
`MN
`MR
`MW
`MX
`NE
`NL
`NO
`NZ
`PL
`PT
`RO
`RU
`SD
`SE
`SG
`
`Lesotho
`Lithuania
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`Republic of Moldova
`Madagascar
`The former Yugoslav
`Republic of Macedonia
`Mali
`Mongolia
`Mauritania
`Malawi
`Mexico
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`
`SI
`SK
`SN
`sz
`TD
`TG
`TJ
`TM
`TR
`TT
`UA
`UG
`us
`uz
`VN
`YU
`zw
`
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Swaziland
`Chad
`Togo
`Tajikistan
`Turkmenistan
`Turkey
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
`VietNam
`Yugoslavia
`Zimbabwe
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`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. Ex. 1108 Page 1194
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`

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`W098/37665
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`PCT/US98/03630
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`INTERN"ET SWITCH BOX, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET TELEPHONY
`
`Cross-reference to Related Application
`
`This is a continuation-in-part ofU.S. patent application Serial No. 08/810,148, filed
`
`February 25, 1997, whose disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the
`
`present disclosure.
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to Internet telephony, i.e., placing telephone calls over a
`
`specific secondary network, such as the Internet, by way of a standard telephone connection
`
`using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
`
`Description of Related Art
`
`The technique of using the Internet to carry on telephone communications is commonly
`
`referred to as Internet Telephony (IT) or, sometimes, Voice on the Net (VON). IT is a way to
`
`communicate over the Internet that bypasses PSTN toll connections. IT can be advantageous for
`
`individuals and businesses that need or want to communicate extensively with others outside of
`
`their local calling areas, especially to frequently called numbers.
`
`IT is typically accomplished by what is commonly referred to as Personal Computer-
`
`Based Internet Telephony (PCIT). PCIT allows users with properly equipped personal computers
`
`to complete long distance telephone calls to one another over the Internet without incurring a toll
`
`charge. To do so, the users must have personal computers that are multimedia capable in terms
`
`of possessing a sound card, sufficient processing power, a high quality microphone, an adequate
`
`modem (preferably 14.4 or faster) and the same specialized software programs, as well as an
`
`account with an online service or Internet service provider (ISP) for connection to the Internet via
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`SLIP (the serial-line Internet protocol) or PPP (the point-to-point protocol). Current PCIT
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`techniques are not compatible with shell accounts, which are accounts in which a user logs on
`
`through terminal emulation to a remote machine running Unix or the like and accesses the
`
`Internet through that remote machine in text mode by typing commands at a prompt.
`
`Several PCIT software packages are on the market. These packages are mutually
`
`incompatible; two users wishing to make a PCIT connection must have the same software
`
`package. Popular PCIT software packages include those marketed under the names "lphone" and
`
`"Web Phone."
`
`The "Web Phone" software works in the following manner. The users wishing to speak
`
`to each other must both be online for the communication to take place, although they can arrange
`
`beforehand to be online at the same time.
`
`Both users run the software, and the software packages on both computers seek each
`
`other by referring to each other's Internet protocol (IP) addresses. An IP address can be static,
`
`meaning that each user is assigned a single permanent IP address, or dynamic, meaning that a
`
`user is assigned a different IP address every time that user logs on. If the users both have static
`
`Internet protocol addresses, they can simply store each other's IP addresses beforehand.
`
`However, many users, including virtually all users ofless expensive ISP's and of online services
`
`such as America Online, have dynamic IP addresses. Therefore, before the users can connect to
`
`each other, they must log onto a common server so that each one can fmd out the dynamic IP
`
`address which has been assigned to the other user. Either way, once the users have each other's
`
`IP addresses, the software packages can communicate with each other over TCPIIP (transfer
`
`control protocol!Internet protocol) ports 21845,21846 and 21847.
`
`Sound originating on one end is digitized via the microphone and sound card,
`
`compressed, and transmitted to the other end as packets over the Internet using TCPIIP, where
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`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. Ex. 1108 Page 1196
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`the packets are decompressed and converted back into sound via the sound card and speakers.
`
`There are, however, disadvantages associated with the present state ofiT or VON.
`
`Besides the hardware requirements and the difficulty that many users have with configuring their
`
`computers to achieve SbiP or PPP connections to their ISPs, until such time as PCIT vendors can
`
`agree on standards, the requirement that both users have the same software to communicate with
`
`each other will remain. Not only is the hardware described above expensive, but extensive
`
`knowledge of computers and the Internet is also required, making IT intimidating to a majority of
`
`the population who would otherwise like to take advantage ofthis capability. There are other
`
`disadvantages to PCIT. Its users need to prearrange a time to call each other because both parties
`
`must take proactive measures to connect the call and thereby converse with each other.
`
`Internet Telephony also sometimes refers to a new service being planned whereby
`
`individuals or businesses may use or pre-subscribe to a special access number and place their
`
`long distance telephone calls by way of a long distance carrier who uses the Internet to carry the
`
`calls. This service eliminates most of the disadvantages ofPCIT, but also eliminates most of the
`
`advantages, in that toll and/or usage type charges still apply.
`
`Devices are known for allowing PCIT by letting users initiate a conversation over the
`
`PSTN and switching to IT. Such devices exchange information relating to their IP addresses
`
`during the PSTN phase of the call so that the IT phase ofthe call can be completed. However, in
`
`such devices, the modem may be set or initialized twice, once for the PSTN phase of the call to
`
`exchange the IP address information and once for the IT phase of the call to connect to the
`
`Internet. Setting the modems twice is time-consuming. Also, such devices cannot be used for
`
`calls which take place entirely by way of IT, since they have no way of exchanging the IP address
`
`related information to locate each other.
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`Summary of the Invention
`
`PCT /US98/03630
`
`It is an object of the invention to allow a user to make telephone calls via the Internet
`
`without a need for an expensive multimedia-capable personal computer.
`
`It is another object of the invention to allow a user to make telephone calls via the
`
`Internet without a need to configure such a computer for a SLIP or PPP connection to the
`
`Internet.
`
`It is a further object of the invention to allow a user to select a route for a telephone call
`
`(the Internet, the conventional PSTN, a dedicated network, etc.) and to use a single device for the
`
`call regardless of which route is selected.
`
`It is a further object ofthe invention to provide a device and method for Internet
`
`telephony which are easy to use, do not require a computer and offer superb voice quality.
`
`To these and other ends, the present invention is directed to a terminal device or Internet
`
`switch box (ISB) for connecting a first telephone set and a second telephone set over a selected
`
`one of a primary network and a secondary network, the switch box comprising: primary network
`
`connecting means for connecting the first telephone set to the primary network; secondary
`
`network connecting means for connecting the first telephone set to the secondary network and for
`
`establishing a connection over the secondary network between the first telephone set and the
`
`second telephone set; relay means for (i) connecting, when the relay means is in a first state, the
`
`first telephone set to the primary network connecting means and for (ii) connecting, when the
`
`relay means is in a second state, the first telephone set to the secondary network connecting
`
`means; and switching means for receiving a switch-over command to switch from the primary
`
`network to the secondary network and for controlling, in response to the switch-over command,
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`(i) the relay means to disconnect the first telephone set from the primary network connecting
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`means and to connect the first telephone set to the secondary network connecting means and (ii)
`
`the secondary network connecting means to establish the connection over the secondary network
`
`between the first telephone set and the second telephone set.
`
`A relatively inexpensive interface device, referred to as an Internet switch box (ISB), is
`
`connected to or integrated within the telephone. While the user must possess access to the
`
`Internet either directly or via an Internet Service Provider (ISP) in order to use the ISB, the user
`
`will not be subject to toll charges other than those incurred using the PSTN to establish the
`
`Internet telephone call. The user does not need to understand how a computer works or how to
`
`use any PCIT software, since the ISB can be preprogrammed to dial an ISP and to connect via
`
`SLIP or PPP. The user need only know how to dial the call using normal PSTN dialing
`
`procedures and then simply switch the call to an Internet connection, if available and desirable.
`
`Other than the user pressing a button (either on the ISB or telephone keypad) to initiate the
`
`Internet telephone call, the ISB takes care of all connection procedures (i.e., handshaking)
`
`necessary to set up and maintain the Internet telephone call. While both parties must possess an
`
`ISB in order to take advantage of the ISB's IT capabilities, only one party needs to initiate the
`
`telephone call in order to establish the Internet connection, so that prearrangement is not
`
`required.
`
`Advantageously, the selection among networks may be among the PSTN, selected
`
`proprietary networks, or the Internet. It should be noted that the PSTN utilizes circuit switching
`
`techniques whereas, for instance, the Internet makes use of packet switching. Circuit switching
`
`was specifically designed and is best for analog voice transmissions, whereas packet switching
`
`was designed and is best for digital data transmissions. Regardless, either type of switching may
`
`be employed for voice or data. The calling party uses the PSTN to first establish the connection
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`PCTJUS98/03630
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`between calling and called parties, and then the two parties decide whether or not to use their
`
`ISB' s to re-establish the connection via a secondary network such as the Internet. The users will
`
`consider convenience, cost and connection quality in making this choice. If the telephone call is
`
`to another party in the same local calling area, of short duration, or one where, regardless of cost,
`
`the stability and voice quality of the connection are essential, then the users typically opt to stay
`
`on the PSTN connection and not seek to switch to the Internet. Otherwise, the potential cost
`
`savings of simply switching to an Internet connection make doing so preferable.
`
`As indicated, an ISB may be incorporated into a telephone or be a standalone adjunct
`
`device connected between the telephone and the telephone line. Additionally, ISB's may be
`
`associated with facsimile machines, wireless telephones and multiple line telephone systems,
`
`such as key telephone and Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems, and operate to provide
`
`multiple users of such Customer Provided Equipment (CPE) the ability to designate the
`
`secondary network handling of their toll calls. According to one embodiment, the ISB will set up
`
`a secondary network or Internet telephone call after the PSTN connection has been established
`
`and in response to a command to do so by its user(s) as described above. In an alternative
`
`embodiment, the ISB may be configured to establish a connection over a secondary network
`
`automatically unless commanded not to prior to the call being placed. In either case the called
`
`telephone can answer or simply ring before the telephone call can be switched to a secondary
`
`network or the Internet. As such, the ISB does not interfere with accepted and customary PSTN
`
`procedures in that the PSTN portion of the telephone call is billable only if there is an answer by
`
`a live person or an answering machine or voice mail service.
`
`In order to establish a secondary network or Internet connection via the ISB, the user will
`
`first dial the PSTN telephone number of the intended call recipient. Once the called telephone is
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`answered, which is a billable PSTN telephone call of short duration, both parties initiate, via a
`
`simple key stroke, the switch to the secondary network. The two ISB' s disconnect the PSTN
`
`call, and each initiates its own call to the other via the secondary network. If the secondary
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`network is the Internet, the connection typically is by way of an Internet Service Provider (ISP)
`
`which can be reached, advantageously, by a toll-free telephone call enabling access to the user's
`
`Internet service account which, advantageously, has unlimited use or use charges in an amount
`
`much lower than the expected PSTN charges. The two ISB' s possess information (i.e.,
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`addresses, passwords, etc.) necessary to re-connect the telephone call via the secondary network.
`
`Each ISB can be programmed to provide call progress tones or to play pre-recorded messages,
`
`music, etc., while the users await reconnection. If the call cannot be connected via the secondary
`
`network due to access problems at the ISP or otherwise, then each party is so informed by a
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`recognizable audio signal such as a busy signal or a voice recording. Either or both parties can,
`
`by pressing appropriate keys, retry their connection via the Internet or reconnect the telephone
`
`call over the PSTN. This capability is somewhat analogous to the redial capability on many
`
`conventional telephones. Should two parties seek to avoid PSTN charges altogether, they may
`
`use this same capability to do so via prearrangement. In so doing, each party need only input the
`
`other party's telephone number in addition to pressing the appropriate buttons on the ISB or
`
`telephone keypad. Regardless, once the call is connected via the secondary network or the
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`Internet, the parties terminate the call by hanging up, as with any PSTN call.
`
`The present invention thus implements an embedded approach to IT which offers the
`
`following advantages. The use ofiSB's allows low-cost, easy-to-use, embedded Internet access
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`for telephones. Lower cost is achieved because no PC's are required. Users, many of whom
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`would prefer not to have to configure a PC for Internet access, are offered a familiar PSTN
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`approach which can identify a called party by that party's existing telephone number. This
`
`approach also preserves the major advantage of IT, namely, the use of low-cost Internet
`
`bandwidth.
`
`While the invention is intended primarily for use with single-line analog telephone sets, it
`
`can be adapted for use with other telephone systems, such as DID PBX (direct-in-dial private
`
`branch exchange) and Centrex service and with analog or digital mobile telephones such as
`
`cellular telephones and PCS (personal communication service) telephones. Also, while the ISB
`
`can be built to access the ISP through a dial-up connection, it can alternatively be built to access
`
`the ISP through another connection, such as an ISDN (integrated services digital network)
`
`connection or a cable modem connection.
`
`BriefDescri:ption ofthe Drawings
`
`The preferred embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings,
`
`in which:
`
`Figure 1 is a flow chart depicting the functional organization of the ISB;
`
`Figure 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment ofthe ISB;
`
`Figure 2A shows a software architecture implemented in the hardware ofFig. 2;
`
`Figure 2B shows an alternative design of an ISB;
`
`Figure 3 shows a front panel view of the ISB;
`
`Figure 4 shows a rear panel view of the ISB;
`
`Figure 5 shows a flow chart of the steps involved in placing a call between two ISB users;
`
`Figure 6 shows a flow chart of operations performed by one of the ISB's during the call
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`of Figure 5;
`
`Figures 7A-7E show the connections between one or more ISB's and other telephony
`
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`components during various calling operations;
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`Figure 8 shows a flow chart ofthe operational states assumed by the ISB's during a
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`PSTN-to-Internet call;
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`Figure 8A shows-a flow chart of the dynamic adjustment performed during the Internet
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`phase of a telephone call;
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`Figure 9 shows a connection between an ISB and a help desk;
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`Figure 9A shows a flow chart of operation of an ISBSS, which is a server used to
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`complete calls;
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`Figures 1 OA and 1 OB show a code listing for the ISBSS;
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`Figure 11 shows a state diagram ofthe ISBSS;
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`Figures 11A-11E show data structures exchanged between the ISBSS and an ISB;
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`Figure llF shows an output of a monitoring process performed by the ISBSS;
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`Figure 11 G shows an error log kept by the ISBSS;
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`Figure 12 shows a system defined by multiple users' ISB's, the PSTN, the Internet, the
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`help desk, the ISBSS and various other servers; and
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`Figure 13 shows an IT standard which may be implemented with the present invention.
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`Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
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`According to a preferred embodiment, the ISB is capable of performing three major tasks:
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`(1) establishing voice telephone calls via the Internet; (2) sending/receiving voice messages via
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`Internet based E-Mail; and (3) interfacing with Internet Audio Servers.
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`During the execution of each task, one of the following five modes of operation can be
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`assumed by the ISB:
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`I.
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`Programming Mode: The ISB can be programmed locally or remotely by a telephone
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`keyset or external keyboard for its desired operation.
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`II.
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`PSTN Voice Mode: The ISB is transparent and does not interfere with voice
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`communications between two parties involved.
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`III.
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`IV.
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`PSTN Data Mode: The ISBs can exchange data via in-band signaling or otherwise.
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`Internet Voice Mode: UDP packets are exchanged to carry voice over the Internet
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`("UDP" stands for "User Datagram Protocol," a protocol which allows applications to
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`send messages to one another).
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`V.
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`Internet Data Mode: TCP or UDP packets are exchanged to carry information other than
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`voice, such as signaling or IP address resolution.
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`These modes of operation are realized by invoking a collection of resources in the ISB
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`100 which are under control ofthe ISB's application module 101. These resources are shown in
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`Figure 1 and described below:
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`Telephone Set Controller (TSC) 102 is a module which controls all signaling activities
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`related to a "Plain Old Telephone" (POT)~ i.e., on-hook, off-hook, hook-flash, pulse or tone
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`dialing, ringing, ringing trip detection, etc.
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`Loop/Start (L/S) Line Controller (LLC) 103 is a module which controls all signaling
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`related to a loop start telephone line, i.e., ring detection, line seizure, hold, loop current detection,
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`pulse and tone dialing, etc.
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`Modern!F acsirnile Module (MFM) 1 04 is a module which provides a modem and
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`facsimile engine to transmit digital data over PSTN line. The baud rates of the modem/fax are
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`determined by data exchange requirements.
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`Voice Compander (=compresser and expander) Module (VCM) 105 is a module which
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`compresses the linearly sampled voice into low bit rate digital voice suitable for digital telephone
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`applications. The expander part of the module performs the reverse operation.
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`Tone Generators and Decoders (TGD) 106 is a module which produces and detects all
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`call progress (e.g., diaL busy, special, etc.) and signaling (e.g., dual-tone multifrequency or
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`DTMF, multifrequency or MF, etc.) tones.
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`Voice Players and Recorders (VPR) 107 is a module which records and plays voice
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`prompts under the direction of the ISB.
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`Digital Switching Matrix (DSM) 108 is a module which enables the different modules
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`(i.e., TSC, LCC, TGD, VPR, etc.) can be connected together via buses Ill and 112.
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`Signal Processing Services (SPS) 109 is a module which handles signal processing
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`services such as echo cancellation, speech recognition, pitch adjustment, etc.
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`Network Connection Module (NCM) 110 is a module which handles all digital
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`networking communication between the ISB and other external digital sources such as the ISP,
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`another ISB, various Internet resources and servers, etc. are handled by this module.
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`Application Module (AM) 101 is a module which provides the logic flow required to
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`execute the above mentioned tasks.
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`The following describes several ofthe operations ofthe ISB:
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`1. Programming the ISB: The user uses the telephone keypad and menu button 301 on
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`front pane1302 of the ISB (Fig. 3) to enter the programming mode (local or remote). The ISB
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`guides the user through a menu-driven procedure to program the ISB by using voice prompts,
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`guide tones or both. The user inputs the desired information by entering a code with the
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`telephone keypad corresponding to each character to be entered; the instruction manual for the
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`ISB can include a table of two-digit codes for all digits, all capital letters, all small letters (thus
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`allowing case-sensitive information to be entered with ease and accuracy), and any punctuation
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`marks to be used. The ISB can be programmed externally (remotely) as well; external
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`programming can be used to input user-specific data and to update the ISB. Local programming
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`is especially useful when the user changes ISPs.
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`Programming carr also be accomplished by connecting the ISB to a computer such as an
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`IBM-compatible PC via a serial link or another appropriate link. The programming can be done
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`by entering ASCII commands from the PC through a standard terminal-emulation program or by
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`software written specifically for this purpose. During manufacture, the ISB is programmed with
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`its factory settings through a connection to a computer.
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`2. Telephone call: The calling party picks up the telephone (goes off-hook) and dials the
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`telephone number of the called party. The ISB monitors and stores the digits dialed. The called
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`telephone rings and is answered by a live person, answering machine or voice mail service. If the
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`called telephone is answered by a live person, the two parties decide whether or not it is
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`appropriate to switch to the Internet. The parties may initiate the switch to the Internet by
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`pressing the appropriate code on the telephone keypad or Internet button 303 in the ISB itself.
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`The ISBs of the calling and called parties then disconnect the PSTN connection (this step is not
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`necessary if the ISBs have multi-line capabilities) and dial their respective ISPs so that each ISB
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`is connected to the Internet. While each ISB connects to the Internet, the person using the ISB
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`hears progress tones, recorded music, or the like.
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`Once the ISBs are connected to the Internet, they connect to the server, unless (as is rather
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`unlikely) each party knows that the other party has a static IP address and has that static IP
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`address on file. Each ISB sends its telephone number and IP address to the server so that the
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`server has a current IP address corresponding to each telephone number. Each ISB
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`communicates the other party's telephone number to the server to retrieve the other party's IP
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`address. Once each party knows the other party's IP address, the Internet telephone connection
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`begins, and the ISBs send voice packets to each other. The ISBs can also resolve each other's IP
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`address in other ways, such as through e-mail (POP3) servers.
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`Of course, two users are not precluded from arranging to call each other on the Internet at
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`a certain time, in which case they avoid PSTN charges altogether. However, the use of the ISBs
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`described above offers additional flexibility in that users can choose to prearrange their Internet
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`calls or initiate them over the PSTN.
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`3. Sending and receiving voice mail messages: The user presses menu button 301 or
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`otherwise issues a command to summon the menu and follows the prompts to send and receive
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`messages. The digitized voices for such messages are sent as binary attachments to e-mail
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`messages; one ubiquitous standard for such binary attachments is called MIME (multimedia
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`Internet mail extensions). Both parties should have e-mail access. If the calling party does not
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`already know the called party's e-mail address, the ISBSS or another server can correlate
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`telephone numbers with e-mail addresses.
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`The ISB have the capability to dial in to check the e-mail for voice messages periodically.
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`If a voice message is waiting, the ISB can so indicate by providing a flashing LED, by emitting a
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`special tone when the user picks up the telephone, or the like.
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`4. Internet Audio Server (IAS) calls: These are calls made through the ISB to access
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`lASs, or Internet audio servers, which are Internet servers (such as Web or FTP (file transfer
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`protocol) servers) configured to provide audio information. The user picks up the telephone and
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`presses the menu button 301 on the ISB. The menu system uses voice prompts to prompt the
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`user to access different lASs. The ISB then accesses the selected IAS either by telephone or by
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`dialing the ISP and connecting to the lAS over the Internet. The ISB can resolve the IP address
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`of an lAS either by accessing the server described above or by accessing a conventional domain-
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`name server (DNS), which is a server for correlating IP addresses and domain names such that
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`t