Abstract: A method and system of controlling an audio switch at a receiving unit during handoff is disclosed herein. The method can include the step of—at a receiving unit with an audio call active on a first network supporting a first audio protocol—setting up a second audio call on a second network supporting a different audio protocol. The method can further include the steps of monitoring for one or more events, detecting one or more of the events, and in response to the detection of one or more of the events, switching an audio path of the receiving unit from the first network to the second network.

Abstract: An embodiment generally relates a method of joining a call. The method includes establishing the call between an internal mobile terminal (MT), an external MT, and a network access point (NAP). The call comprises a connection between the internal MT and the NAP and a second connection between the NAP and the external MT. The method also includes sensing the call by a second internal MT and joining the call from the second internal MT by depressing a send key without entering a number on the second internal MT.

Abstract: A system and method for accessing a data network telephony account using a wireless personal information device (PID). The user may connect over the wireless cellular infrastructure to a telephony control server via a data network for access to the user's telephony account, which indicates the user's telephone number in a telephone number entry. Once the connection is made, the user issues a command to set the telephone number entry in the user's data network telephony account to a specific telephone number. The user may then invoke a contacts application in the wireless PID and select a person to call from the contacts list. The user selects the entry to send a command to initiate a telephone connection between the party selected and the user at the telephone designated by the user at the telephony control server.

Abstract: A telephony system and method having a switch for analog voice and data signals that is connected to a first network, and a router for routing Internet Protocol packets that is connected to a second network using Internet Protocol addressing. The telephony system and method also includes a telephony gateway that is connected to both the switch and the router for converting analog voice signals into Internet Protocol packets and for converting Internet Protocol packets into analog voice signals, the telephony gateway being connected, and a remote access server that is connected to both the switch and the router for converting analog data signals into Internet Protocol packets and for converting Internet Protocol packets into analog data signals. The switch may have a switch matrix capable of being connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network, a line rack with a plurality of line cards connected to the switch matrix, and a trunk rack with a plurality of trunk cards connected to the switch matrix.

Abstract: A system and method for providing advertising and advertising services using a telephone system. A data network telephony system includes a commercial message server that communicates with a telephony connection server to communicate commercial messages to display devices on data network telephones. A caller uses the data network telephone to make a telephone call to a callee. The commercial message server receives information about the connection and retrieves commercial messages, or advertisements to communicate to either the caller, the callee or both.

Abstract: A system and method for providing telephone service to a user of a telecommunications device using a data network service provider. The data network service provider has a local service host that is accessible by a local access identifier. A caller uses a telecommunications device to dial the local access identifier to connect to the local service host. In response to a prompt, the caller dials a telephone extension that identifies the callee's telecommunications device. The local service host receives the telephone extension and verifies that the callee is a subscriber. The local service host then retrieves the gateway nearest the callee telecommunications device and opens a voice-over-data channel between the callee and caller gateways. The telephone conversation then proceeds between the callee and caller telecommunications devices over a public switched telephone network connection to the caller gateway, the voice-over-data channel and the PSTN connection to the callee telecommunications device.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating screen display images on a computer to another computer using a telephony network. A screen share button on a data network telephone initiates a screen shot request to a first computer associated with the data network telephone. The first computer uses a screen shot application to retrieve the image on the computer display and send it to the data network telephone. The data network telephone receives the screen shot image and sends the image to another data network telephone which is a party to a telephone conversation with the first data network telephone. The first data network telephone preferably uses the SIP invite with a session description protocol that permits the transfer of image data on SIP messages. The second data network telephone implements the image data session description protocol and communicates the screen shot image to the second computer.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for providing location information and other information about a calling telephone to the caller during a telephone connection in a data network telephony system. Data network telephones may be provisioned and otherwise configured for operation with an extensive database and other user account information. The user's account may include a location identifier that identifies the physical location of the telephone. The location identifier may provide address information, latitude and longitude configuration, directions, or other information. In one embodiment of the present invention, the location information is communicated in a data communications channel between the caller and the callee. In another embodiment of the present invention, the location information is communicated to the caller during call setup. The embodiments of the present invention are useful in providing emergency dispatch services, such as 911 in a data network telephony system.

Abstract: A system and method for providing call handling services on a data network telephony system. A portable information device, such as a PDA, associated with a user contains the user's address and/or appointment book information. The address and/or appointment book information includes priority information comprising one or more address/appointment entries having associated priority levels. The priority information is transmitted from the portable information device across a link to a data network telephone or other voice communication device, where it is stored in a call handling database. When an incoming call request is received at the data network telephone, the call is handled according to the priority information contained in the call handling database.

Abstract: A method is shown for compression of packet header information of packets transmitted on a point to point link. First and second endpoints of the point to point link negotiate a profile for packet header information for packets transmitted from the first endpoint to the second endpoint on the point to point link. The profile includes a predetermined default value for a predetermined header field of the packet header information. A packet sent from the first endpoint to the second endpoint over the point to point link includes a profile identifier for the profile and excludes the predetermined header field. The second endpoint uses the profile identifier to access the profile. The second endpoint then uses the predetermined default value for the predetermined header field from the profile to decode the packet.

Abstract: A system and method for providing user mobility services on a data network telephony system. User attributes may be transmitted from a portable information device, such as a personal digital assistant, to a voice communication device, such as an Ethernet-based telephone. The voice communication device receives the user attributes from the portable information device and may transmit a registration request to a registration server. The registration request may include the user attributes, and is used by the registration server to register the user to the voice communication device in a registration data base. When a call is placed to the user, the registration server may reference the registration data base to direct the call to the voice communication device.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving a transported stream of data packets includes a buffer management device for receiving the data packets, unpacking the data packets, and forwarding a stream of data frames. The system and method further includes a first jitter buffer for receiving the data frames from the buffer management device and buffering the data frames, and a second jitter buffer for receiving the data frames from the buffer management device and buffering the data frames. In addition, the system and method includes a computationally-desirable jitter buffer selected from the first jitter buffer or the second jitter buffer by comparing a first jitter buffer quality and a second jitter buffer quality. The system and method also includes a decoder for receiving buffered data frames from the computationally-desirable jitter buffer.

Abstract: A system and method for an Options Based Address Reuse (“OBAR”) is provided. The system includes a first network having a host device with a host address and a host port, and a second network external to the first network and having a server device. The also comprises a combination network address for identifying the host device to the server device. The combination network address includes the host address, the host port, and an option. Similarly, the method involves sending a packet from the host device to the server device through a router, and adding the option to the packet.

Abstract: A protocol and methods for peer network device discovery is presented. The peer discovery protocol includes a peer discovery marker than can be used with an existing networking protocol such as Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) to discover peer network devices. The peer discovery protocol also includes a peer discovery table to record network addresses of peer network devices and their associated host network devices. The peer discovery method allows a first peer network device such as an edge router, to send out a peer discovery request with the peer discovery protocol to other peer network devices as the peer network device is sending data packets for a host network device. Once a second peer network device receives a peer discovery request, the second peer network device attempts to establish a two-way, peer-to-peer data-flow to the first peer network device that sent the peer discovery requests.