Abstract: A method is provided for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices to communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The method includes synchronizing the VoIP devices using one or more dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) codes over a telephone network, retransmissions of voice packets in bursts, retransmissions of voice packets following a time lag, adjusting the number of retransmissions based on quality of service, retransmission of a missing voice packet identified in a list received from a peer device, discarding low energy voice frames in a jitter buffer to prevent overflow, stopping playout at a low energy voice frame when the jitter buffer is below a minimum buffer size, and selective transmission and retransmission of voice packets based on their energy levels.

Abstract: A method for an authentication server to authenticate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices includes receiving a request from a unverified VoIP device to verify its global telephone number over a computer network, searching for verified VoIP devices that have authenticated identities and caller ID service, and providing the telephone numbers of the verified VoIP devices to the unverified VoIP device, wherein the unverified VoIP device calls the verified VoIP devices and the verified VoIP devices detect telephone numbers of the unverified VoIP device. The method further comprises receiving the detected telephone numbers from the verified VoIP devices and determining if the detected telephone numbers match a telephone number provided by the unverified VoIP device, wherein the unverified VoIP device becomes verified if the telephone numbers match the telephone number provided by the VoIP device.

Abstract: A method is provided for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices to communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The method includes synchronizing the VoIP devices using one or more dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) codes over a telephone network, retransmissions of voice packets in bursts, retransmissions of voice packets following a time lag, adjusting the number of retransmissions based on quality of service, retransmission of a missing voice packet identified in a list received from a peer device, discarding low energy voice frames in a jitter buffer to prevent overflow, stopping playout at a low energy voice frame when the jitter buffer is below a minimum buffer size, and selective transmission and retransmission of voice packets based on their energy levels.

Abstract: A first method for sharing telephone resources includes a VoIP device connecting to a first device over an IP network, receiving a request from the first device to call a second device with a telephone number, connecting to the second device through a telephone system, and transferring voice signals between the first and second devices. A second method for sharing telephone resources includes a first VoIP device joining a group of VoIP devices connected to an IP network to share their telephone resources, receiving from a caller a telephone number to call a device, connecting to a second VoIP device from the group over the IP network, transmitting the telephone number to the second VoIP device so the second VoIP device connects to the device through a telephone system, and transmitting to and receiving from the second VoIP device voice signals between the caller and a recipient at the device.

Abstract: A method for merging first and second images includes determining a pixel difference image from the first and the second images, determining first and second locations of the foreground subject from the pixel difference image, determining a minimum path of values from the pixel difference image for a region between the first and the second locations of the foreground subject, forming a merged image by stitching the first and the second images along the minimum path, and adjusting pixels of the merged image within a width of the minimum path.

Abstract: A method is provided so mobile devices can communicate through their wireless data services to a public computer network, which are normally deactivated when not in use. A first device calls a second device over a wireless voice service. The first device activates its wireless data service and sends a request to communicate with the second device to a server on the public computer network. Without answering the voice call, the second device determines an ID of the first device. The second device then activates its wireless data service and sends a query to the server to determine if the first device desires to communicate over the public computer network. The server responds to the request and the query by setting up a network connection between the first and the second device over the public computer network so they can exchange data packets.

Abstract: Each device (A, B) keeps an IP cache list storing IP address of devices it has communicated with in the past over an IP network (106). When the IP address of a device changes, it provides its new IP address to the devices in its IP cache list. As a result, any two devices that have communicated in the past are able to locate each other as long as their IP addresses do not change about the same time. A device can also provide its IP cache list to another device so the other device can query the devices in the IP cache list for the updated IP address of the device.

Abstract: A method is provided for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices to communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The method includes synchronizing the VoIP devices using one or more dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) codes over a telephone network, retransmissions of voice packets in bursts, retransmissions of voice packets following a time lag, adjusting the number of retransmissions based on quality of service, retransmission of a missing voice packet identified in a list received from a peer device, discarding low energy voice frames in a jitter buffer to prevent overflow, stopping playout at a low energy voice frame when the jitter buffer is below a minimum buffer size, and selective transmission and retransmission of voice packets based on their energy levels.

Abstract: First method for sharing telephone resources includes a VoIP device connecting to a first device over an IP network, receiving a request from the first device to call a second device with a telephone number, connecting to the second device through a telephone system, and transferring voice signals between the first and the second devices. Second method for sharing telephone resources includes a first VoIP device joining with a group of VoIP devices connected to an IP network to share their telephone resources, receiving from a caller a telephone number to call a device, connecting to a second VoIP device from the group over the IP network, transmitting the telephone number to the second VoIP device so the second VoIP device connects to the device through a telephone system, and transmitting to and receiving from the second VoIP device voice signals between the caller and a recipient at the device.

Abstract: A method for an authentication server to authenticate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices includes receiving a request from a unverified VoIP device to verify its global telephone number over a computer network, searching for verified VoIP devices that have authenticated identities and caller ID service, and providing the telephone numbers of the verified VoIP devices to the unverified VoIP device, wherein the unverified VoIP device calls the verified VoIP devices and the verified VoIP devices detect telephone numbers of the unverified VoIP device. The method further comprises receiving the detected telephone numbers from the verified VoIP devices and determining if the detected telephone numbers match a telephone number provided by the unverified VoIP device, wherein the unverified VoIP device becomes verified if the telephone numbers match the telephone number provided by the VoIP device.

Abstract: A first device in a first local area network (LAN) searches for a first Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) enabled router with a first public network address. If found, the first device obtains the first public network address of the first router and configures a first mapping table of the first router to associate several ports number to the first device. These actions may be repeated by a second device in a second LAN for a second UPnP enabled router with a second public network address and several ports number. The two devices then connect through a secondary communication channel (e.g., a telephone network) to exchange networking information. The two devices then use the networking information to establish a computer network connection over a public computer network that couples the first and the second LANs for point-to-point communication.

Abstract: A method is provided to communicate regional services to a telephone gateway device over a public computer network. The method includes a distribution server sending a list of entities offering a desired service in a desired region to the telephone gateway device. The list includes probability parameters that the telephone gateway device uses in a lottery to arrange the order in which the entities are displayed. A service server adjusts the probability parameters based on the amount of information about the respective businesses accessed by the consumers and the price the respective businesses pay for the access.

Abstract: A method for a first device to communicate with a second device over a public computer network includes detecting a user dialing a telephone number of the second device and searching a pairing list for a pairing including the telephone number and an IP address of the second device. If the pairing is found in the pairing list, the method then includes using the IP address in the pairing to establish a computer network connection with the second device over the public computer network and exchanging data packets with the second device. If the pairing is not found in the pairing list, the method then includes using a peer-to-peer lookup protocol to find the pairing. If the pairing is not found using the peer-to-peer lookup protocol, the method then includes establishing a telephone connection with the second device over a telephone network to receive the IP address.

Abstract: A first device in a first local area network (LAN) searches for a first Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) enabled router with a first public network address. If found, the first device obtains the first public network address of the first router and configures a first mapping table of the first router to associate several ports number to the first device. These actions may be repeated by a second device in a second LAN for a second UPnP enabled router with a second public network address and several ports number. The two devices then connect through a secondary communication channel (e.g., a telephone network) to exchange networking information. The two devices then use the networking information to establish a computer network connection over a public computer network that couples the first and the second LANs for point-to-point communication.

Abstract: A method is provided for a telephone gateway device to bridge a local area network (LAN) equipment and a broadband modem to a wide area network (WAN). The method includes starting a PPPoE server process to establish a first PPPoE connection to the LAN equipment connected at a LAN interface of the gateway device, starting a PPPoE client process to establish a second PPPoE connection to the broadband modem connected to a WAN interface of the gateway device, exchanging a first PPPoE negotiation information from the LAN equipment and a second PPPoE negotiation information from the broadband modem through the PPPoE server and the PPPoE client processes, establishing the first PPPoE connection to the LAN equipment at the LAN interface and the second PPPoE connection to the broadband modem at the WAN interface, and bridging the first and the second PPPoE connections.

Abstract: A method is provided to communicate regional services to a telephone gateway device over a public computer network. The method includes a distribution server sending a list of entities offering a desired service in a desired region to the telephone gateway device. The list includes probability parameters that the telephone gateway device uses in a lottery to arrange the order in which the entities are displayed. A service server adjusts the probability parameters based on the amount of information about the respective businesses accessed by the consumers and the price the respective businesses pay for the access.

Abstract: A first device uses a secondary communication channel to send its public IP address to a second device to setup point-to-point communication over a primary communication channel, such as a public computer network. The secondary channel may be a public switched telephone network, a circuit-switched voice channel in cellular network, a packet-switched voice channel in cellular network, a conventional VoIP service, a text or multimedia channel in a cellular network, a data channel in a cable television or a satellite television network, or a radio frequency channel. Once the connection over the pubic computer network has been established, the first and the second devices exchange data packets carrying text, voice, video, or other data.