Patents Assigned to Vonage Business Inc.
  • Patent number: 9767802
    Abstract: IP telephony communications are conducted by sending both audio data produced by a CODEC that represents received spoken audio input, and a textual representation of the spoken audio input. A receiving device utilizes the textual representation of the spoken audio input to help recreate the spoken audio input when a portion of the CODEC data is missing. The textual representation can be generated by a speech-to-text function. Alternatively, the textual representation can be a notation of extracted phonemes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventor: Itay Bianco
  • Patent number: 9766778
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying and accessing contacts in a contact list on a display device. In some embodiments, the method includes displaying a list of contacts on the display device, wherein the list of contacts is separated into groups of contacts by contact group separators based on at least one configuration setting, generating a quick access index including a plurality of selectable index items each associated with a group of contacts, wherein the selectable index items are only generated for the groups of contacts that include at least one contact, and displaying the quick access index over at least a portion of the list of contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Uri Mischari, Tzahi Efrati
  • Patent number: 9762632
    Abstract: Systems and methods allow an administrator of a conference call bridge to control who is admitted to the conference call bridge. The systems and methods also allow the administrator to identify a new individual who will become the administrator of the conference call bridge when a triggering event occurs. The systems and methods also allow an administrator to identify a new endpoint device from which valid control commands can be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Nehar Arora, Tzahi Efrati
  • Patent number: 9763079
    Abstract: Methods and systems for communication history reconciliation amongst linked devices are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for communication history reconciliation amongst linked devices may include receiving an incoming communication request directed to a communication identifier associated with a user account, transmitting the communication request to at least a first device and a second device associated with the user account, receiving, responsive to the communication request, a message from the first device indicating that the first device has accepted the communication request to establish a call, and transmitting, to the second device, an indication that the communication request was accepted by the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Grady Leno, Tzahi Efrati, Jaya Meghani
  • Patent number: 9756190
    Abstract: A proxy server of an Internet protocol (IP) telephony system determines when a call setup message generated by a first of the IP telephony system's customers is directed to a second of the IP telephony system's customers. When that occurs, the call setup message is forwarded directly to a call cluster operated by the IP telephony system and that services the second customer. As a result, the call is handled internally by the IP telephony system, and there is no need to involve a second telephony system in conducting the requested call. The proxy server may also insert information into the call setup messaging to flag the call as an internal call between two customers of the IP telephony system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventor: Robert Smith
  • Patent number: 9742823
    Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying intended recipients of remarks from a speaker in a communications session established among a plurality of participant devices are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for identifying intended recipients of remarks from a speaker in a communications session established among a plurality of participant devices may include receiving an indication of a first participant to whom remarks are to be addressed; determining identification information associated with the first participant; and transmitting the identification information associated with the first participant to one or more of the plurality of participant devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business inc.
    Inventor: Royee Uriel Tichauer
  • Patent number: 9729347
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for managing conference bridge communication sessions. The system and method involves receiving a plurality of calls containing user media from users into a conference bridge, then connecting the plurality of calls via a load balancer to a plurality of conference servers on a network. A master broker dynamically selects a master conference server from among the plurality of conference servers to which the calls are connected. Once the master conference server is selected, the master broker directs all other conference servers to bridge the user media for the calls that are connected to the master conference server. The master conference server receives the user media from each of the connected conference servers. The master conference server is able to organize and mix the various user media and return this mixed media to each of the connected conference servers and thereby back to each user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Randy Layman, Barry Fleming
  • Patent number: 9686416
    Abstract: Systems and methods for redirecting calls are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for redirecting calls may include receiving a first call request from a first user device via a first telephony service provider network to establish an off-net call with a second user device registered on a second telephony service provider network, determining that the first user device is associated with an account of the second telephony service provider network based on a communication identifier of the first user device included in the first call request, and sending a notification message to the first user device indicating that the off-net call may be established as an on-net call over the second telephony service provider network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Itay Bianco, Sagie Machlin
  • Patent number: 9674233
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for user location registration comprising determining, by a first network service provided by a first network, subscriber location information associated with a first user communication device registered with the first network, wherein the subscriber location information includes a network identifier of the first device, and wherein the network identifier is not obtained via session initiation protocol (SIP) messaging received from the first device; receiving, by the first network service, a broadcast location request for the subscriber location information in response to a call initiated from a second user communication device wherein receiving the broadcast location request further includes determining subscriber identity information from the broadcast location request, and determining that the subscriber identity information is associated with the subscriber location information; and sending, by the first network service, the determined subscriber location information in response to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventor: Tzahi Efrati
  • Patent number: 9661035
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing call flow information to devices associated with call flow destinations are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for providing call flow information to a terminal device comprises receiving a communication specifying an initial destination from a calling party, and at least one of assigning the received communication to a terminal device associated with the initial destination and an alternate destination, forwarding the received communication from a terminal device associated with the initial destination to a terminal device associated with the alternate destination, or re-assigning the received communication to a terminal device associated with the alternate destination rather than with the initial destination responsive to a call set up failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alexander, Keith Meyers
  • Patent number: 9647943
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for two-tiered load balancing on a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX). The system includes a plurality of client devices, at least one device load balancer, and at least one call load balancer. The device load balancer identifies a device group to which each client device belongs; and a cluster of computing resources for processing calls for the device group. The cluster is assigned to the device group based on prescribed conditions. In response to a communications request, call load balancers in communication with the device load balancers dynamically determine if predefined conditions are currently being met within an identified cluster of computing resources. If the predefined conditions are currently being met, then the communications request for a primary client device associated with the request is established via one of a plurality of server nodes within the cluster of computing resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Randy Layman, Robert Michael Smith, Jonathan Alexander
  • Patent number: 9641562
    Abstract: When a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephone call is being conducted by a mobile telephony device, measurements of at least one condition that exists for the mobile telephone device during the VOIP telephone call are taken during the duration of the telephone call. The measurements could be taken periodically as the VOIP telephone call progresses. The measured condition is one that could affect the perceived quality of the VOIP telephone call. The measurements of the at least one condition are recorded against the telephone call for later use and analysis. The recorded information may be analyzed to determine how to modify a setting of the mobile telephony device to improve the quality of VOIP telephone calls conducted with the mobile telephony device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Baruch Sterman, Tzahi Efrati, Yariv Trabelsi
  • Patent number: 9565220
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing fraud in an IP based telephony system include noting when an IP based telephony device sent to a new customer is not installed and registered with the system. If a new customer never attempts to register a device which was sent to the new customer, the system will assume that the new customer submitted false or erroneous address information. A new customer is prevented from taking any actions that would result in new charges until the new customer has registered an IP device sent to the new customer. Likewise, the system will act to prevent a phone verification service from reaching a new customer at his newly assigned telephone number until after the new customer has registered an IP based telephony device sent to the new customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Richard Petillo, Vishal Patel, William Lonergan, Nirav Kadakia, Michael South, Zhiyu Guo
  • Patent number: 9560085
    Abstract: Systems and methods of preventing an Internet service provider from identifying a stream of data packets as carrying a voice over Internet protocol telephony communication can make use of encryption techniques to prevent the Internet service provider from examining the content of the data packets. Also, multiple communications channels may be established between a telephony device and elements of an IP telephony system. A stream of data packets bearing the media of an IP telephony communication is then separated into sub-streams, and each sub-stream is sent through a different one of the communications channels. This prevents an Internet service provider from identifying a stream of data packets as bearing the media of an IP telephony communication based on a pattern in the data traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Baruch Sterman, Chakrapani Gorrepati
  • Patent number: 9560180
    Abstract: An Internet protocol (IP) telephony system terminates calls to certain groups of telephone numbers via multiple different telephony carriers. The IP telephony system will discontinue using a telephony carrier to terminate calls if the quality provided by the carrier falls below a threshold level. The IP telephony system includes a quality monitoring unit that determines when a particular group of telephone numbers are intrinsically impaired, such that no carrier could provide high quality when terminating calls to those numbers. In these circumstances, the IP telephony system adjusts the quality threshold to which a carrier's quality is compared when completing calls to the impaired numbers to account for the intrinsic impairment of the telephone numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventors: Casem Majd, Stephen Vansaders, Gopala Rao, Nirav J. Kadakia, Andrew Bucko
  • Patent number: 9538134
    Abstract: Methods and systems for resource load balancing of teleconference and video conference sessions are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for resource load balancing of a teleconference session including a plurality of participant devices may include assigning each of the plurality of participant devices into one of a plurality of groups of participant devices based on at least one first heuristic, designating a leader device for each group of participant devices, based on at least one second heuristic to coordinate the teleconference session communications, and coordinating the teleconference session communications of each leader device to facilitate the teleconference session among the plurality of participant devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventor: Saji Iltus
  • Patent number: 9521049
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for providing a unidirectional outage bypass for incoming communications via a hosted Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system to a session initiation protocol (SIP) device. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both the unidirectional bypass system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the unidirectional bypass system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between network components, the VoIP PBX, Client Devices and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The unidirectional bypass system, in response to detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the unidirectional bypass based on bypass configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Randy Layman, Robert Michael Smith, Keith Meyers, Barry Fleming
  • Patent number: 9521029
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed herein for providing a bidirectional outage bypass for a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both the bidirectional bypass system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the bidirectional bypass system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between the VoIP PBX and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The bidirectional bypass system, in response to detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the bidirectional bypass based on bypass configuration data. The bypass enablers forward outgoing communications between a client device and the PSTN, in accordance the error-handling procedures, by bypassing components that are currently experiencing failures or overloads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Randy Layman, Robert Michael Smith, Keith Meyers, Barry Fleming
  • Patent number: 9516153
    Abstract: A method and system for integrating telecommunication session output with one or more applications are provided herein. The method for integrating telecommunication session output with one or more applications includes communicating with one or more second devices in a telecommunication session using a first application disposed on a first device; tracking attributes associated with the telecommunication session; recording at least a portion of the telecommunication session on the first device to produce a session recording; and storing the attributes and at least one of the session recording, or a text transcription of the session recording in a second application on the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Vonage Business Inc.
    Inventor: Royee Uriel Tichauer
  • Patent number: 9516067
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed herein for providing a unidirectional outage bypass for outgoing communications from a session initiation protocol (SIP) device in a hosted Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both a bypass configuration system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the bypass configuration system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between network components, the VoIP PBX, Client Devices and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The bypass configuration system, in response to a detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the unidirectional outage bypass system based on bypass configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: VONAGE BUSINESS INC.
    Inventors: Randy Layman, Robert Michael Smith, Keith Meyers, Barry Fleming