Patent ID: 6493339
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A method of routing a telephone call from a first telephone subscriber to a second telephone subscriber over a computer network, the method comprising allocating computer network addresses to a plurality of exchanges in a telecommunications network that are connected to said computer network, each exchange being connected to a plurality of subscribers either directly or indirectly via other exchanges, the method further comprising:determining a first exchange, connected to the computer network and connected directly or indirectly to the first subscriber, that the call is to be routed over the computer network; sending a message (M2) from the first exchange to an analysis device; in the analysis device, determining the computer network address of a second remote exchange connected to the computer network, that is directly or indirectly connected to the second subscriber; sending a message (M6) to the second exchange; in the first and second exchanges, allocating temporary computer network addresses to the first and second subscribers respectively for the duration of the call, said temporary computer network addresses being allocated from a pool of computer network addresses available for such allocation; notifying the first exchange of the temporary computer network address allocated to the second subscriber; and routing the telephone call over the computer network between the first and second exchanges using said allocated temporary computer network addresses.