Patent ID: 8289958
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: a clearinghouse maintaining in data storage a plurality of correlations, each correlation being between a given internet service provider (ISP) and a respective range of one or more internet protocol (IP) addresses, wherein the plurality of correlations comprises a first correlation between a first ISP and a first range of one or more IP addresses, the first range comprising a first IP address, and wherein the clearinghouse is separate and distinct from every ISP in the plurality of correlations, such that none of the correlations comprises an ISP that comprises the clearinghouse; the clearinghouse receiving the first IP address from a first voice-over-IP (VoIP) service provider (VSP), wherein the first IP address is a source IP address of a first request to set up a first call, the first VSP having received the first request from a first VoIP telephone at least in part via the first ISP, wherein the first VSP is separate and distinct from the first ISP, such that the first ISP does not comprise the first VSP, and wherein the first VSP is also separate and distinct from the clearinghouse, such that the first VSP does not comprise the clearinghouse; responsive to receiving the first IP address, the clearinghouse referencing the plurality of correlations to identify that the first ISP is associated with the first IP address, and responsively querying the first ISP with the first IP address; as a result of querying the first ISP with the first IP address, the clearinghouse receiving from the first ISP an indication of a first physical location of the first VoIP telephone, wherein the first physical location of the first VoIP telephone is associated with the first IP address; and responsive to receiving the indication of the first physical location of the first VoIP telephone, the clearinghouse transmitting the indication of the first physical location of the first VoIP telephone to a first entity.