Patent ID: 6829231
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A network system for Internet telephony, comprising:a first local exchange switch within a geographic vicinity of and communicably connected to a plurality of caller dial pads via switched telephone circuits, wherein each of caller dial pads has an alphanumeric keyboard for entering an Internet callee identifier with an alphabetic character, a display screen, an integrated modem set for dialing over the Internet and transmitting the Internet callee identifier with the alphabetic character, and a connection to at least two Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) jacks for a single voice conversation telephone call including concurrent Dual Tone Multifrequency (DTMF) initiated switched voice communication with audio phone format and functionality of a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) via one of the PSTN jacks and Internet connect audio communication with Internet audio format via another of the PSTN jacks, whereby a caller may make the Internet connect audio communication to a callee via an Internet Service Provider while maintaining the DTMF initiated switched voice communication with the callee; an Internet service provider system communicably connected to the Internet for receiving the Internet callee identifier through said local exchange switch; and an Internet directory search engine communicably coupled to said Internet service provider system via switched protocol circuits for receiving the Internet callee identifier.