Patent ID: 7995558
Filing Date: 2011-08-09
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A communication system, comprising: a digital communication network comprising a first network endpoint, a second network endpoint, and a signaling server, wherein the first network endpoint is coupled with the signaling server over a first signaling tunnel through the digital communication network and the second network endpoint is coupled with the signaling server over a second signaling tunnel through the digital communication network; a billing system in communication with the signaling server; wherein the first signaling tunnel is defined by a first network address for the first network endpoint and a second network address for the signaling server; wherein the first network endpoint is configured to aggregate signaling associated exclusively with a customer over the first signaling tunnel; wherein the signaling server is configured to associate the customer with the first signaling tunnel; wherein the signaling server is configured to set up, via the first and second signaling tunnels, a telephone call between the first and second network endpoints over a bearer channel through the digital communication network; and wherein the signaling server is configured to provide an identification of the customer with the telephone call to the billing system, wherein the identification of the customer comprises a call data record comprising an identification of the first signaling tunnel.