Abstract:
An appliance connected to a cellular phone performs VoIP connectivity by using the cellular phone data connectivity platform. This expands the capabilities of regular cellular phones, and allows users to place and receive mobile VoIP phone calls using their older generation cellular phones.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/865,173, filed Nov. 10, 2006, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a system, method, and device that provide VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling or access using a cellular phone not previously configured to transmit and receive verbal communication using an Internet Protocol methodology. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Wired and wireless networks abound. These networks support communications around the world by permitting users employing different hardware and software configurations to communicate with each other through defined protocols. These protocols evolve over-time and new ones are used as well. Two existing protocols that may be used to communicate across networks include TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). There are numerous other standards in addition to these two. 
         [0004]    Cellular phones communicate across wired and wireless networks. This is done in part through the use of various available telecommunication protocols. For example, one protocol may be used to communicate from a cellular phone to a base station while another protocol may be used by the base station to communicate over a wired network after receiving a transmission from a cellular phone. As technology develops, so to do the available protocols. This development may take place to leverage the improved technology, to unify existing protocols, and for other reasons as well. A result of this evolution in technology and protocols is that certain components in the network may not be able to use all available protocols and may not be able to provide all of the services that the improved or new protocols provide. 
         [0005]    Examples of the protocols that cellular phones may use to connect to the cellular network include: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile (GSM), and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), etc. These protocols are most often used for voice calls. Additional protocols may also be needed to support data application connectivity, these could include Internet access and multimedia telecommunications. Data connectivity protocols include: General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced GPRS, and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), GSM. 
         [0006]    Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has appeared as a use of Internet Protocol. VoIP provides for telephone-like voice conversation to be routed over the Internet or through an IP-based network. Older generation cellular phones, operating GSM, GPRS, UMTS or other data connectivity protocols, are not suited or configured for completing VoIP calls over an IP network. 
         [0007]    Embodiments of the invention provide various innovations that enable older generation cellular phones to add VoIP connectivity or VoIP features not previously available on these phones. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0008]    The current invention may comprise an appliance that is coupled to a cellular phone, such as a second generation cellular phone. This appliance may function in conjunction with the cellular phone to enable VoIP connectivity through a cellular phone data connectivity platform. In so doing, this older generation cellular phone may be adapted to function with and communicate using VoIP. This connectivity may also allow home and office users to make VoIP phone calls using their existing older generation cellular phones, via a wireless network platform, directly to an IP network. These calls may be made to other VoIP telephones, VoIP devices, and VoIP software telephones (“softphones”) which are connected to the IP network and can support the IP protocols. These calls may also be made to the existing PSTN. This may be done through a translation of the VoIP protocol to analog or digital Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) protocol by a gateway connecting the IP network and the PSTN. 
         [0009]    An appliance of the invention may use an older generation cellular phone&#39;s data connectivity capabilities to run the VoIP packets to the IP network. This may be done using GPRS, UMTS or other data protocol run by the older generation cellular phone. 
         [0010]    The appliance may also use the speaker or microphone capabilities of the cellular phone to permit voice conversations and reduce the need for redundant functionalities. The appliance may include a standard connector for headsets, speaker phone and phone charger. 
         [0011]    In so doing, the capabilities of older generation cellular phones may be expanded, and users may be permitted to make and receive mobile VoIP calls using older generation cellular phones not previously configured to do so. 
         [0012]    Other objects, features, and advantages of one or more embodiments are provided in the following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims. Still further embodiments of the invention, from the teachings provided herein, are also plausible. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be disclosed, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings where corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows the general architecture of a cellular phone and IP network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a cellular phone and the VoIP appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows the cellular network based on GSM and GPRS in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows the hardware and software architecture of the VoIP appliance, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows an example of a 14-pin layout connector to the cellular phone in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart for the steps for making a VoIP phone call that may be undertaken, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows the architecture of an older generation cellular phone and IP network as may be employed by embodiments of the present invention. An older generation cellular phone  10  is shown. This phone  10  may wirelessly connect to the cellular network  9 . The cellular network  9  may be connected to an IP network  3 , which can be the public Internet or any other IP-based network. A VoIP appliance  11  is shown connected through the older generation cellular phone  10  to the cellular network  9 . The appliance  11  may be used to initiate a data connection to the IP network  3 , by the cellular phone  10 . This may be done by initiating a data connection over the cellular network  9 . After an IP connection is initiated by the cellular phone  10  to the IP network  3 , the appliance  11  may use this data connection in order to connect to a VoIP proxy  13  of an Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP) including any registration and authentication. In so doing, the older generation phone may now be used to communicate over the ITSP with the additional assistance of the appliance  11 . 
         [0021]    Other telephony devices may also provided in the architecture. For example, an IP phone  4  may be connected directly to the IP network  3 , and may be used to receive and initiate VoIP calls. A mobile phone device  12 , such as a Blackberry® device, may be connected to the IP network  3  via a wireless access point  1  and node  2  and may receive VoIP calls over the network. The node  2  may be a router or other gateway to the IP network  3 . The mobile phone device  12  can also receive and initiate VoIP calls. Similarly, a PSTN phone  6  may also be connected via a PSTN network  7 . The PSTN network may be connected to both the cellular network  9  and the IP network  3  via a gateway  5 . 
         [0022]    VoIP calls can be initiated between the appliance  11 , via the cellular phone  10 , to any telephony device capable of receiving VoIP calls, e.g. IP phone  4  and/or IP mobile phone  12 . Calls may be a peer-to-peer VoIP call between the telephony devices, or via the VoIP proxy  13 . The cellular phone  10  and appliance  11  may also initiate VoIP calls, which are terminated in the PSTN  7 , after being converted from the VoIP protocol to analog or digital Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) protocol by the gateway  5 . Calls may also be initiated in the opposite direction, i.e., the call is initiated by the regular PSTN phone  6  to the appliance  11 , via the PSTN  7 , gateway  5 , IP network  3  and cellular network  9 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the appliance  11  may be connected to the cellular phone  10  via an external connection of the cellular phone. The appliance  11  may be a dongle or any plug-in device which externally connects to a communications connector (e.g., data port) of an older generation cellular phone  10 , for example, by a plug-in connection. A number of different plug-in connectors may be provided to accommodate the many cellular phone manufacturers and models. 
         [0024]    The cellular phone  10  may be connected to the cellular network  9  with a data connection protocol such as GPRS, UMTS, etc. This connection allows the VoIP appliance  11  to initiate and receive VoIP calls to VoIP networks and phones out of the cellular network with the assistance of the cellular phone  10 . 
         [0025]    The older generation cellular phone may be communicating with GSM or GPRS. GSM is considered a second generation (2G) mobile phone standard. GPRS is considered a second and a half generation (2.5G), and it is a mobile data service upgrade to a GSM mobile phone network. This provides users with packet data services over a GSM network. Each voice circuit in GSM network transmits speech on a secure 14 kbps digital radio link between the mobile phone and a nearby GSM transceiver station. The GPRS service joins together multiple speech channels to provide higher bandwidth data connections for GPRS data users. The radio bandwidth remains the same, but is shared between the voice users and the data users. The network operator has the choice of prioritizing voice over data, or vice-versa. GPRS users may also benefit from being able to use GPRS while traveling as the GSM system should transparently hand over the GPRS connection from one base station to another. 
         [0026]    The primary use for GPRS is to send and receive data for computer applications. GPRS facilitates instant connections whereby information can be sent or received immediately, only as the need arises (and subject to radio coverage). No dial-up connection is necessary like GSM. GPRS charges by amount of data sent rather than connect time. To use GPRS, the service is initiated (although there is no telephone number) at which point the user is “attached” to the network and an IP address is allocated. From then on data can flow to and from the Internet until either the network unattaches or releases the user (e.g., due to a time-out, fault or network congestion) or the user manually unattaches from or releases the network. Initiating a data connection by a cellular phone may be performed by the user, pressing on buttons of the keypad, for example, to initiate an Internet browsing, to send an email, text or instant message, etc. In the present invention, the data connection is initiated through the appliance  11  with the assistance of the cellular phone  10 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of the invention for connection to a cellular network based on the GSM and GPRS protocols, connected to the public Internet. The VoIP appliance  11 , is connected to the cellular phone  10 . The cellular phone  10  is connected to the GSM cellular network  9 , and the GPRS network  20 . The GPRS network  20  in-turn may be connected to the public IP network  3  via optional gateways  21 , such as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) gateway, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) gateway, and World Wide Web (WWW) gateway. 
         [0028]    An IP phone  4 , which supports VoIP, may also be connected directly to the public IP network  3 . VoIP calls can be initiated between the VoIP appliance  11 , and the IP phone  4 , via the GSM  9 , GPRS  20  and IP network  3 . The VoIP protocol may be any protocol that is available, such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), H.323 protocol, Inter Asterisk eXchange protocol (IAX), Gateway Control Protocol (MEGACO), and Skinny Call Control Protocol (Cisco SCCP). The VoIP connectivity may also be initiated via the VPN gateway or WWW gateway  21 , which connects the GPRS network  20  and the IP network  3 . Also a PSTN phone  6  may be connected to the GSM network  9  through a PSTN  7 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic of one embodiment of the appliance  11 . The appliance  11  may include: a processor  26 , Random Access Memory (RAM)  27 , a SoundBlaster (i.e., a converter between a speaker and a microphone outputs to PCM data) unit  28 , Flash memory  30 , an LED unit  31 , and additional connector  29  to connect to external headsets, speaker phone and/or power charger. The appliance  11  may be configured with circuits and software, which may run executable programs, such as VoIP softphones. 
         [0030]    The processor  26  may run a VoIP software module  20 , and may comprise dedicated hardware, e.g., a microprocessor, software, or a combination of dedicated hardware, and software. The software module  20  may include: a VoIP signaling protocol stack module  21 , a VoIP Code/Decode (Codec) module  22 , a GSM Application Interface (API) module  23 , and the cellular phone API  24 . The software module  20  may be any machine or computer executable instructions stored in a memory, e.g., RAM  27  or flash memory  30 . When the cellular phone  10  is powered up, the processor  26  reads the executable application code from VoIP software module  20  from the flash memory  30 , and may initiate the appliance including components: sound blaster  28 , LED  31 , memory data, and the software modules  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 . In this state, the appliance is using the phone API module  24  to display texts on the phone display, to receive indications from the phone when a keypad button is pressed, or a menu softkey is pressed, in any specific menu state. 
         [0031]    The software module  20  supplements the cellular phone&#39;s software. In one embodiment, the VoIP signaling protocol stack module  21  includes the instructions necessary to connect to the VoIP proxy  13  and establish a VoIP call. The VoIP Codec module  22  includes the instructions necessary to convert analog voice signals from cellular phone  10  to packet data, and vice-versa. Together, the VoIP signaling module  21  and VoIP Codec module  22  may also be configured to follow one or more specific VoIP protocols, for example the H.323 or SIP protocol. In so doing, existing functionality in the cellular phone may be supplemented or superseded during a VoIP call with the proper signaling protocol and current Codec inscription scheme of the VoIP protocol being used by the appliance  11  and being run by the software module  20  rather than the Codec functionality originally programmed with the cellular phone. 
         [0032]    The GSM API module  23  may include all of the instructions necessary to establish and maintain a data connection to the Internet service provider using a cellular network  9 . The cellular phone API  24  may include all of the instructions necessary to take control of the dialing functionality (and other functions) of the cellular phone  10 . 
         [0033]    Advantages of these configurations include lower energy demands, because the appliance  11  uses the cellular phone  10  efficient GPRS functions, and does not generate its own GPRS or Wi-Fi connection, which are energy consuming. Another advantage of this embodiment is that while having a VoIP call, a parallel GSM call may be received, and a “Flip Over” function may be activated to switch between the VoIP call and the GSM calls. 
         [0034]    The appliance  11  includes a first connector  25  that is connected to the cellular phone  10 . The connector  25  may be, for example, a 14-pin connector. A second connector  29  may be used to accommodate an accessory, e.g., a microphone, battery charger, speaker phone, and/or to be connected to the appliance  11 . The second connector  29  may be identical to connector  25 , although it does not need to be. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows one embodiment for a 14-pin layout connector  25  for use with the appliance  11 . Each pin&#39;s function is described in table  41 . Appliance  11  uses the phone API module  24  to take control of the dialing functionality of the keypad of the cellular phone, using pins  3  and  6 - 7 . When a telephone number is dialed via the keypad, and the “send” button is pressed by the user, the appliance  11  receives the dialed digits using pins  3  and  6 - 7 , and initiates the call to that telephone number. The appliance  11  may optionally perform some manipulations to dialed telephone number (e.g., adding a dialing prefix), if necessary. 
         [0036]    The GSM API module  23  and the phone API module  24  may take control of the GPRS (or UMTS or other) connection activation of the cellular phone  10 . For example, the appliance  11  may use the phone GSM API module  23  via pins  3  and  6 - 7  to command the cellular phone  10  to establish and maintain a 2.5G or 3-3.5-4G data connection to the Internet service provider with applicable protocols via cellular network  9  using the older generation cellular phone  10 . And, pins  9 - 14  may be configured to receive and transmit analog voice signals from the speaker and microphone of the cellular phone  10  to the VoIP Codec module  22 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  shows a flow chart of the steps for making a VoIP phone call, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. First, in step  601 , the appliance  11  is connected to the cellular phone  10 , for example, by the 14-pin connector  25 . In step  602 , the user may initiate calls by dialing a telephone number via the keypad of the cellular phone. The dialing information (e.g., telephone number digits) inputted by the user may be transmitted to the appliance  11  which may assume control of the keypad dialing signals through the phone API module  24 . In step  603 , through the appliance  11  and along with the assistance of the cellular phone  10 , a data connection may be initiated by the cellular phone  10  using the phone API module  24  and the GSM API module  23 , for example using GPRS via the GSM network  9 . The GPRS enables the VoIP call over a data connection layer. In step  604 , once the data connection is established, the IP network  3  may be made available through the cellular service provider. The IP network  3  may utilize Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) and/or IP version 6 (IPv6). In Step  605 , the VoIP signaling module  21  may connect to the VoIP proxy  13  including optional registration and authentication. After registration is performed, the VoIP Signaling module  21  may activate the LED  31 . 
         [0038]    In one embodiment, user VoIP profile data for an ITSP may be previously inputted and saved in the appliance&#39;s memory by using the phone keypad and display. The user VoIP profile data may include, among other thing: a VoIP proxy IP address, a user name, a password, etc. 
         [0039]    The appliance  11  initiates the VoIP call to the desired destination telephone number using the VoIP protocol channel which was initiated by the ITSP, i.e., the VoIP proxy  13 . The VoIP call may be initiated using any VoIP protocols, for example, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control, Protocol (MGCP), H.323, etc. 
         [0040]    In step  606 , once the VoIP connection with a remote telephone is established, the appliance  11  transmits and receives Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP) VoIP packet data and a telephone-like voice conversation can take place between the two devices. In one embodiment, the user may use the speaker and microphone of the cellular telephone  10  for conversing. The user may also connect a head set or speakerphone to the appliance  11 , via the connector  29 . In this example, the VoIP packets are transmitted and received from/by the appliance  11  to the cellular phone  10  via pins  6  and  7  of the connector  25 . 
         [0041]    The VoIP data packets are transmitted via the 2.5-3.5-3.75-4G data layer and may include two main protocols: 1) VoIP signaling data, which establishes the logic connection to the ITSP, and 2) media packets, such as Real-Time Transpsort Protocol (RTP) which transmits the VoIP speech. The data packets used by VoIP are transparent to the cellular service provider, because the cellular network sees the VoIP as a standard IP communication—like a standard web browsing (e.g., using TCP or UDP protocols), which is possible by any phone which supports GPRS or other 2.5-4G technology. 
         [0042]    Voice received by the microphone of cellular telephone  10  may be converted to an analog signal and transmitted to the appliance  11  via the audio-in pins  9 - 10  of the connector  25 . The VoIP Codec module  22  converts the analog voice signal to data packets, for example using the RTP protocol, and sends them via the established data path connected via the data pins  6 - 7  to the cellular phone  10  and via the 2.5-4 data layer to the VoIP provider. 
         [0043]    In the opposite direction, RTP packets that are sent from the service provider over the data channel are received by the appliance  11  via the data pins  6 - 7  and converted to an analog signal by the VoIP Codec module  22 . The analog voice signal may be then transmitted via the audio-out pins  11 - 14  of the connector  25  and played on the speaker of the cellular telephone  10 , or played on external speaker which is connected to connector  29  in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0044]    The following example assumes that the appliance  11  uses the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) as the VoIP protocol. The scenario provides one example of a call flow, one of many possible. The VoIP Signaling Module  21  sends an Invite message to the VoIP proxy  13 , via the data connection initiated previously. If the dialed number is valid, the VoIP proxy  13  sends an Invite message to the relevant destination network. Then, if the destination phone is also available and ready, it will start ringing, and a “180 Ringing” message will be sent by the VoIP proxy  13  back to the appliance  11  via the data connection. The appliance  11  will send a relevant “Ringing” display text via the Phone API Module  24 , which will be displayed on the cellular phone display. 
         [0045]    When the remote side answers the phone, a “200 OK” message will be sent from the VoIP proxy  13  to the VoIP Signaling Module  21 . Then, the VoIP Codec Module  22  will initiate a Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP) session with the destination phone, by using Session Description Protocol (SDP). The relevant codec will be chosen for the call, and RTP data packets of speech will be sent and received by the VoIP Codec module  22  on the data channel to the VoIP proxy  13 . 
         [0046]    Throughout the VoIP phone call, the phone API module  24  may control the LCD display on the cellular phone to display the telephone number and indicate the status call (e.g., the duration of the call). From the user&#39;s perspective, it appears as if the user is making an ordinary telephone call using a regular cellular phone  10 . The appliance  11  may be capable of handing off the transmission of communication between different communication paths and protocols seamlessly. 
         [0047]    Embodiments may be used with 2.5G, 3G and even 3.5-3.75-4G regular cellular phones which do not support VoIP, and in some of cases do not support video. It is important to understand that even though a cellular phone supports video, the cost of the video call is at least the cost of a regular GSM call. The invention may used over the 2.5-3.5-3.75-4G data layer, for very cheap calls. Thus, embodiments of the invention provide for more economical methods of communication for users of cellular phones. The user may pay for the data package he purchases. By using it for VoIP, the user receives a very low cost per minute voice call, compared to a regular GSM call. 
         [0048]    While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that it is capable of further modifications and is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, equivalent arrangements or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and followed in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.