Patent EA-003765-B1 (EA)
Title: Network addressing system and method using telephone numbers
IPC: H04M11/00
Filed: 2000-07-07
Abstract: 1. A method comprising: receiving a telephone number portion identifying a device; converting the telephone number portion into a multiple level domain name identifying the device over a network, the multiple level domain name comprising the telephone number portion and a base portion; and establishing communication with the device via the multiple level domain name over the network. 2. The method as set forth in claim 1, where the telephone number portion of the multiple level domain name is subordinated to the base portion. 3. The method as set forth in claim 2, where the base portion of the multiple level domain name comprises a base level domain. 4. The method as set forth in claim 1, where the converting step comprises: adding domain separators to the received telephone number portion at determinable locations in the received telephone number portion. 5. The method as set forth in claim 1, where the received telephone number portion comprises a separator, the converting step comprising: parsing the received telephone number portion for the separator; and inserting a domain separator for the parsed separator. 6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: appending additional domain levels to the converted telephone number portion to complete the multiple level domain name. 7. A method of communicating over a network comprising: receiving from a first device at least a portion of a static, multiple level domain name including a telephone number portion identifying a second device; determining availability of the second device on the network; and in response to the determining step, selectively establishing communications from the first device to the second device. 8. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: establishing communications from the second device to the first device. 9. The method as set forth in claim 7, where the determining availability step comprises: querying the second device over the network; and receiving a response from the second device indicative of second device availability. 10. An apparatus to establish communication between at least two devices over a network, the apparatus comprising a processor which receives from a first device a telephone number portion identifying a second device, and which converts the telephone number portion into a static multiple level domain name identifying the second device on the network. 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, where the processor further establishes communication with the second device over the network. 12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a table which matches the static multiple level domain name to an IP address. 13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, where the processor further adds domain separators to the received telephone number portion at determinable locations to result in the static multiple level domain name. 14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, where the received telephone number portion comprises a separator, and where the processor parses the received telephone number portion for the separator and inserts a domain separator for selected instances of the parsed separator.