Patent Publication Number: US-2007109963-A1

Title: Internet protocol telephony proxy device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present disclosure generally relates to voice over Internet protocol (“VoIP”) telephone networks and more specifically to VoIP telephone networks.  
     BACKGROUND  
      As shown in U.S. Publication 2003/0095644 A1 to St-Onge et al., a system would provide telephone services to a remote client by having the remote client access and tunnel through a local area network (“LAN”). Afterwards, the telephone call made by the remote client will be routed through the LAN where eventually the telephone call will be directed to a telephone service provider. In like manner, when the remote client receives an incoming call from the service provider network, the call must traverse the LAN.  
      Although this system provides telephone services to the remote client, a very large communication path is created. This may be preferable when the user wishes to use not only telephone services, but also access any network services the LAN may offer, such as email and remote file access. However, when the remote client only wishes to use telephone services, this long communication path is unnecessary. Therefore, there exists a need for a system for providing telephone service for a remote client. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a VoIP telephone network according to one embodiment;  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an IPT proxy device for use in the network of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the method for routing incoming and outgoing telephone calls; and  
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a general computer system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      An embodiment of the system provides an Internet Protocol Telephony (“IPT”) proxy device having a processor configured to execute a first, second and third logic. When the first logic is executed by the processor, the processor will be configured to authenticate a remote VoIP client. The remote VoIP client may be software operating on a general purpose computer, but may be a dedicated device. Next, when the processor executes the second logic, the processor will be configured to provide a secure connection to the remote VoIP client. Alternatively, the connection is a clientless secure sockets layer connection. Finally, when the processor executes the third logic, the processor will be configured to route incoming and outgoing calls to and from the remote VoIP client.  
      In another embodiment of the invention, a system for redirecting VoIP telephone calls includes an IPT proxy device in communication with the Internet and a remote VoIP client in communication with the Internet and configured to communicate to the IPT proxy device. Further, the IPT proxy device is configured to authenticate the remote VoIP client, provide a secure connection to the remote VoIP client and provide connectivity for the remote VoIP client to a VoIP service provider.  
      The above embodiment may further include a LAN in communication with the IPT proxy device. The LAN may further include a local VoIP client. The IPT proxy device is configured to authenticate the local VoIP client and provide connectivity for the local VoIP client to the VoIP service provider.  
      These and other aspects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following in combination with the accompanying drawings.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a VoIP telephone network  10  with improved routing capabilities is shown. The VoIP telephone network  10  includes a remote VoIP client  12 , a LAN  14  and a VoIP service provider network  16 . The remote VoIP client  52  may be software operating on a general purpose computer, but also may be a dedicated device. Connecting the remote VoIP client  12 , the LAN  14  and the VoIP service provider  16  is the Internet  18  or other communication path capable of transferring Internet Protocol (“IP”) packets. The communication path may be wired or wireless or any combination thereof.  
      Typically, the LAN  14  includes a data router  20  in communication with the Internet  18  and a firewall  22 . In communication with the other side of the firewall  22  may be a switch  24  which is in communication with a variety of network devices such as a first and second VoIP telephone  26  and  27 , a network printer  28  and a personal computer  30 . The personal computer  30  will access the Internet  18  through the firewall  22  and the data router  20 . Of course, the LAN  14  may have a variety of different configurations.  
      Also in communication with the switch  24  is a second firewall  32 . In communication with the other side of the firewall  32  is an IPT proxy device  34  and a voice router  36 . The VoIP telephones  26  and  27  may access the VoIP service provider network  16  via the Internet  18 . In order to access the Internet  18 , the VoIP telephones  16  and  17  interact with the IPT proxy device  34 . When one of the VoIP telephones  26  and  27  places a telephone call, the IPT proxy device  34  will communicate this call to the VoIP service provider network  16  via the voice router  36 . The VoIP service provider network  16  will then route the telephone call to the appropriate destination outside the LAN  14 . Similarly, when one of the VoIP telephones  26  and  27  receives an incoming telephone call from the VoIP service provider network  16 , the IPT proxy device  74  will direct the telephone call to the appropriate VoIP telephone  26  or  27  within the LAN  14 .  
      When the remote VoIP client  12  wishes to use the VoIP telephone services provided by the LAN  14 , the remote VoIP client  12  will first access the LAN  14  via the voice router  36 . The VoIP client  12  will have a “Default Route” IP Address. The “Default Route” IP Address is the address of the voice router  36 . In packet switched networks, such as the Internet, the data is split up into packets, each labeled with the complete destination address and routed individually. This has the benefit of routing incoming telephone calls to the remote VoIP client  12  and outgoing telephone calls from the remote VoIP client  12  without maintaining a virtual private network (“VPN”) tunnel traversing the LAN  14 .  
      The VoIP Client  12  will attempt to make a VoIP telephone call across the Internet  18 . The routing of IP Packets is performed via standard routing protocols such as Open Shortest Path First (“OSPF”) and Border Gateway Protocol (“BGP”). The location of the VoIP Client  12  is determined by a route table in the voice router  36 . When the VoIP client  12  is registered with the IPT Proxy Device  34 , the IP Address of the VoIP client  12  is provided. Afterwards, the telephone call made by the remote VoIP client  12  is routed to the IPT proxy device  34 . The IPT proxy device  34  is configured to authenticate the remote VoIP client  12  and provide a secure connection to the remote VoIP client  12 . Preferably, the secure connection is a clientless secure sockets layer (“SSL”) VPN connection. Thereafter, the IPT proxy device  34  will provide connectivity to the remote VoIP service provider network  16 . In order to better illustrate the path a telephone call to or from the remote VoIP client  12  may take in one embodiment, a dashed line indicated by the reference numeral  37  is shown.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a block diagram of the IPT proxy device  34  is shown. The IPT proxy device  34  includes first and second interfaces  38  and  40 . The first interface connects to the voice router  36  while the second interface  40  connects to the second firewall  32 .  
      Within the IPT proxy device  34  is a processor  42  in communication with the interfaces  38  and  40 . The processor  42  functions to authenticate the remote VoIP client  12 , provide a secure connection with the remote VoIP client  12  and correctly route telephone calls to and from the VoIP service provider network  16  to either the remote VoIP client  12  or the VoIP telephones  26  and  27 .  
      In order to accomplish this, the processor  42  is in communication with an authentication logic  44 , a SSL logic  46  and a routing logic  48 . When the authentication logic  44  is executed by the processor  42 , the IPT proxy device  34  will authenticate the remote VoIP client  12 . Either before or after authentication of the remote VoIP client  12 , the processor  42  will execute the SSL logic  46  in order to provide a secure connection to the remote VoIP client  12 . In one embodiment, the secure connection is a clientless secure sockets layer connection. Finally, once the remote VoIP client  12  is authenticated and provided a secure connection, the processor  42  will execute the routing logic  48  in order to properly route any phone calls to and from the remote VoIP client  12 . Also, the routing logic  48  when executed by the processor  12 , will correctly route telephone calls to and from the first and second VoIP telephones  26  and  27 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flow chart illustrating a method  50  for directing a VoIP telephone calls to and from a remote VoIP client is shown. Block  52  denotes the start of the method. In block  54 , the remote VoIP client is authenticated. The remote VoIP device may be authenticated by using a table containing IP addresses of remote clients. If the VoIP remote client&#39;s IP address is in the table, the remote VoIP client will be authenticated.  
      Next, as shown in block  56 , a secure connection is provided to the remote VoIP client. This is done by using a secure sockets layer correction.  
      As shown in block  58 , once the remote VoIP client is authenticated and a secure connection provided, the method will then determine if there is an incoming telephone call to the remote VoIP client. If there is an incoming telephone call, as shown in block  60 , the incoming telephone call is directed to the remote VoIP client.  
      Conversely, as shown in block  62 , if it is determined that the remote VoIP client is making an outgoing telephone call, the telephone call will be routed to the VoIP service provider as shown in block  64 . After block  60  and/or  64  has been executed, the method will return to block  58 .  
      The IPT proxy device  34  may be a general computer system as shown in  FIG. 4  and designated  70 . The computer system  70  can include a set of instructions that can be executed to cause the computer system  70  to perform any one or more of the methods or computer based functions disclosed herein. The computer system  70  may operate as a standalone device or may be connected, e.g., using a network, to other computer systems or peripheral devices.  
      In a networked deployment, the computer system may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer system  70  can also be implemented as or incorporated into various devices, such as a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. In a particular embodiment, the computer system  70  can be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video or data communication. Further, while a single computer system  70  is illustrated, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the computer system  70  may include a processor  72 , e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both. Moreover, the computer system  70  can include a main memory  74  and a static memory  76  that can communicate with each other via a bus  78 . As shown, the computer system  70  may further include a video display unit  80 , such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (CRT). Additionally, the computer system  70  may include an input device  82 , such as a keyboard, and a cursor control device  84 , such as a mouse. The computer system  70  can also include a disk drive unit  86 , a signal generation device  88 , such as a speaker or remote control, and a network interface device  90 .  
      In a particular embodiment, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , the disk drive unit  86  may include a computer-readable medium  92  in which one or more sets of instructions  94 , e.g. software, can be embedded. Further, the instructions  94  may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. In a particular embodiment, the instructions  94  may reside completely, or at least partially, within the main memory  74 , the static memory  76 , and/or within the processor  72  during execution by the computer system  70 . The main memory  74  and the processor  72  also may include computer-readable media.  
      In an alternative embodiment, dedicated hardware implementations, such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices, can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments can broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that can be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.  
      In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented by software programs executable by a computer system. Further, in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations can include distributed processing, component/object distributed processing, and parallel processing. Alternatively, virtual computer system processing can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods or functionality as described herein.  
      The present disclosure contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions  94  or receives and executes instructions  94  responsive to a propagated signal, so that a device in communication with a network  96  can communicate voice, video or data over the network  96 . Further, the instructions  94  may be transmitted or received over the network  96  via the network interface device  90 .  
      While the computer-readable medium is shown to be a single medium, the term “computer-readable medium” includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The term “computer-readable medium” shall also include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein.  
      In a particular non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. Further, the computer-readable medium can be a random access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. Additionally, the computer-readable medium can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to capture carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. A digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives may be considered a distribution medium that is equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions may be stored.  
      Although the present specification describes components and functions that may be implemented in particular embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the invention is not limited to such standards and protocols. For example, standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same or similar functions as those disclosed herein are considered equivalents thereof.  
      The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may be exaggerated, while other proportions may be minimized. Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.  
      One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description.  
      The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter.  
      The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.