Patent ID: 7573988

Claim:
A computer-implemented system for providing a customized voice connection service, the system comprising: (a) a network comprising the Internet and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN); (b) multiple client systems connected to the network, each client system comprising a display, an input device, and a settop box, and each client system being associated with at least one user; (c) multiple service provider systems connected to the network, each service provider system being associated with a service provider having a predefined set of service parameters; (d) a User Preference Server connected to the network, the User Preference Server including a User Preference Database containing data related to each user's profile comprising history and preferences in his network access; (e) a Gatekeeper Server connected to the network, the Gatekeeper Server being configured to perform the steps of: (i) handling Voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls between the settop boxes; (ii) connecting a user settop box directly to an appropriate service provider system when the user associated with the user settop box enters a request for service to the user settop box, comprising: (1) receiving the settop box user's profile; (2) identifying one or more service providers whose service parameters match the settop box user's profile and the request for service; and (3) connecting the settop box to the identified one or more service providers via a VoIP connection or a PSTN connection.