Patent ID: 8036208

Claim:
A method for implementing an Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) communication center, comprising steps of: (a) forming a communication center of one or more agent stations, each agent station having a Data Network Telephony (DNT) interface having a port connected to the Internet capable of transmitting IPNT calls, and each DNT interface having an IP address; (b) connecting a computerized bridge unit to the Internet by a data network port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing IPNT calls on the Internet, the bridge unit having a trunk-line port and associated circuitry for receiving and placing Connection Oriented/Switched Telephony (COST) telephone calls on a COST network, conversion circuitry for converting data dynamically between IPNT and COST telephone calls, and control routines for receiving a first call from one of the COST and Internet networks, to place a call associated with the received call on the network other than the network on which the call is received, and to dynamically convert data between the associated calls; (c) receiving a COST call at the bridge unit placed by a caller on the COST network using a COST number; (d) associating the COST call with the IP address of the DNT interface at one of the one or more agent stations; (e) placing an IPNT call to the IP address; and (f) dynamically converting data at the bridge between the COST call and the associated IPNT call, thereby effectively connecting the COST caller with an agent at the agent station.