IP Library Granted Patent US 8,422,408
Granted Patent B2
US 8,422,408 · App. 11/848,894 · Granted Apr 16, 2013

Remote connection to a telephone line via internet

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,422,408
App. No.
11/848,894
Granted
Apr 16, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device receives a request from an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device to create a virtual extension of a plain old telephone service (POTS)-based telephone line, authenticates the IP-based device for association with the POTS-based telephone line, and creates the virtual extension of the POTS-based telephone line to the IP-based device when the IP-based device is authenticated.

Claims (70)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device to create a virtual extension of a plain old telephone service (POTS)-based telephone line;

authenticating the IP-based device for association with the POTS-based telephone line;

creating the virtual extension of the POTS-based telephone line to the IP-based device when the IP-based device is authenticated;

enabling placement of a call by the IP-based device to a POTS-based device, associated with the POTS-based telephone line, enabling the placement of the call including:

receiving, from the IP-based device, a call request to a POTS-based telephone number;

connecting the call request to the POTS-based telephone line; and

completing the call request to the POTS-based device; and

enabling the IP-based device, via the virtual extension, to use an intercom feature associated with the POTS-based device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling receipt of calls by the IP-based device via the virtual extension.

3. The method of claim 2 , where enabling receipt of calls comprises:

receiving the call to a POTS-based telephone number associated with the POTS-based telephone line;

connecting the received call to an IP-based connection associated with the IP-based device; and

completing the received call to the IP-based device.

4. The method of claim 3 , where completing the received call to the IP-based device includes:

sending the received call to the IP-based device via an IP network.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the intercom feature connects the IP-based device to the POTS-based device associated with the POTS-based telephone line without accruing toll charges.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a connection for the POTS-based telephone line;

providing a connection for an IP-based line associated with the IP-based device; and

bridging the POTS-based connection and the IP-based connection to create the virtual extension.

7. The method of claim 6 , where bridging the POTS-based connection and the IP-based connection creates a pathway for connection to the POTS-based telephone line by the IP-based line.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

authenticating the IP-based device using a public key infrastructure.

9. The method of claim 1 , where the request is received by a bridge device, the bridge device including a plurality of ports for receiving the request and enabling the placement of the call.

10. A device comprising:

an interface for communicating with a plain old telephone service (POTS)-based telephone line;

an interface for communicating with an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device; and

processing logic to:

receive a request from the IP-based device to create a virtual extension of the POTS-based telephone line,

create the virtual extension of the POTS-based telephone line to the IP-based device based on the request;

enable placement of a call by the IP-based device to a POTS-based device, associated with the POTS-based telephone line, via the virtual extension, when enabling the placement of the call, the processing logic being further to:

receive, from the IP-based device, a call request to a POTS-based telephone number;

connect the call request to the POTS-based telephone line; and

complete the call request to the POTS-based device; and

enable the IP-based device, via the virtual extension, to use an intercom feature associated with the POTS-based device.

11. The device of claim 10 , where the processing logic is further to:

authenticate the IP-based device for association with the POTS-based telephone line.

12. The device of claim 10 , where the processing logic is further to:

enable receipt of calls by the IP-based device via the virtual extension.

13. The device of claim 12 , where:

the POTS-based interface receives a call from the POTS-based telephone line; and

the processing logic is further to:

connect the received call to the IP-based interface, and

complete the received call to the IP-based device via the IP-based interface.

14. The device of claim 13 , where, when completing the received call to the IP-based device via the IP-based interface, the processing logic is further to:

send the received call to the IP-based device via an IP network.

15. The device of claim 10 , where the intercom feature connects the IP-based device to the POTS-based device associated with the POTS-based telephone line without accruing toll charges.

16. The device of claim 10 , where the processing logic is further to:

bridge the POTS-based interface and the IP-based interface to create the virtual extension.

17. The device of claim 16 , where the processing logic is further to:

bridge the POTS-based interface and the IP-based interface to create a pathway for connection to the POTS-based telephone line by the IP-based device.

18. The device of claim 10 , further comprising:

logic to authenticate the IP-based device for association with the POTS-based telephone line using a public key infrastructure.

19. The device of claim 10 , where the device is a bridge device.

20. A system comprising:

means for receiving a request from an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device to create a virtual extension of one of a plain old telephone service (POTS)-based telephone line or an optical network-based line;

means for creating the virtual extension of one of the POTS-based telephone line or the optical network-based line to the IP-based device based on the request;

means for enabling placement of a call by the IP-based device to a device associated with one of the POTS-based telephone line or the optical network-based line, the means for enabling placement the placement of the call including:

means for receiving, from the IP-based device, a call request to a POTS-based telephone number;

means for connecting the call request to the POTS-based telephone line; and

means for completing the call request to the POTS-based device; and

means for enabling the IP-based device, via the virtual extension, to use an intercom feature associated with the device.

21. The system of claim 20 , further comprising:

means for authenticating the IP-based device for association with one of the POTS-based telephone line or the optical network-based line prior to creating the virtual extension.

22. The system of claim 20 , further comprising:

means for enabling receipt of calls by the IP-based device via the virtual extension.

23. The system of claim 20 , further comprising:

means for authenticating the IP-based device for association with the POTS-based telephone line or the optical network-based line using a public key infrastructure.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2009
From: VERIZON DATA SERVICES LLC
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 023251/0278 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 14, 2009
From: VERIZON DATA SERVICES INC.
To: VERIZON DATA SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 023224/0333 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2007
From: STOBER, MARK W.; PATEL, KIRAN; SHIVAN, JYOTHIVAL; MILLER, ANDREW; CHATTERJEE, SUTAP; AHMED, KHALID
To: VERIZON DATA SERVICES INC.
Reel/Frame 019772/0266 →