KR20070090372A - Internet telephone system, internet telephone adaptor and call setup method for internet telephony - Google Patents

Abstract

An Internet telephone system, an Internet telephone adapter, and a call setup method for Internet telephony are provided to enable users to execute Internet phone calls without paying service charges or watching specific advertisements as a special server for Internet telephony is not required. If a called-side phone number for call setup is inputted(S10), a call setup control part in a calling-side Internet telephone adapter searches for an IP address corresponding to the inputted destination phone number(S20). If the IP address is obtained, the call setup control part obtains a messenger ID corresponding to the destination phone number from a database(S30). Then, the call setup control part communicates with the called side's messenger program having the obtained messenger ID by using the calling side's messenger program and transmits or receives an IP address(S40). Using the transmitted or received IP address, the call setup control part executes an Internet connection with the called side(S50). The call setup control part receives a messenger ID from the called Internet telephone adapter, compares it with the obtained messenger ID, and executes an Internet phone call if the received messenger ID is matched with the obtained messenger ID(S60,S70).

Description

Internet telephone system, internet telephone adapter and call setup method for internet telephony}

1 is a diagram showing an Internet telephone system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the Internet telephone adapter 20 employed in the Internet telephone system of FIG.

3 is a diagram illustrating a call setup method for an internet phone call according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols in the main part of the drawing *

10, 30: telephone 20, 40: Internet telephone adapter

50: Internet 60: public telephone network

21: call setup control unit 22: database

23: IP communication unit 24: voice processing unit

25 switch unit 26 display unit

27: speaker

The present invention relates to an internet telephone system, an internet telephone adapter, and a call setup method for an internet telephone call, and more particularly, to an internet telephone system using an messenger program, an internet telephone adapter, and a call setup method for an internet telephone call. The invention relates to.

In recent years, by transmitting and receiving voice data as an IP (internet protocol) packet on the Internet, Internet telephony, which replaces a telephone using a conventional public switched telephone network (hereinafter also referred to as PSTN), has been widely used.

In order to start an Internet phone call, the calling party must know the IP address of the called party. However, the IP address of the called party may be changed due to the dynamic IP address allocation of the Internet service provider and the movement of the other party to the company, home, school, etc., so that the current IP address of the called party is changed. It is not easy to know. In addition, even if the called party's IP address is fixed due to a fixed IP address assignment of an Internet service provider, the calling user may be inconvenient to remember the called party's IP address. In addition, the existing Internet telephony method allows the Internet service provider to operate a separate server to retrieve the IP information of the called party and connect the Internet phone. Since the service provider provides a server, a considerable maintenance cost is required. There is a problem that occurs. In order to generate revenue despite such maintenance costs, the Internet service provider has caused the caller to watch advertisements for a predetermined time or longer instead of using a free Internet phone. This approach causes inconvenience to users and lowers the frequency of Internet phone usage of users. Or, the Internet service provider is cheaper than the telephone bill of the public telephone network but allows the user to pay a certain amount to use the Internet telephone.

Therefore, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to solve the above problems, the Internet telephone system, the Internet telephone adapter and the call set-up for the Internet phone call that can make an Internet call with the called party without knowing the IP address of the called party To provide a way.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that it does not require a separate server for Internet telephony, and as a result, an Internet telephony system, an Internet telephony adapter, and a user that do not have to pay a service fee or watch a separate advertisement. To provide a call setup method for an internet phone call.

As a technical means for achieving the above object, the first aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of (a) inputting the called party's telephone number; (b) obtaining a called-side messenger ID corresponding to the called-side telephone number; (c) communicating with a called party messenger program having a called party messenger ID using a calling party messenger program to deliver an IP address or receiving an IP address; (d) a caller and a caller establish an Internet connection using the IP address; And (e) the calling party and the called party performing an internet phone call.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Internet telephone adapter including a database, an IP communication unit, a voice processing unit, a switch unit, and a call setting control unit, wherein the database stores telephone numbers and corresponding messenger IDs. The IP communication unit transmits voice data transmitted from the voice processing unit to the Internet, transmits voice data transmitted from the Internet to the voice processing unit, transmits call setting related data transmitted from the call setting control unit to the Internet, The call setup control unit transmits the call setup related data transmitted from the Internet to the call setup controller, and the voice processor converts the voice signal transmitted through the switch unit to analog-to-digital, and converts the voice data generated by the conversion to the IP communication unit. Forwarded from the IP communication unit After digital-to-analog conversion of voice data, the voice signal generated by the conversion is transferred to the switch unit, and the switch unit operates under the control of the call setup controller to connect a telephone to a public telephone network or to connect the telephone to the voice processing unit. The call setting control unit attempts to set up a call using a messenger program, and if the call setup is successful, the call is performed through the Internet, and if the call setup fails, the switch is performed through the public telephone network. And an Internet telephone adapter controlling the IP communication unit.

A third aspect of the invention is a first telephone; A first internet telephony adapter connected to said first telephone, internet and public telephone network; A second telephone; And a second internet telephony adapter connected to the second telephone, the internet, and the public telephone network, wherein any one of the first and second internet telephony adapters delivers an IP address to the rest using a messenger program, The first and second internet telephony adapters provide an internet telephony system which interconnects via the internet using the forwarded IP address to make an internet telephony call.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, the scope of the present invention should not be construed in a way that is limited by the embodiments described below. Embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art.

1 is a diagram showing an Internet telephone system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, an internet telephone system includes a first telephone 10, a first internet telephone adapter 20, a second telephone 30, a second internet telephone adapter 40, and a first internet telephone adapter 20. And the public telephone network 60 and the Internet 50 connected between the < RTI ID = 0.0 >

The first telephone 10 and the second telephone 30 are preferably ordinary telephones without internet telephone function. In the present embodiment, a description will be given focusing on the case where the first telephone 10 is the calling side, that is, the calling side telephone, and the second telephone 30 is the receiving side, the called side telephone.

The first Internet telephone adapter 20 is connected to the first telephone 10, the Internet 50, and the public telephone network 60, and the second Internet telephone adapter 40 is connected to the second telephone 30, the Internet 50. ) And a public telephone network (60). Accordingly, the first Internet telephone adapter 20 and the second Internet telephone adapter 40 may perform a call through the public telephone network 60 or may perform a call through the Internet 50. Each of the first Internet telephone adapter 20 and the second Internet telephone adapter 40 may be separated from the telephones 10 and 30 as shown in the figure, and may exist in an independent form. May be

After either one of the first and second Internet telephony adapters 20 and 40 delivers an IP address to the rest using a messenger program, the Internet telephony adapter receiving the IP address is mutually connected through the Internet using the transferred IP address. It is characterized in that the connection to the Internet phone call. More specifically, when the first internet telephone adapter 20 receives the called party's telephone number from the first telephone 10, the first internet telephone adapter 20 searches a database (not shown) located therein. Secure a messenger ID corresponding to the called party's telephone number. Thereafter, the first internet telephony adapter 20 communicates with a receiving messenger program having a messenger ID secured by using a messenger program, and transmits its own IP address or receives the receiving IP address. Thereafter, the first Internet telephony adapter 20 or the second Internet telephony adapter 40 interconnects via the Internet using an IP address to make an Internet telephone call. If the first Internet telephone adapter 20 and the second Internet telephone adapter 40 cannot make a call over the Internet due to a failure to obtain an IP address, the first Internet telephone adapter 20 and the first 2 Internet telephone adapter 40 is connected to each other through a public telephone network. The messenger program may be, for example, a "MSN messenger" program of Microsoft Corporation.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the Internet telephone adapter 20 employed in the Internet telephone system of FIG. Referring to Fig. 2, the Internet telephone adapter 20 includes a call setup control unit 21, a database 22, an IP communication unit 23, a voice processing unit 24 and a switch unit 25. The internet telephony adapter may further include a display portion 26 and a speaker 27.

The database 22 is connected to the call setup control unit 21 and stores a phone number and a messenger ID corresponding thereto. The database 22 may additionally store a call list. The call list is a list of frequently used called party's telephone numbers or recently called party's called telephone numbers and their corresponding IP addresses, and is stored in a database. If the database 22 stores the call list and the phone number stored in the call list is transferred from the phone to the Internet phone adapter 20, the Internet phone adapter 20 is retrieved from the call list without using a messenger program. The advantage is that you can make Internet calls by connecting directly to an IP address.

The IP communication unit 23 is connected to the call setup control unit 21, the voice processing unit 24 and the Internet, transmits the voice data transmitted from the voice processing unit 24 to the Internet, and transmits the voice data transmitted from the Internet to the voice processing unit. Perform the function of passing to 24. In addition, the IP communication unit 23 transmits call setting related data transmitted from the call setting control unit 21 to the Internet and transmits call setting related data transmitted from the internet to the call setting control unit 21.

The voice processing unit 24 is connected to the switch unit 25 and the IP communication unit 23. After the analog-digital conversion of the voice signal transmitted via the switch unit 25, the voice data obtained by the conversion is converted into the IP communication unit. And digital to analog conversion of the voice data transmitted from the IP communication unit 23, and then transfers the voice signal obtained by the conversion to the switch unit 25. In addition, the voice processing unit 24 analog-to-digital converts and compresses the voice signal transmitted via the switch unit 25, and then transfers the voice data obtained by the conversion and compression to the IP communication unit 23, and the IP communication unit ( After reconstructing and digital-analog converting the voice data transmitted from 23), the voice signal obtained by the reconstruction and conversion may be transferred to the switch section 25.

The switch unit 25 is connected to the call setting control unit 21, the telephone, the voice processing unit 24, and the public telephone network, and operates under the control of the call setting control unit 21 to connect the telephone to the voice processing unit 24. Or connect the telephone to the public telephone network. Preferably, the telephone is connected to the voice processing unit 24 when the internet call is made, and the telephone is connected to the public telephone network when the call is made through the public telephone network.

The display unit 26 is connected to the call setting control unit and operates under the control of the call setting control unit 21 to display a calling party's telephone number of a new call during a call.

The speaker 27 is connected to the call setting control unit and operates under the control of the call setting control unit 21 to perform a function of generating a beep sound when a new call is received during a call.

The call setup control unit 21 is connected to a telephone, a database 22, an IP communication unit 23, a switch unit 25, a display unit 26, a speaker 27, and a public telephone network, and performs control related to call setup. do. The call setup control unit 21 attempts to set up a call using a messenger program, and if the call setup is successful, a call is made through the Internet, and if the call setup fails, the IP communication unit 23 and a call are made through a public telephone network. The switch unit 25 is controlled. To this end, the call setup control unit 21 obtains a messenger ID corresponding to the received telephone number by searching the database 22 after receiving the telephone number from the telephone. Thereafter, the call setup control unit 21 communicates with the Internet telephony adapter having the obtained messenger ID via the IP communication unit 23 and the Internet to transmit or receive an IP address. When the call setup control unit 21 receives an IP address, the call setting control unit 21 accesses the Internet using the received IP address, and when the call setup control unit 21 delivers the IP address, the call setup control unit 21 responds to the Internet connection of the other party. Perform the call. When the call setup controller 21 receives the IP address, the call setup controller 21 may store the received IP address in the call list. If the messenger ID corresponding to the received telephone number is not stored in the database 22, or the call setting control unit 21 does not transmit the IP address using the messenger program, or does not receive the IP address, If the call setup for the Internet call is not possible, the call setup control unit 21 controls the switch unit 25 to make a call using the public telephone network. In addition, if the messenger ID corresponding to the transmitted telephone number is not stored in the database 22, the call setup control unit 21 dials the telephone number transmitted through the public telephone network to the delivered telephone number. A corresponding messenger ID may also be obtained. In this case, the call setup controller 21 may store the telephone number and the acquired messenger ID in the database 22.

3 is a diagram illustrating a call setup method for an internet phone call according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, a caller's phone number is input for call setup (S10).

Then, search the IP address corresponding to the called party's phone number in the call list to perform the step corresponding to the reference number S50 when the IP address is found, and if the IP address is not found, perform the step corresponding to the reference number S30. To perform (S20). Here, the call list is a list of frequently used called party's telephone numbers or recently called party's called telephone numbers and their corresponding IP addresses, which are stored in a database. This step may be omitted.

Thereafter, the called party's messenger ID corresponding to the called party's phone number is obtained (S30). In order to obtain the called party's messenger ID, the database stores the phone number and the corresponding messenger ID to obtain the called party's messenger ID (S31). If the database does not retrieve the called party's messenger ID even though the database is searched, the called party's messenger ID may be obtained by requesting the called party's Internet telephone adapter using a public telephone network (S32). When the called party's messenger ID is obtained using the public telephone network, the called party's phone number and the called party's messenger ID may be stored in the database (S33).

Thereafter, an IP address is transmitted or communicated with a called party messenger program having a messenger ID obtained by using a calling party messenger program (S40). When the caller messenger program receives the IP address, step S40 includes the step of requesting the caller messenger program for the IP address from the caller messenger program as shown in the figure (S41), and the caller messenger program to the caller messenger program. It may include the step of transmitting the IP address (S42). At this time, the called party messenger program may transmit a message to the calling party messenger program indicating whether the device is capable of making an internet phone call with the IP address (S42). The transmitted IP address may be stored in the call list of the database (S43). If the caller receives a message indicating that the Internet phone call is not possible from the called party messenger program, the caller attempts to make a call using the public telephone network (S44). When the caller messenger program delivers the IP address, in step S40, the caller messenger program delivers the IP address to the caller messenger program, unlike the drawing.

Thereafter, the calling party and the called party perform internet connection using the IP address (S50). If the caller's messenger program receives the IP address in step S40, the caller performs an Internet connection with the received IP address. If the caller's messenger program delivers the IP address in step S40, the caller performs the Internet connection in a manner that responds to the caller's Internet connection.

Thereafter, the messenger ID is received from the called party's Internet telephony adapter and compared with the called party's messenger ID obtained by searching the database. If the two are the same, the next step is performed. To perform (S60). This step is particularly necessary in the case where the steps S30 and S40 are not performed by searching the call list in step S20 to obtain an IP address. That is, due to dynamic IP address assignment, the IP address stored in the call list and the current IP address may be different from each other. This step prevents incorrect call connection that may occur due to this cause.

Thereafter, the calling party and the called party perform an internet phone call (S70).

Between step S60 and step S70 may further include a step (S80) to check whether the called party is busy or to perform a suitable operation. To this end, it is first checked whether the called party is busy (S81). If the call is not busy, the calling party's information is displayed on the called Internet telephone adapter, and after ringing the telephone (S82), the calling party receives the call and performs step S70. The information of the calling party may be at least one of a messenger ID of the calling party, a phone number of the calling party, and a name of the calling party. When the call is in progress, the called party's Internet telephony adapter emits a beep sound indicating that a new call has come and displays the calling party's information (S83). If the called party responds to the new call, step S70 is performed. If the called party does not answer the new call, the call is terminated without performing the Internet phone call (S84).

The Internet phone system, the Internet phone adapter, and the call setup method for the Internet phone call according to the present invention have the advantage of making an Internet phone call with the called party without knowing the IP address of the called party.

In addition, the Internet phone system, the Internet phone adapter, and the call setup method for the Internet phone call according to the present invention do not require a separate server for the Internet phone, and as a result, the user pays a service fee or a separate advertisement. The advantage is that there is no need to watch.

Claims (18)

(a) inputting a called party's telephone number; (b) obtaining a called-side messenger ID corresponding to the called-side telephone number; (c) communicating with a called party messenger program having a called party messenger ID using a calling party messenger program to deliver an IP address or receiving an IP address; (d) a caller and a caller establish an Internet connection using the IP address; And (e) a call setup method comprising the caller and the called party conducting an internet telephone call. According to claim 1, Step (b) is (b1) obtaining a caller's messenger ID by searching a database storing a phone number and a messenger ID corresponding thereto. The method of claim 2, Step (b) is (b2) if the caller's messenger ID is not obtained despite the step (b1), the method further comprises: requesting a caller's Internet telephony adapter using a public telephone network to obtain the caller's messenger ID; How to set up an arc. The method of claim 3, wherein Step (b) is and (b3) storing the called party's phone number and the called party's messenger ID in the database when the called party's messenger ID is obtained using a public telephone network. According to claim 1, Step (c) is (c1) the calling party's messenger program requesting the IP address from the called party's messenger program; And (c2) the caller's messenger program transmitting the IP address to the caller's messenger program. The method of claim 5, Step (c) is (c3) the IP address is further stored in a call list of the database (which means a frequently used called party's phone number or a recently stored calling party's phone number and a list of corresponding IP addresses). How to set up an arc. The method of claim 5, In the step (c2), the caller's messenger program transmits a message to the caller's messenger program indicating whether the caller's messenger is a device capable of making an internet phone call with the IP address. The method of claim 7, wherein Step (c) is (c3) when the caller's messenger program receives a message indicating that the Internet phone call is not possible in step (c2), the caller's Internet telephony adapter does not perform the steps after step (c), and establishes a public telephone network. The call setup method further comprises the step of attempting a call using. According to claim 1, (f) an IP address corresponding to the called party's phone number in a call list stored in the database (which means a frequently used called party's phone number or a list of recently called party's called phone numbers and their corresponding IP addresses); If the IP address is obtained, omit steps (b) and (c) and immediately perform the step (d), and if the IP address is not obtained, perform steps (b) and (c). Further including steps that are not omitted, The step (f) is performed after the step (a). The method of claim 9, (g) receiving a messenger ID from a receiving Internet telephony adapter, searching the database for the called messenger ID corresponding to the called party's telephone number, and confirming that the received messenger ID and the called messenger ID are the same; After checking whether or not, the step (e) if the same, and if not the same further comprises the step of performing again from the step (b), Step (g) is performed after step (d). An internet telephone adapter including a database, an IP communication unit, a voice processing unit, a switch unit, and a call setting control unit, The database stores phone numbers and corresponding messenger IDs. The IP communication unit transmits voice data transmitted from the voice processing unit to the Internet, delivers voice data transmitted from the Internet to the voice processing unit, and transmits call setting related data transmitted from the call setting control unit to the Internet. And transmits call setup related data transmitted from the internet to the call setup controller. After the voice processing unit analog-to-digital conversion of the voice signal transmitted via the switch unit, and transfers the voice data generated by the conversion to the IP communication unit, and digital-to-analog conversion of the voice data transferred from the IP communication unit, Transfers the voice signal generated by the conversion to the switch unit, The switch unit operates under the control of the call setup controller to connect a telephone to a public telephone network or to connect the telephone to the voice processing unit. The call setup control unit attempts to set up a call using a messenger program, and if the call setup is successful, the call is performed through the Internet, and if the call setup fails, the call through the public telephone network is performed. Internet telephony adapter to control the communication unit. The method of claim 11, wherein In the call setting control unit attempting to set up a call using a messenger program, The call setup control unit receives the telephone number from the telephone, and then searches the database to obtain a messenger ID corresponding to the transferred telephone number, and thereafter, via the IP communication unit and the Internet, the acquisition An Internet telephony adapter which attempts to set up a call by communicating with an Internet telephony adapter having a messenger ID and receiving an IP address, and then conducting an Internet telephone call by accessing the Internet using the received IP address. The method of claim 12, And the call setup control unit stores the IP address in a call list located in the database. The method of claim 11, wherein In the call setting control unit attempting to set up a call using a messenger program, The call setup control unit receives the telephone number from the telephone, and then searches the database to obtain a messenger ID corresponding to the transferred telephone number, and thereafter, via the IP communication unit and the Internet, the acquisition An Internet telephony adapter that communicates with an Internet telephony adapter with a messenger ID, forwards its IP address, and then attempts to set up a call in response to an Internet connection of the obtained Internet telephony adapter with the messenger ID. . The method according to claim 12 or 14, If the database does not store the messenger ID corresponding to the received telephone number, the call setup controller uses the received telephone number to messenger corresponding to the received telephone number through the public telephone network. Internet telephony adapter to obtain an ID. A first telephone; A first internet telephony adapter connected to said first telephone, internet and public telephone network; A second telephone; And A second internet telephony adapter connected to said second telephone, said internet and said public telephone network; After either one of the first and second Internet telephony adapters delivers an IP address to the rest using a messenger program, the first and second Internet telephony adapters are interconnected via the Internet using the forwarded IP address. An internet phone system that makes your internet phone calls. The method of claim 16, When the first internet telephony adapter receives a phone number from the first telephone, the first internet telephony adapter searches a database located within the first internet telephone adapter to secure a messenger ID corresponding to the telephone number, 1 An Internet telephone that communicates with a messenger program of the second Internet telephony adapter having the secured messenger ID to transfer its own IP address, or receives an IP address of a second Internet telephony adapter using a messenger program of the Internet telephony adapter. system. The method of claim 17, And the first internet telephone adapter and the second internet telephone adapter make a call through the public telephone network when the first and second internet telephone adapters are unable to make a mutual call through the Internet.

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