| VONAGE NETWORK LLC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120063580 | METHOD FOR AUTOMATED MANAGEMENT OF A TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE - Method for automatically managing a telecommunication service. In one embodiments, the method comprises collecting data associated with use of the telecommunication service by a user; determining, based on the data, an activation state associated with the use of the telecommunication service by the user; and executing, based on the activation state, a management process to automatically enable the use of the telecommunication service by the user, wherein the steps of collecting, determining, and executing are automatically performed by a processor of a controller associated with the telecommunication service. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20110289101 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID DATA ACCESS AND DISTRIBUTION USING STRUCTURED IDENTIFIERS - A method and apparatus for accessing data using an N-leg search tree. The method comprises determining a tree identifier using a computer, traversing an N-leg search tree associated with the tree identifier, and accessing a data structure. The N-leg search tree is stored on a computer and traversed to a given node within the tree. The accessed data structure is associated with a deepest valid traversed node. The given node corresponds to a given element of a structured identifier. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110275367 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CELLULAR ROAMING CHARGE BYPASS CALL COMPLETION - Systems and methods for avoiding roaming or communications charges when a mobile communications device such as a cellular telephone receives an incoming telephone call use a non-native communications provider, such as a VOIP service provider to redirect the call. A subscriber's mobile communications device establishes a data connection to the VOIP service provider through a data network, and call forwarding instructions are issued to the subscriber's telephony service provider to cause calls directed to the subscriber's mobile communications device to be redirected to a forwarding telephone number associated with the VOIP service provider. When a call is placed to the subscriber's normal telephone number, the call is forwarded to the VOIP service provider. The VOIP service provider establishes a VOIP communications channel with the subscriber's mobile communications device via a data network, and the incoming call is connected to the subscriber's mobile communications device via the VOIP communications channel. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110188407 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING DEVICES ON A LOCAL AREA NETWORK - A method, apparatus, and system for discovering devices on a local area network. The method comprises sending a DNS request from a host networking element, receiving the DNS request at one or more devices, and responding to the host networking element with one or more DNS responses. The DNS request comprises one or more particular domain names. The one or more DNS responses comprise local network address information for the one or more VoIP devices. The apparatus comprises means for filtering a set of network traffic for a DNS request, means for responding to a DNS request with a local network address, and means for forwarding the DNS request to another device. The system comprises a computer for generating a DNS request for a particular domain, and one or more VoIP devices for receiving the DNS request and sending a DNS response to the computer with a local network address for the VoIP device. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110149744 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIRECTING THE INSTALLATION OF VOIP DEVICES - A method and apparatus for directing the installation of a VoIP system. The method comprises performing one or more connectivity tests using a VoIP device to determine if the VoIP system is functional, receiving one or more inputs, determining a system status, and providing one or more instructional prompts. The inputs indicate the results of the one or more connectivity tests. The status is determined from the one or more results using the VoIP device. The instructional prompts are displayed in accordance with the determined status. The apparatus comprises means for performing one or more connectivity tests using a VoIP device, means for receiving input indicating one or more results for the one or more connectivity tests, means for determining a status for the VoIP system from the one or more results using the VoIP device, and means for providing instructional prompts for display depending upon the determined system status. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110081009 | Method And Apparatus For Providing An Identifier For A Caller Id Function In A Telecommunication System - Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for providing an identifier for a caller identifier (ID) function when processing a communication request between a calling party and a called party in a communication network is described. In some examples, an initial identifier for the caller ID function associated with the calling party is received. A determination is made if the calling party has a virtual identifier configured in the communication network. A determination is made if the called party has a predefined identifier associated with the calling party configured in the communication network. The initial identifier is replaced with a terminating identifier based on configuration of the virtual identifier and the predefined identifier in the communication network. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110022844 | AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING A PACKET TELEPHONY DEVICE - Packet telephony devices with encryption keys are configured to enable authentication systems and methods for increasing the security of online account access and transactions. The instant disclosure leverages the security in customer equipment hardware such as a terminal adaptor (TA) or router to authenticate a web transaction. A packet telephony device has an encoded encryption key. The encryption key may be used with a display, a user actuable trigger or in a secure connection with a web-enabled device to authenticate a user or a website. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110022841 | AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING A PACKET TELEPHONY DEVICE - Authentication systems and methods for increasing the security of online account access and transactions by leveraging the use of customer equipment provided by VoIP service providers. A method includes registering a packet telephony device with a packet telephony service provider for subsequent packet telephony communication, where the registration is based at least on an encoded encryption key. On a subsequent request to access an account, instructions are transmitted which require physical access to the packet telephony device to perform. Upon receipt of an indication that the instructions were successfully performed, the request is authenticated and access to the account is granted. Authentication may require a secure connection be automatically established between a web-enabled device and a packet telephony device. The instant disclosure leverages the security in the customer equipment hardware such as a Terminal adaptor (TA) or router so that a compromised account may be recovered. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20100316208 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUSY OVERRIDE IN AN INTERNET PROTOCOL-BASED TELEPHONE SYSTEM - Method and apparatus for busy override in an internet protocol-based telephone system are described. In some examples, a first communication attempt of a third party is received by a first party, the first party being in an established communication session with a second party over a communication network. A timer is initiated in response to the first communication attempt. A busy operation is performed with respect to the third party in response to the first communication attempt. At least one additional communication attempt by the third party is received during the established communication session. A busy override operation is performed with respect to the first party in response to the first communication attempt and the at least one additional communication attempt satisfying a threshold pattern of communication attempts, the threshold pattern being based on elapsed time of the timer. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100316202 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NEW SUBSCRIBER ACCESS TO TELEPHONY FEATURES - A method and apparatus for gaining access to communication services includes receiving an initial inquiry for communication service access, collecting equipment information based upon the initial inquiry, sending a non-voice communication to said equipment and receiving a request from said equipment to obtain communication service access. The apparatus includes a system having one or more controllers for performing communication service access. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100290455 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATION REQUEST TERMINATION ROUTING - A method and apparatus for call termination routing. The method comprises determining one or more characteristics of an incoming call, mapping the one or more characteristics to a termination policy, and routing the incoming call to a communication device. The incoming call is routed to the communication device in accordance with the mapped termination policy. The determining, mapping, and routing steps are performed by a controller computing device as known in the art. The apparatus comprises means for determining one or more characteristics of an incoming call, means for mapping the one or more characteristics to a termination policy, and means for routing the incoming call to a communication device. The incoming call is routed to the communication device in accordance with the mapped termination policy. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100226480 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING LONG UNTERMINATED PHONE WIRING LOOPS - A method and apparatus for detecting unterminated phone line loops. The method comprises generating a voltage differential pulse across a phone line loop, measuring a voltage differential across the phone line loop, and determining if the phone line loop is properly terminated based upon the measured differential. The apparatus comprises a voltage pulse generator, two phone wires, and a voltage pulse detector. The voltage pulse generator sends a voltage differential pulse, the two phone wires carry the voltage differential, and the voltage pulse detector measures the voltage differential across the phone wires. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100128865 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLACING A LONG DISTANCE CALL BASED ON A VIRTUAL PHONE NUMBER - A method and apparatus for reducing the cost of long distance phone calls is disclosed. Accordingly, an originating phone network is operatively connected to a first intermediate point, and a receiving phone network is operatively connected to a second intermediate point. Each intermediate point is operatively connected to communicate via a data network. Users on the originating and destination phone networks may communicate based on virtual numbers. The virtual number is preferably within the local calling area of the originating phone network. The first and second intermediate points route calls to any geographic location, regardless of distance, over the data network based on the virtual number. This provides the advantage of allowing a user on the originating phone network to access a user at a distant location for a price that is substantially similar to the price of a local call. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20090262729 | SYSTEM FOR EFFECTING A TELEPHONE CALL OVER A COMPUTER NETWORK WITHOUT ALPHANUMERIC KEYPAD OPERATION - A system for effecting a telephone call between telephonic devices is operative to use a computer network, without manual use of the alphanumeric keypads. A third party call control (3PCC) application program interface (API) provides the capability for users to use a web browser or other Internet capable software to place a call, rather than using the telephone keypad. A third party call control application program interface includes a uniform resource locator operable over the Internet to cause a call between a first telephonic device and a second telephonic device to be completed. The uniform resource locator includes identification of the first telephonic device and identification of the second telephonic device. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090196285 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVISIONING DUAL MODE WIRELESS CLIENT DEVICES IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM - Method and apparatus for provisioning a wireless multi-modal client device in a telecommunications system includes determining a provisioning environment within and a provisioning condition under which the client device is operating, determining a state of a configuration file of the client device and obtaining an updated configuration file based on the provisioning environment and provisioning conditions. The provisioning environment is determined by detecting one or more wireless networks accessible by the client device such as an IP-based network and a PSTN-based network. Connection to the IP-based network is made via WiFi and to the PSTN-based network via GSM/GPRS. The wireless networks defining the provisioning environment have characteristic timing intervals for configuration file updating. There is also an incremental timer that determines the elapsed time for each characteristic timing interval and switches between characteristic timing intervals depending upon the provisioning environment that the client device is operating within. | 08-06-2009 |
