AN INSTANT MESSAGING - CONVERGENCE TELEPHONY SWITCH

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to telecommunications services and to cross platform telecommunications interoperability (e.g. Telephony Switches and Gateway Protocols). More specifically, the present invention relates to "Interactive-Media Over Internet-Protocol" (IMOIP) enabled systems (sometimes called "Rich Media", "Live Media", or "Instant Messaging Broadband") and methods that are preferably capable of providing "Private Branch Exchange" (PBX) services to the "Voice Over Internet Protocol" (VOIP) users, and furthermore to facilitate broader gateway interfaces between an Internet resident virtual PBX and other telecommunications infrastructures; such as legacy systems and/or mobile telephony service provider systems.

BACKGROUND ART

Simply stated, there is a longstanding problem of providing VOIP services for a private user between many callers to the user and many representatives of the user, and between the many representatives and many external "callers".

Recall that, in the normal POTS (plain old telephone system) "Legacy" environment, a small enterprise user generally has a PBX (private branch exchange). The PBX allows calls (A) from many different outside parties to be directed via the PBX (with or without operator assistance) to various representatives within the enterprise, (B) between the representatives as intra-PBX conversations and in the form of call forwarding of an exterior caller from on representative to another; and from representatives to external "callers". Furthermore, the standard POTS PBX provides (D) for automatic rotation of incoming calls to representatives, statistics about the performance of the representatives, voice or keypad navigation within the enterprise, message recording and message playing services, recordkeeping, cost allocation, and the likes.

Now, returning to our longstanding problem, in today's converging world, there are an increasing number of VOIP callers that would like to call a PBX gateway which will appropriately transfer the incoming VOIP caller to a designated representative (as in "A" above), between representatives (as in "B" above), from representatives to "callers" (as in "C" above), and provide other typical PBX services as in (as in "D" above) above. More particularly, given the increasing globalization of internet-centric commerce, there is a growing need for enterprises to properly facilitate acceptance of incoming VOIP calls through a PBX gateway, without regard to the enterprise representatives using POTS or VOIP infrastructure. In addition, there is a need for a VOIP PBX emulator to facilitate energy efficient telecommuting by representatives. Therewith, there is a need for a VOIP enabled QSIG like protocol to interconnect a plurality of virtual VOIP PBXs, since the VOIP enabled representatives (unlike traditional POTS enabled representatives) are scattered among various servers and physically reside in any of the worlds time zones.

In the most critical aspect, the problem is to provide a complete package of PBX services to the VOIP client, without requiring the client neither to install nor to modify existing infrastructure; while facilitating hosted account type call center services with appropriate scalability. Now, many systems have been proposed and/or developed to try to address this critical aspect; including those described in US60239257 US20020118671 US20050047571 US20050282543 US20060023861 US20060193301 US20060239249 and US20060259668 (all of which are hereby incorporated by reference, as are all of the prior art references respectively cited therein). Nevertheless, none of these systems adequately facilitates a compact call center convergence between PBX and IM (Instant Messaging) VOIP sides.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The aforesaid longstanding needs are significantly addressed by embodiments of the present invention, which specifically relates to An Instant Messaging - Convergence Telephony Switch (IM-CTS). The instant IM-CTS method, apparatus, and protocol are especially useful in man-computer interactions wherein there exists (in general) a need to

provide a complete package of PBX services to the VOIP client, without requiring the client neither to install nor to modify existing infrastructure; while facilitating hosted account type call center services with appropriate scalability; and (in specific) to at least provide outgoing calling services from a caller of a VOIP hosted account bundle (virtual PBX) to a non-VOIP destination, such as a legacy device (POTS) or to a mobile telephone device.

Please note, the present invention will forthwith be described with a certain degree of particularity, however those versed in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and alterations may be carried out without departing from either the spirit or scope, as hereinafter claimed.

Turning to Fig 13, the present invention specifically relates to embodiments of an IM- Convergence Telephony Switch (IM-CTS) comprising: an internet resident software cluster 1301 having distributed therein a respective set of computer executable instructions (A) facilitating 1302 telephony call switching for an individual IM member among threads of a proxy hosted account, of multiple IM members within the same account, and the switching is between (I) at least one internet connected VOIP enabled communications device 1304 respectively using a first protocol and (II) at least one trunk 1305 of lines linked to an external Telephony Switch 1306 using a second protocol, and (B) facilitating 1303 respective telephony call processing for each thread when the thread is active, wherein said processing includes respective bidirectional transformations between a format of the first protocol and a format of the second protocol; wherein the first protocol is substantially an IM protocol and wherein the second protocol is substantially a protocol selected from the list: VOIP, Cellular, Digital, Analog, a combination of the at least two of the aforesaid protocols, and a hybrid combining parts of at least two of the aforesaid protocols.

The facilitating telephony call switching among individual threads of a proxy generally relates to service by an IM service provider for a customer, which in turn means action(s) on behalf of someone (i.e. surrogate). Therefore the IM service customer account is not resident on the customer hardware but is resident on the service provider machine and is managed by the service provider for the customer. Furthermore, a "hosted account" is of multiple IM members within the same account; and therefore comes to utilize a plurality of

threads. Likewise, it should be noted that when dealing with a PBX, trunk lines are the phone lines coming into the PBX from the telephone provider. Trunk lines transmit voice and/or data in formats such as analog, Tl, El, ISDN or PRI, VOIP (SIP, H323, MGCP, SS7), cellular and Wireless. Trunks can use protocols that connect via: Copper, Internet, cellular, wireles, etc. (mutatis mutandis).

In general, VOIP, Cellular, Digital, and Analog protocols are well-known. In the context of the instant invention, a VOIP protocol is SIP, H.323, Megaco, MGCP, SS7, RVP over IP, SAPv2, SGCP, Skinny, TAPI, JTAPI, RTSP, any earlier version of any of the aforesaid, or the likes. In the context of the instant invention, a Cellular protocol is GPRS, GSM, SS7, AMPS, CDMA, CDMA2000, CSD, DataTac, DECT, EDGE, EVDO, FDMA, UMA, GAN, HCSD, HSDPA, iDEN, Mobitex, NMT, PDC, PHS, TACS, TDMA, TD- SCDMA, UMTS, WCDMA, WiDEN, any earlier version of any of the aforesaid, or the likes. In the context of the instant invention, a Digital protocol is ISDN, PRI, El, Tl, TDM, BRI, BRITE, any earlier version of any of the aforesaid, or the likes. In the context of the instant invention, an Analog protocol is selected from the list: FXS, FXO, any earlier version of any of the aforesaid, or the likes. Furthermore, in the context of the instant invention, the external Telephony Switch is a specific PBX, a telephony operator switching system, a cellular switch, or the likes.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the trunk of lines is selected according to a conditional structure in the list: (A) for a VOIP environment, the trunk is an integer multiple of 8 lines; (B) for an ISDN El environment, the trunk is an integer multiple of 31 lines; (C) for an ISDN Tl environment, the trunk is a multiple of 24 lines; (D) for analog FXO FXS environment, the trunk is an even integer number of lines; and (E) for a cellular environment, the trunk is an even integer number of lines.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the instant invention, a communications device of the at least one communications device is enabled to access the internet via a connection medium selected from the list: Wifi, ADSL, Wireless, Wire line, Cellular, and the likes.

According to a third preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the substantially IM protocol is Skype. Please note that most of the detailed examples presented herein are in terms of Skype, however intrinsically one may substitute the detailed implementations via Skype with equivalent detailed implementations via other IM-Service "provider" systems (e.g. the substantially IM protocol is selected from the list: a Skype protocol, a Lycos Phone protocol, a Microsoft Messenger protocol, a Yahoo Messenger protocol, a Google Talk protocol, or the likes). In similar respective fashion, the proxy hosted account is associated with at least one IM-Service account ID (respective IM-Service Name) selected from the IM- Service providers Skype, Lycos Phone, Microsoft Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and Google Talk.

Thus, according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the proxy hosted account is associated with at least one IM-Service account ID (respective IM-Service Name). In the context of this fourth preferred embodiment, it is furthermore preferred that facilitating telephony call switching includes associating the at least one IM-Service account ID with at least one respective IM-Service extension or with a plurality of concurrent respective IM-Service extensions. According to one non-limiting example of this fourth preferred embodiment, facilitating telephony call switching includes software that, for an incoming call from a VOIP enabled device to a IM-Service account ID having the at least one IM-Service extension, firstly facilitates identifying available IM-Service extensions of the IM- Service account ID, secondly facilitates connecting the incoming call to one of the identified available IM-Service extensions, thirdly facilitates call switching between (I) an available IM- Service extension of the identified available IM-Service extensions and (II) the at least one trunk, and fourthly facilitates propagating the incoming call to a line of the at least one trunk. According to another non-limiting example of this fourth preferred embodiment, the set of computer executable instructions includes software that, for an incoming call originating from an external Telephony Switch via an attached trunk, firstly facilitates identifying the IM- Service account ID associated with the trunk, secondly facilitates identifying available IM- Service extensions of the IM-Service account ID, thirdly facilitates connecting the incoming call to one of the identified available IM-Service extensions, and fourthly facilitates propagating the call to the destination VOIP communications device.

According to a fifth preferred embodiment of the instant invention, facilitating telephony call switching includes facilitating identifying the individual IM member, among the multiple IM members within the same account, by performing an automatic activity selected from the list: a directory search, a table lookup, a telephone "number" transformation, and an IM "calling code" concatenation; wherein the call switching is for a call originating from a cellular telephone or from a landline telephone, and is propagating to the VOIP communications device. This is a wonderful answer to a longstanding problem, because in the context of instant IM-CTS embodiments, one may now provide full interoperability and thus approach complete convergence among internet telephony systems and likewise to landline telephony, and to mobile telephony systems. This may be accomplished by giving each respective internet telephony service provider with his own equivalent of international country code or internet area code. Similarly, since the internet user may have a "handle" rather than a subscriber number, one may implement a transformation between his handle and his more numeric generic internet telephony ID; much as a website name converts into a numeric sequence of triplets.

According to a sixth preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the internet resident software includes at least one set of computer executable instructions residing on a hardware device selected from the list: a server, a cell phone, a wireless communications enabled device, and a computer apparatus. Now, for simplicity of understanding, one may consider the instant IM-CTS as a software-driven interface localized between an internet connection and an external telephony switch connection. However, there are many other topologies variants that accommodate embodiments of the instant invention. For example, placing two IM-CTSs allows using the internet as an in-place infrastructure (shunt) between the two respective external telephony switches. This effectively allows an enterprise to unify two physically separate PBX systems via an external-caller-transparent internet infrastructure shunt. Likewise, coordination of multiple IM-CTSs mutually interconnected to the internet allow for the instant configure of a new class of global telephone enterprises. Moving to a more populist model, placing micro-IM-CTSs on respective cellular telephones and/or on respective telephone-and-internet systems connected computer apparatus (PCs, etc.) allows for a peer-to-peer style scalable global telephone cooperative; potentially accommodating disparity of external billing events to respective local terrestrial and/or POTS telephone

companies to financial load balancing models known from other non-telecommunications cooperatives.

Alternatively, another principal embodiments (see Fig. 11 and 12) of an IM- Convergence Telephony Switch according to the instant invention, substantially relates to a set of computer executable instructions 1101 (or 1201) for managing call throughput connections including software that, for an incoming call 1102 to a "hosted account" 1103, firstly facilitates 1202 identifying available VOIP extensions 1104 associated with at least one respective "hosted account" and secondly facilitates 1203 connecting the incoming call to one of the identified available VOIP extensions 1105. This embodiment focuses on the call center routing facility of a basic PBX implemented for an internet centric telephone instantiation; preferably with interconnection to at least one external telephony switch.

Before we present various further embodiments of the instant invention, it will be useful to understand how the instant invention introduces progress over the existing background of telephony technological infrastructures.

Most progressive VOIP implementations (e.g. Skype) are designed to facilitate rich media intercommunications; the substantially simultaneous transmission and receipt of high quality streaming audio, streaming visual, and text parcels (e.g. documents, IM-CTS, SMSs, etc.). Rich media interconnection runs smoothly if the interconnected users have broadband access. The rich media VOIP service facilitator does not really care about the wasted bandwidth of users who use this connection for voice and/or text without streaming video or recording studio quality music. The rich media VOIP service facilitator is focused on maintaining highest quality of service, even if there is lots of allocated albeit unused bandwidth and/or lots of empty packets running back and forth. Thus, in a first instance (of the instant invention), there is benefit to provide a software application for the ordinary low- to-intermediate user group (e.g. call center representatives) to be able to bundle adequate quality bandwidth allocations through a front-end interface that organizes traffic between the representatives, through the physical bandwidth limited internet access interconnect, and to/from software localized (or clustered) in the internet. Thereafter, routing between the

localized or clustered software ends may be accomplished using the broadband VOIP service facilitator, over private networks, via commercial telecommunications carriers, or the likes.

Now, there is another instance where the rich media VOIP service facilitator may provide easy PBX services to the users, in that a single user often keeps an instantiation of his user-to-VOIP application on multiple computers (e.g. on his work computer, his home computer, etc.). When the VOIP provider wants to signal the user that he has an incoming call, typically all of the users running instantiations will ring. Today, when the user accepts the incoming call on one machine, the provider will automatically cancel and temporarily suspend interactions with the other instantiations - until the current accepted call in terminated. Thus, in a second instance (of the instant invention), there is benefit to provide a software application for each instance to be viewed as a sub-account of the user - thereby instantly turning the multiple users running instantiations into a private virtual call center; wherein the provider will NOT automatically cancel NOR temporarily suspend interactions with the other instantiations - while a current accepted call in connected.

Now, there is a further instance where the rich media VOIP service facilitator may provide easy PBX services to the users, in that dialing-codes, area-codes, and country-codes are part of accepted legacy telephony practice. Thus, in a third instance (of the instant invention), there is benefit to provide a unique access code (or "termination") for each VOIP service provider; thereby facilitating instant access among VOIP service facilitators, and between respective VOIP service facilitators and/or respective Legacy (POTS) service providers and/or mobile telephone service providers, WIFI, etc. By this paradigm (generally enabled by standard gateway interfaces between substantially autonomous proxies, a POTS user may direct dial a VOIP user, a VOIP user of one protocol may direct dial a VOIP user of a different protocol, etc.

Now, simply stated, a basic embodiment of the instant invention relates in general to embodiments hosting Skype accounts and routing converging of Skype calls between Skype users and legacy telecommunication switches belonging to enterprises, PSTN operators, and cellular operators; and preferably vice versa. More specifically, a basic embodiment of the instant invention relates to a method (logical apparatus - i.e. software) for routing and

converging calls between Skype users and legacy telecommunication switches; by using a IM-CTS (Skype), (the IM-CTS (Skype) is an implementation example of Skype services; much as a Google Talk Gateway Switch would be an IM-CTS implementation example of Google Talk Service, etc.) which facilitate Skype accounts hosting for enterprises and telephone companies, and enables call convergence and routing between these organizations and Skype users.

For simplicity of understanding, we will describe a narrow non-limiting example of the instant invention in the context of Skype; and elsewhere, we will describe a broader non- limiting example of the instant invention, called "IM-Convergence Telephony Switch (IM- CTS)". Of course, there are many acronyms in the world of telephony, and a few more of them (that will help the reader in appreciating the instant invention disclosure) are: Foreign Exchange Station (FXS), Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), and Signaling System 7 (SS7).

Skype telephony has gained momentum as a leading Internet telephony service, which support a diverse means of end user devices for communications. Skype users can communicate by using their personal computer (PC), PC attached phones, special PSTN phones, and WLAN phones. In addition Skype users can benefit by using the Skype-In services. This free easy-to-use service has gain momentum and popularity among home users.

The benefits of communications between Skype subscribers can be extended to organizations such as enterprises and telecommunications service providers. These organizations have invested, throughout the years, a great deal of resources in legacy communications equipment; such as Public Branch Exchange (PBXs), PSTN Switches, and Cellular Switches. To enable these organization to join the Skype network, their legacy telecommunications equipment can be converged to the Skype network, using an embodiment of the instant invention, and interoperate with the offered Skype services.

Therefore, embodiments of the instant invention relate to a method and apparatus for facilitating session control in an inter-protocol convergence between the Skype protocol and

the telecommunication equipment protocols, which may include the following telecommunications protocols: TDM, FXS, FXO, SS7, SIP ₅ H323, MGCP and others.

Organization like enterprises and telecommunication service providers, which wish to interconnect their legacy telecommunication equipments to the Skype network, can use the IM-CTS (Skype) for hosted Skype services. (Note: IM-CTS (Skype) is a Skype enabled ATC embodiment, "proxy" according to the instant invention.) The IM-CTS (Skype) hosts Skype accounts for these organizations. Any communication that is directed by Skype to these organization's Skype accounts, is converged by the IM-CTS (Skype) to the target telephony protocol and forwarded to the organization legacy telecommunication equipment.

In order to facilitate the interaction between the Skype network and legacy telecommunication equipments, the IM-CTS (Skype) serves as an intermediary between the Skype network and the telecommunication legacy equipments. A call from a e^urce Skype subscriber to a destination organization Skype account, would be connected via the Internet to the organization Skype account hosted at the IM-CTS (Skype), which in turn converges the Skype protocol to a the target protocol (i.e. SIP, TDM ₅ SS7, H323 and others), and than forward the call the Internet to the destination telecommunication equipments.

Now (turning to the accompanying Fig. 1), an instant invention embodiment narrow instantiation relates to "Inter-site call routing and roaming support"; particularly to a method and apparatus, arranged and operating for hosting Skype accounts at the IM-CTS (Skype). The hosted Skype accounts within the IM-CTS (Skype) (100) may belong to an organization such as enterprises 150, or telecommunication service providers such as PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) 16O ₅ or to Cellular Operators 170. Once a call from a source Skype subscriber (110, 120, or 130) is received at the IM-CTS (Skype) (100) via the Internet, it converges the Skype telephony protocol to the destination telephony protocols (e.g. SIP) ₅ and forwards the call via the Internet 140 to destination organization (150, 160, or 170) telephony switch for call completion.

Accordingly, a typical Skype IM-CTS is a Virtual Internet Skype-based convergence PBX wherein: (A) the IM-CTS system can host on one hand Skype-based services for

Enterprises and Telco's, and on another hand SIP-based services, and connect the two together; and in particular a Layer 2 within the IM-CTS subsystem enables a unique convergence protocol between the SIP-based subsystem and the Skype-based subsystem. It uses an implementation version of the instant invention "IM-CTS Codec" (VOIP conversion) that is described below.

In this context, essentially, a typical communications "handshake" runs according to the following routine (from "phone call starts" - to "phone call ends"):

Phone Call Starts

Set timer = 0

Do While (timer <= 100 millisecond)

Read the Skype VOIP buffer from Skype Instant Messages client buffer

Copy the buffer into a temporary buffer

Convert the Skype wideband voice format to a narrowband VOIP format (e.g. SIP)

Accumulate the converted narrowband VOIP codec into a VOIP buffer

Wait 10 milliseconds

Repeat operation end

Reaches 100 milliseconds Transmit the VOIP buffer to PBX Clear the VOIP buffer Repeat Operation until Phone call ends

Now, a major feature in the IM-CTS system is its ability to enable multiple concurrent Skype phone calls (Skype extensions) for every single ordinary Skype account ID (can be an enterprise Skype account ID). A typical IM-CTS customer can use the system in the following manner: a. Define a Skype account ID via the standard Skype Web facilities. The Skype account is a standard Skype account.

b. Once the Skype Account is defined, the IM-CTS customers register theirs Skype account within the IM-CTS online Web registration facilities. c. Once defined to the IM-CTS system, the customer can select the number of Skype extensions that can be activated concurrently under his/her Skype account ID. d. IM-CTS enables to customer to select unlimited number extensions per single Skype Account ID. e. The Skype extensions that can be activated under the same single Skype account ID, are organized in trunks:

1. In a VOIP environment (SIP) the customer can select trunks as multiple of 8, i.e.: 8, 16, 32, 64, 128....

2. In ISDN environment the customer can select trunks as multiple of El and Tl lines, i.e.: 1 El line is 31 lines and 1 Tl line is 24 lines.

3. In analog FXO/FXS the customer can select a trunk of 2,4,8 lines in one trunk

Once the IM-CTS customer has defined his single Skype account ID, and purchased his/her required Skype trunks (as defined above - SIP, ISDN, Analog), the IM-CTS system is enabling multiple Skype extensions under single Skype Account as described below.

Now, the IM-CTS is enabled to run multiple concurrent Skype telephone sessions under a single Skype account Id by using the following methodology:

(A) An IM-CTS customer selects the number of Skype concurrent extensions that would be activated under the same single Skype account ID; and

(B) Each IM-CTS server consists of the (I) The IM-CTS Manager - this is the IM- CTS calls trafficker; and (II) Skype extensions each running under a separate Linux account- ID. Each Skype account is attributed a specified number of concurrent Skype extensions. It is implemented in a single Linux Server within the IM-CTS environment.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates that each Skype extension within the trunk for customer A (804) and B (806) is: Running under a separate Skype user-ID (under the same IM-CTS); Activated by a standard Skype-supplied client; and the Skype client is activated with the Skype ID that has been defined and select by the customers (A or B).

In this FIG 8 illustration:

• The IM-CTS manager: o Overlooks at all telephony activities within the IM-CTS environment o Incoming call (802) to a IM-CTS hosted Skype account (804) proxy: Identify the available Skype extensions (805) for the specific Skype account (804); connects the call to extension o Outgoing call (807) from a IM-CTS hosted account proxy: Identify the destination (a specified PBX or telephony operator switching system), and propagate the call to the destination. o Enforce security and integrity of the IM-CTS system

• Customer A hosted account (804) has selected to have 8 concurrent Skype extensions hosted at the IM-CTS system, and propagated to his SIP PBX as a single trunk with 12 SIP cannels.

• Customer B hosted account (806) Has selected to have 4 concurrent Skype extensions hosted at the IM-CTS system, and propagated to his Analog PBX as a single trunk with 4 analog extensions.

Fig. 9. illustrates a complete call-flow from an incoming source PBX (903) to an outgoing destination Skype subscriber (907): An example phone call from a SIP source PBX subscriber (903) is initiated to a destination Skype subscriber (907), such that — (FIRST) A phone call is initiated by a SIP user within a specified PBX, to a destination Skype subscriber, by calling the Skype hosted account (904) which is hosted within the IM-CTS system (901), as are other Skype hosted accounts such as 906. (SECOND) Using the Standard Skype-API, the IM-CTS Manager (902) receives the call signaling, and identifies the Skype hosted account (904) within the IM-CTS (901). (THIRD) The IM-CTS Manager (902), checks the availability and validity of the Skype extension (905), and_connects the call to it. Once connected, the Skype extension (905) propagates the call to the outgoing destination Skype subscriber (907), and the call is established.

Fig. 9 can also be used to illustrate the reverse a call flow - when the source incoming call is from a VOIP enabled device (903) to a destination telephone which is attached to a PBX.(907) : A phone call from a VoIP enabled device (903) to a hosted Skype account (904) to a destination SIP source PBX (907). Skype user, such that (First) A phone call is initiated by a VOIP enabled device (903) to a hosted Skype account (904) within the IM-CTS ₅ to a destination SIP PBX (907). (Second) Using the Standard Skype-API, the IM-CTS Manager (902) receives the call signaling, and identifies the Skype hosted account (904) and the associated Skype extensions (905), connects the call to the Skype extension (905). The Skype extension (905) propagates the call to the target SIP PBX system (907). (Third) The IM-CTS Manager (902), checks the availability and validity of the SIP trunk which leads to the SIP PBX (907), and propagates the call to it. Once handshaking is completed, the call is established.

Turning now to the broader context of embodiments of the instant invention (IM-CTS method, apparatus, and protocol), we will consider aspects of IM-CTS Adaptive Mechanism (SAM) parameters.

An object of the IM-CTS Adaptive Mechanism (SAM) is to enable the operation of the IM-CTS IM-Convergence telephony switch (IM-CTS) in a constantly changing environment. There are numerous detailed parameters that the adaptive mechanism has to consider.

Bandwidth Usage: Skype wideband bandwidth usage is 3-16 kilobytes/second and preferred IM-CTS telephony switch bandwidth usage is 16 kilobits/second.

Sampling frequency: Skype sampling rate is variable between 3ms to 10ms (330 Hz to 100 Hz, respectively) and typical Legacy telephone systems sampling rate is 100ms (10 Hz).

Multiple-extensions for one Skype account-ID: Skype sampling rate is variable between 3ms to 10ms (330 Hz to 100 Hz, respectively) and typical Legacy telephone systems sampling rate is 100ms (10 Hz).

Multi-User Interference (MUI): An embodiment of the instant method exhibits adaptive capabilities with respect to MUI degrading effects and, depending on number of Skype extensions for a single Skype account-ID, the IM-CTS system perform an adaptive prediction to determine and make a decision as for "when to issue a buffer-read request" from communicating partner with minimal impact of MUI on sampling rate frequency.

Network delays caused by Skype peer-to-peer constraints: Each Skype subscriber may be located in a different geographical location, have a different Internet connectivity (modem type, wireless, etc.) and bandwidth. This above constrains cause differences in the VOIP sampling rate, as one Skype account may include multiple Skype extensions which are exchanging VOIP buffers with different Skype subscribers.

Dynamic Jitter: In order to compensate the differences of sampling rates frequencies for the Skype wide-band and the legacy telephone narrow-band, a dynamic jitter buffer mechanism is implemented.

IM-CTS Adaptive Mechanism (SAM) operation: For each telephony session between IM-CTS Skype-extension (which belongs to a hosted Skype account-ID) and another Skype subscriber, SAM collects the following four information items: (I) Number of active telephony sessions under the Skype account-ID. (II) Number of active telephony sessions in the server. (Ill) Time delay for a complete cycle: starting at issuing "buffer read request" (from communicating Skype peer), going thru receiving the buffer, down-sampling, finishing by accumulating in jitter buffer.(IV) Network time delay - how long it takes the communicating Skype peer to return a buffer after a "buffer read request". These four information items are classified by the Skype ID of the Skype party which is communicating with the IM-CTS system. The information is kept in a database, which resides at the IM-CTS system.

When an active telephony session is started SAM is initiating a dynamic jitter buffer that mediate the gap of sampling rate frequency between Skype and the legacy telephony equipment. For each active session, SAM builds a prediction model which calculates the exact time to issue the next "buffer read request". SAM applies statistical analysis that takes in

count the following dimensions: (I) Historical Analysis: Associated with the specific Skype communicating party and Associated with the IM-CTS "hosted account" (proxy) system under similar load and constrains. (II) Real-time analysis: Network load; Multi User Interference (MUI); and End-to-end response (include network response and processing). (Ill) SAM analysis determines what should be the time delay until issuing the next "buffer read request".

As a result of issuing "buffer read request": (I) The VOIP buffer from communicating Skype peer transmitted to the IM-CTS system. (II) Down-sampling the buffer (III) Accumulating the buffer within the dynamic jitter buffer (IV) Every 100ms (10 Hz), SAM takes 1600 bits of data (represents an accumulation of 100ms, in a 16 kilobits/second codec), and transmits it to the legacy telephony system.

The above disclosure does not include an exhaustive list of all aspects of the present invention, Indeed, the inventor contemplates that the invention will include all systems and methods that can be practices from all suitable combinations of the various aspects summarized above, as well as those disclosed in the modes for carrying out the invention description below and particularly pointed out in the claims filed with the application. Such combinations have particular advantages not specifically recited in the above disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments including the preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non- limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description in consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a simplified and representative environment associated with an exemplary architecture of the IM-CTS (Skype) (100) having enterprise sites with exemplary PBXs (150), exemplary telecommunication service providers with exemplary

telephony switch (160, 170), and exemplary Skype users (HO ₅ 120, 130) and connections to a Internet (140) in accordance with various exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the exemplary Skype end user having an exemplary Personal Computer PC (210) with Skype services, or an exemplary Skype wireless telephone (221) connected to the Internet via a wireless router (220) , or an exemplary Skype-In PSTN phone number (230) which facilitate Skype communication with a PSTN subscriber, in accordance with various exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary enterprise having sites with exemplary IP PBX (310) and IP link to the Internet or exemplary TDM PBX (321) connected to the Internet via a TDM Gateway (320) in accordance with various exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary PSTN Operator having sites with exemplary IP PSTN Switch (400) and IP link to the Internet or exemplary TDM or SS7switch (411) connected to the Internet via TDM or SS7 gateway 410 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary Cellular Operator having sites with exemplary SS7 (500) switch and IP link to the Internet or exemplary SS7 switch connected to the Internet via a SS7 gateway (510) in accordance with various exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary call flow between an exemplary source Skype User (600) to an exemplary destination enterprise or telecommunication service provider (620) via the exemplary IM-CTS (Skype) 610 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 7. is a diagram illustrating an exemplary apparatus in accordance with various exemplary and alternative exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates the IM-CTS (801) structure, where for each customer A (804) and B (806) is: Running under a separate Skype user-ID (804) (under the same IM-CTS); Activated

by a standard Skype-supplied client (805) for connecting incoming call (802) to an outgoing call (807);

Fig. 9. illustrates a complete call-flow from an incoming source PBX (903) to an outgoing destination Skype subscriber (907): and vice- versa - a call flow when the source incoming call is from a VOIP enabled device (903) to a destination telephone which is attached to a PBX.(907) ;

Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of an IM-Convergence Telephony Switch (IM-CTS) network topology;

Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of an IM-Convergence Telephony Switch (IM-CTS) structure; and

Figs 12-13 are schematic diagrams illustrating two forms of exemplary IM-CTS.

MODES FORCARRYING OUTTHE INVENTION

Turning to Figure 10, the present invention relates to embodiments of an IM- Convergence Telephony Switch (IM-CTS) (1003) comprising: an internet 1002 resident software cluster having distributed therein a respective set of computer executable instructions (A) facilitating telephony call switching for an individual IM member among threads of a proxy hosted account (1004), of multiple IM members within the same account, and the switching is between (I) at least one internet connected VOIP enabled communications device (1001) respectively using a first protocol and (II) at least one trunk of lines (1005) linked to an external Telephony Switch (1006) using a second protocol, and (B) facilitating respective telephony call processing for each thread when the thread is active, wherein said processing includes respective bidirectional transformations between a format of the first protocol and a format of the second protocol; wherein the first protocol is substantially an IM protocol and wherein the second protocol is substantially a protocol selected from the list: VOIP, Cellular,

Digital, Analog, a combination of the at least two of the aforesaid protocols, and a hybrid combining parts of at least two of the aforesaid protocols.

Now, in the narrow embodiment instantiation (non-limiting example embodiment), the present invention concerns communications between Skype subscribers and organizations such as enterprises and telecommunication service providers via the IM-CTS (Skype).

Calls placed by Skype subscribers (1001), which may, in accordance with some embodiments, be stationary and wired, in accordance with other embodiments, the wireless units, such as two-way radios and the like associated with a communication system such as a home network or enterprise network, a WLAN or the like.

More particularly, various inventive concepts and principles are embodied in systems, IM-CTS (Skype), and methods therein for facilitating Skype communication to organization such as enterprises or telecommunication service providers by receiving the Skype call at the IM-CTS (Skype), which in turn converges the Skype protocol to a target protocol such as TDM, SIP, H323, SS7 and others, and establishes connectivity to the target Enterprises PBX or the telecommunications service providers switches via the Internet.

In FIG 1 the IM-CTS (Skype) (100) serves as an intermediate communication switch which hosts Skype accounts for organizations. It receives calls from Skype users 110-130 with the Skype protocol, converge the calls to a destination protocol and foreword the call to the destination enterprise or destination telecommunication service provider (150-170). Calls that are initiated by enterprise phone subscriber, via the PBX or by PSTN phone subscriber, are forwarded by the PBX or PSTN switch to the IM-CTS (Skype) (100), that converges the call to the Skype protocol and forewords the call via the Internet to the Skype users (110-130).

The IM-CTS (Skype) converges the Skype calls to voice communications protocols such as the TDM protocol, VOIP protocols such as SIP, H323 or MGCP , various cellular phone protocols such as, analog and digital cellular, CDMA (code division multiple access) and variants thereof, SCCAN, GSM, GPRS (General Packet Radio System), 2.5 G and 3 G

systems such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service) systems, 3GPP, 3GPP2, 4G, PTT, Internet Protocol (IP) Wireless Wide Area Networks like 802.16, 802.20 or FLASH-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) network, integrated digital enhanced networks and variants or evolutions thereof.

A simplified and representative exemplary scenario associated with an exemplary configuration is illustrated in FIG. 1. It should be noted that the Skype services can be obtained by various end user devices such as Personal Computer (PC) equipped with the Skype software (110), Skype software installed on a wireless phone in WLAN at home or enterprises or public places (130), or Skype-IN PSTN phone number (120) that is routed by Skype to a particular Skype user (120). An exemplary target organization may be an enterprise (150), or telecommunication service providers such as PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) (160) or LEC (Local Exchange Carrier) or IXC (Inter-exchange carrier). The IM-CTS (Skype) (100) operates as convergence and forwarding protocol between the calling parties. It receives phone calls from the Skype users (110-130), converges the calls to a target protocols, and foreword the calls to the target communication switch (150-170).

Another simplified and representative exemplary configuration is illustrated in FIG. 2. It should be noted that Skype services can be provided by various end-user devices such as Personal Computer (PC) equipped with the Skype software (210), Skype software installed on a wireless phone in WLAN at home or enterprises or public places (221) and utilizes a wireless router (220) to access the Internet, or Skype-IN PSTN phone number (231) that is routed by Skype to a particular Skype user (230).

A further simplified and representative exemplary configuration is illustrated in FIG. 3. An exemplary target organization may be an enterprise which utilizes an IP PBX (310), with PBX attached phones (311) or an enterprise which utilizes a TDM PBX (321) with TDM gateway (320) to facilitate VOIP communications. Fig 4. exemplifies a telecommunication service providers such as PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or LEC (Local Exchange Carrier) or IXC (Inter-exchange carrier) which utilizes a VOIP switch (400) having a PSTN telephone (401) subscriber attached, or such an organization which utilizes a TDM switch (411) connected to a TDM to VOIP gateway (410). Fig 5 exemplified a Cellular

Operator with a VOIP switch 500 having a cellular telephone (501) subscriber in communications, or a Cellular Operator SS7 switch (510) which utilizes an SS7-VOIP Gateway (511).

To further the objectives associated with various exemplary embodiments, an exemplary telecommunication switch in FIG 1. such as any one of PBX (150), telecom switch (160), and Cellular Switch (170), needs to know how to route a call to a destination telephone which are attached to it. Specifically, an exemplary destination Telecom Switch (160) should have the information to which attached telephone the call should be routed. In accordance with some potential solutions, all target PBXs and switches can be configured with domain identifiers in the form of a directory search, a table lookup, a telephone "number" transformation, and an IM "calling code" concatenation system that can further assist in identifying the target telephone.

In addition, to further the objectives associated with various exemplary embodiments, an exemplary PSTN telephone which is connected via copper wires to a PSTN telecommunication switch such as any one of telecom switch (160), initiate a call to a target Skype subscriber by selecting a predefine Skype user with a predefined attached a directory search, a table lookup, a telephone "number" transformation, and an IM "calling code" concatenation. The Skype user IDs and the associated speed dial which reside at the IM-CTS (Skype) (100) Once a call is received by the IM-CTS (Skype) (100), It forewords the call to appropriate Skype user by looking at the Skype User Table.

A more detailed example of the operation of a call process in accordance with various exemplary embodiments is shown in FIG. 6. When a call is initiated, for example, at Skype wireless phone or PC equipped with Skype software (600) to a destination Skype account which is hosted at the IM-CTS (Skype) (610). The call is received at the IM-CTS (Skype) (610), the call is processed by the Skype Protocol Converter (611) and converted to the selected target telephony protocols, such as: VOIP protocol (612) as SIP, H323, and others; Legacy protocols (613) as TDM, FXS, FXO and others; Cellular protocols (614) as SS7 and others; Once converted, the call is processed by the IM-CTS manager (615) and transferred via telecommunication lines to the organization switch (620). The organization switch (620)

receives the call, and completes the call process by forwarding the call to the appropriate destination telephones, such as: for enterprise PBX a PBX phone, for PSTN switch a PSTN phone, and for cellular operator a cellular phone.

Another call process in accordance with various exemplary embodiments is shown in FIG. 6. A call is initiated, for example, at PSTN phone or Cellular Phone, forwarded to PSTN Switch or Cellular switch (620), and than forwarded to the IM-CTS (Skype) (610). The IM- CTS manager (615) accepts the call and process it with the appropriate protocol such as: VOIP protocol (612) as SIP, H323, and others; Legacy protocols (613) as TDM, FXS, FXO and others; Cellular protocols (614) as SS7 and others; Once converted, the call is processed by the Skype protocols converter (611) and transmitted over communication lines to the Telephone Destination (600) Skype user.

To better appreciate the application of the above described exemplary procedures and inventive principles, an exemplary apparatus is shown in FIG. 7. It will be appreciated that apparatus (700) may be an exemplary device such as an exemplary inter-domain telephony switch, a server computer, a cellular phone or the like without departing from the invention. In any case, apparatus (700) preferably includes processor (710), memory (720), storage (730), network interface (750 and 760) may provide an interface to a network such as the Internet network, a private IP network, Local Area Network (LAN), a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or other network as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill.

Apparatus (700) may also be provided with user interface (740), particularly when apparatus (700) is embodied as a user interface or the like, although in many instances no user interface will be necessary. It will further be appreciated that as the inventive principles described herein are suitable for implementation in, for example, a software program, the instructions associated with the computer program and capable of being read by processor (710), may preferably be stored in memory (720) and may be executed in order to perform the useful functions and routines described herein.

Now, according to a narrow aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a method for hosting Skype accounts and routing and converging of Skype calls between Skype users and legacy telecommunication switches belonging to enterprises, PSTN operators and cellular operators, and vice versa. More specifically to a method and for routing and converging calls between Skype subscribers and legacy telecommunication switches by using a IM-CTS (Skype) which facilitates Skype accounts hosting for enterprises and enables call convergence and routing between these organizations and Skype users. The IM-CTS (Skype) converges and routes calls between Skype users and the organizations telecommunications equipments such as enterprise PBXs, PSTN switches, and Cellular switches via Wide Area Network (WAN) environment.

According to further aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a IM-CTS (Skype) that converges the Skype telephony protocol to a plurality of telephony protocol; such as the TDM protocol, VOIP protocols such as SIP, H323 or MGCP , various cellular phone protocols such as, analog and digital cellular, CDMA (code division multiple access) and variants thereof, SCCAN, GSM, GPRS (General Packet Radio System), 2.5 G and 3 G systems such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service) systems, 3GPP, 3GPP2, 4G, PTT, Internet Protocol (IP) Wireless Wide Area Networks like 802.16, 802.20 or FLASH-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) network, integrated digital enhanced networks and variants or evolutions thereof, and vice Vera.

According to a first variation aspect of the instant invention, there is provided that the IM-CTS (Skype) receives Skype calls to the plurality hosted Skype accounts and converges and foreword the Skype calls a destination telecommunication switches such as enterprise PBX, PSTN switches, and Cellular switches. According to one way of implementing this embodiment, the hosted Skype accounts belong to organizations such as: enterprises, PSTN operators, cellular operators and any other telephony service provider. According to another way of implementing this embodiment, the IM-CTS (Skype) receives Skype calls to the hosted Skype accounts, converges the Skype protocol to the destination telephony protocol and forward the call to the destination telephony switch. According to a further way of implementing this embodiment, the telephony protocol includes a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Now, according to yet another way of implementing this embodiment, the telephony

protocol includes a H323; or a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP); or a Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM); or an Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN); or a Signaling System 7 (SS7); or a PSTN telephony switch; or an Internet Protocol (IP) compliant Private Branch Exchange (PBX); or a Cellular telephony switch; or the likes.

According to a second variation aspect of the instant invention, there is provided that the IM-CTS (Skype) receives telephone calls from telecommunication switches such as enterprise PBX ₅ PSTN switches, and Cellular switches; in-turn convergence the calls to the Skype protocol and forward the calls to the Skype network via the hosted Skype accounts.

According to a third variation aspect of the instant invention, there is provided that the IM-CTS (Skype) resides at a plurality of telecommunication center premises which may include: enterprise communication facility, PSTN operator premises, Cellular operator premises or any other telecommunication facilities. According to one way of implementing this embodiment, the IM-CTS (Skype) communicates over Wide Area Network (WAN) communication lines such as the public Internet network, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), private communication lines, and Local Area Network (LAN).

According to a broader aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a method for facilitating inter-site call routing where sites may be connected through a network associated with the public Internet or private IP networks.

While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the IM-CTS described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. By non-limiting example, we mention that Lycos Phone, Microsoft Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, and other VOIP instant messenger providers will effectively extend their service package structure using variant embodiments of the IM-CTS of the instant invention; as is the case with Skype of the exemplary embodiments. Hence, there are a universe of instant embodiments between the Skype variant embodiments, the IM-CTS variant embodiments, and the combinations which enable the preferred embodiment.

In describing the present invention, explanations are presented in light of currently accepted telecommunications protocols and ergonomic-interface service configurations. Such protocols and configurations are subject to changes, both adiabatic and radical. Often these changes occur because representations for fundamental component elements are innovated, because new transformations between these elements are conceived, or because new interpretations arise for these elements or for their transformations. Therefore, it is important to note that the present invention relates to specific technological actualization in embodiments. Accordingly, protocol or configuration dependent explanations herein, related to these embodiments, are presented for the purpose of teaching, the current man of the art how these embodiments may be substantially realized in practice. Alternative or equivalent explanations for these embodiments may neither deny nor alter their realization.

Furthermore, numbers, alphabetic characters, and roman symbols are designated herein are for convenience of explanations only, and should by no means be regarded as imposing particular order on any method steps.

Now, the inventor considers various elements of the aspects and methods recited in the claims filed with the application as advantageous, perhaps even critical to certain implementations of the invention. However, the inventor regards no particular element as being "essential," except as set forth expressly in any particular claim. For example, specific parameters typical of Skype are not "essential" to an invention claimed without limitations as to a particular type of action, since evolving protocol standards precede the ongoing IM-CTS implementation, per se.

Finally, while the present invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments and generally associated methods, the inventor contemplates that alterations and permutations of the preferred embodiments and methods will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.