Method and apparatus for correlating a unique identifier, such as a PSTN telephone number, to an internet address to enable communications over the internet

Claim 1

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses, wherein the unique identifiers are an identification of one or more selected from the group consisting of a station set, person, place and organization; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 2

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses, wherein the unique identifiers are an identification of one or more selected from the group consisting of a station set, person, place and organization; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 3

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses, wherein the unique identifiers are one or more selected from the group consisting of telephone numbers, random numbers, personal identity codes, social security numbers, recorded spoken names, voice prints, finger prints, and retina scans: at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 4

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses, wherein the unique identifiers are one or more selected from the group consisting of telephone numbers, random numbers, personal identity codes, social security numbers, recorded spoken names, voice prints, finger prints, and retina scans: at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 6

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems, wherein the communications systems are one or more selected from the group consisting of IP-PBX, IP-CO, IP-Centrex, IP-telephone, IP-wireless phone, IP-voicemail, IP-fax, unified messaging, and remote printing systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 7

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems, wherein the communications systems are one or more selected from the group consisting of IP-PBX, IP-CO, IP-Centrex, IP-telephone, IP-wireless phone, IP-voicemail, IP-fax, unified messaging, and remote printing systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 9

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems, wherein the multiple Internet addresses are one or more selected from the group consisting of an SMTP address, and a VPIM address; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 10

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems, wherein the multiple Internet addresses are one or more selected from the group consisting of an SMTP address, and a VPIM address; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 11

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique Identifiers and associated Internet addresses; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems, wherein the multiple Internet addresses are associated with multiple destinations selected from the group consisting of a telephone, voice mailbox, fax machine, printer, and unified messaging mailbox; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 12

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique Identifiers and associated Internet addresses; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems, wherein the multiple Internet addresses are associated with multiple destinations selected from the group consisting of a telephone, voice mailbox, fax machine, printer, and unified messaging mailbox; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 23

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses, wherein the DS includes additional information about a destination identified by the associated Internet address, the additional information being one or more selected from the group consisting of: voice encoding; formatting; communication protocol; authentication of a source; and authentication of a destination; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 24

A system comprising: a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing non-Internet related unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses, wherein the DS includes additional information about a destination identified by the associated Internet address, the additional information being one or more selected from the group consisting of: voice encoding; formatting; communication protocol; authentication of a source; and authentication of a destination; at least one unique identifier being associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems; the DS including a method to determine, in response to a request for resolution containing one unique identifier, a resolution of the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system.

Claim 25

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on Information contained within the request to determine which one internet address is associated with a given communications system; wherein a communications application receiving the response sends a communication via the internet based on the resolved one Internet address; and wherein the communication is one or more selected from the group consisting of real-time voice, voicemail, unified messaging, fax and remote printing.

Claim 26

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on Information contained within the request to determine which one internet address is associated with a given communications system; wherein a communications application receiving the response sends a communication via the internet based on the resolved one Internet address; and wherein the communication is one or more selected from the group consisting of real-time voice, voicemail, unified messaging, fax and remote printing.

Claim 27

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; wherein the multiple Internet addresses are one or more selected from the group consisting of an IP address of an IP telephone, an IP address of an IP mobile phone, and IP address of an IP-PBX, a VPIM address of a voicemail system, an SMTP address of a unified messaging system, an SMTP address of an email system, an IP address of a fax machine, and an IP address of a printer.

Claim 28

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; wherein the multiple Internet addresses are one or more selected from the group consisting of an IP address of an IP telephone, an IP address of an IP mobile phone, and IP address of an IP-PBX, a VPIM address of a voicemail system, an SMTP address of a unified messaging system, an SMTP address of an email system, an IP address of a fax machine, and an IP address of a printer.

Claim 37

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; and wherein end users are selectively charged for one or more of registering with the DS and usage of the DS.

Claim 38

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; and wherein end users are selectively charged for one or more of registering with the DS and usage of the DS.

Claim 39

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; and providing an interface enabling the different Internet-enabled communications systems to access the DS by one or more protocols selected form the group consisting of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), and Domain Name System (DNS).

Claim 40

A method enabling communications between end users, the end users having access to Internet-enabled communications systems, at least one destination end user having a non-Internet related unique identifier associated with multiple Internet addresses for different Internet-enabled communications systems and the method including the steps of: providing a directory service (DS), residing on the Internet, containing the unique identifiers and associated Internet addresses; and one of the end users causing a communications application to send to the DS a request for resolution containing the one unique identifier for the destination end user; the DS resolving the one unique identifier to one of the multiple Internet addresses based on information contained within the request to determine which one Internet address is associated with a given communications system; and providing an interface enabling the different Internet-enabled communications systems to access the DS by one or more protocols selected form the group consisting of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), and Domain Name System (DNS).