8x8, Inc.

Ykk Corporation

Garth Judge

Bryan R Martin

Zhishen Liu

Huw Rees

Marc Petit-Huguenin

Ruiqiang Huang

James Kleck

Jared Smith-Mickelson

A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for emergency call centers. According to one such method, a location database is populated from a plurality of endpoint devices. The location database determines locations for nodes in a data transmission route from information received from the endpoint devices. Emergency calls using these nodes are located using the populated database.

Systems, methods, devices and arrangements for emergency call services and emergency broadcasts

In certain examples, a service provider provides communications services with endpoint devices. The data-communications services are established via redundant media channels from among disparate last-segment channel types (Wi-Fi, cellular network, etc.) accessible to one endpoint device through an edge server. An incoming call involving one endpoint device is routed via the service provider via primary and secondary network connections via respective first and second ones of the disparate last-segment channel types. In response to the location data for the endpoint device or QoS data, media of the incoming call is combined to improve the quality of the provided data communications services.

Apparatuses and methods involving call routing via disparate types of communication paths

An apparatus including a server is disclosed for providing data-communications services to and configuring contact lists for a plurality of Internet-enabled devices. The apparatus includes a data server communicatively connected to the plurality of user-communications devices. In response to receiving a first data message, from a first device not included in the plurality of devices, that includes contact information and identifies one of the plurality of devices, the device management circuit adds a new contact having the contact information to the respective contact list of the identified one of the plurality of devices.

Management of VoIP device contact lists in a data communications services system

Apparatus and methods concerning call routing are disclosed. As an example, one apparatus includes a circuitry configured to route calls, as data communications (e.g., between a cellular network or PSTN and a plurality of user communication devices) on a broadband network. In response to receiving a first call notification from one of a plurality of mobile devices, a processing circuit of the apparatus caches the call notification in a first database. A first call notification indicates a source number and a destination number. In response to a first incoming call from the source number included in the cached call notification, the processing circuit redirects the call to the destination number indicated in the call notification via the broadband network.

Call redirect from user-communication device in broadband network

In one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a set of servers configured to route calls to and from a plurality of devices over network paths. Each of the devices is respectively associated with one of a plurality of client accounts. A control circuit may be communicatively connected to the one or more servers and directs the servers to route calls for a client account according to a respective routing policy for the client account. The routing policy may indicate one or more routing algorithms for selecting paths of a network for routing each of the calls, and may also indicate a selection algorithm configured to, for each call, one of the set of routing algorithms based on a set of criteria such as date or time of the call.

User configurable routing of VoIP calls

Apparatus and methods concerning call routing are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a call alert message, indicative of the call answer options, is communicated from a data-communications server to the communication device, determined in response to receiving an incoming call for a communication device at the server. A selected option is received from the communication device. In response to the selected option indicating the first call answer option, the call is routed to the communication device as a call via a data network or in response to the selected option indicating the second call answer option, the call is routed to the communication device via a PSTN.

Dynamic direction of incoming calls

Various example implementations are directed to circuits, apparatuses and methods for providing Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a first network node configured to communicate VoIP packets between upstream and downstream network nodes in a network and to communicate metadata with at least one of the VoIP packets downstream in the network. A network pathway assessment module is configured to derive, from the response packet one or more transmission characteristics (e.g., latency) corresponding to the VoIP packets communicated along a pathway between the first network node and the second network node and VoIP packets may be routed in response thereto.

Analysis of transmission characteristics in a voice-over-IP network

Various example implementations are directed to methods and apparatuses for facilitating conferenced communications. In one of various examples involving audio signals received from a plurality of participants of a digital audio conference, a logic circuit is to process the audio signals via respective audio input circuits respectively associated with each of the endpoint devices, and, in response to a subset of the different audio signals deemed or qualified as having a loudest audio input, encodes audio from only the subset for broadcasting to participants of the digital audio conference.

Encoding a subset of audio input for broadcasting conferenced communications

A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for assessing and/or controlling call routing for Internet-based (e.g., VoIP/VioIP) calls. According to one such method, endpoint devices are used to monitor and/or assess the call-quality. The assessment is sent to a centralized server arrangement and call-routing is controlled therefrom. Endpoint devices employ a decentralized testing mechanism to further monitor and assess call quality. Aspects of call quality are analyzed and attributed to endpoint devices and/or local connections or networks to distinguish intermediate routing issues from local/endpoint issues.

Systems, methods, devices and arrangements for cost-effective routing

Various example implementations are directed to methods and apparatuses for facilitating conferenced communications. In one of various examples involving audio signals received from a plurality of participants of a digital audio conference, a logic circuit is to process the audio signals via respective audio input circuits respectively associated with each of the endpoint devices, and, in response to a subset of the different audio signals deemed or qualified as having a loudest audio input as compared to other ones of the different audio signals, each of the other ones of the different audio signals are assigned to an encoder pool based on a codec associated with the digital audio conference.

Encoder pools for conferenced communications

Apparatus and methods concerning call routing are disclosed. As an example, one apparatus includes an interface circuit configured to route calls, as data communications, between a cellular network or PSTN and a plurality of communication devices on an IP network. In response to receiving a first call notification from one of a plurality of mobile devices, a processing circuit of the apparatus caches the call notification for a period of time in a first database. A first call notification indicates a source number and a destination number. In response to a first incoming call via the cellular or PSTN network from the source number included in the cached call notification, the processing circuit redirects the call to the destination number indicated in the call notification via the cellular or PSTN network.

Call redirect from mobile device in IPBX

Various example implementations are directed to circuits, apparatuses and methods for providing Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a first network node configured to communicate VoIP-packets between upstream and downstream network nodes in a network and to communicate metadata with at least one of the VoIP packets downstream in the network. The apparatus also includes a second network node configured to receive the set of metadata and at least one VoIP packet, and communicate the at least one of the VoIP packet further downstream in the network. The second network node is also configured to send a response packet upstream in response to receiving the metadata. A network pathway assessment module is configured to derive, from the response packet a latency corresponding to the VoIP-packets communicated along a pathway between the first network node and the second network node.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Garth Judge