Systems and methods for communicating a stream of data packets via multiple communications channels

摘要

Systems and methods of preventing an Internet service provider from identifying a stream of data packets as carrying a voice over Internet protocol telephony communication can make use of encryption techniques to prevent the Internet service provider from examining the content of the data packets. Also, multiple communications channels may be established between a telephony device and elements of an IP telephony system. A stream of data packets bearing the media of an IP telephony communication is then separated into sub-streams, and each sub-stream is sent through a different one of the communications channels. This prevents an Internet service provider from identifying a stream of data packets as bearing the media of an IP telephony communication based on a pattern in the data traffic.

主权项

1. A method of communicating data packets bearing the media of a telephony communication, comprising:
establishing a first communications channel through a network of a service provider between an element of an Internet protocol (IP) telephony system and a telephony device; establishing a second communications channel through the network of the service provider between an element of the IP telephony system and the telephony device, wherein at least one or more of a first endpoint and a second endpoint of the first communication channel has at least one or more of an IP address and port number that differs from a corresponding endpoint of the second communication channel; transmitting a first sub-stream of a stream of data packets bearing the media of a telephony communication between the telephony device and the IP telephony system over the first communications channel; and transmitting a second sub-stream of the stream of data packets bearing the media of the telephony communication between the telephony device and the IP telephony system over the second communications channel.