Tuesday, July 18, 2006

CrystalVoice Gets Firewall Traversal Patent

Santa Barbara-based CrystalVoice, a provider of voice over IP software, said today it has received a patent on the firm's method of transversing firewalls. The patent, number 6,978,383, is entitled "Null-packet transmission from inside a firewall to open a communication window for an outside transmitter". The patent was granted to Steven C. Boyle and Debra C. Kirchoff, and was actually granted in December of 2005. CrystalVoice originally filed the patent in July of 2001. CrystalVoice said that the patent covers the firewall traversal techniques, including support for NAT and PAT configurations. CrystalVoice said that it expects IP communication equipment manufacturers, IP service providers, social networking companies, software providers, and others to "have an interest in obtaining license rights to the patent".

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