Thanks to the invention of a visionary Black woman. We can now make phone calls over the internet. Dr. Marian Croak was born May 14, 1955, in Manhattan, New York. She had a childhood fascination with plumbers, electricians, and other workers who solved problems. Her high school math and science teachers inspired her to pursue a STEM career.
Dr. Croak earned her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in 1977. In 1982 she earned her Ph.D. in Quantitative Analysis and Psychology from the University of Southern California.
After college Dr. Croak began her career at AT&T, researching digital telecommunications in the Human Factors division. In 1995, this led to the creation of “Voice over Internet Protocol.” U.S. Patent No. 7,599,359.
Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is a technology that enables users to make phone calls with an internet connection instead of a phone line. The speaker’s voice is converted into a digital signal that travels across the internet. This signal is converted back into sound for the receiver to hear the message.
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a security protocol used to protect communications over the internet. TLS can also be used to encrypt other communications such as email, text messaging, and VoIP to prevent eavesdropping.
Today, VoIP technology is vital for video conference calls, texting, remote working, and personal communications. Dr. Croak was inducted into the National Inventors of Hall of Fame in 2022 and is a still a vibrant part of the community.
Cartoon characters Dr. Wrigley & Bubble Gum Belinda are created by Sterling Haynes for “Sketching with Sterling” on WCTV. My.viebit.com to watch episodes.
The patent you posted is from 2004. The one from 1995 is by alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty