Systems and methods of call-based data communication

• US 10,171,678 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Limited (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Limited (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mairs, Chris, Rice, Liz, Pearl, Philip, Palmer, Felix, Drysdale, David, Crampton, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Antim G
• Application Number:
  US14/727,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160088452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/253 Telephone sets using digital voice transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/007 Access interface units for simultaneous transmission of speech and data, e.g. digital subscriber line [DSL] access interface units DSL access multiplexers H04Q11/0478, and H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method of establishing a communications session for communication of data with respect to a telephony user device and at least one other user device in a data communications network. Communications are conducted with a server system. The communications comprise a client-server connection. Call party details of a telephone call are transmitted to the server system in the communications. The telephone call involves at least the telephony user device, as a first telephony user device involved in the call, and a second telephony user device involved in the call. The call party details including a first identity associated with the first telephony user device and a second identity associated with the second telephony user device.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a communications session for communication of data with respect to a first telephony user device and a second telephony user device in a data communications network, the method comprising:

at said first telephony user device conducting communications with a server system;

transmitting at least one client-server connection request to the server system in said communications and establishing a client-server connection with the server system; and

transmitting call party details of a telephone call from said first telephony user device to the server system in said communications, the telephone call involving at least said first telephony user device and said second telephony user device, said call party details including a first identity associated with said first telephony user device and a second identity associated with said second telephony user device,

wherein said call party details allow the server system to establish a communications session between the first telephony user device and the second telephony user device whilst the telephone call is in progress, the communications session being separate from said telephone call and for transmission of data between said first telephony user device and said second telephony user device via the server system,

wherein the separate communications session is continued in parallel with said telephone call, such that voice call data is transmitted and received between the first telephony user device and the second telephony user device via said telephone call and other data may be transmitted and received between said first telephony user device and said second telephony user device via the separate communications session, and

wherein the method comprises receiving a message from the server system to keep said client-server connection alive when said telephone call lasts more than a connection threshold period and

wherein the method comprises the first telephony user device transmitting data to the second telephony user device via the separate communications session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least said second identity comprises a telephone dialing number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said first identity and said second identity comprises a telephone dialing number and the other of said first identity and said second identity comprises a non-telephone dialing-number identity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first identity comprises a telephone dialing number and said second identity comprises a telephone dialing number.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting said at least one client-server connection request in response to said telephone call being established or in response to initiation of a data communications service on said first telephony user device after the telephone call is established.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first telephony user device includes an operating system and wherein the method comprises registering with the operating system to be notified upon the establishment of a telephone call involving the first telephony user device.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising registering with an application programming interface of the operating system that is associated with the start and/or end of call events.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first telephony user device includes communication session application software having an associated application identifier and wherein the method comprises:

transmitting the application identifier to the server system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first telephony user device includes communication session application software having an associated application identifier, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving other data comprising the application identifier; and

directing the received other data to the communication session application software on the basis of the application identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising receiving said other data comprising the application identifier as a push notification.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising maintaining said client-server connection with the server system after termination of said telephone call.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first telephony user device comprises a mobile telephony user device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said client-server connection is a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) connection or a HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) connection.

14. A first telephony user device capable of establishing a communications session for communication of data with respect to a second telephony user device in a data communications network, wherein:

said first telephony user device is configured to conduct communications with a server system;

said first telephony user device is configured to transmit at least one client-server connection request to the server system in said communications and establish a client-server connection with the server system; and

said first telephony user device is configured to transmit call party details of a telephone call to the server system in said communications, the telephone call involving at least said first telephony user device and said second telephony user device, said call party details including a first identity associated with said first telephony user device and a second identity associated with said second telephony user device,

wherein said call party details allow the server system to establish a communications session between the first telephony user device and the second telephony user device whilst the telephone call is in progress, the communications session being separate from said telephone call and for transmission of data between said first telephony user device and said second telephony user device via the server system,

wherein the separate communications session is continued in parallel with said telephone call, such that voice call data is transmitted and received between the first telephony user device and the second telephony user device via said telephone call and other data may be transmitted and received between said first telephony user device and said second telephony user device via the separate communications session, and

wherein the first telephony user device is configured to receive a message from the server system to keep said client-server connection alive when said telephone call lasts more than a connection threshold period, and wherein the first telephony user device is configured to transmit data to the second telephony user device via the separate communications session.