Communication system and method
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- accessing a packet-based communication system to conduct a voice or video call over a packet-based network using a first instance of a client application on a first terminal, the first instance of the client application associated with a user identity that is used to log into the client application; and
conducting a voice or video call over the packet-based communication system with a far-end user terminal, the first instance of the client application configured to;
receive an input from one or more audio input transducers of the first terminal; and
operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more second terminals, the one or more other instances of the client application associated with the user identity, to perform a plurality of operations including;
comparing an energy or power level of an audio input from a first audio input transducer of the first terminal with an energy or power level of an audio input from at least one audio input transducer of the one or more second terminals; and
selecting one of the first or second terminals for use in conducting the voice or video call via the instance of the client application of the first terminal or the instance of the client application of the one or more second terminals and packet-based communication system based, at least in part, on the comparison of the energy or power level from the first audio input transducer of the first terminal and the energy or power level from at least one audio input transducer of the one or more second terminals.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network. The client application is configured to receive an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, and to operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more respective second terminals so as to participate in an analysis of the one or more inputs in relation to an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the one or more second terminals; thereby enabling selection of one of the first and second terminals for use by a near-end user in conducting a call with a far-end user of a third user terminal via the respective client instance and packet-based communication system.
142 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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accessing a packet-based communication system to conduct a voice or video call over a packet-based network using a first instance of a client application on a first terminal, the first instance of the client application associated with a user identity that is used to log into the client application; and conducting a voice or video call over the packet-based communication system with a far-end user terminal, the first instance of the client application configured to; receive an input from one or more audio input transducers of the first terminal; and operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more second terminals, the one or more other instances of the client application associated with the user identity, to perform a plurality of operations including; comparing an energy or power level of an audio input from a first audio input transducer of the first terminal with an energy or power level of an audio input from at least one audio input transducer of the one or more second terminals; and selecting one of the first or second terminals for use in conducting the voice or video call via the instance of the client application of the first terminal or the instance of the client application of the one or more second terminals and packet-based communication system based, at least in part, on the comparison of the energy or power level from the first audio input transducer of the first terminal and the energy or power level from at least one audio input transducer of the one or more second terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product comprising code embodied on one or more computer-readable memory devices, the computer program product configured so as, responsive to execution on a first terminal, to perform operations comprising:
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accessing a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network using a first instance of a client application associated with a user identity; receiving an input from one or more audio input transducers of the first terminal; operating in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more second terminals, each respective instance of the client application on each respective second terminal associated with the user identity, to perform an analysis of the one or more inputs from the one or more audio input transducers of the first terminal in relation to an input from one or more audio input transducers of the one or more second terminals, the analysis of the inputs from the first and second terminals comprising a comparison of an energy or power level of the input from the audio input transducer of the first terminal with an energy or power level of the input from audio input transducer of the one or more respective second terminals; and selecting of one of the first and second terminals, based, at least in part, on the analysis of the one or more inputs from the one or more audio input transducers of the first terminal in relation to the input from the one or more audio input transducers of the one or more second terminals, for use by a near-end user in conducting a voice or video call with a far-end user of a third user terminal via the respective client instance and packet-based communication system. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A first user terminal comprising:
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a transceiver operable to access a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network; one or more processors; and a storage medium storing a first instance of a client application configured to enable the first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system, the client application being further configured, responsive to execution by the one or more processors on the first terminal, to; receive an input from one or more audio input transducers local to the first terminal; operate in conjunction with one or more other instance of the client application executed on one or more second terminals, each respective instance of the client application on the respective second terminal and the first instance of the client application associated with a same user identity used to log into each respective client application, to perform a plurality of operations comprising; comparing an energy or power level of an audio input from a first audio input transducer of the first terminal with an energy or power level of an audio input from at least one audio input transducer of the one or more second terminals; and selecting of one of the first and one or more second terminals, based, at least in part, on the comparison of the energy or power level from the one or more audio input transducers local to the first terminal and the energy or power level from the one or more audio input transducers local to the one or more second terminals, for use by a near-end user in conducting a voice or video call with a far-end user of a third user terminal via the respective client instance and packet-based communication system. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method comprising:
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accessing a packet-based communication system to conduct a voice or video call over a packet-based network using a first instance of a client application on a first terminal, the first instance of the client application associated with a user identity that is used to log into the client application; and conducting a voice or video call over the packet-based communication system with a far-end user terminal, the first instance of the client application configured to; receive an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal; and operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more second terminals, the one or more other instances of the client application associated with the user identity, to perform a plurality of operations comprising; determining a local selection of a most relevant input from one a plurality of said input transducers of the first terminal; comparing the local selection from the first terminal with a local selection from the one or more other instances on respective one or more second terminals; and selecting one of the first and second terminals for use in conducting the voice or video call via the respective instance of the client application of the first or the one or more second terminals and packet-based communication system based, at least in part, on the comparison of the selected local input of the first terminal and the selected local input on the respective one or more second terminals.
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22. A system comprising:
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a transceiver operable to access a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network; one or more processors; and a storage medium storing a first instance of a client application configured to enable the first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system, the first instance of the client application associated with a user identity that is used to log into the client application, the client application being further configured, responsive to execution by the one or more processors on the first terminal, to; receive an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal; and operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more second terminals, the one or more other instances of the client application associated with the user identity, to perform a plurality of operations comprising; determining a local selection of a most relevant input from one a plurality of said input transducers of the first terminal; comparing the local selection from the first terminal with a local selection from the one or more other instances on respective one or more second terminals; and selecting one of the first and second terminals for use in conducting the voice or video call via the respective instance of the client application of the first or the one or more second terminals and packet-based communication system based, at least in part, on the comparison of the selected local input of the first terminal and the selected local input on the respective one or more second terminals.
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Specification