Method for managing PC to PC audio communications

• US 20020116497A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Tung, Berkat S.
• Application Number:
  US09/733,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116497A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

A method for providing audio communications between a first client and a second client includes accessing a web site, providing link information to an entry node, providing login information of the first client to the entry node and registering the first client with a first server. The first client queries a second server to obtain an on-line presence status of the second client. If the on-line presence status indicates that the second client is on-line, the first client queries the second server for link information of the second client, and establishes a connection between the first client and the second client for audio communication. The method of the present invention allows a user of an internet telephone service to quickly determine the on-line presence of other users of the service so that PC to PC telephone calls can be placed to those users who are on-line.

Claims

1. A method for providing audio communications between a first client and a second client, comprising:

accessing a web site;

providing link information to an entry node;

providing login information of said first client to said entry node;

registering said first client with a first server;

querying a second server to obtain an on-line presence status of said second client;

if said on-line presence status indicates that said second client is on-line, querying said second server for link information of said second client; and

establishing a connection between said first client and said second client for audio communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing login information of said first client to said entry node comprises:

providing a username and a password of a user associated with said first client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said registering said first client with a first server comprises:

applying at said entry node a hash function to a set of user identification values associated with said first client;

obtaining link information of said first server based on said set of user identification values;

obtaining a session identification number for said first client from said first server;

providing said session identification number to said first client;

launching a client-side applet at said first client; and

registering said first client with said first server using said applet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said registering with said first server using said applet comprises:

downloading onto said first client a configuration file from said entry node;

applying a hash function to said set of user identification values;

obtaining line information identifying said first server based on said set of user identification values; and

registering link information and said session identification number of said first client at said first server.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said set of user identification values comprises a countryID, a siteID, and a username associated with a user of said first client.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said link information of said first server comprises an IP address and a port number of said first server.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said link information of said first client comprises an IP address and a port number of said first client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said link information of said second client comprises an IP address and a port number of said second client.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering said second client with said second server before registering said first client.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering said second client with said second server comprises:

applying at said entry node a hash function to a set of user identification values associated with said second client;

obtaining link information of said second server based on said set of user identification values;

obtaining a session identification number for said second client from said second server;

providing said session identification number to said second client;

launching a client-side applet at said second client; and

registering said second client with said second server using said applet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said querying a second server to obtain an on-line presence status of said second client comprises:

applying at said first client a hash function to a set of user identification values associated with said second client;

obtaining link information identifying said second server based on said set of user identification values of said second client;

querying said second server using said set of user identification values of said second client to determine whether said second client is on-line; and

providing said first client an on-line presence indication from said second server indicating said second client is on-line.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein after said act of registering said first client with a first server, said method further comprises:

providing a phonebook to said first client, said phonebook including a plurality of entries identifying a plurality of clients;

wherein said querying said first server to obtain said on-line presence status of said second client comprises querying a plurality of servers to obtain an on-line presence status of each of said plurality of clients identified in said phonebook of said first client, said plurality of clients including said second client.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said querying a plurality of servers comprises:

applying at said first client a hash function to a set of user identification values associated with each of said plurality of clients;

obtaining link information identifying said plurality of servers, each of said plurality of servers being associated with said set of user identification values of each entry of said phonebook;

querying each of said plurality of servers using said set of user identification values of said plurality of clients to determine which of said plurality of clients is on-line; and

providing to said first client an on-line presence indication from said plurality of servers indicating which of said plurality of clients is on-line.