Extensible communication controls

• US 20040136511A1
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Erickson, Paul R., Schwartz, Jordan L.K., Blagsvedt, Sean O., Oriezy, Peyman, Boardman, Andrew F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention is directed to providing extensible and adaptable software communications controls for handling communication between devices. An extensible communications control is used to communicate between the computing device and a remote communications device. In a computing program that has been adapted to use the extensible communications control, information about a contact person is retrieved. From the retrieved contact information, it is determined what types of activities may be used to communicate with the contact person at the remote communications device. Once a communication activity has been determined from the contact person'"'"'s information, a communication request is sent to a communication address associated with that communication activity. Upon acceptance the extensible communications control commences communication with the remote communications device.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing an extensible communications control for communicating between a computing device and a remote communications device, the method comprising:

determining from a contact'"'"'s information an extensible communication activity;

adapting the extensible communications control to generate a communication request to a communication address of said extensible communication activity; and

establishing a communications connection conforming to said communication extensible communication activity with the remote communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the extensible communications control is provided by an operating system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the extensible communications control and thereby updating any computing program adapted to utilize the extensible communications control.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said computing program is a shell program for said extensible communications control.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications connection is selected from the group consisting of:

text chats, instant messages, video streaming, and audio streams.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications connection is over a computing network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications connection is over a telephone network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote communications device is a non-computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a communications connection further comprises creating a conversation and both the remote communications device and the computing device establishing a connection via said conversation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising said computing program specifying said extensible communications control and extensible communication activities for use by the computing program.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said computing program specifies extensible communication activities with an extensible markup language.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising detaching the extensible communications control from said computing program.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising attaching the extensible communications control that has been detached to a second computing program adapted to utilize the extensible communications control.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detaching the extensible communications control and attaching it in a second computing program maintains said established communications connection.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication request comprises said extensible communication activity, an origination identifier, and return identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said communication activity further comprises an indication of a specific communications program for responding to said communication request.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said communication request comprises a plurality of communication activities, each activity specifying a communication type and wherein establishing a communications connection includes establishing a plurality of communications connections corresponding to each specified communication activity.

18. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for utilizing an extensible communications control for communicating between a computing device and a remote communications device, by:

determining from a contact'"'"'s information an extensible communication activity;

adapting the extensible communications control to generate a communication request to a communication address of said extensible communication activity; and

establishing a communications connection conforming to said communication extensible communication activity with the remote communications device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the extensible communications control is provided by an operating system.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising updating the extensible communications control and thereby updating any computing program adapted to utilize the extensible communications control.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein said communications connection is selected from the group consisting of:

text chats, instant messages, video streaming, and audio streams.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein establishing a communications connection further comprises creating a conversation and both the remote communications device and the computing device establishing a connection via said conversation.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising said computing program specifying said extensible communications control and extensible communication activities for use by the computing program.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein said computing program specifies extensible communication activities with an extensible markup language.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein said communication request comprises said extensible communication activity, an origination identifier, and return identifier.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein said communication activity further comprises an indication of a specific communications program for responding to said communication request.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein said communication request comprises a plurality of communication activities, each activity specifying a communication type and wherein establishing a communications connection includes establishing a plurality of communications connections corresponding to each specified communication activity.

39. The method of claim 20, wherein said communication request comprises a plurality of extensible communication activities and further comprising activating a plurality of communications programs in response to said plurality of extensible communication activities.

40. The method of claim 20, wherein said communication request comprises a plurality of extensible communication activities and further comprising activating only one said communications program in response to said plurality of extensible communication activities.

28. A computing apparatus having a processor and a memory, the memory having computer executable instructions for utilizing an extensible communications control for communicating with a remote communications device by:

determining from a contact'"'"'s information an extensible communication activity;

adapting the extensible communications control to generate a communication request to a communication address of said extensible communication activity; and

establishing a communications connection conforming to said communication extensible communication activity with the remote communications device.

29. The computing apparatus of claim 28, wherein the extensible communications control is provided by an operating system.

30. The computing apparatus of claim 29, further comprising updating the extensible communications control and thereby updating any computing program adapted to utilize the extensible communications control.

31. The computing apparatus of claim 28, wherein said communications connection is selected from the group consisting of:

text chats, instant messages, video streaming, and audio streams.

32. The computing apparatus of claim 28, wherein establishing a communications connection further comprises creating a conversation and both the remote communications device and the computing device establishing a connection via said conversation.

33. The computing apparatus of claim 28, further comprising said computing program specifying said extensible communications control and extensible communication activities for use by the computing program.

34. The computing apparatus of claim 33, wherein said computing program specifies extensible communication activities with an extensible markup language.

35. The computing apparatus of claim 28, wherein said communication request comprises said extensible communication activity, an origination identifier, and return identifier.

36. The computing apparatus of claim 35, wherein said communication activity further comprises an indication of a specific communications program for responding to said communication request.

37. The computing apparatus of claim 35, wherein said communication request comprises a plurality of communication activities, each activity specifying a communication type and wherein establishing a communications connection includes establishing a plurality of communications connections corresponding to each specified communication activity.

38. A method of responding to an extensible communication request from a computing device to a communications device, the method comprising:

determining from a received communication request an extensible communication activity;

determining that a communications program is responsive to said extensible communication activity; and

activating said communications program in response to said communication request.

41. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for responding to an extensible communication request from a computing device to a communications device, by:

determining from a received communication request an extensible communication activity;

determining that a communications program is responsive to said extensible communication activity; and

activating said communications program in response to said communication request.

42. A computing apparatus having a processor and a memory, the memory having computer executable instructions for responding to an extensible communication request from a computing device to a communications device by:

determining from a received communication request an extensible communication activity;

determining that a communications program is responsive to said extensible communication activity; and

activating said communications program in response to said communication request.