Supporting enhanced media communications

• US 20050041603A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tighe, James R., Platt, Richard B., Hahn, Paul S., McFarland, Rowan L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,873,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/251 Cut-through or wormhole routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/561 by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• 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 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method for supporting communications includes establishing a packet-based audio communication link with a remote device and informing a local computing device of the audio communication link. A message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device is received from the local computing device and tunneled in the audio communication link to the remote device. A tunneled response in the audio communication link is received from the remote device and forwarded to the local computing device. The response identifies the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device.

Claims

1. A method for supporting communications comprising:

establishing a packet-based audio communication link with a remote device;

informing a local computing device of the audio communication link;

receiving a message from the local computing device, the message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device;

tunneling the message in the audio communication link to the remote device;

receiving a tunneled response in the audio communication link from the remote device, the response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device; and

forwarding the response to the local computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the local computing device, whether the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include a particular enhanced media capability; and

communicating enhanced media packets to the remote device in response to determining that the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include the particular enhanced media capability.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the video packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises communicating the video packets in a second communication link to the remote device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving enhanced media packets from the remote device and automatically displaying, at the computing device, at least one enhanced media window in response to receiving the enhanced media packets from the remote device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is an instant-messaging capability, the enhanced media packets are instant-messaging packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the instant-messaging packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio communication link uses Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

halting communications on the audio communication link; and

informing the local computing device of the halting of communications on of the audio communication link.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein halting communications on the audio communication link occurs after receiving an instruction from a user, the instruction selected from a plurality of options comprising hold, transfer, and mute.

10. A system supporting communications comprising:

a packet-based telephony device operable to establish an audio communication link with a remote device; and

a local computing device coupled to the telephony device;

wherein the telephony device is further operable to inform the local computing device of the audio communication link, to receive a message from the local computing device, the message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device, to tunnel the message in the audio communication link to the remote device, to receive a tunneled response in the audio communication link from the remote device, the response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device, and to forward the response to the local computing device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computing device is further operable to generate the message, to receive the response, to determine whether the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include a particular enhanced media capability, and to communicate enhanced media packets to the remote device in response to determining that the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include the particular enhanced media capability.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the video packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises communicating the video packets in a second communication link to the remote device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the telephony device is further operable to receive enhanced media packets from the remote device and the computing device is further operable to automatically display at least one enhanced media window in response to receiving the enhanced media packets from the remote device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is an instant-messaging capability, the enhanced media packets are instant-messaging packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the instant-messaging packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the audio communication link uses Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the telephony device is further operable to halt communications on the audio communication link and to inform the local computing device of the halting of communications on of the audio communication link.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein halting communications on the audio communication link occurs after receiving an instruction from a user, the instruction selected from a plurality of options comprising hold, transfer, and mute.

19. An apparatus supporting communications comprising:

an interface operable to couple to a local computing device and a packet network; and

a controller coupled to the interface, the controller operable to establish a packet-based audio communication link with a remote device, to inform the local computing device of the audio communication link, to receive a message from the local computing device, the message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device, to tunnel the message in the audio communication link to the remote device, to receive a tunneled response in the audio communication link from the remote device, the response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device, and to forward the response to the local computing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further operable to tunnel enhanced media packets between the local computing device and the remote device in the audio communication link.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a user interface operable to receive an instruction from a user, the instruction selected from a plurality of options comprising hold, transfer, and mute; and

wherein the controller is further operable to halt communications on the audio communication link in response to the instruction and to inform the local computing device of the halting of communications on of the audio communication link.

22. An apparatus supporting communications comprising:

an interface operable to couple to a packet-based telephony device; and

a processor coupled to the interface, the processor operable to receive a message from the telephony device identifying an audio communication link associating the telephony device with a remote device, to generate a request for identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device, to receive a response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device, to determine whether the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include a particular enhanced media capability, and to communicate enhanced media packets to the remote device in response to determining that the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include the particular enhanced media capability.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is further operable to determine whether the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include a particular enhanced media capability and to communicate enhanced media packets to the remote device in response to determining that the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include the particular enhanced media capability.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the video packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises communicating the video packets in a second communication link to the remote device.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a user interface operable to display images; and

wherein the processor is further operable to receive enhanced media packets from the remote device and to automatically display at least one enhanced media window using the user interface in response to receiving the enhanced media packets from the remote device.

27. A method for supporting communications comprising:

associating a packet-based telephony device with a computing device;

determining media capabilities associated with the packet-based telephony device;

determining enhanced media capabilities associated with the computing device;

aggregating the media capabilities associated with the packet-based telephony device and the enhanced media capabilities associated with the computing device; and

registering the aggregating media capabilities with a call manager, the call manager operable to associate the aggregated media capabilities with the packet-based telephony device.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising establishing an audio communication link between the telephony device and a remote device using the call manager, the audio communication link supporting transmission of audio packets and embedded packets.

29. A system for supporting communications comprising:

a computing device operable to determine a first set of enhanced media capabilities associated with the computing device and to generate a message identifying the first set;

a packet-based telephony device coupled to the computing device and operable to receive the message, to determine a second set of media capabilities associated with the telephony device, to aggregate the first set and the second set into an aggregated set of media capabilities, and to communicate the aggregated set to a call manager; and

the call manager operable to associate the aggregated media capabilities with the packet-based telephony device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the call manager is further operable to establish an audio communication link between the telephony device and a remote device, the audio communication link supporting transmission of audio packets and embedded packets.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein:

the telephony device is further operable to tunnel a query in the audio communication link to the remote device, the query requesting identification of a remote set of media capabilities associated with the remote device, to receive a tunneled response to the query in the audio communication link, the response identifying the remote set of media capabilities, to forward the response to the computing device; and

the computing device is further operable to generate the query, to receive the response, to determine whether the remote set of media capabilities includes a particular enhanced media capability, and to communicate enhanced media packets to the remote device in response to determining that the remote set of media capabilities includes the particular enhanced media capability.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the video packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

33. A system supporting communications comprising:

a packet-based telephony device operable to establish an audio communication link with a remote device; and

a local computing device coupled to the telephony device;

wherein the telephony device is further operable to receive a tunneled message in the audio communication link from the remote device, the message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the local computing device, to forward the message to the local computing device, to receive a response from the local computing device, the response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the local computing device, and to tunnel the response in the audio communication link to the remote device; and

wherein the computing device is further operable to receive the message, to generate the response, to receive enhanced media packets from the remote device, and to automatically display at least one enhanced media window in response to receiving the enhanced media packets from the remote device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the enhanced media packets are video packets and the enhanced media window displays video images.

35. Logic for supporting communications, the logic encoded in media and operable when executed to:

establish a packet-based audio communication link with a remote device;

inform a local computing device of the audio communication link;

receive a message from the local computing device, the message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device;

tunnel the message in the audio communication link to the remote device;

receive a tunneled response in the audio communication link from the remote device, the response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device; and

forward the response to the local computing device.

36. The logic of claim 35, further operable when executed to:

determine, at the local computing device, whether the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include a particular enhanced media capability; and

communicate enhanced media packets to the remote device in response to determining that the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device include the particular enhanced media capability.

37. The logic of claim 36, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises tunneling the video packets in the audio communication link to the remote device.

38. The logic of claim 36, wherein the particular enhanced media capability is a video capability, the enhanced media packets are video packets, and communicating the enhanced media packets to the remote device comprises communicating the video packets in a second communication link to the remote device.

39. A device for supporting communications comprising:

means for establishing a packet-based audio communication link with a remote device;

means for informing a local computing device of the audio communication link;

means for receiving a message from the local computing device, the message requesting identification of enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device;

means for tunneling the message in the audio communication link to the remote device;

means for receiving a tunneled response in the audio communication link from the remote device, the response identifying the enhanced media capabilities associated with the remote device; and

means for forwarding the response to the local computing device.