Paging between network devices

• US 20050135349A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya LLC (Avaya Incorporated), Avaya Management L.P. (Avaya Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Canada Corp. (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Poustchi, Behrouz, Stelzig, James Andrew, Bell, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 7,940,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/384
• 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

Abstract

A network device such as a terminal set in a distributed peer-to-peer communications network receives periodic notifications from other network devices indicating which network devices are currently receiving pages. When the network device wishes to send a page to a set of target network devices, it ascertains whether the target devices are already receiving a page. If not, the network device notifies other network devices that it is claiming the target devices for its exclusive paging use. Each device receiving the notification ascertains whether it is one of the target devices, and if so, prepares to receive a page. Absent any objections, the initiating device sends the page (e.g. audio or video) to the target devices. Upon completion, the network device relinquishes its claim to the target devices. If a target network device becomes engaged in a call while receiving a page, playing of the page may be ceased.

Claims

1. At a network device, a method comprising:

receiving at least one indication of a page to be sent to a set of recipient network devices including one or more network devices, said at least one indication indicating said set of recipient network devices;

ascertaining whether said network device is within said set of recipient network devices; and

based at least upon said ascertaining, determining whether to receive said page.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said indicating said set of recipient network devices comprises indicating a paging zone which includes said recipient network devices and wherein said ascertaining comprises determining whether said network device is included in said paging zone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining whether to receive said page is conditional upon determining that said network device is not currently engaged in a call.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if said ascertaining ascertains said network device to be within said set of recipient network devices, receiving said page.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, if said network device becomes engaged in a call, ceasing said receiving of said page.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said receiving said page comprises receiving multicast messages containing page content.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said page content comprises at least one of audio, video and data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving at least one indication of a page to be sent comprises receiving multiple indications, each of said multiple indications indicating a different page to be sent to a subset of said recipient network devices.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a desire to send an outgoing page from said network device to a set of target network devices including one or more network devices; and

based on said at least one indication of a page, determining whether to send the outgoing page.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said set of network devices target comprises a paging zone.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein, if said at least one indication of a page indicates that said target network devices are currently unable to receive a page, said determining determines not to send the outgoing page.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein, if said at least one indication of a page indicates that said target network devices are currently able to receive a page, said determining determines to send the outgoing page, and further comprising sending the outgoing page.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said sending the outgoing page comprises:

notifying other network devices including said target network devices that said outgoing page is to be sent; and

waiting for any objections from any of said other network devices to the sending of said outgoing page.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein an objection comprises a notification that another network devices wishes to send a page to said set of target network devices.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising, upon receipt of an objection from any of said other network devices to the sending of said outgoing page, applying a conflict resolution scheme to determine which of said network device and said objecting network device shall be permitted to send a page.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said applying a conflict resolution scheme comprises comparing a unique identifier of said network device to a unique identifier of said objecting network device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said unique identifier is a hardware address.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said sending the outgoing page further comprises:

in the absence of any objections, sending the outgoing page to the target network devices.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said sending the outgoing page to the target network devices comprises multicasting content of said outgoing page to said target network devices.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising, upon completing said sending of said outgoing page to the target network devices, notifying other network devices including said target network devices that said sending of the outgoing page is complete.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said network device and said recipient network devices comprise terminal sets.

22. A network device adapted to:

receive at least one indication of a page to be sent to a set of recipient network devices including one or more network devices, said at least one indication indicating said set of recipient network devices;

ascertain whether said network device is within said set of recipient network devices;

and

based at least upon said ascertaining, determine whether to receive said page.

23. The network device of claim 22 wherein said indicating said set of recipient network devices comprises indicating a paging zone which includes said recipient network devices and wherein said ascertaining comprises determining whether said network device is included in said paging zone.

24. The network device of claim 22 wherein said determining whether to receive said page is conditional upon determining that said network device is not currently engaged in a call.

25. The network device of claim 22 further adapted to, if said ascertaining ascertains said network device to be within said set of recipient network devices, receive said page.

26. The network device of claim 25 further adapted to, if said network device becomes engaged in a call, cease receiving said page.

27. The network device of claim 25 wherein said receiving said page comprises receiving multicast messages containing page content.

28. The network device of claim 27 wherein said page content comprises at least one of audio, video and data.

29. The network device of claim 22 wherein said receiving at least one indication of a page to be sent comprises receiving multiple indications, each of said multiple indications indicating a different page to be sent to a subset of said recipient network devices.

30. The network device of claim 22 further adapted to:

detect a desire to send an outgoing page from said network device to a set of target network devices including one or more network devices; and

based on said at least one indication of a page, determine whether to send the outgoing page.

31. The network device of claim 30 wherein said set of network devices target comprises a paging zone.

32. The network device of claim 30 wherein, if said at least one indication of a page indicates that said target network devices are currently unable to receive a page, said determining determines not to send the outgoing page.

33. The network device of claim 30 wherein, if said at least one indication of a page indicates that said target network devices are currently able to receive a page, said determining determines to send the outgoing page, said network device being further adapted to send the outgoing page.

34. The network device of claim 33 wherein said sending the outgoing page comprises:

notifying other network devices including said target network devices that said outgoing page is to be sent; and

waiting for any objections from any of said other network devices to the sending of said outgoing page.

35. The network device of claim 34 wherein an objection comprises a notification that another network devices wishes to send a page to said set of target network devices.

36. The network device of claim 35 further adapted to, upon receipt of an objection from any of said other network devices to the sending of said outgoing page, apply a conflict resolution scheme to determine which of said network device and said objecting network device shall be permitted to send a page.

37. The network device of claim 36 wherein said applying a conflict resolution scheme comprises comparing a unique identifier of said network device to a unique identifier of said objecting network device.

38. The network device of claim 37 wherein said unique identifier is a hardware address.

39. The network device of claim 34 wherein said sending the outgoing page further comprises:

in the absence of any objections, sending the outgoing page to the target network devices.

40. The network device of claim 39 wherein said sending the outgoing page to the target network devices comprises multicasting content of said outgoing page to said target network devices.

41. The network device of claim 39 further adapted to, upon completing said sending of said outgoing page to the target network devices, notify other network devices including said target network devices that said sending of the outgoing page is complete.

42. The network device of claim 22 wherein said network device and said recipient network devices comprise terminal sets.

43. A machine-readable medium including machine-executable code for execution at a network device, comprising:

machine-executable code for receiving at least one indication of a page to be sent to a set of recipient network devices including one or more network devices, said at least one indication indicating said set of recipient network devices;

machine-executable code for ascertaining whether said network device is within said set of recipient network devices; and

machine-executable code for, based at least upon said ascertaining, determining whether to receive said page.

44. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 wherein said indicating said set of recipient network devices comprises indicating a paging zone which includes said recipient network devices and wherein said ascertaining comprises determining whether said network device is included in said paging zone.

45. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 wherein said determining whether to receive said page is conditional upon determining that said network device is not currently engaged in a call.

46. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 further comprising machine executable code for, if said ascertaining ascertains said network device to be within said set of recipient network devices, receiving said page.

47. The machine-readable medium of claim 46 further comprising machine executable code for, if said network device becomes engaged in a call, ceasing said receiving of said page.

48. The machine-readable medium of claim 46 wherein said receiving said page comprises receiving multicast messages containing page content.

49. The machine-readable medium of claim 48 wherein said page content comprises at least one of audio, video and data.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 wherein said receiving at least one indication of a page to be sent comprises receiving multiple indications, each of said multiple indications indicating a different page to be sent to a subset of said recipient network devices.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 further comprising:

machine executable code for detecting a desire to send an outgoing page from said network device to a set of target network devices including one or more network devices; and

machine executable code for, based on said at least one indication of a page, determining whether to send the outgoing page.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 51 wherein said set of network devices target comprises a paging zone.

53. The machine-readable medium of claim 51 wherein, if said at least one indication of a page indicates that said target network devices are currently unable to receive a page, said determining determines not to send the outgoing page.

54. The machine-readable medium of claim 51 wherein, if said at least one indication of a page indicates that said target network devices are currently able to receive a page, said determining determines to send the outgoing page, and further comprising machine executable code for sending the outgoing page.

55. The machine-readable medium of claim 54 wherein said sending the outgoing page comprises:

notifying other network devices including said target network devices that said outgoing page is to be sent; and

waiting for any objections from any of said other network devices to the sending of said outgoing page.

56. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein an objection comprises a notification that another network devices wishes to send a page to said set of target network devices.

57. The machine-readable medium of claim 56 further comprising machine executable code for, upon receipt of an objection from any of said other network devices to the sending of said outgoing page, applying a conflict resolution scheme to determine which of said network device and said objecting network device shall be permitted to send a page.

58. The machine-readable medium of claim 57 wherein said applying a conflict resolution scheme comprises comparing a unique identifier of said network device to a unique identifier of said objecting network device.

59. The machine-readable medium of claim 58 wherein said unique identifier is a hardware address.

60. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein said sending the outgoing page further comprises:

in the absence of any objections, sending the outgoing page to the target network devices.

61. The machine-readable medium of claim 60 wherein said sending the outgoing page to the target network devices comprises multicasting content of said outgoing page to said target network devices.

62. The machine-readable medium of claim 60 further comprising machine executable code for, upon completing said sending of said outgoing page to the target network devices, notifying other network devices including said target network devices that said sending of the outgoing page is complete.

63. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 wherein said network device and said recipient network devices comprise terminal sets.