Signaling method for Internet telephony

• US 20050147086A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Henning G. Schulzrinne, Jonathan David Rosenberg
• Original Assignee: Henning G. Schulzrinne, Jonathan David Rosenberg
• Inventors: Schulzrinne, Henning G., Rosenberg, Jonathan David
• Application Number:
  US11/059,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20050147086A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/561 by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A method for creating, modifying, and terminating connections between Internet end systems, particularly, although not exclusively, for Internet telephony communication. The method relies on several request messages sent between a client and a server and the response messages sent back in response. Each request and response message may contain one or more header fields which modify or more uniquely link the messages with a given connection. On this basis, advanced telephony services, such as call forwarding, call transferring, and multiparty conferencing are provided.

Claims

1. In a computer network, a method for establishing a communication connection between a first user and a plurality of second users, comprising the steps of:

having the first user send a first request message addressed to a name list maintained on a server, the name list including the plurality of second users, wherein the first request message includes a first header field containing information indicating that the first request message is to be sent to each of the second users indicating a desire of the first party to establish a communication connection with each of the second users;

having the server send a response to the first user, the response including a second header field containing the network addresses of the plurality of second users, the second header field signifying to the first user that the first user should send second request messages to each of the second users at their respective network addresses contained in the second header field;

having the first user send a plurality of second request messages to each of the second users at their respective network addresses; and

having the first user establish communication connections with at least some of the second users.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second request messages are INVITE request messages.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second header field is a CONTACT header field.