Method and system for placing restrictions on sessions

• US 20060182084A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ionescu, Radu V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A method and system for initiating a communications session with a restriction is provided. A communications system allows a user to place a restriction on a session to be conducted with another user. If the other user does not agree to the restriction or if the other user'"'"'s system does not support the restriction, then the session will not be conducted. The communications system may also enforce the restrictions on the session.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for initiating a session with a restriction, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a restriction on the session;

sending from an inviter to an invitee an invitation to participate in the session with the restriction;

receiving from the invitee an indication that the invitee will participate in the session and whether the invitee will abide by the restriction on the session; and

when the invitee will abide by the restriction on the session, conducting the session with the invitee.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the session is initiated using the Session Initiation Protocol.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the restriction is indicated as an attribute conforming to the Session Description Protocol.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the receiving from the invitee of the indication includes receiving an OK message of the Session Initiation Protocol with the attribute.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the session is an instant messaging session.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the restriction restricts who the invitee can invite to participate in the session.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the restriction restricts actions that the invitee can perform on messages of the session.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the restriction is received from the inviter.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the restriction is received based on a policy of an enterprise with which the inviter is associated.

10. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to conduct a session with a restriction, by a method comprising:

receiving by an invitee an invitation from an inviter to participate in the session with the restriction;

determining whether the invitee will abide by the restriction on the session;

when the invitee will abide by the restriction on the session, sending from the invitee to the inviter an indication that the invitee will participate in the session and will abide by the restriction on the session; and

conducting with the inviter the session with the restriction.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the conducting includes preventing the invitee from taking any action that is inconsistent with the restriction on the session.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the determining includes a client component determining whether it can enforce the restriction on the session.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the determining includes the invitee indicating whether the invitee will abide by the restriction on the session.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the session is initiated using the Session Initiation Protocol.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the restriction is indicated as an attribute conforming to the Session Description Protocol.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the session is an instant messaging session.

17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server to enforce a restriction on a session, by a method comprising:

receiving from an inviter an invitation to an invitee to participate in the session with the restriction;

recording the restriction on the session;

receiving from the invitee a message of the session;

determining whether the message is consistent with the restriction on the session; and

when it is determined that the message is not consistent with the restriction on the session, discarding the message.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the discarding includes notifying the invitee that the invitee sent a message that was not consistent with the restriction on the session.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the session is initiated using the Session Initiation Protocol.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the sever is a proxy server.