Audio Communication with Login Location Addressing

• US 20070078932A1
• Filed: 01/15/2007
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pragmatus AV LLC (Pragmatus, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Collaboration Properties Incorporated
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester, Lauwers, J., Burnett, Gerald, Burns, Emmett, Lantz, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Two users are allowed to log in to respective first and second communication devices. The first and second communication devices are registered with at least one communication network. At least one communication network is a wireless network. Service records are maintained for the first and second communication devices. The service records include location information for the communication device at which the respective users have logged in. A user identifier for the second user is displayed in a list on the display of the first communication device. The first user is allowed to request communication with the second user by selecting the displayed identifier. Necessary location information of the second communication device is retrieved from a service record in response to the selection. The retrieved information is used to establish a connection between the first and second communication devices, thereby enabling real-time communication, including at least audio, between the two users.

Claims

1. A method of real-time communication between a plurality of users each with respective communication devices having associated displays and associated collaboration initiation software, the method comprising:

allowing at least first and second users to log in to respective first and second communication devices;

registering at least the first and second communication devices with at least one communication network, wherein at least one communication network is a wireless network;

maintaining service records for at least the first and second communication devices, the service records including associated location information for the location of the communication device at which the respective users have logged in;

causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user in a list of users on the display of the first communication device;

allowing the first user to request communication with the second user by selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier;

in response to the selection, retrieving necessary location information of the second communication device from at least one service record;

using the retrieved information to establish a connection between the first and second communication devices, thereby enabling real-time communication, including at least audio, between the first and second users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one user identifier comprises an icon representing a user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising indicating to the first user that another user is not logged in.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering at least one communication service capability of at least the second user'"'"'s communication device as a service instance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the registered communication service capabilities include at least one of the group of communication types consisting of audio, video, snapshot sharing, conference, file sharing, and data conferencing.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

allowing the first user to request real-time communication of a communication type; and

searching for a service instance of the communication type requested by the first user, the service instance corresponding to the second user'"'"'s location information.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the real-time communication is enabled based on the registered capabilities of at least the second communication device.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising indicating to the first user that another user is not logged in if no service record is found for the other user.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the location information includes address information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein information in at least one service record is usable to associate a user with ports associated with the communication device into which that user is logged.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising creating at least first and second call handles, respectively associated with the first and second communication devices, each call handle defining at least a call state for its respective device.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising allowing at least one of the first and second users to send messages to the other.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the real-time communication is established over first and second communication networks.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the networks is a wireless network.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the second user'"'"'s device is a wireless device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second communication networks is a wide area network.

17. The method of claim 4, further comprising subsequently adding a third user into an audio communication involving the first and second users.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the service record is maintained by at least one communication network.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved location information is provided to the first communication device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the retrieved location information is provided to the first communication devices in response to the first user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier, and associated collaboration initiation software causing a request for the second communication device'"'"'s address.