Networked Audio Communication Over Two Networks

• US 20070078933A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• 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 7,398,296 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 establish communication over at least two communication networks by using respective first and second communication devices. The first communication device is registered with a communication network. The second communication device is registered with a communication network. A service record that includes the second communication device'"'"'s location information is maintained. The first user requests communication with the second user by selecting an identifier for the second user from a list of user identifiers displayed to the first user. Location information of the second communication device is retrieved in response to the request by the first user. Communication, including audio, is initiated between the two users by using at least one of the communication networks and the retrieved location information. The first user is associated with location information corresponding to the first communication device into which the first user is logged in.

Claims

1. A method of communication between a plurality of users, comprising:

allowing at least first and second users to establish communication over at least two communication networks by using respective first and second communication devices,

registering the first communication device with at least one communication network;

registering the second communication device with at least one communication network;

maintaining at least one service record for at least the second communication device, the service record including at least the second communication device'"'"'s location information;

allowing the first user to request communication with the second user by selecting an identifier for the second user from a list of displayed user identifiers displayed to the first user on the display of the first communication device;

causing retrieval of the location information of the second communication device in response to the request by the first user; and

initiating a communication, including at least audio, between the first and second users by using at least one of the communication networks and the retrieved location information, and wherein the first user is associated with location information corresponding to the first communication device into which the first user is logged in.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service record further includes information usable to associate the second user with at least one port associated with the second communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes address information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved location information is provided to the first communication device, which address is then used by the first communication device to initiate the communication between the first and second users.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating to the first user that another user has not logged in.

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

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising searching for a service record of a communication type requested by the first user, the service record corresponding to the second user'"'"'s location information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the registered communication service capabilities include at least one of the group consisting of audio, video, snapshot sharing, conference, file sharing, and data conferencing.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the communication is enabled based on the registered capabilities of at least the second communication device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising indicating to the first user that another user is not logged in occurs if no service record is found for the other user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the second communication device is a wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless device uses at least cellular phone links for the communication.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein communication is established over at least two networks and at least one of the networks is a wide area network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the service record for the second user is maintained by an entity other than the network the second user uses to establish the communication.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the service record is maintained by at least one communication network.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising subsequently adding a third user to an audio communication between the first and second users.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the networks is a wireless network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises a message that includes text.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises a message that includes an image.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises an email message.