Wireless Networked Audio Communication

• US 20070083593A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Published: 04/12/2007
• 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 7,444,373 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

A method of communication between a plurality of users is claimed. Two communication devices are registered with at least one communication network. At least one of the two communication devices is configured for wireless communication. Two users are allowed to use one of the two communication devices to connect to at least one communication network. A service record is maintained for each registered communication device. The service record includes the respective communication device'"'"'s addressing information. A query is issued for a service instance associated with one of the two users in response to a request by the other user to establish communication. Addressing information of the second communication device is retrieved and a communication over at least one communication network established using the retrieved addressing information if a service instance is found.

Claims

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

registering at least first and second communication devices with at least one communication network, at least one of the first and second communication devices being configured for wireless communication;

allowing at least first and second users respectively to use the first and second communication devices to connect to at least one communication network;

maintaining at least one service record for each registered communication device, the service record including at least the respective communication device'"'"'s addressing information;

issuing a query for a service instance associated with the second user in response to a request by the first user to establish communication with the second user, the service instance corresponding to the second user'"'"'s location information; and

if a service instance is found, causing retrieval of the addressing information of the second communication device and establishing a communication, between the first and second users, over at least one communication network using the retrieved addressing information.

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

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering at least one communication service capability of at least the second communication device as a service instance.

4. The method of claim 3, 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.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication service capability includes data conferencing that includes text communication.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication is enabled based on the registered capabilities of at least the second communication device.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the request by the first user includes selecting an identifier for the second user from a list of displayed user identifiers displayed to the first user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first communication device uses the second communication device'"'"'s address to establish the communication between the first and second users.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising indicating to the first user if another user has not logged in.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein indicating to the first user whether another user has not logged in occurs if no service instance is found for the other user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein communication is established over at least two networks.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the networks is a wide area network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one communication is established using cellular phone links.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the first user is associated with a first communication network and the second user is associated with a second communication network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication from at least one device is established using cellular phone links.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the service record is maintained by at least one communication network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising allowing a first user to subsequently add a third user to the communication between the first and second users.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the first user with location information corresponding to the first communication device into which the user is logged in.

19. The method of claim 7, 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.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the service instance further corresponds to one of a plurality of real-time communication types.