Communication system

• US 20080192734A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaal, Madis, Oruaas, Mart, Suursoho, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 8,711,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

A method of establishing a communication event in a communication system from an initiator device to one of a plurality of entities associated with the initiator device comprising assigning a calling identity to at least one of said entities at a first network node associated with a packet switched network; providing the assigned identity to the initiator device; storing associated contact information for the entity together with the calling identity assigned to the entity at a second network node associated with the packet switched network, initiating a communication event from the initiator device to the entity via a circuit switched network by transmitting the identity assigned to the entity to a gateway node; sending a message to the second network node with the identity assigned to the entity to determine the contact information for the entity; and routing the communication event from the gateway node to the entity using the determined contact information via one of the circuit switched and packet switched networks without said communication event being routed via said first network node.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a communication event in a communication system from an initiator device to one of a plurality of entities associated with the initiator device comprising:

assigning a calling identity to at least one of said entities at a first network node associated with a packet switched network;

providing the assigned identity to the initiator device;

storing associated contact information for the entity together with the calling identity assigned to the entity at a second network node associated with the packet switched network;

initiating a communication event from the initiator device to the entity via a circuit switched network by transmitting the identity assigned to the entity to a gateway node;

sending a message to the second network node with the identity assigned to the entity to determine the contact information for the entity; and

routing the communication event from the gateway node to the entity using the determined contact information via one of the circuit switched and packet switched networks without said communication event being routed via said first network node.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first network node is a node executing at least one communication instance for transferring said assigned identity to the initiator device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the initiator device is a mobile device executing a client program for supplying a user interface to a user for selecting one of said entities.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an identifier for the initiator device is stored in association with the associated contact information for the entity and the calling identity assigned to the entity.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the associated contact information for the entity defines at least one location in the communication network.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the associated contact information comprises at least one of a destination address for a receiving device, a PSTN number, a username or a VoIP device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first network node is a node arranged to communicate with a packet switched communication system on behalf of the initiator device.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication event is an audio call.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication event is a video call.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the calling identity is a PSTN number.

11. A communication system comprising a packet switched network and a circuit switched network for routing a communication event from an initiator device to one of a plurality of entities associated with the initiator device, said communication system comprising:

a first network node located in the packet switched network arranged to assign a calling identity to at least one of said entities and to provide the assigned identity to the initiator device;

a second network node located in the packet switched network arranged to store associated contact information for the entity together with the calling identity assigned to the entity;

a gateway node arranged to receive the communication event addressed using the calling identity assigned to the entity from the initiator device via the circuit switched network;

wherein the second network node is further arranged to determine the contact information for the entity in response to receiving a message with the identity assigned to the entity and to provide the contact information to the gateway node such that the communication event may be routed from the gateway node to the entity via one of the circuit switched and packet switched networks without said communication event being routed via said first network node.

12. A communication system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first network node associated with the packet switched network comprises a node arranged to execute at least one communication instance for transferring said identity to the initiator device.

13. A communication system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the communication instance is arranged to communicate with a packet switched communication system on behalf of the communicator device.

14. A network node for use in a communication system comprising:

means for providing to another network node a calling identity to be allocated to an entity;

means for receiving allocation information and contact details for the entity from the other network node;

means for storing the calling identity for an entity in association with contact details for the entity using the allocation information;

means for receiving calling information for a call initiated by an initiator device, said calling information comprising the calling identity;

means for retrieving the contact details for the entity using the received the calling information; and

means for providing the contact details of the entity to a routing node to route the call to the entity.