SCALABLE AND EXTENSIBLE COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORK
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for initiating a call that adds a new mode of communication to a preexisting conversation, the method comprising:
- receiving a request from an application to create a call object using a specified mode of communication;
creating a call object using an extensible communication framework that is an instance of an overridden call object for conducting a call according to the specified mode of communication;
querying the preexisting conversation to determine whether an instance of a media provider for handling media related to the specified mode of communication is associated with the preexisting conversation; and
when querying determines that no instance of the media provider exists, instantiating a new instance of the media provider for handling media related to the specified mode of communication, wherein instantiating comprises creating an overridden media provider object based on common functionality provided by the extensible communication framework and custom functionality implemented separately from the framework,binding the new instance of the media provider to the preexisting conversation.providing the new instance of the media provider to the application in response to the request.
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Abstract
An extensible communication framework is presented that provides a standard, reusable implementation of common code for adding new modes of communication to a unified communications application. The framework loosely couples the signaling and media plane of unified communications to enable the two planes to be separated onto different computer systems or processes and to allow application writers to extend only the portion where they want to add new functionality. Thus, the extensible communication framework provides flexibility without excessive complexity.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for initiating a call that adds a new mode of communication to a preexisting conversation, the method comprising:
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receiving a request from an application to create a call object using a specified mode of communication; creating a call object using an extensible communication framework that is an instance of an overridden call object for conducting a call according to the specified mode of communication; querying the preexisting conversation to determine whether an instance of a media provider for handling media related to the specified mode of communication is associated with the preexisting conversation; and when querying determines that no instance of the media provider exists, instantiating a new instance of the media provider for handling media related to the specified mode of communication, wherein instantiating comprises creating an overridden media provider object based on common functionality provided by the extensible communication framework and custom functionality implemented separately from the framework, binding the new instance of the media provider to the preexisting conversation. providing the new instance of the media provider to the application in response to the request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer system for providing unified communications over a variety of protocols and using a variety of media types and modes of communication, the system comprising:
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a call component configured to establish unified communications between two or more endpoints, wherein the call component comprises a common call layer that is reusable among multiple unified communication applications and a protocol-specific layer that is extensible and handles call establishment over a particular protocol; a media provider component configured to determine one or more media parameters associated with media to be communicated during the call, wherein the media provider component comprises a common provider layer that is reusable among multiple unified communication applications and a modality-specific provider layer that is extensible and handles media parameters for a particular mode of communication; and a media flow component configured to handle media communicated during the call, wherein the media flow component comprises a common flow layer that is reusable among multiple unified communication applications and a modality-specific flow layer that is extensible and handles media for a particular mode of communication, wherein the call, media provider, and media flow components comprise an extensible framework accessible by a unified communication application. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to switch a unified communications conversation from one media type to another, by a method comprising:
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receiving from a unified communications application a request to switch a conversation from an old media type to a new media type, wherein the unified communications application accesses an extensible communication framework that has a built-in flow for handling the old media type and not for the new media type; requesting from a media provider a flow for handling the new media type wherein the media provider accesses a custom component provided by the application for extending the framework to handle the new media type; receiving from the custom component a flow for handling the new media type; sending the new media type to one or participants in the conversation; terminating the built-in flow for handling the old media type and activating the flow for handling the new media type. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification