METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A REQUEST FOR A MEDIA-OVER-PACKET COMMUNICATION SESSION

• US 20100114896A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, David William, Arsenault, Jonathan Allan, Wolf, Eric John, Dawson, Jeffrey William
• Granted Patent: US 9,571,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5016 Session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, system and apparatus handling a request for a media-over-packet communication session. The method comprises receiving a request for a media-over-packet communication session destined for a network address. Responsive to determining existence of an active communication session with a first communication client registered to the network address, the method further comprises determining an identifier associated with a second commmunication client registered to the network address, the second communication client different from the first communication client; and routing the request to the second communication client using the identifier.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a media-over-packet communication session destined for a network address;

responsive to determining existence of an active communication session with a first communication client registered to said network address;

determining an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to said network address, said second communication client different from said first communication client;

routing said request to said second communication client using said identifier.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said request for a media-over-packet communication session comprises signalling information used for establishing said media-over-packet communication session.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said signalling information comprises a SIP INVITE message.

4. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising said determining existence of an active communication session with said first communication client.

5. The method defined in claim 4, wherein said determining existence of an active communication session with said first communication client comprises:

accessing a database, said database mapping at least one network address with at least one corresponding communication client identifier;

based on said network address, retrieving from said database at least one communication client identifier corresponding to said network address;

checking if at least one communication session is in progress with a communication client associated with at least one of said at least one communication client identifier corresponding to said network address.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein said checking comprises accessing an active call table.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said determining an identifier associated with a second communication client comprises accessing a database, said database mapping at least one network address with at least one corresponding communication client identifier.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said routing said request to said second communication client comprises formulating a signalling message destined for said second communication client and releasing said signalling message to said second communication client;

said signalling message for causing said second communication client to join said active communication session.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said signalling message comprises a SIP INVITE message.

10. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising determining if said network address has been provisioned with a call handling feature, wherein said determining an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to said network address and said routing are executed only responsive to said determining if said network address has been provisioned with a call handling feature renders a positive outcome.

11. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising retrieving at least one call routing condition that has been provisioned in association with said second communication client;

and verifying if said at least one call routing condition is satisfied.

12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one call routing condition is indicative of a period of time when a call handling feature is to be applied.

13. The method defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one call routing condition is indicative of a network identifier associated with an allowed originating party.

14. The method defined in claim 11, wherein said determining an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to said network address and said routing are executed only responsive to said determining if said call routing condition is satisfied.

15. The method defined in claim 1, said identifier associated with a second communication client comprising a first identifier, wherein the method further comprises determining a second identifier associated with a third communication client registered to said network address.

16. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising routing said request to said third communication client using said second identifier.

17. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising retrieving a first routing condition that has been provisioned in association with said second communication client and a second routing condition that has been provisioned in association with said third communication client.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein said routing said request to said second communication client comprises:

routing said request to said second communication client if said first routing condition is satisfied; and

wherein the method further comprises;

routing said request to said third communication client if said second routing condition is satisfied.

19. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising providing an alert to said first communication client via said active communication session, said alert indicative of said request.

20. The method defined in claim 19, further comprising soliciting from said first communication client a disposition instruction;

and wherein said routing said request is executed at least in part based on said disposition instruction.

21. The method defined in claim 19, wherein said providing an alert and said routing are performed substantially simultaneously.

22. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said media-over-packet communication session comprises a voice call.

23. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said media-over-packet communication session comprises a multimedia call.

24. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said media-over-packet communication session comprises a video call.

25. A network element comprising:

means for receiving a request for a media-over-packet communication session destined for a network address;

means for determining existence of an active communication session with a first communication client registered to said network address;

means for determining an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to said network address, said second communication client different from said first communication client;

means for routing said request to said second communication client using said identifier;

said means for determining an identifier and said means for routing being responsive to at least a determination that there does exist said active communication.

26. A system comprising:

a network element connectable to a plurality of communication clients over a communication network, the network element being operable;

to receive a request for a media-over-packet communication session destined for a network address;

responsive to determining existence of an active communication session with a first communication client registered to said network address;

to determine an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to said network address, said second communication client different from said first communication client;

to route said request to said second communication client using said identifier.

27. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said request for a media-over-packet communication session comprises signalling information used for establishing said media-over-packet communication session.

28. The system defined in claim 27, wherein said signalling information comprises a SIP INVITE message.

29. The system defined in claim 26, wherein the network element is further operable to determine existence of said active communication session with said first communication client.

30. The system defined in claim 29, wherein to determine existence of said active communication session with said first communication client, the network element is operable:

to access a database, said database mapping at least one network address with at least one corresponding communication client identifier;

based on said network address, to retrieve from said database at least one communication client identifier corresponding to said network address;

to check if at least one communication session is in progress with a communication client associated with at least one of said at least one communication client identifier corresponding to said network address.

31. The system defined in claim 30, wherein to check if said at least one active communication session is in progress and has been established with at least one of said at least one communication client identifier, the network element is operable to access an active call table.

32. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the network element comprises said active call table.

33. The system defined in claim 31, further comprising said active call table, wherein said active call table is accessible to and is under control of the network element.

34. The system defined in claim 26, wherein to determine an identifier associated with a second communication client, the network element is operable to access a database, said database mapping at least one network address with at least one corresponding communication client identifier.

35. The system defined in claim 26, wherein to route said request to said second communication client, the network element is operable:

to formulate a signalling message destined for said second communication client; and

to release said signalling message to said second communication client;

said signalling message for causing said second communication client to join said active communication session.

36. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said signalling message comprises a SIP INVITE message.

37. The system defined in claim 26, wherein the network element is further operable to determine if said network address has been provisioned with a call handling feature, wherein a positive determination that said network address has been provisioned with a call handling feature triggers the network element to determine an identifier and to route said request.

38. The system defined in claim 26, wherein the network element is further operable to retrieve at least one call routing condition that has been provisioned in association with said second communication client;

and to verify if said at least one call routing condition is satisfied.

39. The system defined in claim 38, wherein said at least one call routing condition is indicative of a period of time when a call handling feature is to be applied.

40. The system defined in claim 38, wherein said at least one call routing condition is indicative of a network identifier associated with an allowed originating party.

41. The system defined in claim 38, wherein a positive determination that said call routing condition is satisfied triggers the network element to determine an identifier and to route said request.

42. The system defined in claim 26, said identifier associated with a second communication client comprising a first identifier, wherein the network element is further operable to determine a second identifier associated with a third communication client registered to said network address.

43. The system defined in claim 42, wherein the network element is further operable to route said request to said third communication client using said second identifier.

44. The system defined in claim 42, wherein the network element is further operable to retrieve a first routing condition that has been provisioned in association with said second communication client and a second routing condition that has been provisioned in association with said third communication client.

45. The system defined in claim 44, wherein to route said request, the network element is operable:

to route said request to said second communication client if said first routing condition is satisfied; and

wherein the network element is further operable

to route said request to said third communication client if said second routing condition is satisfied.

46. The system defined in claim 26, wherein the network element is further operable to provide an alert to said first communication client via said active telephony session, said alert indicative of said request.

47. The system defined in claim 46, wherein the network element is further operable to solicit from said first communication client a disposition instruction;

and wherein to route said request, the network element is operable to route said request at least in part based on said disposition instruction.

48. The system defined in claim 46, wherein the network element is operable to provide an alert to said first communication client and to route said request substantially at the same time.

49. The system defined in claim 26, where the network element is embodied in a soft switch.

50. The system defined in claim 26, further comprising said first and second communication clients.

51. The system defined in claim 50, wherein said first communication client is embodied in one of a media-over-packet telephone, a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) telephone equipped with an Analog Terminal Adapter (ATA) and a computing apparatus executing a soft client;

and wherein said second communication client is embodied in one of a media-over-packet telephone, a POTS telephone equipped with an ATA and a computing apparatus executing a soft client.

52. The system defined in claim 26, further comprising said communication network.

53. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said media-over-packet communication session comprises a voice call.

54. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said media-over-packet communication session comprises a multimedia call.

55. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said media-over-packet communication session comprises a video call.

56. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when executed by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus:

to receive a request for a media-over-packet communication session destined for a network address;

responsive to determining existence of an active communication session with a first communication client registered to said network address;

to determine an identifier associated with a second communication client registered to said network address, said second communication client different from said first communication client;

to route said request to said second communication client using said identifier.