METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR CAUSING A COMMUNICATION CLIENT TO JOIN A MEDIA-OVER-PACKET COMMUNICATION SESSION

• US 20100217823A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 08/26/2010
• 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 10,389,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, system and apparatus for causing a communication client to join a media-over-packet communication session. The method comprises receiving from a communication client an indication indicative of a desire of the communication client to establish a communication session, the communication client being registered in association with a user account. The method further comprises determining if there exists at least one active communication session established with at least one other communication client registered in association with the user account. Responsive to determining that there does exist at least one active communication session, the method further comprises causing the communication client to join at least one of the at least one active communication session.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a communication client an indication indicative of a desire of said communication client to establish a communication session, said communication client being registered in association with a user account;

determining if there exists at least one active communication session established with at least one other communication client registered in association with said user account;

responsive to determining that there does exist at least one active communication session, causing said communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said indication comprises a SIP message.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving an indication from a communication client comprises detecting an off-hook condition.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving an indication from a communication client comprises receiving a communication session request from said communication client.

5. The method defined in claim 4, wherein said receiving a communication session request from said communication client is executed in response to detection of at least one of:

a user of said communication client selecting a soft key;

the user of said communication client clicking on a button;

the user of said communication client dialing a pre-determined sequence of keys;

the user of said communication client producing a speech utterance.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

extracting from said indication a first communication client identifier of said communication client;

accessing a database, said database mapping at least one user account identifier with at least one corresponding communication client identifier;

based on said first communication client identifier of said communication client, retrieving from said database a second communication client identifier of said at least one other communication client registered to said at least one user account identifier;

checking if said at least one active communication session is in progress and has been established with said second communication client identifier of said at least one other communication client.

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

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said causing said communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session comprises formulating a signalling message destined for said communication client and releasing said signalling message to said communication client;

said signalling message for causing said communication client to join said at least one of said at least one 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, said at least one active communication session having been established between said at least one other communication client and a second communication party, wherein said causing said communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session comprises establishing a multi-party call between said communication client, said at least one other communication client and said second communication party.

11. The method defined in claim 1, said at least one communication session having been established between said at least one other communication client and a second communication party, wherein said causing said communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session comprises establishing a communication session with said communication client and bridging said communication session with said at least one active communication session.

12. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising providing an alert to said at least one other communication client via said at least one active communication session.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said alert comprises at least one of a visual alert, an audio alert and a tactile alert.

14. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising soliciting from a participant of said at least one active communication session an indication of permission for said communication client to join said at least one active communication session.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein said soliciting comprises at least one of:

soliciting said indication via said at least one active communication session;

transmitting an instant message to solicit said indication;

sending a short text message to solicit said indication;

sending an electronic message to solicit said indication.

16. The method defined in claim 14, wherein said causing said communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session is executed only in response to receiving said indication of permission.

17. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising providing an alert to said at least one other communication client by executing at least one of:

conveying said alert via said at least one active communication session;

conveying said alert via an instant messaging application;

conveying said alert by transmitting an electronic message;

conveying said alert by presenting a pop up window.

18. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises establishing that (i) a first active communication session is in progress with a first other communication client registered in association with the user account and (ii) a second active communication session is in progress with a second other communication client registered in association with the user account;

and wherein the method further comprises;

soliciting from said communication client an indication of which one of said first and second active communication sessions said communication client is desirous of joining.

19. The method defined in claim 18, further comprising receiving from said communication client said indication of which one of said first and second active communication sessions said communication client is desirous of joining;

and wherein said causing said communication client to join said at least one of said at least one communication session comprises;

causing said communication client to join one of said first and second active communication sessions in accordance with said indication of which one of said first and second active communication sessions said communication client is desirous of joining.

20. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising, responsive to determining that there does exist at least one active communication session and prior to said causing:

soliciting from said communication client a disposition instruction, said disposition instruction indicative of how to handle said communication session.

21. The method defined in claim 20, wherein said disposition instruction is indicative of one of:

handling said communication session by causing said communication client to join said at least one active communication session;

handling said communication session by allowing said communication client to establish a new communication session.

22. The method defined in claim 21, wherein said causing is executed only in response to receipt of said disposition instruction indicative of handling said communication session by joining said at least one communication session.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving from a communication client an indication indicative of a desire of said communication client to establish a communication session, said communication client being registered in association with a user account;

means for determining if there exists at least one active communication session established with at least one other communication client registered in association with the user account;

means for causing said communication client to join said at least one of said at least one active communication session;

said means for causing being responsive to at least a determination that there does exist at least one active communication session.

24. A system comprising:

a network element connectable to at least one communication client via a communication network, said network element being operable;

to receive from said at last one communication client an indication of a desire of said at least one communication client to establish a communication session via said communication network, said at least one communication client being registered in association with a user account;

to determine if there exists at least one active communication session established with at least one other communication client registered in association with the user account;

responsive to a positive determination that there does exist at least one active communication session, to cause said at least one communication client to join said at least one of said at least one active communication session.

25. The system defined in claim 24, wherein to receive said indication from said at least one communication client, said network element is operable to receive a SIP message from said at least one communication client.

26. The system defined in claim 25, wherein the system further comprises said at least one communication client;

and wherein said at least one communication client is operable to generate said SIP message.

27. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said at least one communication client is operable to automatically generate said SIP message upon entering into an off-hook state.

28. The system defined in claim 26, wherein said at least one communication client is operable to generate said SIP message upon detection of at least one of:

a user of said at least one communication client selecting a soft key;

the user of said at least one communication client clicking on a button;

the user of said at least one communication client dialing a pre-determined sequence of keys;

the user of said at least one communication client producing a speech utterance.

29. The system defined in claim 24, wherein to determine if there exists at least one active communication session, said network element is operable:

to extract from said indication a first communication client identifier of said communication client;

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

based on said first communication client identifier of said communication client, to retrieve from said database a second communication client identifier of said at least one other communication client registered to said at least one user account identifier;

to check if said at least one active communication session is in progress and has been established with said second communication client identifier of said at least one other communication client.

30. The system defined in claim 29, wherein to check if said at least one active communication session is in progress, said network element is operable to access an active call table.

31. The system defined in claim 30, wherein said network element comprises said active call table.

32. The system defined in claim 30, further comprising said active call table, wherein said active call table is accessible and is under control of said network element.

33. The system defined in claim 24, wherein to cause said at least one communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session, said network element is operable to formulate a signalling message destined for said at least one communication client and to release said signalling message to said at least one communication client;

said signalling message for causing said at least one communication client to join said at least one of said at least one active communication session.

34. The system defined in claim 33, wherein said signalling message comprises a SIP INVITE message.

35. The system defined in claim 24, said at least one active communication session having been established between said at least one other communication client and a second communication party, wherein to cause said at least one communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session, said network element is operable to establish a multi-party call between said at least one communication client, said at least one other communication client and said second communication party.

36. The system defined in claim 24, said at least one communication session having been established between said at least one other communication client and a second communication party, wherein to cause said at least one communication client to join at least one of said at least one active communication session, said network element is operable to establish a communication session with said at least one communication client and to bridge said communication session with said at least one active communication session.

37. The system defined in claim 24, wherein said network element is further operable to provide an alert to said at least one other communication client via said at least one active communication session.

38. The system defined in claim 37, wherein said alert comprises at least one of a visual alert, an audio alert and a tactile alert.

39. The system defined in claim 37, wherein said network element is further operable to solicit from a participant of said at least one active communication session an indication of permission for said at least one communication client to join said at least one active communication session.

40. The system defined in claim 39, wherein to solicit from a participant of said at least one active communication session an indication of permission, said network element is operable to execute at least one of:

soliciting said indication via said at least one active communication session;

transmitting an instant message to solicit said indication;

sending a short text message to solicit said indication;

sending an electronic message to solicit said indication.

41. The system defined in claim 39, wherein said network element causes said at least one communication client to join said at least one of said at least one active communication session only in response to receipt of said indication of permission.

42. The system defined in claim 24, wherein said network element is further operable to provide an alert to said at least one other communication client by executing at least one of:

conveying said alert via said at least one active communication session;

conveying said alert via an instant messaging application;

conveying said alert by transmitting an electronic message;

conveying said alert by presenting a pop up window.

43. The system defined in claim 24, wherein if said network element determines that (i) a first active communication session is in progress with a first other communication client registered in association with the user account and (ii) a second active communication session is in progress with a second other communication client registered in association with the user account;

said network element is further operable to;

solicit from said at least one communication client an indication of which one of said first and second active communication sessions said at least one communication client is desirous of joining.

44. The system defined in claim 43, wherein said network element is further operable to receive from said at least one communication client said indication of which one of said first and second active communication sessions said at least one communication client is desirous of joining;

and wherein to cause said at least one communication client to join said at least one of said at least one communication session, said network element is operable to;

cause said at least one communication client to join one of said first and second active communication sessions in accordance with said indication of which one of said first and second active communication sessions said at least one communication client is desirous of joining.

45. The system defined in claim 24, wherein said network element is further operable to, responsive to a determination that there does exist at least one active communication session and prior to causing said at least one communication client to join said at least one active communication session:

solicit from said at least one communication client a disposition instruction, said disposition instruction indicative of how to handle said communication session.

46. The system defined in claim 45, wherein based on said disposition instruction, said network element is operable to execute one of:

handling said communication session by causing said at least one communication client to join said at least one active communication session;

handling said communication session by allowing said at least one communication client to establish a new communication session.

47. The system defined in claim 45, wherein said network element causes said at least one communication client to join said at least one active communication session only in response to receipt of said disposition instruction being an instruction for handling said communication session by causing said at least one communication client to join said at least one communication session.

48. The system defined in claim 24, wherein said network element is embodied in a soft switch.

49. A media-over-packet communication client, the communication client being registerable with a network element in association with a user account, the communication client comprising

a first functional entity for connecting to a data network adapted for handling media-over-packet calls;

a second functional entity for receiving spoken utterances from a user to be conveyed via said first interface and for conveying to the user audio messages received via the first interface to the user;

a third functional entity for allowing the user to convey a desire to join an active communication session that is in progress with another communication client registered with said network element in association with said user account.

50. The communication client as defined in claim 49, wherein said third interface comprises a screen on which is provided a soft button.

51. The communication client defined in claim 49, wherein said third interface comprises a touch screen providing a button.

52. The communication client defined in claim 49, embodied in a VoIP phone.

53. The communication client defined in claim 49, embodied in a soft client executable on a computing apparatus.

54. The communication client defined in claim 49, embodied in a POTS phone equipped with an ATA.

55. A communication client, the communication client registerable in association with a user account, the communication client comprising:

a first functional entity for connecting to a communication network adapted for handling voice communications;

a second functional entity for receiving spoken utterances from a user to be conveyed via said first interface and for conveying to the user audio messages received via the first interface to the user;

a third functional entity for allowing the user to selectively convey a desire to establish a new communication session or a desire to join an active communication session that is in progress with another communication client registered in association with said user account.

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

to receive from said at last one communication client an indication of a desire of said at least one communication client to establish a communication session via said communication network, said at least one communication client being registered in association with a user account;

to determine if there exists at least one active communication session established with at least one other communication client registered in association with the user account;

responsive to a positive determination that there does exist at least one active communication session, to cause said at least one communication client to join said at least one of said at least one active communication session.

57. A method comprising:

conveying, using a communication client, an indication of a user desire to join a communication session;

receiving a communication session handling option of being able to handle the communication session by at least one of (i) establishing a new communication session and (ii) joining an active communication session that is in progress with another communication client registered in association with a user account associated with said communication client;

responsive to said receiving, conveying a disposition instruction indicative of whether said communication session should be handled by establishing the new communication session or by joining said active communication session.

58. The method defined in claim 57, wherein said receiving comprises at least one of:

receiving said communication session handling option via said communication client;

receiving an electronic message indicative of said communication session handling option;

receiving a short text message indicative of said communication session handling option;

receiving an instant message indicative of said communication session handling option.

59. The method defined in claim 57, wherein said conveying a disposition instruction comprises at least one of:

transmitting said disposition instruction via said communication client;

transmitting an electronic message indicative of said disposition instruction;

transmitting a short text message indicative of said disposition instruction;

transmitting an instant message indicative of said disposition instruction.