SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A REVERSE INVITATION IN A HYBRID PEER-TO-PEER ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120087302A1
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Damaka, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Damaka, Inc.
• Inventors: CHATURVEDI, SIVAKUMAR, GUNDABATHULA, SATISH, CHATURVEDI, RAMESHKUMAR, KURIAN, DENNIS
• Granted Patent: US 8,743,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/18 End to end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• 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

Abstract

An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to send a reverse invitation in response to an incoming call. The reverse invitation may be used to set up an alternate communication session rather than maintaining the incoming call.

Claims

1. A method for a reverse invitation comprising:

receiving, by a first endpoint, an inbound call from a second endpoint, wherein the inbound call is received via one of a cellular network and a public switched telephone network;

sending, by the first endpoint, an invitation message to the second endpoint via an Internet Protocol (IP) peer-to-peer network in response to the inbound call, wherein the invitation message requests that the second endpoint establish a peer-to-peer communication session with the first endpoint via the peer-to-peer network;

determining, by the first endpoint, whether an acknowledgement message has been received from the second endpoint in response to the invitation message; and

continuing, by the first endpoint, the inbound call with the second endpoint on the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network on which the inbound call was received if the acknowledgement message has not been received by the first endpoint.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing, by the first endpoint, the peer-to-peer communication session with the second endpoint if the acknowledgement message has been received by the first endpoint; and

releasing, by the first endpoint, resources of the first endpoint reserved for the inbound call on the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, whether the second point is available via the peer-to-peer network prior to sending the invitation message to the second endpoint.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the determining whether the second point is available occurs based on a presence notification sent directly between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the determining whether the second point is available occurs by obtaining, by the first endpoint, presence information of the second endpoint from a system accessible to the first endpoint.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, whether the second endpoint is a buddy of the first endpoint prior to sending the invitation message to the second endpoint.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the determining whether the second endpoint is a buddy of the first endpoint is based on an E.164 number corresponding to the second endpoint, wherein the first endpoint extracts the E.164 number of the second endpoint from the inbound call.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first endpoint reads the E.164 number in reverse order and wherein any digits past ten are viewed by the first endpoint as one of a country code and a region code.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the determining whether the second endpoint is a buddy of the first endpoint is based on one of an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number corresponding to the second endpoint.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending, by the first endpoint, a temporary buddy request to the second endpoint if the second endpoint is not a buddy of the first endpoint, wherein the temporary buddy request establishes a buddy relationship between the first and second endpoints for the duration of the peer-to-peer communication session.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sending, by the first endpoint, a information request message to an access server of the peer-to-peer network if the second endpoint is not a buddy of the first endpoint; and

receiving, by the first endpoint, address information of the second endpoint from the access server.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, that an IP network providing access for the first endpoint for the peer-to-peer communication session is capable of supporting the peer-to-peer communication session prior to sending the invitation message.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising formatting, by the first endpoint, the invitation message as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

14. A method for establishing a communication session by a first endpoint comprising:

receiving, by the first endpoint, a first plurality of digits identifying a first destination device;

initiating, by the first endpoint, an outbound call to the first destination device based on the first plurality of digits, wherein the outbound call is initiated via one of a cellular network and a public switched telephone network;

receiving, by the first endpoint, an invitation message from the first destination device via an Internet Protocol (IP) peer-to-peer network, wherein the invitation message requests that the first endpoint establish a peer-to-peer communication session with the first destination device;

sending, by the first endpoint, an acknowledgement message to the first destination device in response to the invitation message;

establishing, by the first endpoint, the peer-to-peer communication session with the first destination device; and

releasing, by the first endpoint, resources of the first endpoint reserved for the outbound call via the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, whether to accept the request for the peer-to-peer communication session with the first destination device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the request is automatically accepted by the first endpoint.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, whether the first destination device is a second endpoint that is a buddy.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of determining whether to accept the request for the peer-to-peer communication session includes determining that an IP network providing access for the first endpoint for the peer-to-peer communication session is capable of supporting the peer-to-peer communication session.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving, by the first endpoint, a second plurality of digits identifying a second destination device;

initiating, by the first endpoint, an outbound call to the second destination device based on the second plurality of digits, wherein the outbound call is initiated via one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network;

receiving, by the first endpoint, an indication that the second destination device has answered the outbound call; and

maintaining, by the first endpoint, the outbound call with the second destination device via the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network, wherein the outbound call with the second destination device via the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network is supported by the first endpoint simultaneously with the peer-to-peer communication session with the first destination device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising coupling, by the first endpoint, the outbound call with the second destination device via the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network and the peer-to-peer communication session with the first destination device.

21. An endpoint comprising:

a network interface configured to send and receive communications via at least first and second networks, wherein the first network is one of a cellular network and a public switched telephone network and the second network is an internet protocol (IP) based peer-to-peer network;

a controller coupled to the network interface; and

a memory coupled to the controller, the memory having a plurality of instructions stored thereon for execution by the controller, the instructions including instructions for;

receiving an inbound call from a calling endpoint via the first network;

identifying that the calling endpoint is accessible via the second network;

sending an invitation message to the calling endpoint via the second network in response to the inbound call, wherein the invitation message requests that the calling endpoint establish a peer-to-peer communication session via the second network;

establishing the peer-to-peer communication session with the calling endpoint;

and

releasing resources reserved for the inbound call.

22. The endpoint of claim 21 further comprising instructions for determining whether an acknowledgement message has been received from the second endpoint in response to the invitation message.

23. The endpoint of claim 21 further comprising instructions for determining that the second network is capable of supporting the peer-to-peer communication session prior to sending the invitation message.

24. The endpoint of claim 21 wherein the endpoint is a mobile handset.

25. The endpoint of claim 24 wherein the endpoint includes an E.164 number that is used by the calling endpoint to initiate the inbound call.

26. The endpoint of claim 25 wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is established via Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling.