System for Automated Device-to-Device Transfer

• US 20140188987A1
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CRFD Research, Inc. (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CRFD Research, Inc. (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US14/147,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188987A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A session transfer module of a session server provides the capability to a user to direct a transfer of an on-going session from one device to another device while maintaining the session. The session transfer module is invoked by a user in a way consistent with the user interface of the client application, including by a graphical user command, a command line prompt, or a voice command. The client provides a selection of possible devices that may receive the redirected session. The session transfer module receives the selected device with the session redirect common over a communication network. The communication network may be wired (e.g., public switched telephone network (“PSTN”), Internet, etc.,) a wireless network (e.g., digital telephone network, pager network, etc.,) or a combination of the wired and wireless networks. The session transfer module many be configured to discontinued the session with the current device to block any subsequent messages of the transferring session from reaching the device. The session transfer module may be further configured to access a device profile from a device profile database to convert the blocked messages into a format compatible to the format and/or modality of the redirected device. The session transfer module may be further configured to push the session to the redirected device in response to an activation (e.g., log-on) of the redirected device by the user. Alternatively, the session transfer module may be further grounded to push the session back to the device in response to a time-out in the activation of the redirected device.

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device, comprising:

managing, at a session server, a session initially activated with a first client device;

receiving, at said session server, an identity of a redirected device selected from among a plurality of other client devices;

pushing an alert from said session server to said redirected device to notify that said session is awaiting resumption;

receiving, at said session server, instruction from said redirected device to activate said redirected session with said redirected device;

terminating said session with said first client device;

upon log-on at said second device, communicating a session history to said second device; and

continuing said session with said redirected device.

47. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 46, further comprising:

reformatting said session history to conform to a data format compatible with said redirected device.

48. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 46, further comprising:

configuring a graphical user interface of said first client device to redirect said session of said first client device to any of said plurality of other devices that may receive said redirected session.

49. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 48, wherein said graphical user interface comprises:

a dialog box.

50. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 48, wherein said graphical user interface comprises:

a menu selection.

51. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 46, further comprising:

configuring a voice command of said first client device to redirect said session of said first client device to any of said plurality of other devices that may receive said redirected session.

52. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 46, further comprising:

configuring a command line prompt of said first client device to redirect said session of said first client device to any of said plurality of other devices that may receive said redirected session.

53. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 46, wherein:

said redirected client device communicates with said session server via a wireless network.

54. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 46, wherein:

said redirected client device communicates with said session server via a wired network.

55. Apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device, comprising:

a session server to manage a session initially activated at a first client device;

an identification module, in said session server, to identity a redirected device selected from among a plurality of other client devices;

an alert module, in said session server, to push an alert from said session server to said redirected device to notify that said session is awaiting resumption;

an activation module, in said session server, to receive instruction from said redirected device to activate said redirected session with said redirected device;

a termination module, in said session server, to terminate said session with said first client device; and

a transmission interface, in said session server, to communicate a session history to said second device after log-on at said second device;

whereby said session server continues management of said session with said redirected device.

56. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 55, further comprising:

a format module, in said session server, to reformat said session history to conform to a data format compatible with said redirected device.

57. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 55, further comprising:

a configuration module, in said session server, to configure a graphical user interface of said first client device to redirect said session of said first client device to any of said plurality of other devices that may receive said redirected session.

58. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 57, wherein said graphical user interface comprises:

a dialog box.

59. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 57, wherein said graphical user interface comprises:

a menu selection.

60. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 55, further comprising:

a configuration module, in said session server, to configure a voice command of said first client device to redirect said session of said first client device to any of said plurality of other devices that may receive said redirected session.

61. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 55, further comprising:

a configuration module, in said session server, to configure a command line prompt of said first client device to redirect said session of said first client device to any of said plurality of other devices that may receive said redirected session.

62. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 55, wherein:

said redirected client device communicates with said session server via a wireless network.

63. The apparatus for transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 55, wherein:

said redirected client device communicates with said session server via a wired network.

64. A method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device, comprising:

initiating a session transfer of a session with a first device to a second device;

redirecting said session and its context from said first device to said second device, after activation of said session at said second device;

converting a message sent subsequent to said redirecting to a format that is compatible with said second device; and

redirecting said converted message to said second device.

65. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 64, further comprising:

pushing said session to said second device in response to said initiating said session transfer.

66. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 64, further comprising:

pushing a notification to said second device in response to said initiating said session transfer.

67. The method of transferring a session from a first device to a second device according to claim 64, further comprising:

accessing a device profile for said second device; and

obtaining said format from said device profile for said second device.