Method and apparatus for exchange of information in a communication network

• US 6,977,909 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Phonepages of Sweden Incorporated
• Inventors: Minborg, Per-Åke
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Application Number:
  US09/906,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/259, 370/260, 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/352, 370/357, 370/389, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 345/330, 345/335, 345/433, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/93.01, 379/93.07, 379/93.15, 379/93.21, 379/93.23, 379/201.01, 379/201.06, 379/201.08, 379/201.09, 379/202.01, 379/220.01, 379/221.14, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 380/33, 380/42, 380/43, 380/210, 380/236, 380/255, 380/257, 380/269, 380/270, 455/413, 455/416, 455/422, 455/445, 455/450, 455/466, 709/203, 709/219, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: 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 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/658 Combination of voice calls and paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 : wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 : Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 : Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 : Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 : Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 : Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 : CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 : Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 : between terminal devices

Abstract

A technique for connecting a dialed B-party number to a data object is described. The connecting of a B-party number to a specific data object, hereafter referred to as phonepage, will allow an A-party direct access to information that a B-party wishes to display to a calling party. The phonepage resides in a memory in a telecommunications network, or in a memory in a data-communications network connected thereto. The phonepage may have a similar appearance to an Internet web page, but may also take other appearances. The displaying of the phonepage may be made dependent upon the capabilities of the A-party user equipment.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving an object in a first user equipment connectable via a first communication channel with a second user equipment, comprising:

acquiring an address indication associated with the second user equipment;

determining the occurrence of a triggering event;

assembling a request for an object associated with the address indication, the request comprising at least two parameters, a first parameter representing the acquired address indication and a second parameter representing the determined triggering event;

sending the request for the object via a second communication channel to a data object server wherein the data server comprises at least one of a phonepage number server (PNS) and a phonepage web server (PWS);

receiving the data object or an indication of the object from the data object server in view of the parameters and in response to the request; and

processing the received object or indication of the object; and

rendering the data object at the first user equipment, wherein the data object includes visual content;

wherein the data object is a selected one from multiple data objects associated with the address indication, wherein the data object is selected based on the nature of the triggering event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further includes a third parameter representing the display capability of the first user equipment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data object is selected or filtered based on the display capability of the first user equipment before the data object is transmitted to the first user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object server comprises a PNS that identifies a location for the data object based on the address indication associated with the second user equipment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein based on the identified location, the PNS forwards a request to a remotely-located PWS storing said data object, and further wherein the remotely-located PWS provides said data object to the PNS, and further wherein the PNS provides said data object to the first user equipment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein based on the identified location, the PNS forwards a request to a remotely-located PWS storing said data object, and further wherein the remotely-located PWS provides said data object to the first user equipment.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the data object server sends the identified location to the first user equipment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first user equipment uses the identified location to submit a further request that is transmitted to a PWS in order to acquire said data object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object server comprises a PWS that provides said data object based on the address indication associated with the second user equipment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event is detected within a telecommunications network providing the first communication channel between the first user equipment and second user equipment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event is detected within the first user equipment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for a data object is sent automatically without the user of the first user equipment making a specific request for the data object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the data object is not sent automatically, further comprising the step of the user of the first user equipment making a specific request for the data object.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further includes information of one or more of the following parameters:

content type;

identity of the first user equipment;

terminal class;

terminal type; and

vendor.

15. A telecommunication system comprising a first user equipment, a second user equipment, and a communication network to establish a first communication channel between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and a data object server, wherein the data server comprises at least one of a phonepage number server (PNS) and a phonepage web server (PWS), wherein the first user equipment is arranged to acquire an address indication associated with the second user equipment, determine the occurrence of a triggering event, and assemble a request of an object associated with the address indication, the request comprising at least two parameters, a first parameter representing the acquired address indication and a second parameter representing the determined triggering event, and is arranged to send the request of an object via a second communication channel to the data object server, and in that the data object server is arranged to return the data object or an indication of the data object in view of the parameters to the first user equipment via the second communication channel in response to the request, and in that the first user equipment is arranged to receive the data object or the indication of the data object from the data object server and to then process the received data object or the indication of the data object, and in that the first user equipment is arranged to render the data object, wherein the data object includes visual content, and in that the data object is a selected one from multiple data objects associated with the address indication, wherein the data object is selected based on the nature of the triggering event.

16. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the request further includes a third parameter representing the display capability of the first user equipment.

17. The telecommunication system of claim 16, wherein the data object is selected or filtered based on the display capability of the first user equipment before the data object is transmitted to the first user equipment.

18. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the data object server comprises a PNS that identifies a location for the data object based on the address indication associated with the second user equipment.

19. The telecommunication system of claim 18, wherein based on the identified location, the PNS forwards a request to a remotely-located PWS storing said data object, and further wherein the remotely-located PWS provides said data object to the PNS, and further wherein the PNS provides said data object to the first user equipment.

20. The telecommunication system of claim 18, wherein based on the identified location, the PNS forwards a request to a remotely-located PWS storing said data object, and further wherein the remotely-located PWS provides said data object to the first user equipment.

21. The telecommunication system of claim 18, wherein the data object server sends the identified location to the first user equipment.

22. The telecommunication system of claim 21, wherein the first user equipment uses the identified location to submit a further request that is transmitted to a PWS in order to acquire said data object.

23. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the data object server comprises a PWS that provides said data object based on the address indication associated with the second user equipment.

24. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the trigger event is detected within a telecommunications network providing the first communication channel between the first user equipment and second user equipment.

25. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the trigger event is detected within the first user equipment.

26. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the request for a data object is sent automatically without the user of the first user equipment making a specific request for the data object.

27. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the request for the data object is not sent automatically, wherein the first user equipment is arranged to enable the user of the first user equipment to make a specific request for the data object.

28. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein the request further includes information of one or more of the following parameters:

content type;

identity of the first user equipment;

terminal class;

terminal type; and

vendor.