Combining multimedia services with traditional telephony

• US 7,443,834 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US10/028,510
• Time in Patent Office: 2,504 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/395.5, 370/395.51, 370/395.52
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a combined user agent (CUA) to represent a telephone supported by a circuit-switched telephony switch and a packet-based media device as an integrated group to other network entities. The CUA is configured to facilitate the necessary call signaling to establish and control a voice call via the telephony switch, as well as the session control signaling necessary to establish and control a media session with the media device. Accordingly, the telephone and media device appear to the network devices as a single device having voice and media capabilities, wherein the voice capabilities are controlled in part by the telephony switch.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a) an interface adapted to facilitate media communications; and

b) a control system associated with the interface and providing a combined user agent, which is adapted to;

i) represent a telephone and a computing device as a single multimedia device capable of supporting voice and media sessions;

ii) communicate with a circuit-switched telephony switch to establish a connection with the telephone through the circuit-switched telephony switch to facilitate a voice session with another voice-capable device; and

iii) communicate with the computing device to establish a media session between the computing device and another media-capable device,

wherein the combined user agent appears to network devices as a multimedia client supporting voice and media sessions and interacts with the circuit-switched telephony switch as well as the computing device to facilitate the voice and media sessions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to associate the connection and media session with one another.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to provide information associated with the connection to the computing device for use in an application associated with the media session.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to communicate with the circuit-switched telephony switch using call signaling messages required to establish and control the connection between the telephone and the voice-capable device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to communicate with the circuit-switched telephony switch using a first protocol.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to communicate with the computing device with signaling messages required to establish and control a media session between the computing device and the media-capable device using a second protocol.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to use the session initiation protocol, SIP, when representing the multimedia device to other SIP devices.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the combined user agent is further adapted to use the session initiation protocol when communicating with the computing device to establish the media session between the computing device and another media-capable device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the media session established between the computing device and another media capable device is at least one of the group consisting of video session, screen sharing session, audio streaming, video streaming, information streaming, voicemail, email, gaming, advertising, and instant messaging session.

10. A method facilitating voice and media sessions comprising:

a) representing a telephone and a computing device as a combined user agent capable of supporting voice and media sessions;

b) communicating with a circuit-switched telephony switch to establish a connection with the telephone through the circuit-switched telephony switch to facilitate a voice session with another voice-capable device; and

c) communicating with a computing device to establish a media session between the computing device and another media-capable device,

wherein the combined user agent appears to network devices as a multimedia client supporting voice and media sessions and interacts with the circuit-switched telephony switch as well as the computing device to facilitate the voice and media sessions.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising associating the connection and media session with one another.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing information associated with the connection to the computing device for use in an application associated with the media session.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating with the circuit-switched telephony switch using call signaling messages required to establish and control the connection between the telephone and the voice-capable device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising communicating with the circuit-switched telephony switch using a first protocol.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising communicating with the computing device with signaling messages required to establish and control a media session between the computing device and the media-capable device using a second protocol.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating using the session initiation protocol, SIP, when representing the multimedia device to other SIP devices.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising communicating using the session initiation protocol when communicating with the computing device to establish the media session between the computing device and another media-capable device.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the media session established between the computing device and another media-capable device is at least one of the group consisting of video session, screen sharing session, audio streaming, video streaming, information streaming, voicemail, email, gaming, advertising, and instant messaging session.

19. A computer readable medium having software for implementing a combined user agent and comprising computer instructions to:

a) represent a telephone and a computing device as a single multimedia device capable of supporting voice and media sessions;

b) communicate with a circuit-switched telephony switch to establish a connection with the telephone through the circuit-switched telephony switch to facilitate a voice session with another voice-capable device; and

c) communicate with a computing device to establish a media session between the computing device and another media-capable device,

wherein the combined user agent appears to network devices as a multimedia client supporting voice and media sessions and interacts with the circuit-switched telephony switch as well as the computing device to facilitate the voice and media sessions.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instructions are further adapted to associate the connection and media session with one another.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instructions are further adapted to provide information associated with the connection to the computing device for use in an application associated with the media session.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instructions are further adapted to communicate with the circuit-switched telephony switch using call signaling messages required to establish and control the connection between the telephone and the voice-capable device.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the instructions are further adapted to communicate with the circuit-switched telephony switch using a first protocol.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein the instructions are further adapted to communicate with the computing device with signaling messages required to establish and control a media session between the computing device and the media-capable device using a second protocol.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instructions are further adapted to use the session initiation protocol, SIP, when representing the multimedia device to other SIP devices.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the instructions are further adapted to use the session initiation protocol when communicating with the computing device to establish the media session between the computing device and another media capable device.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the media session established between the computing device and another media capable device is at least one of the group consisting of video session, screen sharing session, audio streaming, video streaming, information streaming, voicemail, email, gaming, advertising, and instant messaging session.