System and associated terminal and method for short-range initiation of joining and/or transferring a communication session

• US 7,447,513 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Anttila, Akseli, Jung, Younghee
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US10/924,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20060040692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/436, 455/422.1, 455415-417, 455/414.1, 455/445, 455/552.1, 455/408, 455/465, 379/207.01, 379/210, 379/211.01, 379/212.01, 379/144, 379/220.01, 379/211.02, 379/88.16, 379/114.02, 379/114.01, 379/202.01, 379/220
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party-service or three-way-call computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

A system is provided that includes a first terminal, and a second terminal engaged in a communication session with the first terminal across one or more networks. The system also includes a third terminal capable of communicating with the second terminal across a short-range communication link between with the second terminal. The second terminal or the third terminal is capable of receiving an identifier of the third terminal or the second terminal, respectively, across the short-range communication link. Thereafter, the terminal receiving the identifier is capable of communicating with the communication network(s) based upon the identifier to thereby join the third terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first terminal;

a second terminal configured to engage in a communication session with the first terminal across at least one communication network; and

a third terminal configured to communicate with the second terminal across a short-range communication link with the second terminal, the short-range communication link being effectuated by short-range RF modules of the second and third terminals,

wherein the third terminal is configured to receive identifiers of the first and second terminals across the short-range communication link, and wherein the third terminal is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network based upon the identifiers of the first and second terminals to thereby join the third terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the third terminal is further configured to receive an identifier of the first terminal, and wherein the third terminal is configured to communicate the identifiers of the first and second terminals to the at least one communication network.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal is configured to communicate with the third terminal across a first short-range communication link between the second and third terminals, wherein one of the second terminal or the third terminal is configured to receive at least one parameter to establish a second short-range communication link between the second and third terminals, the at least one parameter being received across the first short-range communication link, wherein one of the second terminal or the third terminal is configured to establish a second short-range communication link between the second and third terminals based upon the at least one parameter, and wherein one of the second terminal or the third terminal is configured to receive the identifier of the other of the second terminal and the third terminal across the second short-range communication link.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal receiving the identifier is pre-configured to perform an action with respect to the identifier, and wherein the terminal receiving the identifier is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network in accordance with the action.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal receiving the identifier is further configured to receive an action to perform with respect to the identifier, the action having been dynamically-configured by one of the second terminal or the third terminal, and wherein the terminal receiving the identifier and the action is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network in accordance with the action.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the third terminal is configured to receive an identifier of the first terminal, the first terminal identifier being received from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, and wherein the third terminal is configured to communicate the first terminal identifier to the at least one communication network to thereby transfer the communication session from the second terminal to the third terminal.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an identifier configured to identify the respective terminal to at least one of the communication networks.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first terminal, second terminal or third terminal comprises a mobile telephone.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an identifier of the communication session between the first terminal and the second terminal.

10. A system comprising:

a first terminal;

a second terminal configured to engage in a communication session with the first terminal across at least one communication network; and

a third terminal configured to communicate with the second terminal across a short-range communication link with the second terminal, wherein the second terminal is configured to interconnect the first terminal and the third terminal during the communication session such that the third terminal is configured to receive communication from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, the communication having been received at the second terminal from the first terminal across the at least one communication network, and such that the third terminal is configured to send communication to the second terminal across the short-range communication link, which the second terminal is configured to thereafter send to the first terminal across the at least one communication network, the third terminal otherwise being configured to engage the first terminal in a communication session independent of the second terminal.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a controller operable with a terminal and configured to operate a transfer agent, wherein the transfer agent is configured to communicate with a second terminal across a short-range communication link between the terminal and the second terminal, the second terminal being engaged in a communication session with a first terminal across at least one communication network, wherein the transfer agent is configured to receive identifiers of the first and second terminals across the short-range communication link, and thereafter communicate with the at least one communication network based upon the identifiers of the first and second terminals to thereby join the terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transfer agent is also configured to receive an identifier of the first terminal, and wherein the transfer agent is configured to communicate the identifiers of the first and second terminals to the at least one communication network to thereby join the terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transfer agent is further configured to communicate with the second terminal across a first short-range communication link with the second terminal, and thereafter receive at least one parameter to establish a second short-range communication link with the second terminal, the at least one parameter being received across the first short-range communication link, wherein the transfer agent is configured to establish a second short-range communication link with the second terminal based upon the at least one parameter, and wherein the transfer agent is configured to receive the second terminal identifier across the second short-range communication link.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transfer agent is pre-configured to perform an action with respect to the identifier, and wherein the transfer agent is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network in accordance with the action.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transfer agent is further configured to receive an action to perform with respect to the identifier, the action having been dynamically-configured by the second terminal, and wherein the transfer agent is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network in accordance with the action.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the identifier received by the transfer agent comprises an identifier of the first terminal, and wherein the transfer agent is configured to communicate the first terminal identifier from the terminal to the at least one communication network to thereby transfer the communication session from the second terminal to the terminal.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the identifier received by the transfer agent comprises an identifier configured to identify the second terminal to at least one of the communication networks.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the terminal comprises a mobile telephone.

19. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the identifier received by the transfer agent comprises an identifier of the communication session between the first terminal and the second terminal.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a controller operable with a terminal and configured to communicate with a second terminal across a short-range communication link with the second terminal, the second terminal being engaged in a communication session with a first terminal across at least one communication network, wherein the second terminal is configured to interconnect the first terminal and the third terminal during the communication session such that the controller is configured to receive communication from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, the communication having been received at the second terminal from the first terminal across the at least one communication network, and such that the controller is configured to send communication to the second terminal across the short-range communication link, which the second terminal can thereafter send to the first terminal across the at least one communication network, the terminal otherwise being configured to engage the first terminal in a communication session independent of the second terminal.

21. A method comprising:

communication across short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal, the short-range communication link being effectuated by short-range RF modules of the second and third terminals, the second terminal being engaged in a communication session with a first terminal across at least one communication network;

receiving identifiers of the first and second terminals at the third terminal across the short-range communication link; and

communicating the identifiers of the first and second terminals from the third terminal to the at least one communication network to thereby join the third terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving an identifier further comprises receiving an identifier of the first terminal at the third terminal, and wherein communicating with the at least one communication network comprises communicating the identifiers of the first and second terminals from the third terminal to the at least one communication network to thereby join the third terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

23. A method according to claim 21 further comprising:

communicating across a first short-range communication link between the second and third terminals; and

receiving at least one parameter to establish a second short-range communication link between the second and third terminals, the at least one parameter being received across the first short-range communication link,

wherein communicating across a short-range communication link comprises establishing a second short-range communication link between the second and third terminals based upon the at least one parameter, and

wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier of one of the second terminal or the third terminal across the second short-range communication link.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier at one of the second terminal or the third terminal, the terminal receiving the identifier being pre-configured to perform an action with respect to the identifier, and wherein communicating with the at least one communication network comprises communicating with the at least one network in accordance with the action.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving an identifier further comprises receiving an action to perform with respect to the identifier, the action having been dynamically-configured by one of the second terminal or the third terminal, and wherein communicating with the at least one communication network comprises communicating with the at least one network in accordance with the action.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier of the first terminal at the third terminal, the first terminal identifier being received from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, and

wherein communicating with the at least one communication network comprises communicating the first terminal identifier from the third terminal to the at least one communication network to thereby transfer the communication session from the second terminal to the third terminal.

27. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier configured to identify the respective terminal to at least one of the communication networks.

28. A method according to claim 21, wherein communicating across a short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal comprises communicating across a short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal at least one of which comprises a mobile telephone.

29. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier of the communication session between the first terminal and the second terminal.

30. A method comprising:

communicating across a short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal, the second terminal being engaged in a communication session with a first terminal across at least one communication network; and

interconnecting the first terminal and the third terminal during the communication session, the third terminal otherwise being configured to engage the first terminal in a communication session independent of the second terminal, wherein interconnecting the first and third terminals comprises;

receiving communication at the third terminal from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, the communication having been received at the second terminal from the first terminal across the at least one communication network; and

sending communication to the second terminal from the third terminal across the short-range communication link such that the second terminal can thereafter send the communication to the first terminal across the at least one communication network.

31. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured to communicate across a short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal, the short-range communication link being effectuated by short-range RF modules of the second terminal and the third terminal, the second terminal being engaged in a communication session with a first terminal across at least one communication network;

a second executable portion configured to receive identifiers of the first and second terminals at the third terminal across the short-range communication link; and

a third executable portion configured to communicate from the third terminal to the at least one communication network the identifiers of the first and second terminals to thereby join the third terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

32. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the second executable portion is further configured to receive an identifier of the first terminal, and wherein the third executable portion is configured to communicate the identifiers of the first and second terminals from the third terminal to the at least one communication network to thereby join the third terminal in the communication session between the first and second terminals.

33. A computer program product according to claim 31 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion configured to communicate across a first short-range communication link between the second and third terminals; and

a fifth executable portion configured to receive at least one parameter to establish a second short-range communication link between the second and third terminals, the at least one parameter being received across the first short-range communication link,

wherein the first executable portion is configured to establish a second short-range communication link between the second and third terminals based upon the at least one parameter, and

wherein the second executable portion is configured to receive an identifier of one of the second terminal or the third terminal across the second short-range communication link.

34. A computer program product according to claim 31 configured to operate on one of the second terminal or the third terminal pre-configured to perform an action with respect to the identifier, and wherein the third executable portion is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network in accordance with the action.

35. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the second executable portion is further configured to receive an action to perform with respect to the identifier, the action having been dynamically-configured by one of the second terminal or the third terminal, and wherein the third executable portion is configured to communicate with the at least one communication network in accordance with the action.

36. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the second executable portion is configured to receive an identifier of the first terminal, the first terminal identifier being received from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, and

wherein the third executable portion is configured to communicate the first terminal identifier from the third terminal to the at least one communication network to thereby transfer the communication session from the second terminal to the third terminal.

37. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the second executable portion is configured to receive an identifier configured to identify the respective terminal to at least one of the communication networks.

38. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the first executable portion is configured to communicate across a short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal at least one of which comprises a mobile telephone.

39. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the second executable portion is configured to receive an identifier of the communication session between the first terminal and the second terminal.

40. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured to communicate across a short-range communication link between a third terminal and a second terminal, the second terminal being engaged in a communication session with a first terminal across at least one communication network; and

a second executable portion configured to interconnect the first terminal and the third terminal during the communication session, the third terminal otherwise being configured to engage the first terminal in a communication session independent of the second terminal, wherein the second executable portion being configured to interconnect the first and third terminals includes being configured to;

receive communication at the third terminal from the second terminal across the short-range communication link, the communication having been received at the second terminal from the first terminal across the at least one communication network; and

send communication to the second terminal from the third terminal across the short-range communication link such that the second terminal can thereafter send the communication to the first terminal across the at least one communication network.