Method and apparatus for accessing a network computer to establish a push-to-talk session

• US 7,522,931 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NetNumber Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetNumber Inc.
• Inventors: Ranalli, Douglas J., Walter, Robert H., Peek, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendell; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/802,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/435.1, 455/438, 370/262
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A wireless phone user registered for push-to-talk (PTT) services desires a push-to-talk session with a party on a network computer accessible via a public data network (like the Internet) that is not registered with any PTT service. The registered user enters a unique identifier, as a destination address for such computer, and a PTT server uses the unique identifier to query a Directory Service available on the public data network to obtain a PTT address for the destination computer. The PTT server then forwards or proxies the PTT request to the destination computer. As a result, the number of push-to-talk destinations available to the wireless phone user is expanded to include any number of push-to-talk enabled computers available on the Internet that are known to the Directory Service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

extending a mobile operator'"'"'s push-to-talk (PTT) system to enable registered users on the PTT system to establish PTT sessions with unregistered end-user equipment, where such unregistered end-user equipment is not registered for PTT service with any mobile operator'"'"'s PTT system but can be located on a public data network by querying a directory service database accessible on a public data network, the database containing a PTT address for the unregistered end-user equipment, the method including;

a wireless phone, having PTT functionality and registered with the mobile operator'"'"'s PTT system, sending a request for a PTT session to the system'"'"'s PTT server, the request including a unique identifier of the unregistered end-user equipment wherein the equipment comprises a destination network computer accessible on a public data network and having PTT functionality;

the PTT server receiving the request and sending a query to the directory service database for the PTT address of the unregistered end-user equipment;

the directory service database receiving and resolving the query, based on the unique identifier, to the PTT address of the unregistered end-user equipment; and

the PTT server receiving the PTT address and sending a request to initiate a PTT session with the destination network computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the public data network is the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the PTT address is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the SIP address is a SIP-URI that can be further resolved into an IP address and a port number for receiving PTT sessions at the destination network computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the directory service issues the unique identifier to the destination network computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the unique identifier is a telephone number with a # prefix.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a fixed or variable length number or name with a # or * prefix.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a push-to-talk (PTT) server of a mobile operator'"'"'s PTT system including means for extending the PTT system to enable a registered user of the PTT system to initiate a PTT session with unregistered end-user equipment which is not registered for PTT service with any mobile operator'"'"'s PTT system, the unregistered end-user equipment comprising a destination network computer having PTT functionality and being accessible on a public data network;

the PTT server containing means for querying an external directory service database, accessible on a public data network, with a unique identifier to obtain a PTT address for the unregistered end-user equipment, and

means for initiating a PTT session with the unregistered end-user equipment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for querying includes means for querying a DNS directory service.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for querying includes means for receiving the PTT address.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for initiating includes means for sending a PTT session request to the destination network computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, including means for receiving a PTT session response from the destination network computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, including means for accessing a user equipment registered with the PTT server, means for receiving a request for a PTT session with the unique identifier, and means for sending the user equipment a session response.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a directory service,

residing on a computer,

accessible on a public data network, and

containing a unique identifier and an associated push-to-talk (PTT) address of an unregistered end-user equipment comprising a destination network computer having PTT functionality and accessible on a public data network and not registered for PTT service with any mobile operator'"'"'s PTT system,

wherein the directory service extends a mobile operator'"'"'s PTT system to enable a registered user of the PTT system to initiate a PTT session with the unregistered end-user equipment,

the directory service comprising a database external to the PTT system and including;

means for receiving a request including a unique identifier from a PTT server of the PTT system,

means for resolving the request to identify the unregistered end-user equipment associated with the unique identifier, and

means for returning the PTT address to the PTT server.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the public data network is the Internet.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the destination address is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the SIP address is a SIP-URI that can be resolved into an IP address and a port number for receiving PTT sessions at the network computer.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the unique identifier is a number or name.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the directory service is a domain name system (DNS) directory service.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the directory service stores the PTT address as a resource record.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the format of the resource record is one or more of a Naming Authority Pointer (NAPTR), Service (SRV), and A record.