Apparatus and method to provide conference data sharing between user agent conference participants

• US 7,624,188 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Koskelainen, Petri
• Primary Examiner(s): Boutah; Alina N.
• Application Number:
  US10/838,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-204, 709218-220, 709227-229, 709/237, 709/248, 370/260, 379/202.01
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method is disclosed to share data amongst conference participants in a SIP conference. The method includes, in response to a request of a user agent (UA) conference participant to create a data sharing element, informing the UA in a SIP message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server (DSS) of a conferencing server where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants; storing the data in the address of the storage location and establishing at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants. Also disclosed, as part of a SIP Conference Server (10), is a Data Sharing Server (14) that provides storage for, and controlled access to and distribution of the shared data stored by one or more of SIP conference participants.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in response to a request of a user agent conference participant of a plurality of user agent conference participants to create a data sharing element, informing the user agent conference participant in a session initiation protocol message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server of a conferencing server where the user agent conference participant may store a shared media data file for use by at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants;

storing the shared media data file at the address of the storage location; and

establishing at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the other user agent conference participants of the plurality of user agent conference participants, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

2. A method as in claim 1, where storing uses a data sharing server procedure.

3. A method as in claim 1, where storing uses one of hypertext transfer protocol;

web-based distributed authoring and versioning;

real-time transport protocol; and

a transmission control protocol pipe with multipurpose internet mail extensions encapsulation.

4. A method as in claim 1, where informing supplies the user agent with a uniform resource identifier that specifies the address of the storage location.

5. A method as in claim 1, where storing also includes providing at least a name for the stored shared media data file.

6. A method as in claim 1, where storing also includes providing at least a name for, and a type of, the stored shared media data file.

7. A method as in claim 1, where the shared media data file comprises at least one of a media data file and an executable application.

8. A method as in claim 1, further comprising manipulating the shared media data file, wherein the manipulation comprises resizing an image.

9. A method as in claim 1, further comprising manipulating the shared media data file, wherein the manipulation comprises pushing the shared media data file to the at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants.

10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising manipulating the shared media data file, wherein the manipulation comprises converting the shared media data file from one format to another.

11. A method as in claim 1, further comprising providing manipulated data from the conferencing server to at least one of the user agent conference participants of the plurality of user agent conference participants.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a conferencing server that is responsive to an occurrence of a user agent conference participant of a plurality of user agent conference participants desiring to create a data sharing element, to inform the user agent conference participant in a session initiation protocol message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server where the user agent may store a shared media data file for use by at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants;

said conferencing server being further responsive to receipt of the data from the user agent conference participant to store the shared media data file at the address of the storage location; and

to establish at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12, where the data is received by using a non-session initiation protocol procedure.

14. An apparatus as in claim 12, where the data is received by using one of hypertext transfer protocol;

web-based distributed authoring and versioning;

real-time transport protocol; and

a transmission control protocol pipe with multipurpose internet mail extensions encapsulation.

15. An apparatus as in claim 12, where the server informs the user agent of the address by using a uniform resource identifier that specifies the address of the storage location.

16. An apparatus as in claim 12, where the data is received in conjunction with at least a name for the stored shared media data file.

17. An apparatus as in claim 12, where the data is received in conjunction with at least a name for, and a type of, the stored shared media data file.

18. An apparatus as in claim 12, where the shared media data file comprises at least one of a media data file and an executable application.

19. An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the conferencing server is arranged to provide manipulated data to the plurality of user agent conference participants.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a data processor arranged to request a conferencing server to create a data sharing element, to receive an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server where a user agent conference participant may store a shared media data file for use by at least one of a plurality of other user agent conference participants;

to send the shared media data file to the data sharing server for storage at the address of the storage location; and

to send information to a conference policy server to establish at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the at least one of a plurality of other user agent conference, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the shared media data file is sent to the data sharing server by using a non-session initiation protocol procedure.

22. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the data is sent to the DSS by using one of hypertext transfer protocol;

web-based distributed authoring and versioning;

real-time transport protocol; and

a transmission control protocol pipe with multipurpose internet mail extensions encapsulation.

23. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the apparatus receives notification of the address in a uniform resource identifier that specifies the address of the storage location.

24. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the data is sent to the data sharing server in conjunction with at least a name for the shared media data file.

25. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the data is sent to the data sharing server in conjunction with at least a name for, and a type of, the shared media data file.

26. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the shared media data file comprises at least one of a media data file and an executable application.

27. An apparatus as in claim 20, where the apparatus is comprised of a cellular telephone.

28. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein the data processor is arranged to receive a notification in a session initiation protocol message of the address of the storage location associated with the data sharing server where the user agent may store the shared media data file for use by the other conference participants.

29. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein the conference policy server is arranged to establish the at least one policy that controls the at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the other conference participants via a conference policy control protocol.

30. A computer readable medium embodied with a computer program comprising operations of:

in response to a request of a user agent conference participant to create a data sharing element, informing the user agent conference participant in a session initiation protocol message of an address of a storage location where the user agent conference participant may store a shared media data file for use by at least one other of a plurality of user agent conference participants;

storing the shared media data file at the address of the storage location; and

establishing at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to other user agent conference participants of the plurality of user agent conference participants, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

31. A computer readable medium as in claim 30, where the message comprises a session initiation protocol message.

32. A computer readable medium as in claim 31, where the storing operation uses a data sharing server procedure.

33. A computer readable medium as in claim 30, where the storing operation uses one of hypertext transfer protocol;

web-based distributed authoring and versioning;

real-time transport protocol; and

a transmission control protocol pipe with multipurpose internet mail extensions encapsulation.

34. A computer readable medium as in claim 30, where the informing operations supplies the user agent with a uniform resource identifier that specifies the address of the storage location.

35. A computer readable medium as in claim 30, where the storing operation also includes providing at least a name for the stored shared media data file.

36. A computer readable medium as in claim 30, where the storing operation also includes providing at least a name for, and a type of, the stored shared media data file.

37. A computer readable medium as in claim 30, where the shared media data file comprises at least one of a media data file and an executable application.

38. A conference server, comprising:

means, responsive to a request of a user agent conference participant to create a data sharing element, for informing the user agent conference participant in a session initiation protocol message of an address associated with storage means where the user agent conference participant may store a shared media data file for use by at least one other of a plurality of user agent conference participants;

means for storing the shared media data file at the address; and

means for establishing at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

39. A conference server as in claim 38, where the message comprises a session initiation protocol message.

40. A conference server as in claim 39, where said means for storing uses a data sharing server procedure.

41. A conference server as in claim 38, where the shared media data file is received by using one of hypertext transfer protocol;

web-based distributed authoring and versioning;

real-time transport protocol; and

a transmission control protocol pipe with multipurpose internet mail extensions encapsulation.

42. A conference server as in claim 38, where said means for informing informs the user agent of the address with a uniform resource identifier that specifies the address.

43. A computer readable medium embodied with a computer program comprising operations of:

requesting, by a user agent conference participant of a plurality of user agent conference participants via a session initiation protocol, creation of a data sharing element by a conferencing server;

receiving an address of a storage location where the user agent conference participant may store a shared media data file for use by other conference participants;

sending the shared media data file for storage at the address of the storage location; and

sending information to a conference server to establish at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the other user agent conference participants of the plurality of user agent conference participants, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

44. A computer readable medium as in claim 43, where the shared media data file is sent by using a data sharing server procedure.

45. A computer readable medium as in claim 44, receiving a notification in a session initiation protocol message of the address of the storage location where the user agent may store the shared media data file for use by the other conference participants.

46. A method comprising:

requesting, by a user agent conference participant of a plurality of user agent conference participants, a conferencing server through a session initiation protocol dialog to create a data sharing element;

receiving an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server where the user agent conference participant is permitted to store a shared media data file for use by at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants;

sending the shared media data file to the data sharing server for storage at the address of the storage location; and

sending information to a conference policy server to establish at least one conference policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants, wherein the data sharing element comprises the shared media data file.

47. A method as in claim 46, comprising sending the shared media data file to the data sharing server by using a non-session initiation protocol procedure.

48. A method as in claim 46, comprising establishing the at least one policy that controls the at least one of access to and distribution of the shared media data file with respect to the other conference participants via a conference policy control protocol.

49. A method as in claim 46, comprising sending the shared media data file to the data sharing server by using one of hypertext transfer protocol;

web-based distributed authoring and versioning;

real-time transport protocol; and

a transmission control protocol pipe with multipurpose internet mail extensions encapsulation.

50. A method as in claim 46, comprising receiving notification at the user agent conference participant of the address in a uniform resource identifier that specifies the address of the storage location.

51. A method as in claim 46, comprising sending the shared media data file to the data sharing server in conjunction with at least a name for the shared media data file.

52. A method as in claim 46, comprising sending the shared media data file to the data sharing server in conjunction with at least a name for, and a type of, the shared media data file.

53. A method as in claim 46, wherein the shared media data file comprises at least one of a media data file and an executable application.

54. A method as in claim 46, comprising receiving a notification of the address of the storage location associated with the data sharing server where the user agent conference participant is permitted to store the shared media data file for use by the at least one other of the plurality of user agent conference participants.