System and method for seamless communication system inter-device transition
First Claim
1. A communication system comprising:
- a plurality of networks each operable for controlling communication connections between calling and called users;
means for establishing a communication session from a calling user to a called user via a particular one of said networks;
means including a presence network for determining when at least one of either said calling user or said called user desires to be transferred to a different network to continue said established communication session;
means responsive to a determined desire for transferring said desiring user to a different network while maintaining said communication session without disruption; and
means for causing an avatar of a user as said avatar appears to another user during a communication session to reflect at least one of the current networks controlling said communication session.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
By modifying the communication endpoints to be presence aware and connecting them to a presence network, communication connections can be created wherein networks are added, or dropped, from the connection in order to keep the connection seamless from the perspective of the parties to the communication session. In one embodiment, an initiating user initiates a communication session on a first network (for example, a cellular network) to a target user served by a second network. During the communication session, the initiating user moves from his/her car to a landline and the communication session is transferred to a plain old telephone system (POTS) network. In one embodiment, on the target user'"'"'s communication device an avatar representing the initiating user is updated to reflect that a landline network has been substituted for the cellular network.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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a plurality of networks each operable for controlling communication connections between calling and called users; means for establishing a communication session from a calling user to a called user via a particular one of said networks; means including a presence network for determining when at least one of either said calling user or said called user desires to be transferred to a different network to continue said established communication session; means responsive to a determined desire for transferring said desiring user to a different network while maintaining said communication session without disruption; and means for causing an avatar of a user as said avatar appears to another user during a communication session to reflect at least one of the current networks controlling said communication session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for use in interactive electronic communications, said method comprising:
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providing data indicative of the necessity to transfer an existing electronic communication between communicating parties from one network to another network, said networks being managed independently from each other said data coming from at least one presence server associated with a communication network; transferring said connection from said existing network to said another network based at least in part on said provided data, said transfer occurring without disrupting said communication between said parties; and causing an avatar of a party, as said avatar appears to said other party, to reflect the transfer network. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for use in interactive electronic communications, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of networks capable of supporting a communication session between a calling user on one of said networks and a target user on the same or on another of said networks; a plurality of communication devices capable of attaching to said networks; a presence network operable for exchanging presence data pertaining to communication devices attached to said network; a processor operable while at least two communication devices are being supported in a communication session for controlling the transfer of at least one of said communication devices to a different one of said networks; wherein said processor is further operable for causing an avatar of a user of said transferring device, as said avatar appears to another user on said communication device during a communication session to reflect at least one of the current networks controlling said communication session. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification