Interworking of multimedia and telephony equipment

• US 7,920,690 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US10/325,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20040120498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,028 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.02, 379/88.17, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 379/114.02, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6402 Hybrid switching fabrics

Abstract

The present invention provides a way to associate multimedia clients with telephony devices and create multimedia sessions related to a voice connection between the telephony devices. The telephony devices may be part of a public network or an enterprise network associated with a PBX. Further, calls can be routed in part over packet-switched and circuit-switched networks.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) receiving from a telephony switch first information indicative of an initiation of a voice call from a first telephony device having a first directory number to a second telephony device having a second directory number;

b) determining to route the voice call via a public switched telephone network or via a packet switched network based on the second directory number;

c) sending to the telephony switch second information instructing the telephony switch to either route the voice call via the public switched telephone network or via the packet switched network;

d) determining a first address for a first multimedia client, which is associated with, but distinct from the first telephony device, based on the first directory number; and

c) sending the address for the first multimedia client to a call server, which will forward the first address for delivery to a second multimedia client associated with the second telephony device, when the voice call is routed via the packet switched network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the second telephony device is within a first domain.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the voice call is routed via the public switched telephone network if the second telephony device is within the first domain.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the voice call is routed via the packet switched network if the second telephony device is outside the first domain.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the voice call is routed to the call server, which will control a trunk gateway to establish the voice call from the telephony switch to the packet switched network.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving from the call server, a message including the first directory number wherein the first address for the first multimedia client is sent in response to the message.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving registration information identifying the first directory number and the first address for the first multimedia client and associating the first directory number with the first address for the first multimedia client.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

d) determining a second address for the second multimedia client associated with the second telephony device based on the second directory number; and

e) sending the first address to the second multimedia client using the second address, wherein the second multimedia client can send information to the first multimedia client using the first address.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising establishing a multimedia session between the first and second multimedia clients, the multimedia session consisting of at least one of the group of video, media streaming, application sharing, file transfer, and instant messaging.

10. A system comprising:

a) at least one interface; and

b) a control system associated with, the at least one interface and adapted to;

receive from a telephony switch first information indicative of an initiation of a voice call from a first telephony device having a first directory number to a second telephony device having a second directory number;

determine to route the voice call via a public switched telephone network or via a packet switched network based on the second directory number; and

send to the telephony switch second information instructing the telephony switch to either route the voice call via the public switched telephone network or via the packet switched network;

determine a first address for a first multimedia client, which is associated with, but distinct from the first telephony device, based on the first directory number; and

send the first address for the first multimedia client to a call server, which will forward the first address for delivery to a second multimedia client associated with the second telephony device, when the voice call is routed via the packet switched network.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the control system is further adapted to determine if the second telephony device is within a first domain.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the voice call is routed via the public switched telephone network if the second telephony device is within the first domain.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the voice call is routed via the packet switched network if the second telephony device is outside the first domain.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the voice call is routed to a call server, which will control a trunk gateway to establish the voice call from the telephony switch to the packet switched network.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the call server is a Session Initiation Protocol call server.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive from the call server a message including the first directory number, wherein the first address for the first multimedia client is sent in response to the message.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive registration information identifying the first directory number and the first address for the first multimedia client and associate the first directory number with the first address for the first multimedia client.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

i) determine a second address for the second multimedia client associated with the second telephony device based on the second directory number; and

ii) send the first address to the second multimedia client using the second address, wherein the second multimedia client can send information to the first multimedia client using the first address.