Direct file transfer between subscribers of a communications system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of communications, the method comprising:
- establishing a host-based connection between a first client and a second client during a communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of digital communications between the first client and the second client through a host system;
enabling a user of the first client to communicate with a user of the second client by exchanging digital communications over the host-based connection during the communications session;
sending, during the communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the first client to the user of the second client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client that bypasses the host system;
conditioned on the user of the second client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and
transmitting a particular digital communication to the second client over the peer-to-peer connection during the communications session.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and techniques for transferring a file from a first client associated with a first subscriber to a communications system to a second client associated with a second subscriber to the communications system by connecting from the first client to a communications system host; sending, through the communications system host, a request to the second client to establish a direct connection to the second client; when the second client accepts the request, establishing a direct connection to the second client that bypasses the communications system host; and transferring a file over the direct connection.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of communications, the method comprising:
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establishing a host-based connection between a first client and a second client during a communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of digital communications between the first client and the second client through a host system; enabling a user of the first client to communicate with a user of the second client by exchanging digital communications over the host-based connection during the communications session; sending, during the communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the first client to the user of the second client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client that bypasses the host system; conditioned on the user of the second client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and transmitting a particular digital communication to the second client over the peer-to-peer connection during the communications session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon, the computer program comprising instructions for:
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establishing a host-based connection between a first client and a second client during a communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of digital communications between the first client and the second client through a host system; enabling a user of the first client to communicate with a user of the second client by exchanging digital communications over the host-based connection during the communications session; sending, during the communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the first client to the user of the second client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client that bypasses the host system; conditioned on the user of the second client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and transmitting a particular digital communication to the second client over the peer-to-peer connection during the communications session.
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17. A method of communications, the method comprising:
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establishing a host-based connection between a first client and a second client during a communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of digital communications between the first client and the second client through a host system; enabling a user of the first client to communicate with a user of the second client by exchanging digital communications over the host-based connection during the communications session; receiving, during the communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the second client to the user of the first client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client that bypasses the host system; enabling a user of the first client to accept the request; conditioned on the user of the first client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and receiving a particular digital communication from the second client over the peer-to-peer connection during the communications session. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon, the computer program comprising instructions for:
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establishing a host-based connection between a first client and a second client during a communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of digital communications between the first client and the second client through a host system; enabling a user of the first client to communicate with a user of the second client by exchanging digital communications over the host-based connection during the communications session; receiving, during the communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the second client to the user of the first client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client that bypasses the host system; enabling a user of the first client to accept the request; conditioned on the user of the first client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and receiving a particular digital communication from the second client over the peer-to-peer connection during the communications session.
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27. A method of communications comprising:
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enabling a user of a first client to input first message contents for a first instant message to be transmitted over a host-based connection to a second client during an instant messaging communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of instant messages between the first client and the second client through an instant messaging host; transmitting, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, the first instant message to the second client, the first instant message being processed by the second client to enable a user of the second client to perceive the first message contents; receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a second instant message from the second client, the second instant message including second message contents inputted by the user of the second client; enabling the user of the first client to perceive the second message contents; sending, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the first client to the user of the second client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client, the peer-to-peer connection being a communications connection that bypasses the instant messaging host and allows communications to be exchanged directly between the first client and the second client; conditioned on the user of the second client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and transmitting, during the instant messaging communications session and over the peer-to-peer connection, a file to the second client. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon, the computer program comprising instructions for:
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enabling a user of a first client to input first message contents for a first instant message to be transmitted over a host-based connection to a second client during an instant messaging communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of instant messages between the first client and the second client through an instant messaging host; transmitting, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, the first instant message to the second client, the first instant message being processed by the second client to enable a user of the second client to perceive the first message contents; receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a second instant message from the second client, the second instant message including second message contents inputted by the user of the second client; enabling the user of the first client to perceive the second message contents; sending, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the first client to the user of the second client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client, the peer-to-peer connection being a communications connection that bypasses the instant messaging host and allows communications to be exchanged directly between the first client and the second client; conditioned on the user of the second client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and transmitting, during the instant messaging communications session and over the peer-to-peer connection, a file to the second client.
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31. A method of communications comprising:
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enabling a user of a first client to input first message contents for a first instant message to be transmitted over a host-based connection to a second client during an instant messaging communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of instant messages between the first client and the second client through an instant messaging host; transmitting, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, the first instant message to the second client, the first instant message being processed by the second client to enable a user of the second client to perceive the first message contents; receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a second instant message from the second client, the second instant message including second message contents inputted by the user of the second client; enabling the user of the first client to perceive the second message contents; receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the second client to the user of the first client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client, the peer-to-peer connection being a communications connection that bypasses the instant messaging host and allows communications to be exchanged directly between the first client and the second client; enabling a user of the first client to accept the request; conditioned on the user of the first client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the peer-to-peer connection, a file from the second client. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon, the computer program comprising instructions for:
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enabling a user of a first client to input first message contents for a first instant message to be transmitted over a host-based connection to a second client during an instant messaging communications session, the host-based connection being a communications connection for the exchange of instant messages between the first client and the second client through an instant messaging host; transmitting, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, the first instant message to the second client, the first instant message being processed by the second client to enable a user of the second client to perceive the first message contents; receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a second instant message from the second client, the second instant message including second message contents inputted by the user of the second client; enabling the user of the first client to perceive the second message contents; receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the host-based connection, a request from the user of the second client to the user of the first client to establish a peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client, the peer-to-peer connection being a communications connection that bypasses the instant messaging host and allows communications to be exchanged directly between the first client and the second client; enabling a user of the first client to accept the request; conditioned on the user of the first client accepting the request, establishing the peer-to-peer connection between the first client and the second client; and receiving, during the instant messaging communications session and over the peer-to-peer connection, a file from the second client.
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Specification