System and methods for facilitating a multiparty communications session with a dynamically designated session manager

• US 7,987,233 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: I/P Engine, Inc. (XpresSpa Group, Inc. (f/k/a FORM Holdings Corp.))
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Simons, David J., Wong, Leon Chih Wen, Osborne, Robert John, Lo, Ling-Cheung Aaron, Chitturi, Ajay P., Thakkar, Vishal, Tangirala, Rakesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Barqadle; Yasin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Macilwinen; John M
• Application Number:
  US10/642,127
• Time in Patent Office: 2,902 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A system and methods for facilitating multiparty communications sessions with a plurality of participants and for dynamically designating a communications session manager. More particularly, a system and methods, including protocols, for: establishing a multiparty communications session between a plurality of participants and their respective communication devices in a full-mesh topology; establishing a dynamically designated session manager uniquely associated with a first participant of the multiparty session and, hence, such participant'"'"'s communication device; as necessary, adding and removing participants and their respective communication devices from the multiparty communications session; and, designating, or electing, another participant as session manager when the first participant exits the multiparty communications session. The methods also enable participants to maintain consistent lists of session participants and establish peer to peer communication links between the participants.

Claims

1. A method of initiating and managing a multiparty communications session, the method comprising:

creating a communication link between a first participant and a second participant for the communication of media therebetween;

creating a communication link between the first participant and a third participant for the communication of media therebetween;

creating a communication link between the second participant and the third participant for the communication of media therebetween;

determining whether a characteristic associated with the first participant meets a predetermined criterion;

upon determining that the characteristic meets the predetermined criterion, designating the first participant as a session manager of the multiparty communications session for receiving all session management messages from participants in the multiparty communications session and for;

controlling the admission of an additional participant to the multiparty communications session;

responding to a participant exiting the multiparty communications session;

maintaining an authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session;

updating the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session in response to participants joining and exiting the multiparty communications session; and

exclusively synchronizing the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session with each of the participants in the multiparty communications session;

issuing, by the first participant, an invitation inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communications session, wherein the invitation includes the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session, the authoritative list of participants including at least the second and third participants; and

when the additional participant is admitted to the multiparty communications session, creating a communication link between the additional participant and the first participant for the communication of media therebetween, a communication link between the additional participant and the second participant for the communication of media therebetween, and a communication link between the additional participant and the third participant for the communication of media therebetween, so that the additional participant can communicate with the other participants without having to route the communication through the session manager,

wherein each participant is an end point for the bi-directional communication of media in the multiparty communications session,

wherein the additional participant uses the authoritative list of participants to join the multiparty communications session, by;

sending a message to each of at least the second and third participants;

receiving a successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants;

when the additional participant has received the successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants, sending a message to the first participant; and

creating a communication link between the additional participant and each of at least the second and third participants for the communication of media therebetween, and

wherein only the first participant that has been designated as the session manager of the multiparty communications session may issue the invitation inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communications session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the first participant exiting the multiparty communications session:

sending, by the second participant in the multiparty communications session, a first request to become a new session manager;

sending, by the third participant in the multiparty communications session, a second request to become a new session manager; and

based on the first and second requests, designating either the second participant or the third participant as the session manager.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

establishing a communication link between the first participant and the second participant for the communication of session management messages therebetween; and

establishing a communication link between the first participant and the third participant for the communication of session management messages therebetween.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

issuing, by the first participant, an invitation inviting the second participant to join the multiparty communications session;

receiving, by the second participant, the invitation from the first participant; and

issuing to the first participant, by the second participant, a response to the invitation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the invitation includes the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the session manager, a request from one of the participants in the multiparty communications session to invite a second additional participant;

inviting, by the session manager, the second additional participant to join the multiparty communications session;

determining, by the session manager, that the second additional participant does not support multiparty communications; and

establishing, by the session manager, a one-on-one communications session between the session manager and the second additional participant.

6. The method of claim wherein the method further comprises:

issuing, by the second participant, a request to invite the third participant to the multiparty communications session;

receiving, by the first participant, the request to invite from the second participant; and

issuing, by the first participant, an invitation inviting the third participant to the multiparty communications session.

8. A method of managing a multiparty communications session, the method comprising:

creating a full-mesh of communication links for a first participant, a second participant, and a third participant for the multiparty communications session;

determining whether the first participant meets a session manager criterion,

after determining that the first participant meets the session manager criterion, designating the first participant in the multiparty communications session as a session manager of the multiparty communications system for;

receiving all session management messages from participants in the multiparty communications session;

exclusively maintaining an authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session;

exclusively controlling an admission of an additional participant to the multiparty communications session;

exclusively inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communication session;

exclusively providing the authoritative list of participants to the additional participant, wherein the additional participant used the authoritative list of participants to join the multiparty communications session, by;

sending a message to each of at least the second and third participants;

receiving a successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants;

when the additional participant has received the successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants sending a message to the first participant; and

creating a communication link between the additional participant and each of at least the second and third participants for the communication of media therebetween; and

exclusively synchronizing the authoritative list of participants with the participants in the multiparty communications session to reflect the additional participant,

wherein not ail communications between participants in the multiparty communications session are routed through the session manager.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving from the second participant the multiparty communications session a request to invite the additional participant to the multiparty communications session; and

determining that the additional participant is not already participating in the multiparty communications session,

wherein the additional participant is invited to in the multiparty communications session in response to determining that the additional participant is not already participating in the multiparty communications session.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

notifying the first participant that the additional participant accepted the invitation as indicated by the received successful response to join the multiparty communications session.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising;

implementing a rule set for the multiparty communications session wherein the rule set includes at least one of a rule restricting access to the multiparty communications session, a rule limiting a duration of the multiparty communications session, and a rule limiting a number of participants in the multiparty communications session;

applying the rule set; and

;

based upon the application of the rule set, determining that the additional participant is allowed to join the multiparty communications session.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the second participant exited the multiparty communications session;

updating the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session in response to the exit of the second participant; and

providing the updated authoritative list of participants to at least one remaining participant in the multiparty communications session.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

leaving, by the session manager, the multiparty communications session;

sending, by the second participant in the multiparty communications session, a first request to become a new session manager;

sending by the third participant in the multiparty communications session, a second request to become a new session manager; and

based on the flirt and second requests, designating either the second participant or the third participant as the new session manager.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the session manager, a request from a participant in the multiparty communications session to invite a second additional participant;

inviting, by the session manager, the second additional participant to join the multiparty communications session;

determining, by the session manager, that the second additional participant does not support multiparty communications; and

establishing, by the session manager, a one-on-one communications session between the session manager and the second additional participant.

15. A method of managing multiparty communications session having multiple participants, the method comprising:

creating a full-mess of communication links for a first participant, a second participant, and a third participant for the multiparty communications session;

determining whether the first participant meets a session manager criterion;

after determining that the first participant meets the session manager criterion,

designating the first participant as a session manager of the multiparty communications session;

exclusively maintaining, by the session manager, an authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session;

exclusively inviting, by the session manager, an additional participant to join the multiparty communications session;

exclusively providing, by the session manager, the authoritative list of participants to the additional participant, wherein all additional participants joining the multiparty communications session obtain the authoritative list of participants from the session manager, such that the possibility of multiple participants receiving different lists of participants is reduced wherein the additional participants uses the authoritative list of participants to join the multiparty communications session, by;

sending a message to each of at least the second and third participants;

receiving a successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants;

when additional participant has received the successful response the message from each of at least the second and third participants, sending a message to the first participant; and

creating a communication link between the additional participant and each of at least the second and third participants for the communication of media therebetween;

exclusively receiving, by the session manager, an acceptance by the additional participant of the invitation to join the multiparty communications session;

after receiving, exclusively updating, by the session manager, the authoritative list of participants to include the additional participant; and

after updating, exclusively synchronizing, by the session manager, the authoritative list of participants with the other participants in the multiparty communications system to reflect the additional participant.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

leaving, by the session manager, the multiparty communications session;

sending, by the second participant in the multiparty communications session, a first request to become a new session manager;

sending, by the third participant in the multiparty communications session, a second request to become a new session manager; and

based on the first and second requests, designating either the second participant or the third participant as the new session manager.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising,

receiving, by the session manager, a request from one of the multiple participants in the multiparty communications session to invite a second additional participant;

inviting, by the session manager, the second additional participant to join the multiparty communications session;

determining, by the session manager, that the second addition participant does;

not support multiparty communications; and

establishing, by the session manager, a one-on-one communications session between the session manager and the second additional participant.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the session manager receives all session management calls in the multiparty communications session, such that the authoritative list of participants properly reflects the participants in the multiparty communications session.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising, prior to designating the one of the multiple participants in the multiparty communications session as the session manager, determining that a characteristic associated with the one of the multiple participants meets a predetermined criterion.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

implementing, by the session manager, a set of one or more rules for the multiparty communications session; and

determining, by the session manager, that the additional participant satisfies the set of one or more rules.

21. A computer-readable storage device encoded with computer-executable instructions for initiating and managing a multiparty communications session, by a method comprising:

creating a full-mesh of communication links for a first participant, a second participant, and a third participant for the multiparty communications session;

determining whether the first participant meets a session manager criterion;

upon determining that the first participant meets the session manager criterion, designating the first participant meets session manager of the multiparty communications session for;

exclusively maintaining and authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session;

exclusively updating the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session in response to participants joining and exiting the multiparty communications session;

exclusively issuing an invitation inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communications session, the invitation including the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session so that the additional participant uses the authoritative list to establish communications links with at least the second participant and the third participant to effect a full-mesh of communication links for the first participant, the second participant, the third participant, and the additional participant by;

sending a message to each of at least the second and third participants;

receiving a successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants;

when the additional participant has received the successful response to the message from each of at least the second and third participants, sending a message to the first participant; and

creating a communication link between the additional participant and each of at least the second and third participants for the communication of media therebetween; and

exclusively synchronizing the authoritative list of participants in the multiparty communications session with each of the participants in the multiparty communications session to ensure that each participant has a synchronized copy of the authoritative list.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21 wherein only the first participant that has been designated as the session manager of the multiparty communications session may issue the invitation inviting the additional participant to join the multiparty communications session.

23. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21 wherein the session manager ensures that participants join the multiparty communications session sequentially to reduce a possibility of disjointed communications.

24. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21 wherein the session manager receives invitation requests to add a participant to the multiparty communications session but does not process a received invitation request until all previously received invitation requests have been processed.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24 wherein the processing of a received invitation request includes sending to the participant to be added the authoritative list of participants that includes participants added based on previously received invitation requests.

26. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21 wherein when the session manager exits the multiparty communications session and multiple participants request to be session manager, each of the multiple participants generates a random number and a new session manager is selected based on the generated random number.

27. The computer-readable storage device of claim 26 wherein the participant that generated the highest random number is selected as the new session manager.

28. The computer-readable storage device of claim 26 wherein the new session manager notifies the other participants of the new session manager.