Communication system

• US 8,175,091 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype Limited (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaal, Madis
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): REDDIVALAM, SRINIVASA R
• Application Number:
  US11/986,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1091 Interfacing with client-server systems or between P2P systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A method of transmitting messages from a network node in a communication network to a first user device can be provided. The network node transmits to a second user device a message-waiting notification. The first user device is identified, and a node holding the message is identified. In response to that notification, the second user device transmits a connection request to the first user device. The connection request is acted on by the first user device to establish a connection. With the identified node, the message can be optionally transmitted to the first user device.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a message from a network node in a communication network to a first user device, wherein the first user device and a second user device are separated from the communication network by a restrictive entity that allows a connection between the first user device and the communication network to be established only by the first user device in one direction from the first user device to the communication network and preventing a communication being initiated by a node in the communication network to the first and second user devices, the method comprising:

the second user device having established an existing connection to said node via the restrictive entity;

the node in the communication network transmitting to the second user device on the existing connection via the restrictive entity a message-waiting notification, identifying the first user device and indicating that the first user device has a message waiting at the network node in the communication network;

in response to that notification, the second user device transmitting a connection request to the first user device over a connection between the first and second user device,

said connection request being acted on by said first user device to establish a second connection from the first user device to the communication network via the restrictive entity, whereby said message can be transmitted to said first user device from said network node via said second connection.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the network node is arranged to transmit messages to a plurality of user devices including at least said first user device and said second user device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of user devices are arranged to establish a connection with the network node at predetermined intervals.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least some of said plurality of devices are located within a first network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the predetermined interval that the said at least some of the plurality of devices are required to establish a connection with the network node is dependent on the number of said plurality of user devices located within the first network.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the network node is located within a second network.

7. A method as claimed in claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of determining that the first user device and the second network device are located in the first network.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second user device transmits a connection request to the first user device via a connection established within the first network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first network and the second network are connected via a restrictive gateway.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the message is received at the network node from the second network.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message-waiting notification comprises an identity of a node holding the message, and wherein the node in the communication network is the identified node.

12. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the second network is a public network.

13. A method as claimed in claims 6 wherein the second network is a communication system operating on the Internet.

14. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first network is a private network.

15. A user terminal for communicating with a plurality of peer user terminals and with a node in a communication network, wherein the user terminal and the plurality of peer user terminals are separated from the communication network by a restrictive entity that allows a connection between the user terminal and the communication network to be established only by the user terminal, in one direction from the user terminal to the communication network and preventing a communication being initiated by the node to the user terminal and the plurality of peer user terminals, the user terminal comprising:

a receiver that receives on an existing connection via the restrictive entity a message-waiting notification from said node, which notification identifies at least one of said peer user terminals and indicates that said at least one of said peer user terminals has a message waiting at the node or another node in the communication network; and

a sender that sends, over a connection between the user terminal and to said at least one identified peer user terminal, a connection request to said at least one identified peer user terminal in response to the receiver receiving said message-waiting notification, which connection request notifies the at least one identified peer user terminal to establish a second connection from the identified peer user terminal to the communication network, via the restrictive entity, to the node or another node in the communication network.

16. A method of operating a user terminal, wherein the user terminal is for communicating with a plurality of peer user terminals and with a node in a communication network, and wherein the user terminal and the plurality of peer user terminals are separated from the communication network by a restrictive entity that allows a connection between the user terminal and the communication network to be established only by the user terminal in one direction from the user terminal to the communication network and preventing a communication being initiated by a node in the communication network to the user terminal and the plurality of peer user terminals,

the method comprising:

the user terminals having established an existing connection to said node via the restrictive entity;

receiving at the user terminal, from said node on the existing connection via the restrictive entity, a message-waiting notification that identifies the at least one of said peer user terminal and indicates that said at least one identified peer user terminal has a message waiting at the node or another node in the communication network,

in response to receiving said message-waiting notification, transmitting a connection request from the user terminal to said at least one peer user terminal over a connection between the user terminal and the at least one peer user terminal, the connection request notifying the at least one identified peer user terminal to establish a second connection from the identified peer user terminal to the communication network via the restrictive entity, to the node or another node in the communication network.