Apparatus and method for enabling communication when network connectivity is reduced or lost during a conversation and for resuming the conversation when connectivity improves
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for conducting a conversation, comprising:
- establishing a conversation between a first communication device and a second communication device over a connection on a network;
persistently storing on the first communication device media of the conversation transmitted by the first communication device and received from the second communication device;
determining during the conversation when the usable bit rate on the connection is either at or above a bit rate threshold or below the bit rate threshold, the bit rate threshold defining a transmission bit rate sufficient for the media to be decipherable when transmitted to and rendered by the second communication device in near real-time, andperforming, depending on the determined usable bit rate, the following;
transmitting the media as it becomes available at the first communication device to the second communication device at or above the bit rate threshold so that the second communication device can render the available media in near real-time when the usable bit rate on the connection is at or above a bit rate threshold; and
transmitting the media from persistent storage to the second communication device as conditions on the connection permit when the ascertained usable bit rate on the connection falls below the bit rate threshold,whereby the conversation may continue in a time-shifted mode when the usable bit rate is below the bit rate threshold and may resume in near real-time when the usable bit rate is at or above the bit rate threshold.
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Abstract
A method for enabling communication when network connectivity is reduced or lost during a conversation and for resuming the same conversation when connectivity improves.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for conducting a conversation, comprising:
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establishing a conversation between a first communication device and a second communication device over a connection on a network; persistently storing on the first communication device media of the conversation transmitted by the first communication device and received from the second communication device; determining during the conversation when the usable bit rate on the connection is either at or above a bit rate threshold or below the bit rate threshold, the bit rate threshold defining a transmission bit rate sufficient for the media to be decipherable when transmitted to and rendered by the second communication device in near real-time, and performing, depending on the determined usable bit rate, the following; transmitting the media as it becomes available at the first communication device to the second communication device at or above the bit rate threshold so that the second communication device can render the available media in near real-time when the usable bit rate on the connection is at or above a bit rate threshold; and transmitting the media from persistent storage to the second communication device as conditions on the connection permit when the ascertained usable bit rate on the connection falls below the bit rate threshold, whereby the conversation may continue in a time-shifted mode when the usable bit rate is below the bit rate threshold and may resume in near real-time when the usable bit rate is at or above the bit rate threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A communication device for conducting a conversation over a connection on a network, comprising:
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a conversation element configured to establish a conversation between the communication device and a second communication device over the connection on the network; a persistent storage element configured to persistently store at the communication device the media of the conversation transmitted by the communication device and received from the second communication device; a transmission element configured to determine when media is available for transmission during the conversation if the usable bit rate on the connection is either at or above a bit rate threshold or below the bit rate threshold, and the transmission element further configured, depending on the determined usable bit rate, to perform the following; (i) transmit media of the conversation as the media is created at the communication device to the second communication device, at a transmission rate at or above the bit rate threshold, so that the second communication device can selectively render the media in near real-time when the determined usable bit rate is at or above the bit rate threshold; and (ii) transmit the media from persistent storage to the second communication device as conditions on the connection permit when the determined usable bit rate is below the bit rate threshold, whereby the conversation may continue in a time-shifted mode when the usable bit rate is below the bit rate threshold and may resume in near real-time or the time-shifted mode when the usable bit rate is at or above the bit rate threshold. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. Computer code embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium and intended to run on a communication device connected to a network, the computer code configured to:
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establish a conversation between the communication device and a second communication device over the connection on the network; persistently store at the communication device the media of the conversation transmitted by the communication device and received from the second communication device; determine when media is available for transmission during the conversation if the usable bit rate on the connection is either at or above a bit rate threshold or below the bit rate threshold, and perform, depending on the determined usable bit rate, one of the following; (i) transmit media of the conversation as the media is created at the communication device to the second communication device, at a transmission rate at or above the bit rate threshold, so that the second communication device can selectively render the media in near real-time when the determined usable bit rate is at or above the bit rate threshold; and (ii) transmit the media from persistent storage to the second communication device as conditions on the connection permit when the determined usable bit rate is below the bit rate threshold, whereby the conversation may continue in a time-shifted mode when the usable bit rate is below the bit rate threshold and may resume in near real-time or the time-shifted mode when the usable bit rate is at or above the bit rate threshold. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification