Method for carrying out a multimedia communication based on a network protocol, particularly TCP/IP and/or UDP

• US 8,402,099 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Random Chat LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Brandenburg Ventures GmbH, Karlheinz Brandenburg, Philipp von Werther, Steffen Roeder
• Inventors: Von Werther, Philipp Freiherr, Roder, Steffen
• Primary Examiner(s): MIRZA, ADNAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/675,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for executing a multimedia communication, in particular a video, audio and/or text chat, between a totality of terminals (2) arranged in a communication network (1), which communication is based on a network protocol, in particular TCP/IP and/or UDP. The method is characterized in that at least one subscriber generates a personalized user account in the form of a virtual subscriber profile on a server (3) or in a peer-to-peer network, wherein, by setting up the virtual subscriber profile, the multimedia communication is established at each of the terminals. Thus, a mode of a subscriber selection preceding the communication, a communication type and/or a number of communication links to one of the terminals and/or the type of data transmission employed for the communication are freely defined. An arrangement for executing a process according to the preceding claims comprises a communication network with a valid communication protocol, in particular the internet (1). There are provided a plurality of terminals (2) having means for transmitting and receiving multimedia contents, and a server (3) or a peer-to-peer network having means for operating a hierarchical layer structure consisting of a database layer (4) for managing subscriber data, terminal addresses and multimedia contents, a link layer (5) for executing a switched communication between the terminals, a subscriber layer (6) for operating subscriber profiles set up by the users of the terminals, and a front end layer (7) having means for generating and operating a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method for executing a multimedia communication, in particular at least one of a video, audio or text chat, between a totality of terminals (2) arranged in a communication network (1), which communication is based on a network protocol, in particular at least one of TCP/IP or UDP, wherein:

at least one subscriber generates a personalized user account in the form of a virtual subscriber profile on a server (3) or in a peer-to-peer network, wherein, by setting up the virtual subscriber profile, the multimedia communication is established at each of the terminals;

via the subscriber profile a mode of a subscriber selection preceding the communication, at least one of a communication type or a number of communication links to one of the terminals or the type of data transmission employed for the communication are freely defined;

the subscriber selection mode includes a random process for setting up a communication link between a selecting terminal of a first subscriber profile to at least another terminal of a random subscriber profile; and

the subscriber selection mode includes an activatable call procedure for establishing a communication link between the selecting terminal of the first subscriber profile and at least one other terminal of a subscriber profile stored in a selection list, wherein these subscribers form a plurality of at least one of an open and a closed subscriber sub-pool, whereby all subscribers in the procedure form a total set referred to as a subscriber pool, which subscriber pool may be subdivided into a number of the subscriber sub-pools, whereby all subscribers are classified by entries within their respective subscriber profiles and arbitrarily defined contacts to other subscribers, and whereby the subscriber classifications result in the number of sub-pools, which are formed as subsets of the larger subscriber pool.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber selection mode includes an activatable search process for establishing a communication link between the selecting terminal of the first subscriber profile and at least one other terminal of a subscriber profile which is determined by at least one of inputting search parameters or an analysis of similarity parameters on the system side.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber selection mode includes an activatable blocking function for at least one of avoiding or rejecting a communication request through the selecting terminal of the first subscriber profile from at least one other terminal of a subscriber profile stored in a blacklist.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein for each of the terminals there is provided at least one of an own, freely alterable selection list or blacklist which is defined by at least one subscriber profile.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setup of the subscriber profile allows that the type of the current communication be switched at each of the terminals between a one-to-one type, a one-to-many type, a many-to-one type and a many-to-many type.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the setup of the subscriber profile allows during the execution of a communication between a first terminal and a second terminal according to the one-to-one type the execution of a communication in a pseudo one-to-one type, wherein at least one other parallel communication according to the one-to-one type is possible between the first and at least one other terminal.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the setup of the subscriber profile allows during the execution of a communication according to the one-to-many type the execution of a communication between the terminal of an actor subscriber profile (9b) and a viewer totality (11b) comprised of the terminals of several viewer subscriber profiles.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the setup of the subscriber profile allows during the execution of a communication according to the many-to-one type the execution of a communication between the terminal of a viewer subscriber profile and an actor totality comprised of the terminals of several actor subscriber profiles (9b).

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the setup of the subscriber profile executes during a communication according to the many-to-many type a communication within a terminal pool defined by a set of previously defined subscriber profiles.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the subscriber profiles belonging to at least one of the viewer totality, the actor totality or the terminal pool are freely definable by the at least one actor subscriber profile, the at least one viewer subscriber profile or by at least one moderator.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the freely selectable type of the data transmission taking place during the communication includes a selection between at least one of a communication in real time or a transmission and receipt of a previously recorded stream.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the freely selectable type of the data transmission taking place during the communication includes a selection between different communication channels, especially at least one of a video, an audio or a text channel, and a channel for a file transfer or a common access to web applications.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia communication is supplemented with an additional information and acknowledgment channel.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the terminals arranged in the communication network and the communication executed between the terminals are managed by a server or by a peer-to-peer network, wherein the at least one subscriber profile, which is managed by the server or the peer-to-peer network, executes a logical assignment between at least one terminal and a subscriber using the terminal, and the respective terminal is addressed by the logical assignment of the terminal to the subscriber profile.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one subscriber profile sets and alters at least one of tag variables or similarity parameters, which are determined by an analysis on the system side, for defining basic communication functions, in particular for enable and blocking functions.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein by the at least one subscriber profile general subscriber data, in particular personal data and data for a self-portrayal of the subscriber, are at least one of inputted or generated on the system side and displayed.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one subscriber profile inputs and alters at least one link to at least one of at least one other subscriber profile or a stream.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein an incorporation by at least one of a subscriber or a system administrator of own data or data of third providers, in particular files, plugins and internet services, into the at least one subscriber profile can be executed.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein means for generating and operating a graphical user interface are used for executing the process.

20. A system for executing a process according to claim 1, said system comprising a communication network with a valid communication protocol, in particular the internet (1), a plurality of terminals (2) having means for transmitting and receiving multimedia contents, and a server (3) or a peer-to-peer network having means for operating a hierarchical layer structure consisting of a database layer (4) for managing subscriber data, terminal addresses and multimedia contents, a link layer (5) for executing a switched communication between the terminals, a subscriber layer (6) for operating subscriber profiles set up by the users of the terminals, and a front end layer (7) having means for generating and operating a graphical user interface.