System and method for a reverse invitation in a hybrid peer-to-peer environment

• US 8,743,781 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Damaka, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Damaka, Inc.
• Inventors: Chaturvedi, Sivakumar, Gundabathula, Satish, Chaturvedi, Rameshkumar, Kurian, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Beharry, Noel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Acolatse, Kodzovi
• Application Number:
  US12/902,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/18 End to end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to send a reverse invitation in response to an incoming call. The reverse invitation may be used to set up an alternate communication session rather than maintaining the incoming call.

Claims

1. A method for a reverse invitation comprising:

performing, by a first endpoint, an authentication process with an access server in an Internet Protocol (IP) hybrid peer-to-peer network;

receiving, by the first endpoint, a profile from the access server in response to the authentication process, wherein the profile lists a plurality of buddy relationships with buddy endpoints of the first endpoint and a status of each buddy endpoint indicating whether the buddy endpoint is online or offline at the time the profile is received by the first endpoint, wherein the profile further contains an address of each buddy endpoint that has a status of online;

receiving, by the first endpoint, an inbound call from a second endpoint, wherein the inbound call is received via one of a cellular network and a public switched telephone network;

determining, by the first endpoint, whether the second endpoint is an endpoint configured to operate within the peer-to-peer network;

determining, by the first endpoint, whether the first endpoint has a buddy relationship with the second endpoint based on the profile if the second endpoint is an endpoint configured to operate within the peer-to-peer network, wherein the first endpoint cannot establish a peer-to-peer communication session via the peer-to-peer network with the second endpoint unless the first and second endpoints have a buddy relationship because the buddy relationship is needed to provide permission by the second endpoint for the first endpoint to establish the peer-to-peer communication session;

attempting to establish, by the first endpoint, a temporary buddy relationship with the second endpoint that will last only for the duration of the call if the second endpoint is an endpoint configured to operate within the peer-to-peer network and no buddy relationship exists between the first and second endpoints, wherein establishing the temporary buddy relationship includes sending an information request message to the access server of the peer-to-peer network and receiving the address of the second endpoint from the access server, wherein the address of the second endpoint is obtained from the access server by the first endpoint in order to establish the temporary buddy relationship;

continuing, by the first endpoint, the inbound call on the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network on which the inbound call was received if the second endpoint is not an endpoint configured to operate within the peer-to-peer network or if the temporary buddy request is denied;

sending, by the first endpoint, an invitation message to the second endpoint via the peer-to-peer network in response to the inbound call if the buddy relationship exists between the first endpoint and the second endpoint or if the temporary buddy relationship is established, wherein the invitation message requests that the second endpoint establish a peer-to-peer communication session with the first endpoint via the peer-to-peer network;

determining, by the first endpoint, whether an acknowledgement message has been received from the second endpoint in response to the invitation message;

continuing, by the first endpoint, the inbound call with the second endpoint on the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network on which the inbound call was received if the acknowledgement message has not been received by the first endpoint;

establishing, by the first endpoint, the peer-to-peer communication session with the second endpoint if the acknowledgement message has been received by the first endpoint; and

releasing, by the first endpoint, resources of the first endpoint reserved for the inbound call on the one of the cellular network and the public switched telephone network if the peer-to-peer communication session is established.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, whether the second point is available via the peer-to-peer network prior to sending the invitation message to the second endpoint.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the determining whether the second point is available occurs based on a presence notification sent directly between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the determining whether the second point is available occurs by obtaining, by the first endpoint, presence information of the second endpoint from a system accessible to the first endpoint.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining whether the second endpoint is a buddy endpoint of the first endpoint is based on an E.164 number corresponding to the second endpoint, wherein the first endpoint extracts the E.164 number of the second endpoint from the inbound call.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first endpoint reads the E.164 number in reverse order and wherein any digits past ten are viewed by the first endpoint as one of a country code and a region code.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining whether the second endpoint is a buddy endpoint of the first endpoint is based on one of an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number corresponding to the second endpoint.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the first endpoint, that an IP network providing access for the first endpoint for the peer-to-peer communication session is capable of supporting the peer-to-peer communication session prior to sending the invitation message.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising formatting, by the first endpoint, the invitation message as a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

10. An endpoint comprising:

a network interface configured to send and receive communications via at least first and second networks, wherein the first network is one of a cellular network and a public switched telephone network and the second network is an internet protocol (IP) based peer-to-peer network;

a processor coupled to the network interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of instructions stored thereon for execution by the processor, the instructions including instructions for;

receiving an inbound call from a calling endpoint via the first network;

determining whether the calling endpoint is accessible via the second network;

if the calling endpoint is accessible via the second network, determining whether a buddy relationship exists with the calling endpoint based on a profile obtained from an access server when authenticating with the second network, wherein a peer-to-peer communication session cannot be established via the second network with the calling endpoint unless a buddy relationship exists because the buddy relationship is needed to provide permission by the calling endpoint for the establishment of the peer-to-peer communication session;

attempting to establish a temporary buddy relationship for only the duration of the peer-to-peer communication session with the calling endpoint if no buddy relationship exists and if the calling endpoint is accessible via the second network, wherein attempting to establish the temporary buddy relationship includes

sending an information request message to the access server;

receiving address information of the calling endpoint from the access server;

sending a request message for the buddy relationship to the calling endpoint via the second network based on the address information obtained from the access server; and

determining whether an affirmative response to the request message has been received;

continuing the inbound call on the first network on which the inbound call was received if the calling endpoint is not is accessible via the second network, if no buddy relationship exists, or if the temporary buddy request is denied;

sending an invitation message to the calling endpoint via the second network in response to the inbound call if the buddy relationship exists or if an affirmative response to the request message is received, wherein the invitation message requests that the calling endpoint establish a peer-to-peer communication session via the second network;

establishing the peer-to-peer communication session with the calling endpoint if the invitation message is accepted;

releasing resources reserved for the inbound call on the first network if the peer-to-peer communication session is established; and

continuing the inbound call on the first network if the invitation message is rejected.

11. The endpoint of claim 10 further comprising instructions for determining whether an acknowledgement message has been received from the second endpoint in response to the invitation message.

12. The endpoint of claim 10 further comprising instructions for determining that the second network is capable of supporting the peer-to-peer communication session prior to sending the invitation message.

13. The endpoint of claim 10 wherein the endpoint is a mobile handset.

14. The endpoint of claim 13 wherein the endpoint includes an E.164 number that is used by the calling endpoint to initiate the inbound call.

15. The endpoint of claim 14 wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is established via Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling.

16. The endpoint of claim 10 wherein the profile lists a plurality of buddy relationships with buddy endpoints and a status of each buddy endpoint indicating whether the buddy endpoint is online or offline at the time the profile is obtained, wherein the profile further contains an address of each buddy endpoint that has a status of online, and wherein, if a buddy relationship exists with the calling endpoint, the address of the calling endpoint is retrieved from the profile if the calling endpoint had a status of online when the profile was obtained.

17. The endpoint of claim 16 wherein, if a buddy relationship exists with the calling endpoint and the calling endpoint had a status of offline when the profile was obtained, the address of the calling endpoint is received directly from the calling endpoint after the calling endpoint logs into the peer-to-peer network.