Supporting hands-free services via a hands-free device for IP video calls

• US 8,751,667 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Santamaria, Justin, Wood, Justin, Klahn, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Louie, Oscar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Naji, Younes
• Application Number:
  US13/223,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/256 NAT traversal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

Hands-free services for Internet Protocol (IP) video calls through a peered hands-free device can begin when an IP video call invitation request that requests the client computing device participate in a P2P (peer-to-peer) IP video call is received. A generic incoming call object is generated based on the IP video call invitation request in a format that can be common for both incoming audio only cellular calls and IP video call invitation requests. The hands-free device is alerted of the incoming call based on the incoming call object. Responsive to receiving an indication from the hands-free device that a user has indicated to answer the incoming call, an IP video call accept message is transmitted and a P2P connection is established for the P2P IP video call, and the hands-free device can act as an auditory relay during the P2P IP video call.

Claims

1. A method performed in a client computing device for providing hands-free services for Internet Protocol (IP) video calls through a hands-free device, comprising:

receiving an IP video call invitation request that requests the client computing device participate in a P2P (peer-to-peer) IP video call;

generating a generic incoming call object based on the IP video call invitation request in a format that is common for both incoming audio only cellular calls and IP video call invitation requests, the incoming call object including a set of parameters regarding the incoming call, wherein the set of parameters regarding the call includes a status of the call, a call participant identifier, a start time, and a call identifier;

alerting the hands-free device of the incoming call based on the incoming call object;

responsive to receiving an indication from the hands-free device that a user has indicated to answer the incoming call, transmitting an IP video call accept message;

establishing a P2P connection for the P2P IP video call; and

routing an audio portion of the P2P IP video call through the hands-free device such that the hands free device acts as an auditory relay during the P2P IP video call, while displaying a portion of the video call on the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an audio connection with the hands-free device after establishing the P2P connection for the P2P IP video call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hands-free device is a car-kit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the audio portion of the IP video call through the hands-free device responsive to receiving a command from the hands-free device to transfer the audio.

5. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a processor, will cause the processor to perform operations for providing hands-free services for Internet Protocol (IP) video calls through a hands-free device, the operations comprising:

receiving an IP video call invitation request specific to the client computing device that requests the client computing device to participate in a P2P (peer-to-peer) IP video call;

generating a generic incoming call object based on the IP video call invitation request in a format that is common for both incoming audio only cellular calls and IP video call invitation requests, the incoming call object including a set of parameters regarding the incoming call, wherein the set of parameters regarding the call includes a status of the call, a call participant identifier, a start time, and a call identifier;

alerting the hands-free device of the incoming call based on the incoming call object;

responsive to receiving an indication from the hands-free device that a user has indicated to answer the incoming call, transmitting a device specific IP video call accept message;

establishing a P2P connection for the P2P IP video call; and

routing an audio portion of the P2P IP video call through the hands-free device such that the hands free device acts as an auditory relay during the P2P IP video call.

6. The machine-readable storage medium claim 5, further comprising instructions to perform operations including establishing an audio connection with the hands-free device after establishing the P2P connection for the P2P IP video call.

7. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the hands-free device is a car-kit.

8. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions to perform operations including routing the audio portion of the IP video call through the hands-free device responsive to receiving a command from the hands-free device to transfer the audio, while continuing to display a video portion of the video call on the client device.

9. A client computing device, comprising:

a processor system including a system on an integrated circuit;

an internet protocol (IP) video call manager coupled to the processor system, to manage establishment of IP video calls and to generate and transmit a first call object, the first call object including a set of parameters regarding the IP video call;

a cellular call manager coupled to the processor system, to manage establishment of audio only cellular calls, and to generate and transmit a second call object, the second call object including a set of parameters regarding the audio only cellular call, wherein the first call object and second call object have a common format, and wherein the set of parameters regarding the IP video call and the set of parameters regarding the audio only cellular call each include a status of the call, a call participant identifier, a start time, and a call identifier;

a telephony manager coupled with the processing system, the IP video call manager and the cellular call manager to provide hands-free services via an external hands-free device for both IP video calls and audio only cellular calls on behalf of the IP video call manager and the cellular call manager, the hands-free services including;

answer an incoming call via the external hands-free device, end a call via the external hands-free device, and initiate a call via the external hands-free device; and

a hands-free manager coupled to the telephony manager, to establish an audio connection with the hands-free device, wherein the hands-free manager sends a request to an audio manager to route an audio portion of the IP video call through the hands-free device while a video portion of the video call is displayed on the client device.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the external hands-free device is a car-kit.