Conferencing system

• US 8,787,889 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Niemi, Aki
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US12/838,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20110014902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 379/202.01
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method for administering conferencing resources in a communications system comprising a plurality of terminals and a conference server, the method comprising: transmitting from a first terminal to the server a first message comprising a request for a resource capable of sustaining a conference call; allocating by means of the server a network address identifying a resource capable of sustaining the conference call; and transmitting from the server to the first terminal a second message comprising the network address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting to a conference server a first message comprising a request for a resource capable of sustaining a conference call;

receiving from the conference server a second message comprising a dynamic uniform resource identifier for identifying a resource capable of sustaining the conference call which has been allocated by the conference server; and

transmitting a third message comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier to a user agent;

wherein the received second message specifies that the resource is being allocated a respective address of a corresponding plurality of addresses, the respective address being unique to the conference call at any given time; and

wherein each of the corresponding plurality of addresses are allocated according to a pre-set pattern such that the respective address refers to a resource that is available for the conference call at the given time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first message comprises a first session initiation protocol invite message.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending a second session initiation protocol invite message comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier to the resource capable of sustaining the conference call.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second message comprises a session initiation protocol 3xx redirection message.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the redirection message comprises a contact header containing the dynamic uniform resource identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a session initiation protocol 200 OK message from the resource capable of sustaining the conference call.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the third message comprises a session initiation protocol refer message to the user agent.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the session initiation protocol refer message comprises a refer-to header comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a session initiation protocol accepted message from the user agent.

10. A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for performing a method when run on a computer, the method comprising:

transmitting to a conference server a first message comprising a request for a resource capable of sustaining a conference call;

receiving from the conference server a second message comprising a dynamic uniform resource identifier for identifying a resource capable of sustaining the conference call which has been allocated by the conference server; and

transmitting a third message comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier to a user agent;

wherein the received second message specifies that the resource is being allocated a respective address of a corresponding plurality of addresses, the respective address being unique to the conference call at any given time; and

wherein each of the corresponding plurality of addresses are allocated according to a pre-set pattern such that the respective address refers to a resource that is available for the conference call at the given time.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the first message comprises a first session initiation protocol invite message.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising instructions for sending a second session initiation protocol invite message comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier to the resource capable of sustaining the conference call.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the second message comprises a session initiation protocol 3xx redirection message.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the redirection message comprises a contact header containing the dynamic uniform resource identifier.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising receiving a session initiation protocol 200 OK message from the resource capable of sustaining the conference call.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the third message comprises a session initiation protocol refer message to the user agent.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the session initiation protocol refer message comprises a refer-to header comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 further comprising receiving a session initiation protocol accepted message from the user agent.

19. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

transmitting to a conference server a first message comprising a request for a resource capable of sustaining a conference call;

receiving from the conference server a second message comprising a dynamic uniform resource identifier for identifying a resource capable of sustaining the conference call which has been allocated by the conference server; and

transmitting a third message comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier to a user agent;

wherein the received second message specifies that the resource is being allocated a respective address of a corresponding plurality of addresses, the respective address being unique to the conference call at any given time; and

wherein each of the corresponding plurality of addresses are allocated according to a pre-set pattern such that the respective address refers to a resource that is available for the conference call at the given time.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first message comprises a first session initiation protocol invite message.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to send a second session initiation protocol invite message comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier to the resource capable of sustaining the conference call.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the second message comprises a session initiation protocol 3xx redirection message.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the redirection message comprises a contact header containing the dynamic uniform resource identifier.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising receiving a session initiation protocol 200 OK message from the resource capable of sustaining the conference call.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the third message comprises a session initiation protocol refer message to the user agent.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the session initiation protocol refer message comprises a refer-to header comprising the dynamic uniform resource identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising receiving a session initiation protocol accepted message from the user agent.