Communication system and method

• US 8,798,036 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sarapuu, Margus, Kt, Andres
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamel, Joel
• Application Number:
  US11/986,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20080159271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,451 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 37921102- 3, 379/265.02, 379/265.11, 379/265.14
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A method of establishing communication between a first and second user over a communications network, the second user being associated with contact information for at least one destination node. The method comprises allocating the contact information for the at least one destination node an identity from a set of available identities and displaying a hyperlink containing the identity on a display, wherein the hyperlink does not contain the contact information of the second user. The method also comprises the first user viewing the display using a terminal connected to the communications network and activating the hyperlink, and responsive to activating the hyperlink, transmitting from a client executed on the terminal a message to initiate communication, the message comprising the identity. The method further comprises, responsive to receiving the message at a network node, the network node translating the identity to the contact information for the at least one destination node, and the network node selecting one or more destination nodes from the at least one destination node and establishing a connection over the communications network between the client and the selected one or more destination nodes using the contact information.

Claims

1. A method of establishing communication between a first and second user over a communications network, said second user being associated with contact information for a plurality of destination nodes, the method comprising:

allocating to the contact information for the plurality of destination nodes an identity from a set of available identities by randomly selecting the identity from the set of available identities;

displaying hyperlinks including said identity on a display and as part of a web resource, wherein each of the hyperlinks is associated with a different destination node type for the plurality of destination nodes and does not include the contact information for a respective one of the destination nodes;

receiving an indication of a selection of one of said hyperlinks;

responsive to receiving said indication, transmitting from a client associated with the first user, a message to initiate communication with at least one of the destination nodes that corresponds to a selected one of the hyperlinks, said message comprising said identity and said identity being configured to be translated by a network resource to contact information for the at least one destination node to enable initiation of said communication;

monitoring a connection with the at least one destination node over the communications network; and

reporting one or more events related to the connection to an operator of the web resource, the one or more events including at least one of a call start event, a call end event, an error event, an instant messaging sent event, or an instant messaging received event.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of a telephone number, a VoIP identity and an instant messaging identity.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the different destination node types comprise two or more of a public switched telephone network terminal, a VoIP client, a voicemail server, and an instant messaging client.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the first and second user is a voice call.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the first and second user is an instant messaging conversation.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said display is a website.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the at least one destination node by comparing a current time with time ranges defined for each of the plurality of destination nodes, such that only those destination nodes with time ranges encompassing the current time are selected.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein, in the case that more than one destination node is selected, establishing the connection with all the selected destination nodes, such that the client is connected to the destination node answered first, and the connection to the remaining selected destination nodes is discontinued.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said indication is received in response to a user clicking on said hyperlink.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said identity is configured to be translated invisibly to a user associated with the client.

11. A method of establishing communication between a first and second user, said second user being associated with contact information for a plurality of destination nodes, the method comprising:

allocating to the contact information for the plurality of destination nodes an identity from a set of available identities, the destination nodes including a plurality of destination node types including a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client and an instant messaging client and said allocating including randomly selecting the identity from the set of available identities;

providing said identity to said first user whilst withholding the contact information from the first user, said providing comprising causing hyperlinks associated with the plurality of destination node types to be displayed;

transmitting a message to initiate communication comprising the identity from a user terminal of said first user, said transmitting occurring in response to a selection of one of the hyperlinks, and said identity being configured to be translated to said contact information to enable communication between the user terminal and at least one of the destination nodes associated with one of the destination node types that corresponds to the selected one of the hyperlinks;

monitoring a connection with the at least one destination node over the communications network; and

reporting one or more events related to the connection, the one or more events including at least one of a call start event, a call end event, an error event, an instant messaging sent event, or an instant messaging received event.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said providing comprises displaying a hyperlink including said identity on a display, wherein said hyperlink does not include the contact information of the second user, and said selection of said one of the destination node types comprises a selection of said hyperlink.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein providing comprises displaying said identity on a display, wherein said identity does not relate to the contact information of the second user, said first user viewing said display using a terminal connected to the communications network and dialing said identity using a communications terminal.

14. A system for establishing communication between a first and second user over a communications network, said second user being associated with contact information for a plurality of destination nodes, the system comprising:

means for allocating to the contact information for plurality of destination nodes an identity from a set of available identities, the destination nodes including a plurality of different destination node types and said allocating including randomly selecting the identity from the set of available identities;

means for providing said identity to said first user whilst withholding the contact information from the first user, said providing comprising causing hyperlinks associated with the plurality of destination node types to be displayed;

user terminal means, operable by said first user, for transmitting a message to initiate communication comprising the identity, said user terminal means being configured to transmit the message in response to a selection of one of the hyperlinks, and said identity being configured to be translated to said contact information to enable communication between the user terminal means and at least one of the destination nodes associated with one of the destination node types that corresponds to the selected one of the hyperlinks;

means for monitoring a connection with the at least one destination node; and

means for reporting one or more events related to the connection, the one or more events including at least one of a call start event, a call end event, an error event, an instant messaging sent event, or an instant messaging received event.

15. A system comprising:

means for allocating an identity to contact information for a plurality of destination nodes by randomly selecting the identity from a set of available identities;

means for displaying hyperlinks including said identity on a display and as part of a website, wherein each of the hyperlinks is associated with a different destination node type for the plurality of destination nodes and does not include the contact information for a respective one of the destination nodes;

means for receiving an indication of a selection of one of said hyperlinks;

means for, responsive to receiving said indication, transmitting from a client associated with a user, a message to initiate communication with at least one of the destination nodes that corresponds to a selected one of the hyperlinks, said message comprising said identity and said identity being configured to be translated by a network resource to contact information for the at least one destination node to enable initiation of said communication;

means for monitoring a connection with the at least one destination node over the communications network; and

means for reporting one or more events related to the connection to an operator of the website, the one or more events including at least one of a call start event, a call end event, an error event, an instant messaging sent event, or an instant messaging received event.

16. A method comprising:

allocating an identity to contact information for a plurality of destination nodes by randomly selecting the identity from a set of available identities;

causing hyperlinks that include the identity to be displayed as part of a website, wherein individual of the hyperlinks are associated with different destination node types for the plurality of destination nodes and do not include the contact information for the destination nodes;

responsive to receiving an indication of a selection of one of the hyperlinks, transmitting from a client associated with a user a message to initiate communication with at least one of the destination nodes that corresponds to a selected one of the hyperlinks, the message comprising the identity and the identity being configured to be translated by a network resource to contact information for the at least one destination node to enable initiation of said communication;

monitoring a connection with the at least one destination node over the communications network; and

reporting one or more events related to the connection to an operator of the website, the one or more events including at least one of a call start event, a call end event, an error event, an instant messaging sent event, or an instant messaging received event.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein at least some of the destination nodes are individually associated with different endpoint types.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of a telephone number, a VoIP identity, or an instant messaging identity.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising selecting the at least one destination node by comparing a current time with time ranges defined for each of the plurality of destination nodes, such that only those destination nodes with time ranges encompassing the current time are selected.

20. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the identity is further configured to be translated by the network resource into contact information for multiple of destination nodes.