Methods and apparatus for provisioning and using IP clients which can be arranged according to groups and share a common telephone number
First Claim
1. A method of providing presence information, the method comprising:
- storing presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users;
receiving a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users;
in response to said first request for presence information, providing to said first device, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group;
initiating a first telephone call from a first user communications device to a second user communications device while said first user communications device and said second user communications device are located in said first network domain, said first and second user communications devices corresponding to users in said first group of users, said initiating a first telephone call including sending a first call establishment signal including calling party information, said calling party information including a first telephone number used by users in said first group and a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, said first call establishment signal including called party information including a second user communications device identifier identifying said second user communications device;
establishing a communications session between said first user communication device and said second user communications device over a network in said first network domain in response to said first call establishment signal;
initiating a second telephone call from the first user communications device to a telephone located outside said first network domain, said initiating the second telephone call including sending a second call establishment signal including a telephone number used by users in said first group, a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, and called party information including a second telephone number, said second telephone number being a telephone number of the telephone located outside said first network domain;
operating a network border device to receive said second call establishment signal;
generating a third call establishment signal including calling party information including the telephone number used by users in said first group as a calling party identifier and said second telephone number as a called party identifier while excluding from said third call establishment signal said calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device; and
sending said third call establishment signal to a telephone switch or router in a telephone network in which said second telephone is located.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for allowing users in a group, e.g., family members, to share a telephone number while using different devices, e.g., IP devices, are described. The methods and apparatus allow for users in a group to obtain individual presence information for members of the group by making a single request for presence information corresponding to members of the group. In some embodiments, in response to the single request, the requesting device will be supplied with individual presence information for each member of the group to which the request corresponds. The presence information may be received in individual communications, e.g., one individual message providing presence information on a user of the group. Alternatively presence information for the individual members of the group may be included in a single message that is sent to the requesting device.
8 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of providing presence information, the method comprising:
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storing presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users; receiving a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; in response to said first request for presence information, providing to said first device, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group; initiating a first telephone call from a first user communications device to a second user communications device while said first user communications device and said second user communications device are located in said first network domain, said first and second user communications devices corresponding to users in said first group of users, said initiating a first telephone call including sending a first call establishment signal including calling party information, said calling party information including a first telephone number used by users in said first group and a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, said first call establishment signal including called party information including a second user communications device identifier identifying said second user communications device; establishing a communications session between said first user communication device and said second user communications device over a network in said first network domain in response to said first call establishment signal; initiating a second telephone call from the first user communications device to a telephone located outside said first network domain, said initiating the second telephone call including sending a second call establishment signal including a telephone number used by users in said first group, a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, and called party information including a second telephone number, said second telephone number being a telephone number of the telephone located outside said first network domain; operating a network border device to receive said second call establishment signal; generating a third call establishment signal including calling party information including the telephone number used by users in said first group as a calling party identifier and said second telephone number as a called party identifier while excluding from said third call establishment signal said calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device; and sending said third call establishment signal to a telephone switch or router in a telephone network in which said second telephone is located. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system comprising:
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a presence server including; memory including stored presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users; a communications interface for receiving a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; a processor configured to respond to said first request for presence information, by providing to said first device, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group; a first user communications device configured to; (i) initiate a first telephone call from the first user communications device to a second user communications device while said first user communications device and said second user communications device are located in said first network domain, said first and second user communications devices corresponding to users in said first group of users, said initiating a first telephone call including sending a first call establishment signal including calling party information, said calling party information including a first telephone number used by users in said first group and a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, said first call establishment signal including called party information including a second user communications device identifier identifying said second user communications device, (ii) establish a communications session between said first user communication device and said second user communications device over a network in said first network domain in response to said first call establishment signal, and (iii) initiate a second telephone call from the first user communications device to a telephone located outside said first network domain, said initiating the second telephone call including sending a second call establishment signal including a telephone number used by users in said first group, a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, and called party information including a second telephone number, said second telephone number being a telephone number of the telephone located outside said first network domain; and a network border device configured to; (i) receive said second call establishment signal, (ii) generate a third call establishment signal including calling party information including the telephone number used by users in said first group as a calling party identifier and said second telephone number as a called party identifier while excluding from said third call establishment signal said calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, and (iii) sending said third call establishment signal to a telephone switch or router in a telephone network in which said second telephone is located. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer readable medium including;
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computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor in a presence server, control the presence server to; store presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users; receive a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; and provide to said first device, in response to said first request for presence information, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group; computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor in a first user communications device, control the first user communications device to; (i) initiate a first telephone call from the first user communications device to a second user communications device while said first user communications device and said second user communications device are located in said first network domain, said first and second user communications devices corresponding to users in said first group of users, said initiating a first telephone call including sending a first call establishment signal including calling party information, said calling party information including a first telephone number used by users in said first group and a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, said first call establishment signal including called party information including a second user communications device identifier identifying said second user communications device, (ii) establish a communications session between said first user communication device and said second user communications device over a network in said first network domain in response to said first call establishment signal, and (iii) initiate a second telephone call from the first user communications device to a telephone located outside said first network domain, said initiating the second telephone call including sending a second call establishment signal including a telephone number used by users in said first group, a calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, and called party information including a second telephone number, said second telephone number being a telephone number of the telephone located outside said first network domain; and computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor in a network border controller, control the network border controller to; (i) receive said second call establishment signal, (ii) generate a third call establishment signal including calling party information including the telephone number used by users in said first group as a calling party identifier and said second telephone number as a called party identifier while excluding from said third call establishment signal said calling party identifier identifying said first user communications device, and (iii) sending said third call establishment signal to a telephone switch or router in a telephone network in which said second telephone is located.
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Specification