Application server component that notifies one or more communication devices of one or more invitations to join communication session

• US 20050015495A1
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hunter, Karla Rae, Florkey, Cynthia Kae, Joglekar, Mrinal Milind, Halsell, Victoria Marie, Wilson, Randall Joe
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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

Abstract

An application server component of an apparatus in one example receives an indication of one or more communication devices that are to receive one or more invitations to join a communication session. The application server component notifies the one or more communication devices of the one or more invitations to join the communication session. Upon acceptance of one or more of the one or more invitations by one or more of the one or more communication devices, the application server component connects the one or more of the one or more communication devices to the communication session.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an application server component that receives an indication of one or more communication devices that are to receive one or more invitations to join a communication session;

wherein the application server component notifies the one or more communication devices of the one or more invitations to join the communication session;

wherein upon acceptance of one or more of the one or more invitations by one or more of the one or more communication devices, the application server component connects the one or more of the one or more communication devices to the communication session.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication devices comprise one or more first communication devices;

wherein the application server component receives the indication of the one or more first communication devices from one or more second communication devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more second communication devices are involved in the communication session;

wherein the application server component notifies the one or more first communication devices of the one or more invitations to join the communication session with the one or more second communication devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the application server component identifies a match between the one or more invitations and the acceptance of the one or more of the one or more invitations;

wherein the application server component employs the match to indicate to one or more control components a call identification of the communication session;

wherein the one or more control components employ the call identification to connect the one or more of the one or more first communication devices to the one or more second communication devices in the communication session.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more first communication devices comprise a communication device, wherein the application server component activates an indicator of an invitation of the one or more invitations on the communication device, wherein the indicator persists until an action occurs on the invitation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the indicator persists on a display of the communication device, wherein upon the acceptance of the invitation by the communication device, the user of the communication device employs the indicator to initiate a connection to the communication session;

wherein the application server component connects the communication device to the communication session.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the action comprises an acceptance of the invitation by the communication device;

wherein upon receipt of the acceptance of the invitation by the communication device, the application server component sends one or more notifications of the acceptance of the invitation by the communication device to the one or more second communication devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the action comprises a withdrawal of the invitation by one or more of the one or more second communication devices;

wherein prior to an acceptance of the invitation, the one or more of the one or more second communication devices send the withdrawal to the application server component.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein upon receipt of the withdrawal, the application server component removes the indicator of the invitation from the communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the action comprises a rejection of the invitation by the communication device;

wherein prior to an acceptance of the invitation, the communication device sends the rejection to the application server component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein upon receipt of the rejection, the application server component sends one or more notifications of the rejection to the one or more second communication devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the action comprises a completion of the communication session;

wherein upon completion of the communication session prior to an acceptance of the invitation, the application server component sends a notification to the communication device of the completion of the communication session;

wherein the application server component removes the indicator of the invitation from the communication device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication session comprises a voice conference call, wherein upon acceptance of an invitation of the one or more invitations by a communication device of the one or more communication devices, the application server component connects a user of the communication device into a voice conversation with one or more participants in the communication session.

14. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of one or more first communication devices that are to receive one or more invitations to join a communication session with one or more second communication devices;

activating one or more indicators of the one or more invitations to join the communication session on the one or more first communication devices;

receiving an acceptance of one or more of the one or more invitations by one or more of the one or more first communication devices; and

connecting the one or more of the one or more first communication devices to the communication session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving the acceptance of the one or more of the one or more invitations by the one or more of the one or more first communication devices comprises the steps of:

employing the one or more of the one or more indicators to initiate a connection to the communication session;

removing one or more of the one or more indicators from the one or more of the one or more first communication devices; and

notifying the one or more second communication devices of the acceptance of the one or more of the one or more invitations by the one or more of the one or more first communication devices.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of connecting the one or more of the one of the one or more first communication devices to the communication session comprises the steps of:

matching the one or more invitations with the acceptance of the one or more of the one or more invitations; and

indicating a call identification of the communication session to one or more control components to connect the one or more of the one or more first communication devices with the one or more second communication devices in the communication session.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more of the one or more invitations comprise one or more first invitations of the one or more invitations, the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving a withdrawal of a second invitation of the one or more invitations prior to receipt by the application server component of an acceptance of the second invitation by a communication device of the one or more first communication devices;

removing an indicator of the one or more indicators of the second invitation from the communication device; and

sending a notification of the withdrawal to the one or more first communication device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more of the one or more invitations comprise one or more first invitations of the one or more invitations, the method further comprising the steps of:

identifying a completion of the communication session prior to receipt by the application server component of an acceptance of a second invitation by a communication device of the one or more first communication devices;

removing an indicator of the one or more indicators of the second invitation from the communication device; and

sending a notification of the completion of the communication session to the one or more first communication device.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more of the one or more invitations comprise one or more first invitations of the one or more invitations, the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving a rejection of a second invitation of the one or more invitations by a communication device of the one or more first communication devices prior to receipt by the application server component of an acceptance of the second invitation; and

notifying one or more of the one or more second communication devices of the rejection of the second invitation.

20. An article, comprising:

one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media;

means in the one or more media for receiving an indication of one or more first communication devices that are to receive one or more invitations to join a communication session with one or more second communication devices;

means in the one or more media for activating one or more indicators of the one or more invitations to join the communication session on the one or more first communication devices;

means in the one or more media for receiving an acceptance of one or more of the one or more invitations by one or more of the one or more first communication devices; and

means in the one or more media for connecting the one or more of the one or more first communication devices to the communication session.