Apparatus and method to provide conference data sharing

• US 20050262249A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Koskelainen, Petri
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method is disclosed to share data amongst conference participants in a SIP conference. The method includes, in response to a request of a user agent (UA) conference participant to create a data sharing element, informing the UA in a SIP message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server (DSS) of a conferencing server where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants; storing the data in the address of the storage location and establishing at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants. Also disclosed, as part of a SIP Conference Server (10), is a Data Sharing Server (14) that provides storage for, and controlled access to and distribution of the shared data stored by one or more of SIP conference participants.

Claims

1. A method to share data amongst conference participants in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) conference, comprising:

in response to a request of a user agent (UA) conference participant to create a data sharing element, informing the UA in a SIP message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server (DSS) of a conferencing server where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants;

storing the data in the address of the storage location; and

establishing at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants.

2. A method as in claim 1, where storing uses a non-SIP procedure.

3. A method as in claim 1, where storing uses one of HTTP;

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDav);

RTP; and

a TCP pipe with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) encapsulation.

4. A method as in claim 1, where informing supplies the UA with a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies the address of the storage location.

5. A method as in claim 1, where storing also includes providing at least a name for the stored data.

6. A method as in claim 1, where storing also includes providing at least a name for, and a type of, the stored data.

7. A method as in claim 1, where the shared data comprises at least one of a file and an executable application.

8. A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Conference Server, comprising a data processor that is responsive to an occurrence of a user agent (UA) conference participant desiring to create a data sharing element, to inform the UA in a SIP message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server (DSS) where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants;

said processor being further responsive to receipt of the data from the UA to store the data in the address of the storage location; and

to establish at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants.

9. A SIP Conference Server as in claim 8, where the data is received by using a non-SIP procedure.

10. A SIP Conference Server as in claim 8, where the data is received by using one of HTTP;

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDav);

RTP; and

a TCP pipe with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) encapsulation.

11. A SIP Conference Server as in claim 8, where the processor informs the UA of the address by using a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies the address of the storage location.

12. A SIP Conference Server as in claim 8, where the data is received in conjunction with at least a name for the stored data.

13. A SIP Conference Server as in claim 8, where the data is received in conjunction with at least a name for, and a type of, the stored data.

14. A SIP Conference Server as in claim 8, where the shared data comprises at least one of a file and an executable application.

15. A User Agent (UA) operable with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Conference Server, comprising a data processor functional as a conference participant and to request a SIP Conference Server to create a data sharing element, to receive a notification in a SIP message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server (DSS) where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants;

to send data to the DSS for storage in the address of the storage location; and

to send information to a Conference Policy Server (CPS) via a Conference Policy Control Protocol (CPCP) to establish at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants.

16. A UA as in claim 15, where the data is sent to the DSS by using a non-SIP procedure.

17. A UA as in claim 15, where the data is sent to the DSS by using one of HTTP;

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDav);

RTP; and

a TCP pipe with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) encapsulation.

18. A UA as in claim 15, where the UA receives the notification of the address in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies the address of the storage location.

19. A UA as in claim 15, where the data is sent to the DSS in conjunction with at least a name for the data.

20. A UA as in claim 15, where the data is sent to the DSS in conjunction with at least a name for, and a type of, the data.

21. A UA as in claim 15, where the shared data comprises at least one of a file and an executable application.

22. A UA as in claim 15, where the UA is comprised of a cellular telephone.

23. A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium to direct at least one data processor to share data amongst conference participants in a conference conducted using a communications network, comprising operations of:

in response to a request of a user agent (UA) conference participant to create a data sharing element, informing the UA in a message of an address of a storage location where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants;

storing the data in the address of the storage location; and

establishing at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to other conference participants.

24. A computer program as in claim 23, where the message comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

25. A computer program as in claim 24, where the storing operation uses a non-SIP procedure.

26. A computer program as in claim 23, where the storing operation uses one of HTTP;

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDav);

RTP; and

a TCP pipe with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) encapsulation.

27. A computer program as in claim 23, where the informing operations supplies the UA with a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies the address of the storage location.

28. A computer program as in claim 23, where the storing operation also includes providing at least a name for the stored data.

29. A computer program as in claim 23, where the storing operation also includes providing at least a name for, and a type of, the stored data.

30. A computer program as in claim 23, where the shared data comprises at least one of a file and an executable application.

31. A Conference Server, comprising:

means, responsive to a request of a user agent (UA) conference participant to create a data sharing element, for informing the UA in a message of an address associated with storage means where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants;

means for storing the data at the address; and

means for establishing at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to other conference participants.

32. A conference server as in claim 31, where the message comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

33. A conference server as in claim 32, where said means for storing uses a non-SIP procedure.

34. A conference server as in claim 31, where the data is received by using one of HTTP;

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDav);

RTP; and

a TCP pipe with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) encapsulation.

35. A conference server as in claim 31, where said means for informing informs the UA of the address with a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies the address.

36. A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium to direct at least one data processor of a User Agent (UA) to operate as a conference participant with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Conference Server, comprising operations of:

requesting creation of a data sharing element;

receiving a notification in a SIP message of an address of a storage location where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants;

sending data for storage at the address of the storage location; and

sending information to a Conference Policy Server (CPS) via a Conference Policy Control Protocol (CPCP) to establish at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants.

37. A computer program as in claim 36, where the data is sent by using a non-SIP procedure.