Systems and Methods for Voice Communication

• US 20140376415A1
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tencent Technology Company Limited (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tencent Technology Company Limited (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Xu, Bo
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for voice communication. For example, multiple friendship chains are acquired from a relation server upon launching an application; a voice room is accessed via a voice server upon receipt of a voice-communication request from a user; a voice-invitation signal is sent to the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of the voice room, where one or more friends of the user in the friendship chains determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal; and one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends are established via the voice server in response to the friends accessing the voice room.

Claims

1. A method for voice communication, the method comprising:

acquiring multiple friendship chains from a relation server upon launching an application;

accessing a voice room via a voice server upon receipt of a voice-communication request from a user;

sending a voice-invitation signal to the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of the voice room;

wherein one or more friends of the user in the friendship chains determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal; and

establishing one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends via the voice server in response to the friends accessing the voice room.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an invitation reply is received via the relation server after the voice-invitation signal is sent to the relation server;

in response to the invitation reply being received, processing the invitation reply;

in response to the invitation reply including an invitation acceptance, indicating invitation success;

in response to the invitation reply including a rejection of invitation, indicating invitation failure; and

in response to the invitation reply not being received, terminating a process associated with the voice-invitation signal after a wait period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing a voice room includes:

determining whether the voice room is accessed;

in response to the voice room being accessed, keeping the voice room accessed; and

in response to the voice room not being accessed, accessing another voice room that is automatically generated.

4. A method for voice communication, the method comprising:

acquiring multiple friendship chains from a relation server upon launching an application;

receiving a voice-invitation signal from one or more friends of a user in the friendship chains via the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of a voice room;

determining whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal;

in response to a determination to access the voice room,

accessing the voice room via a voice server; and

establishing one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sending an invitation reply including an invitation acceptance to the relation server upon accessing the voice room, wherein the relation server provides the invitation reply to the one or more friends.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to a determination not to access the voice room, sending an invitation reply including a rejection of invitation to the relation server, wherein the relation server provides the invitation reply to the one or more friends.

7. A device for voice communication, the device comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire multiple friendship chains from a relation server upon launching an application;

an entry unit configured to access a voice room via a voice server upon receipt of a voice-communication request from a user;

a sending unit configured to send a voice-invitation signal to the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of the voice room;

wherein one or more friends of the user in the friendship chains determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal; and

a connection unit configured to establish one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends via the voice server in response to the friends accessing the voice room.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a judgment unit configured to determine whether an invitation reply is received via the relation server after the voice-invitation signal is sent to the relation server; and

a feedback unit configured to;

in response to the invitation reply being received, process the invitation reply;

in response to the invitation reply including an invitation acceptance, indicate invitation success;

in response to the invitation reply including a rejection of invitation, indicate invitation failure; and

in response to the invitation reply not being received, terminate a process associated with the voice-invitation signal after a wait period.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the entry unit is further configured to:

determine whether the voice room is accessed;

in response to the voice room being accessed, keep the voice room accessed; and

in response to the voice room not being accessed, access another voice room that is automatically generated.

10. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a computer-readable storage medium;

wherein one or more of the acquisition unit, the entry unit, the sending unit, and the connection unit are stored in the storage medium and configured to be executed by the one or more data processors.

11. A device for voice communication, the device comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire multiple friendship chains from a relation server upon launching an application;

a receiving unit configured to receive a voice-invitation signal from one or more friends of a user in the friendship chains via the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of a voice room; and

a connection unit configured to;

determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal;

in response to a determination to access the voice room,

access the voice room via a voice server; and

establish one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a first sending unit configured to send an invitation reply including an invitation acceptance to the relation server upon accessing the voice room, wherein the relation server provides the invitation reply to the one or more friends.

13. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a second sending unit configured to, in response to a determination not to access the voice room, send an invitation reply including a rejection of invitation to the relation server, wherein the relation server provides the invitation reply to the one or more friends.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a computer-readable storage medium;

wherein one or more of the acquisition unit, the receiving unit and the connection unit are stored in the storage medium and configured to be executed by the one or more data processors.

15. A system for voice communication, the system comprising:

a calling terminal;

a called terminal;

a relation server; and

a voice server;

wherein;

the calling terminal is connected to the relation server and the voice server;

the called terminal is connected to the relation server and the voice server;

wherein the calling terminal includes;

a first acquisition unit configured to acquire multiple friendship chains from the relation server upon launching an application;

an entry unit configured to access a voice room via the voice server upon receipt of a voice-communication request from a user;

a first sending unit configured to send a voice-invitation signal to the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of the voice room;

wherein one or more friends of the user in the friendship chains determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal; and

a connection unit configured to establish one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends via the voice server in response to the friends accessing the voice room;

wherein the called terminal includes;

a second acquisition unit configured to acquire the friendship chains from the relation server upon launching the application;

a receiving unit configured to receive the voice-invitation signal associated with the one or more friends in the friendship chains via the relation server; and

a connection unit configured to;

determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal;

in response to a determination to access the voice room,

access the voice room via the voice server; and

establish the voice connections associated with the one or more friends;

the relation server is configured to send the friendship chains to the calling terminal upon launching the application on the calling terminal, receive the voice-invitation signal sent by the calling terminal and send the voice-invitation signal to the called terminal; and

the voice server is configured to create the voice room and establish the voice connections between the calling terminal and the called terminal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the calling terminal further includes:

a judgment unit configured to determine whether an invitation reply is received via the relation server after the voice-invitation signal is sent to the relation server; and

a feedback unit configured to;

in response to the invitation reply being received, process the invitation reply;

in response to the invitation reply including an invitation acceptance, indicate invitation success;

in response to the invitation reply including a rejection of invitation, indicate invitation failure; and

in response to the invitation reply not being received, terminate a process associated with the voice-invitation signal after a wait period.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the entry unit is further configured to:

determine whether the voice room is accessed;

in response to the voice room being accessed, keep the voice room accessed; and

in response to the voice room not being accessed, access another voice room that is automatically generated.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the called terminal further includes:

a second sending unit configured to send an invitation reply including an invitation acceptance to the relation server upon accessing the voice room, wherein the relation server provides the invitation reply to the one or more friends.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the called terminal further includes:

a third sending unit configured to, in response to a determination not to access the voice room, send an invitation reply including a rejection of invitation to the relation server, wherein the relation server provides the invitation reply to the one or more friends.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising programming instructions for voice communication, the programming instructions configured to cause one or more data processors to execute operations comprising:

acquiring multiple friendship chains from a relation server upon launching an application;

accessing a voice room via a voice server upon receipt of a voice-communication request from a user;

sending a voice-invitation signal to the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of the voice room;

wherein one or more friends of the user in the friendship chains determine whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal; and

establishing one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends via the voice server in response to the friends accessing the voice room.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising programming instructions for voice communication, the programming instructions configured to cause one or more data processors to execute operations comprising:

acquiring multiple friendship chains from a relation server upon launching an application;

receiving a voice-invitation signal from one or more friends of a user in the friendship chains via the relation server, the voice-invitation signal including identification of a voice room;

determining whether to access the voice room based on at least information associated with the voice-invitation signal;

in response to a determination to access the voice room,

accessing the voice room via a voice server; and

establishing one or more voice connections associated with the one or more friends.