Method for video telephony over a hybrid network

• US 5,999,525 A
• Filed: 11/18/1996
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Tim E., Elliott, Isaac K., Krishnaswamy, Sridhar, Solbrig, Erin M., Forgy, Glen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carman, Melissa Kay
• Application Number:
  US08/751,215
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/383, 370/389, 370/390, 370/392, 370/401, 370/468, 370/463, 370/493, 370/410, 379/100.13, 379/93.08, 379/93.07, 379/93.14, 379/93.29, 379/90.01, 379/114, 455/5.1, 455/6.3, 348/14, 348/17, 348/10, 348/15
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• 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 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks

Abstract

Telephone calls, data and other multimedia information including video, audio and data is routed through a switched network which includes transfer of information across the internet. Users can transmit video, audio and data communications of designated quality over the internet to other registered video telephony users. Users can manage more aspects of a network than previously possible, and control network activities from a central site.

Claims

1. A method for media communication over a hybrid network which includes a switched network, a packet switched network, and a directory of internet protocol addresses for the packet switched network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing the media communication between a first party and the packet switched network utilizing the directory of internet protocol addresses for transmitting the media communication in a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) format, wherein the media communication includes video, audio and data information;

(b) transmitting the media communication via the packet switched network to at least one other party;

(c) receiving the media communication via the packet switched network from at least one other party; and

(d) controlling the quality of transmission and reception to obtain predetermined levels of quality of service for the media communication.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one party is registered in a directory of parties available for the media communication.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media communication is transmitted through an operator.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(a) transmitting the media communication through assistance of an operator if an operator is available;

(b) storing at least portions of the media communication in a storage location; and

(c) transmitting the stored media communication to the party if no operator is available.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(a) transmitting a second media communication of an operator;

(b) storing the second media communication in a storage location;

(c) transmitting the stored second media communication to the party if no operator is available; and

(d) terminating the second media communication transmission when the operator becomes available.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission and reception are controlled by a resource reservation protocol that reserves network resources along a communication path to obtain designated qualities of service for the media communication.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first party can determine whether the at least one other party is available to receive the media communication by searching a directory of parties.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media communication is a unicast media communication.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media communication is a broadcast media communication.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media communication is a multicast media communication.

11. An apparatus for media communication over a hybrid network which includes a switched network, a packet switched network and a directory of internet protocol addresses of the packet switched network, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a processor with control software that establishes a communication between a first party and the packet switched network utilizing the directory of internet protocol addresses for transmitting the media communication in a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) format, wherein the media communication includes video, audio and data information;

(b) a processor with control software that transmits the media communication via the packet switched network to at least one other party;

(c) a processor with control software that receives the media communication via the packet switched network from the at least one other party; and

(d) a processor with control software that controls the quality of transmission and reception of the media communication to obtain predetermined levels of quality of service for the media communication by utilizing a resource reservation protocol.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one other party is registered in a directory of parties available for the media communication.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the media communication is transmitted through an operator.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

(a) a processor with control software that transmits the media communication through an operator;

(b) a processor with control software that stores at least portions of the media communication in a storage location; and

(c) a processor with control software that transmits the stored media communication to the party if no operator is available.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

(a) a processor with control software that transmits a second media communication of an operator;

(b) a processor with control software that stores the second media communication in a storage location;

(c) a processor with control software that transmits the stored second media communication to the party if no operator is available; and

(d) a processor with control software that terminates the second media communication transmission when operator becomes available.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the transmission and reception are controlled by a resource reservation protocol that reserves network resources along a communication path to obtain designated qualities of service for the media communication.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the first party can determine whether the at least one other party is available to receive the media communication by searching a directory of parties available for the media communication.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the media communication is a unicast media communication.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the media communication is a broadcast media communication.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the media communication is a multicast media communication.

21. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for media communication over a hybrid network which includes a switched network, a packet switched network and a directory of internet protocol addresses of the packet switched network, the computer program comprising:

(a) first software that establishes a communication between a first party and the packet switched network utilizing the directory of internet protocol addresses for transmitting the media communication in a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) format, wherein the media communication includes video, audio and data information;

(b) second software that transmits the media communication via the packet switched network to at least one other party;

(c) third software that receives the media communication via the packet switched network from the at least one other party; and

(d) fourth software that controls the quality of transmission and reception of the media communication to obtain predetermined levels of quality of service for the media communication by utilizing a resource reservation protocol.

22. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the at least one other party is registered in a directory of parties available for the media communication.

23. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the media communication is transmitted through an operator.

24. The computer program as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

(a) fifth software that transmits the media communication through an operator;

(b) sixth software that stores at least portions of the media communication in a storage location; and

(c) seventh software that transmits the stored media communication to the party if no operator is available.

25. The computer program as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

(a) fifth software that transmits a second media communication of an operator;

(b) sixth software that stores the second media communication in a storage location;

(c) seventh software that transmits the stored second media communication to the party if no operator is available; and

(d) eighth software that terminates the second media communication transmission when operator becomes available.

26. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the transmission and reception are controlled by a resource reservation protocol that reserves network resources along a communication path to obtain designated qualities of service for the media communication.

27. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the first party can determine whether the at least one other party is available to receive the media communication by searching a directory of parties available for the media communication.

28. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the media communication is a unicast media communication.

29. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the media communication is a broadcast media communication.

30. The computer program as recited in claim 21, wherein the media communication is a multicast media communication.