Signaling method for internet telephony

• US 8,166,102 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Jonathan David, Schulzrinne, Henning G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOU, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US11/059,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,623 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 65/403 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: H04M 3/561 by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A method for creating, modifying, and terminating connections between Internet end systems, particularly, although not exclusively, for Internet telephony communication. The method relies on several request messages sent between a client and a server and the response messages sent back in response. Each request and response message may contain one or more header fields which modify or more uniquely link the messages with a given connection. On this basis, advanced telephony services, such as call forwarding, call transferring, and multiparty conferencing are provided.

Claims

1. In a client-server computer network, a method for determining when a particular user enters or exits the network, comprising the steps of:

having a first user send a first request message to a server on the network, the first request message identifying at least one second user and requesting that the server notify the first user, via a notification message, upon detection of entry or exit of the at least one second user from the network; and

having the server send the notification message to the first user when entry or exit of the at least one second user from the network is detected;

wherein

the first request message includes a user identifier identifying the at least one second user, the user identifier being independent of the at least one second user'"'"'s location,

the first request message requests subscription to a status notification service,

subscription by the first user to the status notification service causes the server to send the notification message to the first user upon detecting entry or exit of the at least one second user from the network, and

the first request message and the notification message are session initiation protocol (SIP) messages.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first request message is sent to the server on the network via at least one intermediate server on the network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification message is sent to the first user via at least one intermediate server.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first request message is a SUBSCRIBE request message and the notification message is a NOTIFY message.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first request message is effective for a finite time period.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the finite time period is defined in a header field contained in the first request message.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

terminating the pendency of the first request message by having the first user issue a third request message canceling the first request message.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second user can control who is notified of the entry or exit of the at least one second user from the network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification message additionally indicates the at least one second party'"'"'s communication capabilities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second user is identified by a user address, which is independent of the at least one second user'"'"'s location.

11. A method for event monitoring within a computer network, the method comprising:

sending, from a first user to a server on the network, a request message identifying at least one second user, the request message requesting that the server notify the first user, via a notification message, of a change in the status of the at least one second user; and

receiving, at the first user, the notification message from the server when a change in the status of the at least one second user is detected;

wherein

the request message includes a user identifier identifying the at least one second user, the user identifier being independent of the at least one second user'"'"'s location,

the request message requests subscription to a status notification service,

subscription by the first user to the status notification service causes the server to send the notification message to the first user upon detection of a change in the status of the at least one second user, and

the request message and the notification message are session initiation protocol (SIP) messages.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the request message is a SUBSCRIBE request message and the notification message is a NOTIFY message.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the request message is effective for a finite time period.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the finite time period is defined in a header field contained in the request message.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

terminating the pendency of the request message by sending, from the first user to the server, a cancelation message canceling the request message.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein a portion of the request message explicitly indicates that the first user is requesting to subscribe to the status notification service.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the change in the status of the at least one second user includes changing from a first status in which the at least one second user is available for communication to a second status in which the at least one second user is unavailable for communication, or changing from the second status to the first status.

18. A method for event monitoring within a computer network, the method comprising:

sending, from a first user to a server on the network, a request message identifying at least one second user, the request message requesting that the server notify the first user, via a notification message, of an occurrence of an event associated with the at least one second user; and

receiving, at the first user, a notification message from the server indicating an occurrence of the event;

wherein

the request message includes a user identifier identifying the at least one second user, the user identifier being independent of the at least one second user'"'"'s location,

the request message requests subscription to a status notification service,

subscription by the first user to the status notification service causes the server to send the notification message to the first user to notify the first user of the occurrence of the event associated with the at least one second user, and

the request message and the notification message are session initiation protocol (SIP) messages.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the request message is a SUBSCRIBE request message and the notification message is a NOTIFY message.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first request message is effective for a finite time period.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the finite time period is defined in a header field contained in the request message.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

terminating the pendency of the request message by sending, from the first user to the server, a cancelation message canceling the request message.

23. A method for event monitoring within a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server on the network, a request message from a first user, the request message identifying at least one second user and requesting that the server notify the first user, via a notification message, of an occurrence of an event associated with the at least one second user; and

sending, from the server to the first user, a notification message indicating an occurrence of the event;

wherein

the request message includes a user identifier identifying the at least one second user, the user identifier being independent of the at least one second user'"'"'s location,

the request message requests subscription to a status notification service,

subscription by the first user to the status notification service causes the server to send the notification message to the first user to notify the first user of the occurrence of the event associated with the at least one second user, and

the request message and the notification message are session initiation protocol (SIP) messages.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the request message is a SUBSCRIBE request message and the notification message is a NOTIFY message.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the request message is effective for a finite time period.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the finite time period is defined in a header field contained in the request message.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

terminating the pendency of the request message in response to a cancelation message received from the first user.

28. A method for event monitoring within a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server on the network, a request message from a first user, the request message identifying at least one second user and requesting that the server notify the first user, via a notification message, of a change in a status of the at least one second user; and

sending, from the server to the first user, athe notification message from the server when a change in the status of the at least one second user is detected;

wherein

the request message includes a user identifier identifying the at least one second user, the user identifier being independent of the at least one second user'"'"'s location,

the request message requests subscription to a status notification service,

subscription by the first user to the status notification service causes the server to send the notification message to the first user upon detection of the change in the status of the at least one second user, and

the request message and the notification message are session initiation protocol (SIP) messages.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the request message is a SUBSCRIBE request message and the notification message is a NOTIFY message.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the request message is effective for a finite time period.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the finite time period is defined in a header field contained in the request message.

32. The method according to claim 30, further comprising:

terminating the pendency of the request message in response to a cancelation message received from the first user.