Multimedia conference system and method which enables communication between private network and internet

• US 8,767,590 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plustek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plustek Incorporated
• Inventors: Tseng, Mu-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US11/190,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20060203749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,261 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/352, 370/392, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multimedia conference system and method that enables peer-to-peer communication between private network and the Internet. The multimedia conference system and method that enables direct peer-to-peer communication between private network and the Internet includes: a plurality of user agents (to receive call requests) constituting a local network; a calling terminal positioned outside the local network and connected to the local network via Internet; a network address translation (NAT) positioned on the gate of the local network as barrier between the calling terminal and the user agent, and a SIP Proxy Server positioned between the calling terminal and private network and logically installed in parallel with said NAT to receive session initiation protocol messages transmitted from the calling terminal, connect, and transmit IP addresses, so as to send the message to specific User Agent(s).

Claims

1. A multimedia conference system that enables direct communication between private network and the Internet, including:

a plurality of user agents (to receive call requests) positioned in the private network;

a calling SIP terminal positioned in a public network;

a network address translation (NAT) positioned on the gate of the local network as barrier between the calling terminal and the user agent;

a SIP Proxy Server positioned between the calling terminal and private network and logically installed in parallel with said NAT to receive session initiation protocol messages transmitted from the calling terminal, connect, and transmit IP addresses without going through said NAT and without using a path-coupled signaling protocol to establish a direct connection with the user agents, so as to send the message to specific User Agent(s), said SIP Proxy Sewer has a Network Interface directly connected to a public network and a Network Interface directly connected to the private network.

2. The multimedia conference system according to claim 1, wherein said SIP Proxy Server selects specific User Agent in response to the call (INVITE) from the calling terminal, performing as the interface to connect both sides of the conference communication.

3. The multimedia conference system according to claim 1, wherein said Proxy Server implements call connection in accordance with SIP protocol.

4. The multimedia conference system according to claim 1, wherein said Network Interface directly connected to the public network is configured with independent Public IP, and said Network Interface directly connected to the private network is configured with the IP address defined by private network.

5. The multimedia conference system according to claim 4, wherein said Proxy Server connects calls from the calling SIP terminal to individual User Agents.

6. The multimedia conference system according to claim 5, wherein said Proxy Server logically includes a Registration Server so that said a plurality of User Agents can register URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) to the Registration Server.

7. The multimedia conference system according to claim 6, wherein said Proxy Server can obtain a Contact List of User Agents with registered URI from the Registration Server, and transmit calls from the calling SIP terminal to individual User Agents by means of URI locating.

8. The multimedia conference system according to claim 7, wherein said Proxy Server includes a “

Back to Back User Agent B2BUA”

to perform as the call mediation between the calling SIP terminal and User Agents.

9. The multimedia conference system according to claim 8, wherein the Back to Back User Agent of said Proxy Server ties two call legs of “

calling terminal to User Agents” and

“

User Agents to calling SIP terminal”

.

10. The multimedia conference system according to claim 9, wherein the Back to Back User Agent of said Proxy Server also establishes a PACKET RELAY mechanism between the “

calling SIP terminal” and

“

User Agents”

.

11. A multimedia conference system that enables direct communication between private network and Internet, including:

a plurality of user agents to constitute a local network;

a proxy server connected to the user agents via the local network, performing as the interface to public network to receive session initiation protocol messages transmitted from the user agents, connect, and transmit IP addresses without going through said NAT and without using a path-coupled signaling protocol to establish a direct connection with the user agents, said proxy server has a Network Interface directly connected to a public network and a Network Interface directly connected to the private public network;

a network translation (NAT) positioned between e called terminal and the local network and logically deployed in parallel with the proxy server.

12. The multimedia conference system according to claim 11, wherein the Proxy Server executes the DNS lookup on the call (INVITE) transmitted from the User Agent to connect the called SIP terminal as the interface between both sides of the conference communication.

13. The multimedia conference system according to claim 11, wherein the Proxy Server implements call connection in accordance with SIP protocol.

14. The multimedia conference system according to claim 11, wherein said Network Interface directly connected to the public network is configured with independent Public IP, and said Network Interface directly connected to the private network is configured with the IP address defined by private network.

15. The multimedia conference system according to claim 14, wherein said Proxy Server connects calls from the User Agent to the called SIP terminal.

16. The multimedia conference system according to claim 15, wherein said Proxy Server logically includes a Registration Server so that said a plurality of User Agents can register URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) to the Registration Server.

17. The multimedia conference system according to claim 16, wherein said Proxy Server includes a “

Back to Back User Agent (B2BUA)”

to perform as the call mediation between the User Agent and the called terminal.

18. The multimedia conference system according to claim 17, wherein said Back to Back User Agent of the Proxy Server ties two call legs of “

User Agent to the called SIP terminal” and

“

the called SIP terminal to User Agent”

.

19. The multimedia conference system according to claim 18, wherein said Back to Back User Agent of the Proxy Server also establishes a PACKET RELAY mechanism between the “

User Agent” and

the “

called SIP terminal”

.

20. A method for multimedia conference that enables direct communication between private network and public network, including:

(1) Deploying a Proxy Server logically in parallel with NAT, to receive incoming call request from the calling SIP terminal which connects to the Proxy Server via Internet, validate the request, and record the routing information for the call without going through said NAT and without using a path-coupled signaling protocol to establish a direct connection with specified User Agent, said Proxy Server has a Network Interface directly connected to a public network and a Network Interface directly connected to the private public network;

(2) Forwarding the call request to specified User Agent and establishing the call connection;

(3) Conducting multimedia conference communication between the calling SIP terminal and specified User Agent in the private network.

21. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 20, wherein said (step 2) further includes:

(2-1) User Agent in the private network registers its URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) associated with contact information to the Registration Server logically included in the Proxy Server.

22. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 20, wherein said (step 2) further includes:

(2-2) Proxy Server obtains the Contact List of User Agents from said Registration Server and, by means of URI query, and forwards the calls originated from the calling SIP terminal to individual User Agent(s).

23. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 22, wherein said step (3) further includes:

(3-1) “

Back to back User Agent (B2BUA)”

is used as the call mediation to process multimedia conference communication between the calling SIP terminal in the public network and the assigned User Agents in the private network.

24. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 23, wherein, said Back to Back User Agent (B2BUA) in (step 3-1) further sets up the two call legs (one connected to the calling SIP terminal and the other connected to the designated User Agent) as the call proceeds.

25. The method for multimedia conference system according i to claim 24, wherein said (step 3-1) further includes:

(3-2) Back to back User Agent (B2BUA) establishes the PACKET RELAY mechanism between the User Agents and calling SIP terminal while the call proceeds.

26. A method for multimedia conference that enables direct communication between private network and public network, including:

(1) Deploying a Proxy Server deployed logically in parallel with a NAT to receive incoming call request originating from the User Agent located inside private network, validate the request, and record the routing information for the call without going through said NAT and without using a path-coupled signaling protocol to establish a direct connection with the User Agent, the Proxy Server has a Network Interface directly connected to a public network and a Network Interface directly connected to the private public network;

(2) Performing DNS lookup at the Proxy Server based on the request originating from User Agent and forward the call request to called SIP terminal which is located outside the private network to establish the call connection; and

(3) Conducting multimedia conference communication between the calling User Agent and the called SIP terminal.

27. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 26, wherein, said (step 1) further includes:

(1-1) User Agents in the private network register their URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) information associated with contact information to the Registration Server logically included in the Proxy Server.

28. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 27, wherein, said (step 3) further includes:

(3-1) “

Back to back User Agent (B2BUA)”

processes multimedia conference communication between the calling SIP terminal in the public network and the assigned User Agents in the private network.

29. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 28, wherein, said (step 3-1) Back to back User Agent (B2BUA) sets up the two call legs (one connected to the calling User Agent and the other connected to the called terminal) while the call proceeds.

30. The method for multimedia conference system according to claim 29, wherein, said (step 3-1) further includes:

(3-2) Back to back User Agent (B2BUA) established PACKET RELAY mechanism between “

User Agents” and

“

the called terminal”

while the call proceeds.