Multi-party multi-modality communication

• US 9,002,937 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US13/374,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20130078975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 455/416, 715751-753
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for multi-party multi-modality communication. By way of example but not limitation, a third communication device may receive first communication data for a first communication flow that is associated with a first communication device or receive second communication data for a second communication flow that is associated with a second communication device. It may further effectuate at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause a conversion of communication data from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality. A third communication device may present to a third user thereof a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant.

Claims

1. A machine comprising:

circuitry for initiating a first communication flow and a second communication flow from a third communication device;

circuitry for receiving first communication data for the first communication flow that is associated with at least one of a first communication device or a first user;

circuitry for receiving second communication data for the second communication flow that is associated with at least one of a second communication device or a second user;

circuitry for effectuating at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality; and

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of;

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the one type of user interaction communication modality includes at least one of:

voice communication, textual communication, or video communication;

wherein the other type of user interaction communication modality includes at least one of;

voice communication, textual communication, or video communication; and

wherein the one type of user interaction communication modality is different from the other type of user interaction communication modality.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for effectuating at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality comprises:

circuitry for sending from the third communication device to at least one other device at least one message to request performance of the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the circuitry for sending from the third communication device to at least one other device at least one message to request performance of the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality comprises:

circuitry for sending from the third communication device to at least the second communication device the at least one message to request performance of the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality.

5. The machine of claim 3, wherein the circuitry for sending from the third communication device to at least one other device at least one message to request performance of the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality comprises:

circuitry for sending from the third communication device to at least one network communication device the at least one message to request performance of the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for effectuating at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality comprises:

circuitry for performing the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein the circuitry for performing the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality includes at least producing first converted communication data from the first communication data via the at least one conversion;

and wherein the machine further includes at least;

circuitry for sending the first converted communication data to the second communication device.

8. The machine of claim 6, wherein the circuitry for performing the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality comprises:

circuitry for performing the at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to text to corresponding to voice.

9. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device the version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant and the version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant.

10. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one user interface feature that is indicative of at least one of;

(i) a first user interaction communication modality of the first user that is associated with the first communication device of the first communication flow or (ii) a second user interaction communication modality of the second user that is associated with the second communication device of the second communication flow.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one user interface feature that is indicative of at least one of:

(i) a first user interaction communication modality of the first user that is associated with the first communication device of the first communication flow or (ii) a second user interaction communication modality of the second user that is associated with the second communication device of the second communication flow comprises;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one user interface feature that is indicative of an existence of a current multi-party conference communication that includes at least;

(i) the first user or the first communication device and (ii) the second user or the second communication device.

12. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one user interface feature that enables a user of the third communication device to establish;

(i) one user interaction communication modality with regard to one or more user interactions at the third communication device that correspond to the first communication flow and (ii) another user interaction communication modality with regard to one or more user interactions at the third communication device that correspond to the second communication flow.

13. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one user interface feature that enables a user of the third communication device to indicate at least one location selection for the at least one conversion.

14. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for mixing the version of the first communication data and the version of the second communication data into multi-party conference communication data; and

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device the multi-party conference communication data.

15. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting the version of the first communication data for the first communication flow using at least one first interaction silo of the third communication device; and

circuitry for presenting the version of the second communication data for the second communication flow using at least one second interaction silo of the third communication device,

wherein there is at least one different interaction silo between or among;

(i) the at least one first interaction silo and (ii) the at least one second interaction silo.

16. The machine of claim 15, wherein:

the circuitry for presenting the version of the first communication data for the first communication flow using at least one first interaction silo of the third communication device includes at least;

circuitry for playing the version of the first communication data for the first communication flow using at least one speaker of the third communication device; and

the circuitry for presenting the version of the second communication data for the second communication flow using at least one second interaction silo of the third communication device includes at least;

circuitry for displaying the version of the second communication data for the second communication flow using at least one display screen of the third communication device.

17. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting the version of the first communication data for the first communication flow and the version of the second communication data for the second communication flow using at least one common interaction silo of the third communication device.

18. The machine of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for associating at least one of;

(i) at least a first user interaction communication modality with at least one first identifier corresponding to at least one of the first communication device or the first user or (ii) at least a second user interaction communication modality with at least one second identifier corresponding to at least one of the second communication device or the second user.

19. The machine of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for sending to the second communication device at least one message indicative that a first user interaction communication modality corresponding to the first communication device has changed to a different user interaction communication modality.

20. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for receiving first communication data for the first communication flow that is associated with at least one of a first communication device or a first user comprises:

circuitry for receiving at least one message indicative that a first user interaction communication modality corresponding to the first communication device has changed to a different user interaction communication modality.

21. The machine of claim 20, wherein the circuitry for effectuating at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality comprises:

circuitry for effectuating that is configured to be operable at least partially responsive to the at least one message that is indicative that the first user interaction communication modality corresponding to the first communication device has changed to the different user interaction communication modality.

22. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for receiving first communication data for the first communication flow that is associated with at least one of a first communication device or a first user comprises:

circuitry for receiving first converted communication data, the first communication data including at least the first converted communication data as converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality.

23. The machine of claim 22, wherein the version of the first communication data includes at least the first converted communication data;

and wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of;

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant includes at least;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device the first converted communication data.

24. The machine of claim 22, further comprising:

circuitry for sending the first converted communication data to the second communication device.

25. The machine of claim 22, wherein the circuitry for receiving first converted communication data, the first communication data including at least the first converted communication data as converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality, comprises:

circuitry for receiving the first converted communication data from at least one other device, the first communication data comprising the first converted communication data as converted from corresponding to the one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to the other type of user interaction communication modality by the at least one other device.

26. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of:

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant comprises;

circuitry for presenting via the third communication device at least one of;

(i) at least a converted version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) at least a converted version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant.

27. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for initiating a first communication flow and a second communication flow from a third communication device comprises:

initiating at least one call with at least one of (i) the first communication device or (ii) the first user.

28. The machine of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for initiating a first communication flow and a second communication flow from a third communication device comprises:

initiating at least one real-time communication session with at least one of (i) the second communication device or (ii) the second user.

29. The machine of claim 1, wherein the machine forms at least a part of the third communication device.

30. A third communication device comprising:

means for initiating a first communication flow and a second communication flow from the third communication device;

means for receiving first communication data for the first communication flow that is associated with at least one of a first communication device or a first user;

means for receiving second communication data for the second communication flow that is associated with at least one of a second communication device or a second user;

means for effectuating at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality; and

means for presenting via the third communication device at least one of;

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant.

31. A process comprising:

initiating a first communication flow and a second communication flow from a third communication device;

receiving first communication data for the first communication flow that is associated with at least one of a first communication device or a first user;

receiving second communication data for the second communication flow that is associated with at least one of a second communication device or a second user;

effectuating at least one conversion with respect to at least one of the first communication data or the second communication data to cause communication data to be converted from corresponding to one type of user interaction communication modality to corresponding to another type of user interaction communication modality; and

presenting via the third communication device at least one of;

(i) a version of the first communication data while the second communication flow is extant or (ii) a version of the second communication data while the first communication flow is extant,

wherein at least one of;

(i) the initiating a first communication flow and a second communication flow, (ii) the receiving first communication data, (iii) the receiving second communication data, (iv) the effectuating at least one conversion, or (v) the presenting via the third communication device is at least partially implemented using at least the third communication device.