System, apparatus and method for media communication between parties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11297186-B2
Application number	US-202016816233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2020
Priority date	Mar 11, 2020
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for enabling communication between parties are disclosed. A system may include a first communication device associated with a first user and a second communication device associated with a second user. The system may include a first communication channel between the first user and the second user for transmitting call data between the first communication device and the second communication device. The system may include a second communication channel between the first user and the second user established concurrently with the first communication channel. The second communication channel may be separate from the first communication channel. The second communication channel may be established by connection of the communication session participants to a multipoint control unit that is configured to transmit media data between the first communication device and the second communication device. The system allows transmission of one or more types of call data to be switched between the first and second communication channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for communicating between parties, comprising:
a first communication device associated with a first user;
a second communication device associated with a second user;
a first communication channel between the first user and the second user, the first communication channel configured to transmit at least one of call data and media data between the first communication device and the second communication device, wherein the first communication channel comprises an implementing structure to facilitate the transmission of at least one of call data and media data between the first communication device and the second communication device; and
a second communication channel between the first user and the second user, the second communication channel configured to transmit media data between the first communication device and the second communication device, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel are configured to be established concurrently with each other, wherein the second communication channel is separate from the first communication channel, wherein the second communication channel comprises an MCU, and wherein the MCU of the second communication channel is not the implementing structure of the first communication channel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second communication channel is configured to transmit media data between the first communication device, the second communication device, and one or more additional communication devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication channel comprises a relay system for providing translation services during a communication session between the first user and the second user, the relay system comprising a call assistant station device associated with a call assistant, wherein the first communication channel is configured transmit at least video data between the first communication device and the call assistant station device and voice data between second communication device and the call assistant station device.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first communication channel comprises a relay system routing server configured to facilitate the transmission of one or more of video data, audio data, and text data between the first communication device and the call assistant station device over the first communication channel and to facilitate the transmission of voice data between the second communication device and the call assistant station device over the first communication channel, and wherein the relay system routing server of the first communication channel is not the same as the MCU of the second communication channel.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the MCU is configured to transmit video data between the first communication device and the call assistant station device and to transmit video data between the second communication device and the call assistant station device.

6. The system of claim 3 , further configured to use one or both of the first and second communication channels to transmit video data between the first communication device and the call assistant station device.

7. The system of claim 3 , further configured to switch back and forth between the first and second communication channels allowing the system to selectively transmit video data between the first communication device and the call assistant station device over either or both of said first and second communication channels.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system is configured such that a termination of data transmission over the first communication channel terminates data transmission over the second communication channel.

9. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system is configured such that a termination of data transmission over the second communication channel does not terminate data transmission over the first communication channel.

10. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first communication device is configured to display video data from at least the second communication device and the call assistant station device simultaneously, wherein the second communication device is configured to display video data from at least the first communication device and the call assistant station device simultaneously, and wherein the call assistant station device is configured to display video data from at least the first communication device and the second communication device simultaneously.

11. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second communication channel is configured to transmit media data between the first communication device, the second communication device, and one or more additional communication devices.

12. A first communication device configured to facilitate a communication session between a first user using the first communication device and a second user using a second communication device, the communication device comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and
a processor operatively coupled with the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising:
requesting a communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device;
establishing a first communication channel, wherein the first communication channel comprises an implementing structure to facilitate the transmission of at least one of call data and media data between the first communication device and the second communication device;
establishing a second communication channel concurrently with the first communication channel, the second communication channel comprising an MCU, wherein the second communication channel configured to transmit media data between the first communication device and the second communication device, and wherein the MCU of the second communication channel is not the implementing structure of the first communication channel; and
selectively switching the transmission of desired media data between the first communication channel and the second communication channel.

13. The first communication device of claim 12 , wherein the first communication channel comprises a relay system comprising a call assistant station device associated with a call assistant, the first communication channel configured to transmit at least video data between the first communication device and the call assistant station device and voice data between second communication device and the call assistant station device.

14. The first communication device of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving video data from the second communication device over the second communication channel and receiving video data from the call assistant station device over one or more of the first communication channel and the second communication channel.

15. The first communication device of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise, displaying video data from the second communication device and video data from the call assistant station device simultaneously on a first communication device display.

16. The first communication device of claim 12 , wherein operations for establishing a second communication channel concurrently with the first communication channel further comprise operations for sending an electronic invite to the second communication device to connect with the first communication device over the second communication channel.

17. The first communication device of claim 16 , wherein operations to send an electronic invite further comprise operations for determining whether the s

Assignees

• Sorenson Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Baker Daniel
• Briggs Jason
• Saunders Steve
• Benich Amy
• Roach Isaac
• Grossinger Mark
• Pickett David Lance
• Hawkes Thomas
• Selman Kevin

Classifications

• H04N7/147

  Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q) · CPC title

• H04N7/152

  Multipoint control units therefor · CPC title

• H04M2203/5018

  Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party service or three-way call · CPC title

• H04M2203/5009

  Adding a party to an existing conference · CPC title

• H04M3/567 Primary

  Multimedia conference systems · CPC title