Effecting Communication Events

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016173537-A1
Application number	US-201414569431-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and devices (e.g. servers) for establishing a real-time communication event between a user of a client device and another user of another client device via a communication network. A message pertaining to the communication event (e.g. to a communication event establishment procedure) includes multiple options pertaining to the communication event and, for each of the multiple options, a different network address unique to that option which can be accessed to select that option.

First claim

1 . A method for establishing a real-time communication event between a user of a client device and another user of another client device via a communication network, the method comprising a client running on the client device:
performing a first phase of a communication event establishment procedure by transmitting via the network a message to the other client device or to a server connected to the network, the message including multiple options pertaining to a second phase of the communication event establishment process yet to be performed; wherein the message comprises, for each of the multiple options, a different network address unique to that option which can be accessed to select that option, and the method further comprises: detecting that the network address unique to one of the multiple options has been accessed; and in response, instigating the second phase of the communication event establishment procedure in accordance with said one of the multiple options.

2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the message is transmitted to the server, the method comprising the server:
storing a mapping between the network address unique to said one of the multiple options and a server network address;
transmitting the server network address to the other client device or to a further server connected to the network;
detecting that the server network address has been accessed; and
in response, accessing the network address unique to said one of the multiple options which is detected by the client so as to trigger the instigating step of claim 1 .

3 . A method according to claim 2 comprising the further server:
storing another mapping between the server network address and a further server network address;
transmitting the further server network address to the other client device or to a yet further server;
detecting that the further server network address has been accessed; and
in response, accessing the server network address which is detected by the server so as to trigger the accessing step of claim 2 .

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the message is transmitted to the server, and the method comprises:
for each network address, the server storing a mapping between that network address and a corresponding server network address, modifying the message to replace that network address with the corresponding server network address, and transmitting the modified message to the other client device or to a further server connected to the network; the server detecting that the server network address corresponding to the network address unique to said one of the multiple options has been accessed; and in response, the server accessing the network address unique to said one of the multiple options, which is detected by the client so as to trigger the instigating step of claim 1 .

5 . A method according to claim 4 wherein the corresponding network address is transmitted to the further server, and the method comprises:
the further server storing another mapping between the corresponding network address and a further corresponding server network address, further modifying the message to replace the corresponding server network address with the further corresponding network address, and transmitting the further modified message to the other client device or to a yet further server connected to the network;
the further server detecting that the further server network address corresponding to the server network address corresponding to the network address unique to said one of the multiple options has been accessed; and
in response, the further server accessing the server network address corresponding to the network address unique to said one of the multiple options, which is detected by the server so as to trigger the accessing step of claim 2 .

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein a connection is established between the client device and a proxy server, the network addresses being of the proxy server, wherein the detecting step of claim 1 comprises the client detecting a signal received via the connection, the signal indicating that the network address unique to said one of the multiple options has been accessed.

7 . A method according to claim 6 wherein the connection is a WebSocket connection.

8 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the network addresses are URIs.

9 . A method according to claim 8 wherein the network addresses are URLs.

10 . A method according to claim 8 wherein the network address unique to said one of the multiple options is accessed according to the HTTP protocol.

11 . A method according to claim 10 wherein the network address unique to one of the multiple options is accessed using the POST or DELETE request method.

12 . A server for effecting a real-time communication event between a user of a client device and another user of another client device via a communication network, the server comprising:
computer storage; a network interface configured to receive messages from the network; a processor configured to: receive a message, the message including multiple options pertaining to the communication event and, for each of the multiple options, a different network address unique to that option which can be accessed to select that option; for each of the multiple network addresses, store in the computer storage a mapping between that network address and a corresponding server network address; transmit the server network addresses to the other client device or to a further server connected to the network; and detect that the server network address corresponding to the network address unique to one of the multiple options has been accessed, and in response to access the network address unique to that option to select that option.

13 . A server according to claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to log the message in the computer storage.

14 . A server according to claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to record a duration of the communication event in the computer storage.

15 . A server according to claim 12 wherein the message is transmitted to the further server so as to cause the further server to perform an action relating to the communication event in response.

16 . A server according to claim wherein the processor is configured to:
receive another message pertaining to the communication event, the message including another option pertaining to the communication event and another network address unique to the other option which can be accessed to select the other option; store in the computer storage another mapping between the other network address and another corresponding server network address; and transmit the other corresponding network address to another server of the network different from the further server so as to cause the other server to perform another action relating to the communication event.

17 . A server according to claim 12 wherein the network addresses and the server network addresses are URIs.

18 . A server according to claim 17 wherein the network addresses and the server network addresses are URLs.

19 . A server according to claim 17 wherein the network address unique to said one of the multiple options is accessed according to the HTTP protocol.

20 . A computer program product comprising code stored on a computer readable storage medium and configured when executed on a client device to implement a method for establishing a real-time communication event between a user of

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Kumar Namendra
• Skuratovich Uladzimir A
• Narayanan Sankaran
• Nair Abhilash C
• Dalvi Adit A

Classifications

• H04L61/10

  of different types · CPC title

• H04L61/2564

  for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP] · CPC title

• H04L65/1069 Primary

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title

• H04L65/1006

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L65/1104

  Session initiation protocol [SIP] · CPC title