`US006009469A
`
`Ulllted States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`6,009,469
`
`Mattaway et al.
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`[54] GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE FOR
`INTERNET TELEPHONY APPLICATION
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Shane D. Mattaway, Boca Raton;
`Glenn W. Hutton, Miami; Craig B.
`Strickland, Tainarac, all of Fla.
`
`[73] Assignee: Netspeak Corporation, Boca Raton,
`F1a_
`
`[21] APPL N0-3 08/721,316
`
`[22]
`
`Filed:
`
`Sep. 25, 1996
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63]
`
`[60]
`
`Continuation—in~part of application No. 08/533,115, Sep. 25,
`1995
`Provisional application No. 60/025,415, Sep. 4, 1996, and
`provisional application No. 60/024,251, Aug. 21, 1996.
`5
`
`...................................................... G06F 172/20
`[:1]
`'
`'
`1' """""""""""""""
`709/
`7
`[ 2]
`[58] Field Of Search
`395/20057, 200-53;
`709/227, 228; 370/352, 355, 357, 389,
`395
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
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`8/1993 European Pat. Off. .
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`.
`.
`_
`.
`Internetworking wzth TCP/IP, vol. 1, Second Edition, Prin-
`ciples, Protocols, and Architecture, by Douglas E. Comer.
`VOCEIITCC Internet Phone (TM) Version 2.5, Www.COx.sm_
`u.cdu/class/mis6386/people/stort/iphone25.exe, Feb. 1995.
`Weinberg, Netscape Conference and Cooltalk Meeting
`Room, www.q5.com, Feb. 22, 1996.
`Gull, Re: Getting IP address of PPP—connected Mac,
`<jgull—0304951005350001@pm012—11.dialip.mich.net>,
`Apr. 3, 1995.
`Mac?,
`for
`Phone
`Internet
`Gull,
`Re:
`>jgull—1704950116450001@pm049—28.dialip.mich.net>,
`APE 17, 1995 -
`Primary Examirter—E1lis B. Ramirez
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Kudirka & Jobse, LLP
`,,
`[571
`ABSIRACT
`A communication utility for establishing real-time, point-
`to-point communications between processes over a com-
`puter network includes apparatus for querying a server as to
`the network protocol address of another client process, and
`apparatus for directly establishing a communication link
`with the client process upon receipt of the network protocol
`address from the server. In one embodiment,
`the utility
`includes a sophisticated user interface having features simi-
`lar to typical telephony hardware but implementing greater
`flexibility with software.
`
`18 Claims, 27 Drawing Sheets
`
`SECOND
`PROCESSING
`UNIT
`
`
`
`24—\‘
`I
`I
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`l 4
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`Pop 3
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`, PROCESSOR
`- 30
`
`TIMER
`
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`32
`DATABASE
`
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`12 -\
`l
`;",:,:s‘,‘.,.;,;c'gs;.:,:,“u",‘.,‘""""
`I
`PROCESSOR T “PUT
`.
`DEVICE
`I 143
`13
`IIII
`E
`
`'
`'
`l
`,
`1
`'
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 — Page 001
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 1 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
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`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 002
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28,1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 003
`
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec.28, 1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 004
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`ANE
`.201 .00.1 37
`0024
`
`1 3
`
`FIG. 6
`
`
`
`42
`
`44
`
`50
`
` ROGER
`91 .103.001 .027
`
`0343
`C2
`
`
`O N USE
`
`38
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 005
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 5 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`START THE POINT-TO-POINT
`INTERNET PROTOCOLS
`
`INITIATE PRIMARY INTERNET
`PROTOCOL
`
`56
`
`58
`
`
`
`
`IS THE CONNECTION SERVER IN A
`RESPONSIVE CONDITION?
`
`62
`
`INITIATE SECONDARY
`INTERNT PROTOCOL
`
`
`
`PERFORM PRIMARY
`INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`
`
`60
`
`FIG. 7
`
`
`START THE PRIMARY
`POINT-TO-POINT INTERNET
`PROTOCOL
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TIMESTAMP AND STORE E-MAIL
`ADRESSES AND IP ADRESSES OF
`LOGGED-IN UNITS IN A DATABASE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`68
`
`64
`
`66
`
`70
`
`72
`
`
`RECEIVE QUERY FROM FIRST UNIT
`
`WHETHER A SPECIFIED SECOND
`UNIT IS LOGGED—IN
`
`
`
`
`
`RETRIEVE IP ADDRESS FROM
`DATABASE IF THE SECOND UNIT IS '
`
`LOGGED—IN
`
`
`
`
`SEND RETRIEVED IP ADRESS TO
`FIRST UNIT TO ESTABLISH POINT-
`
`TO—POINT CONNECTION
`
`
`
`FIG. 8
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 006
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 6 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`74
`
`START THE SECONDARY
`POINT—TO POINT INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
` 76
`
`
`
`GENERATE AN E-MAIL SIGNAL.
`INCLUDING A SESSION NUMBER AND A
`FIRST IP ADRESS CORRESPONDING TO A
`FIRST PROCESSING UNIT
`
`
`
`TRANSMIT THE E—MAlL SIGNAL AS A
`<CONNECTREQUEST> SIGNAL
`
`
`
`78
`
`80
`
`82
`
`84
`
`86
`
`88
`
`
`
`
`
`TO THE INTERNET
`
`'
`DELIVER THE E-MAIL SIGNAL THROUGH
`THE INTERNET USING A MAIL SERVER TO
`A SECOND PROCESSING UNIT
`
`
`
`EXTRACT THE SESSION NUMBER AND
`THE FIRST IP ADRESS FROM THE E—MA|L
`SIGNAL
`
`SEND THE SESSION NUMBER AND A
`SECOND IP ADRESS CORRESPONDING
`TO THE SECOND PROCESSING UNIT TO
`THE FIRST PROCESSING UNIT THROUGH
`'
`THE INTERNET
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`.
`VERIFY THE SESSION NUMBER
`RECEIVED FROM THE SECOND
`PROCESSING UNIT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ESTABLISH A POINT-TO-POINT INTERNET
`COMMUNICATION LINK BETWEEN THE
`FIRST AND SECOND PROCESSING UNITS
`USING THE FIRST AND SECOND IP
`ADDRESSES
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 9
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 007
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 7 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`1000
`
`<-
`
`1-
`
`O
`
`N F
`
`NetspeakGlobal
`
`Figure10
`
`Server Internal
`
`Service
`
`Provider
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 008
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 8 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`
`
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 009
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 9 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`BUS
`INTERFACE
`
`1214
`
`
`
`
`
`1216
`
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`BUFFER
`
`FIGURE 12 (PRIOR ART)
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 — Page 010
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 10 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 011
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 11 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`WAPI
`
`1323
`
`process
`
`FIGURE 13 B
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 012
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 12 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`1400
`
`1402A I. Roger Wilco
`
`14023
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`Figure 14
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 013
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 13 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`I1516B
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`SEARCH
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`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 014
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 14 of 27
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`641099469
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`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 015
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 15 of 27
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`6,009,469
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. — Exhibit 1001 - Page 016
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 16 of 27
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`6,009,469
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 017
`
`
`
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 17 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
`START
`
`
`
`
`DISGARD
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 018
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec.28,1999
`
`Sheet 18 of 27
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`6,009,469
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec.28, 1999
`
`Sheet 19 of 27
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 020
`
`
`
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`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 20 of 27
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 021
`
`
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`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 21 of 27
`
`6,009,469
`
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`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 022
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 22 of 27
`
`6,009,469
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 023
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 024
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 28, 1999
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`Sheet 24 of 27
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`6,009,469
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 025
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`Dec. 28, 1999
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 027
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`Sheet 27 of 27
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 028
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`6,009,469
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`1
`GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE FOR
`INTERNET TELEPHONY APPLICATION
`
`RELALFED APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 08/533,115 (Pending) entitled Point-to-
`Point Internet Protocol, by Glenn W. Hutton, filed Sep. 25,
`1995, commonly assigned, the subject matter of which is
`incorporated herein by reference.
`To the extent that any matter contained herein is not
`already disclosed in the above-identified parent application
`a location claims priority to U.S. provisional patent appli-
`cation 60/025,415 entitled Internet Telephony Apparatus and
`Method by Mattaway et al., filed Sep. 4, 1996, and US.
`provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/024,251 entitled
`System and Methods for Point-To-Point Communications
`Over a Computer Network, by Mattaway ct al., filed Aug.
`21, 1996.
`In addition, this application is one of a number of related
`applications filed on an even date herewith and commonly
`assigned,
`the subject matters of which are incorporated
`herein by reference, including the following:
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/719,894, entitled
`Directory Server For Providing Dynamically Assigned
`Network Protocol Addresses, by Mattaway et al.;
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/719,554, entitled
`Point-to-point Computer Network Communication
`Utility Utilizing Dynamically Assigned Network Pro-
`tocol Addresses, by Mattaway et al.;
`US. patent application Ser. No. 08/719,640, entitled
`Method And Apparatus For Dynamically Defining Data
`Communication Utilities, by Mattaway et al.;
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/719,891, entitled
`Method And Apparatus For Distribution And Presen-
`tation Of Multimedia Data Over A Computer Network,
`by Mattaway et al.;
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/719,898, entitled
`Method And Apparatus For Providing Caller Identifi-
`cation Based Out-going Messages In A Computer Tele-
`phony Environment, by Mattaway et al.;
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/718,911, entitled
`Method And Apparatus For Providing Caller Identifi-
`cation Based Call Blocking In A Computer Telephony
`Environment, by Mattaway et al.; and
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/719,639, entitled
`Method And Apparatus For Providing Caller Identifi-
`cation Responses In A Computer Telephony
`Environment, by Mattaway et al.
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates, in general, to data process-
`ing systems, and more specifically, to a method and appa-
`ratus for facilitating audio communications over computer
`networks.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The increased popularity of on-line services such as
`AMERICA ONLINET”, COMPUSERVE®, and other ser-
`vices such as Internet gateways have spurred applications to
`provide multimedia,
`including video and voice clips,
`to
`online users. An example of an online voice clip application
`is VOICE E-MAIL FOR WINCIM and VOICE E-MAIL
`FOR AMERICA ONLINET”, available from Bonzi
`Software, as described in “Simple Utilities Send Voice
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`E-Mail Online”, MULTIMEDIA WORLD, VOL. 2, NO. 9,
`Aug. 1995, p. 52. Using such Voice E-Mail software, a user
`may create an audio message to be sent to a predetermined
`E-mail address specified by the user.
`Generally, devices interfacing to the Internet and other
`online services may communicate with each other upon
`establishing respective device addresses. One type of device
`address is the Internet Protocol (IP) address, which acts as
`a pointer to the device associated with the IP address. A
`typical device may have a Serial Line Internet Protocol or
`Point-to-Point Protocol (SLIP/PPP) account with a perma-
`nent IP address for receiving E-mail, voicemail, and the like
`over the Internet. E-mail and voicemail is generally intended
`to convey text, audio, etc., with any routing information
`such as an IP address and routing headers generally being
`considered an artifact of the communication, or even gib-
`berish to the recipient.
`Devices such as a host computer or server of a company
`may include multiple modems for connection of users to the
`Internet, with a temporary IP address allocated to each user.
`For example,
`the host computer may have a general IP
`address “XXX.XXX.XXX,” and each user may be allocated
`a successive IP address of XXX.XXX.XXX.10,
`XXX.XXX.XXX.11, XXX.XXX.XXX.12, etc. Such tem-
`porary IP addresses may be reassigned or recycled to the
`users, for example, as each user is successively connected to
`an outside party. For example, a host computer of a company
`may support a maximum of 254 IP addresses which are
`pooled and shared between devices connected to the host
`computer.
`Permanent IP addresses of users and devices accessing the
`Internet readily support point-to-point communications of
`Voice and video signals over the Internet. For example,
`real-time video teleconferencing has been implemented
`using dedicated IP addresses and mechanisms known as
`reflectors. Due to the dynamic nature of temporary IP
`addresses of some devices accessing the Internet, point-to-
`point communications in real-time of voice and video have
`been generally difficult to attain.
`The ability to locate users having temporary or dynami-
`cally assigned Internet Protocol address has been difficult
`without the user manually initiating the communication.
`Accordingly, spontaneous, real-time communications with
`such users over computer networks have been impractical.
`Further, it is desirable to have a communication utility which
`contains familiar features and functions to current commu-
`nication utility such as telephones and cellular telephones. It
`is even further desirable to utilize the current graphic user
`interface technology associated with computer software in a
`manner to achieve a more flexible interface to a such a
`communication utility, without the limitations associated
`with hardware.
`
`Accordingly, a need exists for a way to determine whether
`computer users are actively connected to a computer net-
`work.
`
`A further need exists for a way to obtain the dynamically
`assigned Internet Protocol address of a user having on-line
`status with respect to a computer network, particularly the
`Internet.
`An even further need exists for a method and apparatus by
`which to establish real-time, point-to-point communications
`over a computer network using a communication utility
`having an interface which combines the familiar aspects of
`current hardware communication utilities but which allows
`for the flexibility associated with graphic user interfaces.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The above deficiencies in the prior art and previously
`described needs are fulfilled by the present invention which
`
`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 029
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`6,009,469
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`provides a virtual communications utility displayable on
`computer system interfaces which enables real-time, point-
`to-point communications over computer networks. Accord-
`ing to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer
`program product for use with a computer system having a
`display and an audio transducer comprises a computer
`usable medium having computer readable code means
`embodied therein comprising program code means for gen-
`erating a user interface, program code means responsive to
`user input commands for establishing a point-to-point com-
`munication link with another computer over a network and
`program code means responsive to audio data from the audio
`transducer for transmitting the audio data over the commu-
`nication link.
`According to another embodiment of the present
`invention, a computer program product for use with a
`computer system comprises a computer usable medium
`having computer readable program code means embodied
`thereon comprising code means for transmitting from a
`client process to a server a query as to whether a second
`client process is connected to the computer network, pro-
`gram code means for receiving the network protocol address
`of the second process from the server, and program code
`means responsive to the network protocol address of the
`second client process for establishing a point-to-point com-
`munication link between the first client process and the
`second client process.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The features of the invention will become more readily
`apparent and may be better understood by referring to the
`following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment
`of the present
`invention,
`taken in conjunction with the
`accompanying drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 illustrates, in block diagram format, a system for
`the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol;
`FIG. 2 illustrates, in block diagram format, the system
`using a secondary point-to-point Internet protocol;
`FIG. 3 illustrates, in block diagram format, the system of
`FIGS. 1-2 with the point-to-point Internet protocol estab-
`lished;
`FIG. 4 is another block diagram of the system of FIGS.
`1-2 with audio communications being conducted;
`FIG. 5 illustrates a display screen for a processing unit;
`FIG. 6 illustrates another display screen for a processing
`unit;
`FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of the initiation of the
`point-to-point Internet protocols;
`FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart of the performance of the
`primary point-to-point Internet protocols;
`FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of the performance of the
`secondary point-to-point Internet protocol;
`FIG. 10 illustrates schematically a computer network over
`which the present invention may be utilized;
`FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a computer system suitable
`for use with the present invention;
`FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an audio processing card
`suitable for use with the computer system of FIG. 10;
`FIGS. 13 A—B are schematic block diagrams of the
`elements comprising the inventive computer network tele-
`phony mechanism of the present invention;
`FIG. 14 is a screen capture illustrating an exemplary user
`interface of the present invention;
`FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the architec-
`ture of the connection sewer apparatus suitable for use with
`the present invention;
`
`4
`illustrating the process steps
`FIG. 16A is a flowchart
`performed by the connection server in accordance with the
`present invention;
`FIG. 16B is a flowchart illustrating the process steps
`performed in accordance with the information server of the
`present invention;
`FIGS. 17A—B are schematic block diagrams illustrating of
`the packet transfer sequence in accordance with the com-
`munication protocol of the present invention;
`FIGS. 18A—D are conceptual block diagrams illustrating
`user interface and graphic user interface objects utilized by
`the communication utility of the present invention;
`FIGS. 19A—C are conceptual block diagrams illustrating
`the event manager and media engine objects utilized by the
`communication utility of the present invention; and
`FIGS. 20A—D illustrate process steps performed by the
`media engine function of the communication utility in
`accordance with the present invention.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`Referring now in specific detail to the drawings, with like
`reference numerals identifying similar or identical elements,
`as shown in FIG. 1,
`the present disclosure describes a
`point-to-point network protocol and system 10 for using
`such a protocol.
`In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 includes a
`first processing unit 12 for sending at least a voice signal
`from a first user to a second user. The first processing unit
`12 includes a processor 14, a memory 16, an input device 18,
`and an output device 20. The output device 20 includes at
`least one modem capable of, for example, 14.4 Kilobit-per-
`second communications and operatively connected via
`wired and/or wireless communication connections to the
`Internet or other computer networks such as an Intranet, i.e.,
`a private computer network. One skilled in the art would
`understand that the input device 18 may be implemented at
`least in part by the modem of the output device 20 to allow
`input signals from the communication connections to be
`received. The second processing unit 22 may have a
`processor, memory, and input and output devices, including
`at
`least one modem and associated communication
`connections, as described above for the first processing unit
`12. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the processing
`units 12, 22 may execute the WEBPHONE® Internet tele-
`phony application available from NetSpeak Corporation,
`Boca Raton, Fla., which is capable of performing the dis-
`closed point-to-point Internet protocol and system 10, as
`described herein.
`
`The first processing unit 12 and the second processing
`unit 22 are operatively connected to the Internet 24 by
`communication devices and software known in the art, such
`as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or an Internet gateway.
`The processing units 12, 22 may be operatively intercon-
`nected through the Internet 24 to a connection server 26, and
`may also be operatively connected to a mail server 28
`associated with the Internet 24.
`The connection server 26 includes a processor 30, a timer
`32 for generating time stamps, and a memory such as a
`database 34 for storing, for example, E-mail and Internet
`Protocol (IP) addresses of logged-in units. In an exemplary
`embodiment, the connection server 26 may be a SPARC 5
`server or a SPARC 20 server, available from SUN
`MICROSYSTEMS, INC., Mountain View, Calif., having a
`central processing unit (CPU) as processor 30, an operating
`system (OS) such as UNIX, for providing timing operations
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`Petitioner Vonage Holdings Corp. et al. - Exhibit 1001 - Page 030
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`6,009,469
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`5
`such as maintaining the timer 32, a hard drive or fixed drive,
`as well as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) for
`storing the database 34, and a keyboard and display and/or
`other input and output devices (not shown in FIG. 1). The
`database 34 may be an SQL database available from
`ORACLE or INFORMIX.
`In an exemplary embodiment, the mail server 28 may be
`implemented with a Post Oflice Protocol (POP) Version 3
`mail server and the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP),
`including a processor, memory, and stored programs oper-
`ating in a UNIX environment, or, alternatively, another OS,
`to process E-mail capabilities between processing units and
`devices over the Internet 24.
`In the illustrative embodiment, the POP protocol is uti-
`lized to retrieve E-mail messages from mail server 28 while
`the SMTP protocol is used to submit E-mail message to
`Internet 24.
`The first processing unit 12 may operate the disclosed
`point-to-point Internet protocol by a computer program
`described hereinbelow in conjunction with FIG. 6, which
`may be implemented from compiled and /or interpreted
`source code in the C++ programming language and which
`may be downloaded to the first processing unit 12 from an
`external computer. The operating computer program may be
`stored in the memory 16, which may include about 8 MB
`RAM and/or a hard or fixed drive having about 8 MB of
`available memory. Alternatively,
`the source code may be
`implemented in the first processing unit 12 as firmware, as
`an erasable read only memory (EPROM), etc. It is under-
`stood that one skilled in the art would be able to use
`programming languages other than C++ to implement the
`disclosed point-to-point network protocol and system 10.
`The processor 14 receives input commands and data from
`a first user associated with the first processing unit 12 though
`the input device 18, which may be an input port connected
`by a wired, optical, or a wireless connection for electromag-
`netic transmissions, or alternatively may be transferable
`storage media, such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, com-
`pact disks, or other storage media including the input data
`from the first user.
`The input device 18 may include a user interface (not
`shown) having, for example, at least one button actuated by
`the user to input commands to select from a plurality of
`operating modes to operate the first processing unit 12. In
`alternative embodiments, the input device 18 may include a
`keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, and/or a data reading
`device such as a disk drive for receiving the input data from
`input data files stored in storage media such as a floppy disk
`or, for example, an 8 mm storage tape. The input device 18
`may alternatively include connections to other computer
`systems to receive the input commands and data therefrom.
`The first processing unit 12 may include a visual interface
`for use in conjunction with the input device 18 and output
`device 20 similar to those screens illustrated in FIGS. 5-6,
`discussed below.
`It
`is also understood that alternative
`devices may be used to receive commands and data from the
`user, such as keyboards, mouse devices, and graphical user
`interfaces (GUI) such as WINDOWS” 3.1 available form
`MICROSOFT Corporation, Redmond, Wash., and other
`operating systems and GUIs, such as OS/2 and OS/2 WARP,
`available from IBM CORPORATION, Boca Raton, Fla.
`Processing unit 12 may also include microphones and/or
`telephone handsets for receiving audio voice data and
`commands, speech or voice recognition devices, dual tone
`multi-frequency (DTMF) based devices, and/or software
`known in the art to accept voice data and commands and to
`operate the first processing unit 12.
`
`6
`In addition, either of the first processing unit 12 and the
`second processing unit 22 may be implemented in a personal
`digital assistant (PDA) providing modem and E-mail capa-
`bilities and Internet access, with the PDA providing the
`input/output screens for mouse interactions or for touch-
`screen activation as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5-6, as a
`combination of the input device 18 and output device 20.
`For clarity of explanation, the illustrative embodiment of
`the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol and system 10
`is presented as having individual functional blocks, which
`may include functional blocks labeled as “processor” and
`“processing unit”. The functions represented by these blocks
`may be provided through the use of either shared or dedi-
`cated hardware,
`including, but not
`limited to, hardware
`capable of executing software. For example, the functions of
`each of the processors and processing units presented herein
`may be provided by a shared processor or by a plurality of
`individual processors. Moreover, the use of the functional
`blocks with accompanying labels herein is not to be con-
`strued to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing
`software. Illustrative embodiments may include digital sig-
`nal processor (DSP) hardware, such as the AT&T DSP16 or
`DSP32 C, read-only memory (ROM) for storing software
`performing the operations discussed below, and random
`access memory (RAM) for storing DSP results. Very large
`scale integration (VLSI) hardware embodiments, as well as
`custom VLSI circuitry in combination with a general pur-
`pose DSP circuit, may also be provided. Any and all of these
`embodiments may be deemed to fall within the meaning of
`the labels for the functional blocks as used herein.
`The processing units 12, 22 are capable of placing calls
`and connecting to other processing units connected to the
`Internet 24, for example, via dialup SLIP/PPP lines. In an
`exemplary embodiment, each processing unit assigns an
`unsigned long session number, for example, a 32-bit long
`sequence in a *.ini file for each call. Eac