15
`
`EP0648038A2
`
`16
`
`14. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13.
`wherein a plurality of generic names are used,
`each one having a number of server computers
`whose machine addresses are associated with
`that generic name, the decision logic employing
`different sets of predetermined test criteria for
`each generic name.
`
`15.
`
`Amethod as claimed in Claim 14, wherein one or
`more of the server computers are associated with
`a plurality of the generic names.
`
`10
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 516
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 516
`
`

`

`EP0648038A2
`
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`10
`
`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 517
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 517
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`EP0648038A2
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`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 518
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 518
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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`
`
`

`

`A10
`
`430
`
`EP0648038A2
`
`SERVER CLUSTER
`
`III I I II III I II I I I II I
`
`12
`
`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 519
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 519
`
`

`

`(19) 9)
`
`(12)
`
`Europfiisches Patentamt
`
`European Patent Office
`
`Office européen des brevets
`
`IIIIlllllllllllllllllIIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`
`(11)
`
`EP 1 379 039 A2
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`
`(43) Date of publication:
`07.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/02
`
`(51) Int Cl.7: H04L 12/58, H04L 29/06
`
`(21) Application number: 030222871
`
`(22) Date of filing: 25.09.1996
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`CH DE ES FI FR GB IE IT LI NL SE
`
`(30) Priority: 25.09.1995 us 533115
`
`(62) Document number(s) of the earlier application(s) in
`accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
`969339282 /0 852 868
`
`(71) Applicant: Netspeak Corporation
`Boca Raton, FL 33487 (US)
`
`(72) Inventor: Hutton, Glenn W.
`Miami, FL 33196 (US)
`
`(74) Flepresentative: Klndermann, Manfred
`Patentanwalt,
`Sperberweg 29
`71032 Bobllngen (DE)
`
`Remarks:
`
`This application was filed on 02 - 10 - 2003 as a
`divisional application to the application mentioned
`under INID code 62.
`
`
`
`(54)
`
`Point-to-point communication using e-mail to establish dynamic network addresses
`
`In a computer system having an audio trans-
`(57)
`ducer and a display device and being operatively cou-
`pled to other computers over a computer network (24),
`such as the Internet, means are included for establish-
`ing a point—to-point communication link between proc-
`esses. The means provide for transmitting from a first
`processing unit (12) to the Internet an E-mail signal, in-
`
`cluding afirst IP address assigned to the first processing
`unit, and for processing the E-mail signal through the
`Internet to deliverthe E-mail signal to a second process-
`ing unit (22). Further means are provided for transmit-
`ting a second IP address to the first processing unit for
`establishing a point-to-point communication link be-
`tween the first and second processing units through the
`Internet.
`
`
`POP 3
`
`MAIL SERVER
`
`
`INTERNET
`
`
`
`
`POLLS EVERY
`3-5 SECONDS
`
`22
`
`SECOND
`PROCESSING
`UNIT
`
`
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 520
`
`_....__._.__.__.,
`
`<CONNECTREQUEST>
`
`<CONNECTOK>
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Printed by Jouve. 75001 PARIS (FR)
`
`IIIIII :
`
`IIIIII
`
`EP1379039A2
`
`14I
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 520
`
`

`

`1
`
`EP 1 379 039 A2
`
`2
`
`Description
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001] The present invention relates in general to data
`processing systems, and more specifically, to an appa-
`ratus, a method and a computer program product for ia-
`cilitating audio communications over computer net-
`works.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The increased popularity of on-line services
`such as AMERICA ONLINE (I'M), COMPUSERVE (R),
`and other services such as Internet gateways have
`spurred applications to provide multimedia contents, in-
`cluding video and voice clips, to online users. An exam-
`ple of an online voice clip application is VOICE E-MAIL
`FOR WINCIM and VOICE E-MAIL FOR AMERICA ON-
`
`LINE (TM), available from Bonzi Software, as described
`in “Simple Utilities Send Voice E-Mail Online", MULTI-
`MEDIA WORLD, VOL. 2, NO. 9, August 1995, p. 52.
`Using such Voice E-Mail software, a user may create an
`audio message to be sent to a predetermined E-mail ad-
`dress specified by the user.
`[0003] Generally, devices interfacing with the Internet
`and other online services may communicate with each
`other upon establishing respective device addresses.
`One type of device address is the lntemet Protocol (IP)
`address, which acts as a pointerto the device associat-
`ed with the IP address. Atypical device may have a Se-
`rial Line Internet Protocol or Point-to-Point Protocol
`
`(SLIP/PPP) account with a permanent IP address for re-
`ceiving E-mail, voicemail, and the like over the lntemet.
`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 consid-
`ered an artifact of the communication, or even gibberish
`to the recipient.
`[0004] Devices such as a host computer or server of
`a company may include multiple modems forconnection
`of users to the lntemet, with a temporary IP address al-
`located 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 temporary IP addresses may be reas-
`signed 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 compu-
`ter.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`[0005] Pennanent IP addresses of users and devices
`accessing the Internet readily support point-to-point
`communications of voice and video signals over the In-
`ternet. For example, global real-time video conferencing
`has been implemented using dedicated IP addresses
`
`55
`
`and mechanisms known as reflectors.
`
`[0006] Atechnique for matching domain names to In-
`ternet Protocol addresses is described in the text enti-
`
`tled "lnternetworking With TCP/|P", 2nd Edition, by
`Douglas E. Comer, November 1992, Prentice Hall, En-
`glewood Cliffs, New Jersey, U.S.A. Comer describes a
`domain name system and cooperative systems of name
`servers for matching domain names to network ad-
`dresses. Each name server is a server program that
`supplies mapping of domain names to IP addresses.
`The system described in Comer, however,
`is not de-
`signed for use with network nodes whose network
`names or nameto address bindings change frequently.
`[0007]
`International Publication WO 92/19054 dis-
`closes a network monitoring system including an ad-
`dress tracking module which uses passive monitoring
`of all packet communications over a local area network
`to maintain a name table of IP address mappings. The
`disclosed address tracking module is capable of moni-
`toring only a small number of nodes on a local area net-
`work and is not suitable for use with a multitude of nodes
`over a wide area network.
`
`[0008] Due to the dynamic nature of temporary IP ad-
`dresses of some devices accessing the Internet, point-
`to-point communications in real-time of voice and video
`have been generally difficult to attain.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In a system for enabling point-to-point commu-
`[0009]
`nications between a plurality of processing units over
`the lntemet, means are provided for establishing a
`point-to-point communication link between a first
`processing unit and a second processing unit. The in-
`vention, as defined in the claims, comprises (a) means
`for transmitting from a first processing unit to the lntemet
`an Email signal, including a first IP address assigned
`to the first processing unit, (b) means for processing the
`E-mail signal through the Internet to deliver the E-mail
`signal to a second processing unit and (c) means for
`transmitting a second IP address to the first processing
`unit for establishing a point-to-point communication link
`between the first and second processing units through
`the lntemet.
`
`[0010] The invention is in particular suitable for being
`used in connection with computer networks, such as the
`Internet, wherein the processing unit does not have a
`fixed or predetermined network protocol address. The
`invention thus provides fora protocol wherein a calling
`processing unit transmits by E-mail its dynamically as-
`signed network protocol address, or IP address, directly
`to the called processing unit. The called processing unit
`then transmits its dynamically assigned IP address to
`the calling processing unit also via E-mail message.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0011] The features of the invention will become more
`
`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 521
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 521
`
`

`

`3
`
`EP 1 379 039 A2
`
`4
`
`readily apparent and may be better understood by re-
`ferring to the following detailed description of an Illustra-
`tive embodiment of the present invention, taken in con-
`junction 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 sys-
`tem using a secondary point-to-point Internet pro-
`tocol;
`FIG. 3 illustrates, in block diagram format, the sys-
`tem of FIGS. 1-2 with the point-to-point lntemet pro-
`tocol established;
`FIG. 4 is another block diagram of the system of
`FIGS 1-2 with audio communications being con-
`ducted;
`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; and
`FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of the perfonnance of
`the secondary point-to-point Internet protocol.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`[0012] Referring now in specific detail to the drawings,
`with like reference numerals identifying similar or iden-
`tical elements, as shown in FIG. 1, the present disclo-
`sure describes a point-to-point network protocol and
`system 10 for using such a protocol.
`[0013]
`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 kbaud communications and oper-
`atively connected via wired and/or wireless communi-
`cation connections to the Internet orother computer net-
`works such as an Intranet, i.e., a private computer net-
`work. 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 connec-
`tions, as described above for the first processing unit
`12. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the process-
`ing units 12, 22 may execute the WEBPHONETM Inter-
`net telephony application available from NetSpeak Cor-
`poration, Boca Raton, FL, which is capable of perform-
`ing the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol and
`system 10, as described herein.
`
`[0014] The first processing unit 12 and the second
`processing unit 22 are operatively connected to the In-
`ternet 24 by communication devices and software
`known in the art, such as an lntemet Service Provider
`(ISP) or an lntemet gateway. The processing units 12.
`22 may be operatively interconnected through the Inter-
`net 24 to a connection sewer 26, and may also be op-
`eratively connected to a mail server 28 associated with
`the lntemet 24.
`
`[0015] The connection server26 includes a processor
`30, a timer32 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 SPAFIC 20 server, avail-
`able from SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC., Mountain View,
`CA, having a central processing unit (CPU) as proces-
`sor30, an operating system (08) such as UNIX, for pro-
`viding timing operations such as maintaining the timer
`32, a hard drive or fixed drive, as well as dynamic ran-
`dom 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
`[0016]
`28 may be a Post Office Protocol (POP) Version 3 mail
`server including a processor, memory, and stored pro-
`grams operating in a UNIX environment, or, aItemative-
`ly, another OS, to process E-mail capabilities between
`processing units and devices over the Internet 24.
`[0017] The first processing unit 12 may operate the
`disclosed point-to-point lntemet protocol by a computer
`program described hereinbelow in conjunction with FIG.
`6, which may be implemented from compiled and /or in-
`terpreted source code in the C++ programming lan-
`guage and which may be downloaded to the first
`processing unit 12 from an external computer. The op-
`erating 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. 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 understood that one skilled in the art
`would be able to use programming languages otherthan
`C++ to implement the disclosed point-to-point network
`protocol and system 10.
`[0018] 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 electromagnetic transmis-
`sions, or alternatively may be transferable storage me-
`dia, such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, compact
`disks, or other storage media including the input data
`from the first user.
`
`[0019] The input device 18 may include a user inter-
`face (not shown) having, for example, at least one but-
`
`20
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`25
`
`30
`
`40
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`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 522
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 522
`
`

`

`5
`
`EP 1 379 039 A2
`
`6
`
`ton 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 in-
`put device 18 may include a keyboard, amouse, 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 ex-
`ample, an 8 mm storage tape. The input device 18 may
`alternatively include connections to other computer sys-
`tems to receive the input commands and data there-
`from.
`
`[0020] The first processing unit 12 may include a vis-
`ual interface for use in conjunction with the input device
`18 and output device 20 similar to those screens illus-
`trated in FIGS. 5-6, discussed below. It is also under-
`stood 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 WINDOWSTM 3.1 available form MICROSOFT
`Corporation, Redmond, WA., and other operating sys-
`tems and GU|s, such as OS/2 and OS/2 WARP, availa-
`ble from IBM CORPORATION, Boca Raton,
`FL.
`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 multifrequency (DTMF) based devices, and/
`or software known in the art to accept voice data and
`commands and to operate the first processing unit 12.
`[0021]
`In addition, either ofthefirst processing unit 12
`and the second processing unit 22 may be implemented
`in a personal digital assistant (PDA) providing modem
`and E-mail capabilities and lntemet access, with the
`PDA providing the input/output screens for mouse inter-
`actions or for touchscreen activation as shown, for ex-
`ample, in FIGS. 5-6, as acombination ofthe inputdevice
`18 and output device 20.
`[0022]
`For clarity of explanation, the illustrative em-
`bodiment of the disclosed point-to-point Internet proto-
`col and system 10 is presented as having individual
`functional blocks, which may include functional blocks
`labeled as "processor" and ‘processing unit”. The func-
`tions represented by these blocks may be provided
`through the use of eithershared or dedicated hardware,
`including, but not limited to, hardware capable of exe-
`cuting 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 func-
`tional blocks with accompanying labels herein is not to
`be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable
`of executing software. Illustrative embodiments may in-
`clude digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, such as
`the AT&T DSP16 or DSP32C, read-only memory (ROM)
`for storing software performing the operations dis-
`cussed below, and random access memory (RAM) for
`storing DSP results. Very large scale integration (VLSI)
`hardware embodiments, as well as custom VLSI circuit-
`ry in combination with a general purpose DSP circuit,
`
`may also be provided. Any and all of these embodiments
`may be deemed to fail within the meaning of the labels
`for the functional blocks as used herein.
`
`[0023] 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. Each call may be assigned a succes-
`sive session number in sequence, which may be used
`by the respective processing unit to associate the call
`with one of the SLIP/PPP lines, to associate a <Connec-
`t0K> response signal with a <Connect Request> signal,
`and to allow for multiplexing and demultiplexing of in-
`bound and outbound conversations on conference
`lines, as explained hereinafter.
`[0024]
`For callee (or called) processing units with
`fixed IP addresses, the caller (or calling) processing unit
`may open a "socket", i.e. a file handle or address indi-
`cating where data Is to be sent, and transmit a <Cal|>
`command to establish communication with the callee
`utilizing, for example, datagram services such as inter-
`net Standard network layering as well as transport lay-
`ering, which may include a Transport Control Protocol
`(l'CP) or a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) on top of the
`IP. Typically, a processing unit having a fixed IP address
`may maintain at least one open socket and a called
`processing unit waits for a <Call> command to assign
`the open socket to the incoming signal. If all lines are in
`use, the callee processing unit sends a BUSY signal or
`message to the callee processing unit. As shown in FIG.
`1, the disclosed point-to-point lntemet protocol and sys-
`tem 10 operate when a callee processing unit does not
`have a fixed or predetermined IP address. In the exem-
`plary embodiment and without loss of generality, the first
`processing unit 12 is the caller processing unit and the
`second processing unit 22 is the called processing unit.
`When either of processing units 12, 22 logs on to the
`Internet via a dial-up connection, the respective unit is
`provided a dynamically allocated IP address by the a
`connection service provider.
`[0025] Upon the first user initiating the point-to-point
`Internet protocol when the first user is logged on to the
`Internet 24, the first processing unit 12 automatically
`transmits its associated E-mail address and its dynam-
`ically allocated IP address to the connection server 26.
`The connection sewer 26 then stores these addresses
`
`in the database 34 and time stamps the stored address-
`es using timer 32. The first user operating the first
`processing unit 12 is thus established In the database
`34 as an active on-line party available for communica-
`tion using the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol.
`Similarly, a second user operating the second process-
`ing unit 22, upon connection to the Internet 24 through
`the a connection service provider, is processed by the
`connection sewer 26 to be established in the database
`34 as an active on-line party.
`
`15
`
`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
`
`40
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`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 523
`
`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 523
`
`

`

`7
`
`EP 1 379 039 A2
`
`8
`
`[0026] The connection server 26 may use the time
`stamps to update the status of each processing unit; for
`example, after 2 hours, so that the on-line status infor-
`mation stored in the database 34 is relatively current.
`Other predetermined time periods, such as a default val-
`ue of 24 hours. may be configured by a systems oper-
`ator.
`
`[0027] The first user with the first processing unit 12
`initiates a call using, for example, a Send command and/
`or a command to speeddial an NT” stored number,
`which may be labeled [SND] and [SP0] [N], respectively,
`by the input device 18 and/or the output device 20, such
`as shown in FIGS. 5-6. In response to either the Send
`or speeddial commands, the first processing unit 12 re-
`trieves from memory 16 a stored E-mail address of the
`callee corresponding to the NT” stored number. Alter-
`natively, the first user may directly enter the E-mail ad-
`dress of the callee.
`
`[0028] The first processing unit 12 then sends a query,
`including the E-mail address of the callee, to the con-
`nection sewer 26. The connection sewer 26 then
`searches the database 34 to determine whether the cal-
`
`lee is logged-in by finding any stored information corre-
`sponding to the ca|lee’s E-mail address indicating that
`the callee is active and on-line. If the callee is active and
`
`on-line, the connection sewer 26 then performs the pri-
`mary point-to-point Internet protocol; ie. the IP address
`of the callee is retrieved from the database 34 and sent
`
`to the first processing unit 12. The first processing unit
`12 may then directly establish the point-to-point Internet
`communications with the callee using the IP address of
`the callee.
`
`If the callee is not on-line when the connection
`[0029]
`sewer 26 determines the ca|lee's status, the connection
`sewer 26 sends an OFFLINE signal or message to the
`first processing unit 12. The first processing unit 12 may
`also display a message such as "Called Party Off-Line"
`to the first user.
`
`[0030] When a user logs off or goes off-line from the
`lntemet 24, the connection sewer 26 updates the status
`of the user in the database 34; for example, by removing
`the user's information, or by flagging the user as being
`off-line. The connection sewer 26 may be instructed to
`update the user's information in the database 34 by an
`off-line message, such as a data packet, sent automat-
`ically from the processing unit of the user prior to being
`disconnectedfromthe connection sewer26. According-
`ly, an off-line user is effectively disabled from making
`and/or receiving point-to-point
`Internet communica-
`tions.
`
`[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the disclosed second-
`ary point-to-point Internet protocol may be used as an
`alternative to the primary point-to-point Internet protocol
`described above, for example, if the connection sewer
`26 is non-responsive, inoperative, and/or unable to per-
`form the primary point-to-point Internet protocol, as a
`non-responsive condition. Alternatively, the disclosed
`secondary point-to-point Internet protocol may be used
`
`independent of the primary point-to-point Internet pro-
`tocol. In the disclosed secondary point-to-point Internet
`protocol, the first processing unit 12 sends a <Connec-
`tRequest> message via E-mail over the Internet 24 to
`the mail sewer 28. The E-mail including the <Connec-
`tFlequest> message may have, for example, the subject
`[‘wpf1XXXXXXXX#nnn.nnn.nnn.#emailAddr]
`where nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn. is the current (i.e. temporary
`or permanent)
`IP address of
`the first user, and
`XXXXXXXX is a session number, which may be unique
`and associated with the request of the first user to initiate
`point-to-point communication with the second user.
`[0032] As described above, the first processing unit
`12 may send the <ConnectFlequest> message in re-
`sponse to an unsuccessful attempt to perform the pri-
`mary point-to-point Internet protocol. Alternatively, the
`first processing unit 12 may send the <Connec-
`tRequest> message in response to the first user initiat-
`ing a SEND command or the like.
`[0033] After the <ConnectFlequest> message via E-
`mail is sent, the first processing unit 12 opens a socket
`and waits to detect a response from the second process-
`ing unit 22. A timeout timer, such as timer 32, may be
`set by the first processing unit 12, in a manner known
`in the art, to wait for a predetermined duration to receive
`a <Connect0K> signal. The processor 14 of the first
`processing unit 12 may cause the output device 20 to
`output a Ring signal to the user, such as an audible ring-
`ing sound, about every 3 seconds. For example, the
`processor 14 may output a '.wav file, which may be la-
`beled R|NG.WAV, which is processed bythe output de-
`vice 20 to output an audible ringing sound.
`[0034] The mail sewer 28 then polls the second
`processing unit 22, for example, every 8-5 seconds, to
`deliver the E-mail. Generally, the second processing
`unit 22 checks the incoming lines, for example, at reg-
`ular intewals to wait for and to detect incoming E-mail
`from the mail sewer 28 through the lntemet 24.
`[0035] Typically, for sending E-mail to users having
`associated processing units operatively connected to a
`host computer or sewer operating an Internet gateway,
`E-mail for a specific user may be sent over the lntemet
`24 and directed to the permanent IP address or the
`SLIP/PPP account designation of the host computer,
`which then assigns a temporary IP address to the
`processing unit of the specified user for properly routing
`the E-mail. The E-mail signal may include a name or
`other designation such as a user name which identifies
`the specific user regardless of the processing unit as-
`signed to the user; that is, the host computer may track
`and store the specific device where a specific user is
`assigned or logged on, independent of the IP address
`system, and sothe host computermay switch the E-mail
`signal to the device of the specific user. At that time, a
`temporary IP address may be generated or assigned to
`the specific user and device.
`[0036] Upon detecting and/or receiving the incoming
`E-mail signal from the first processing unit 12, the sec-
`
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`Samsung — Exhibit 1003 — Page 524
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`Samsung - Exhibit 1003 - Page 524
`
`

`

`9
`
`EP 1 379 039 A2
`
`10
`
`ond processing unit 22 may assign or may be assigned
`a temporary IP address. Therefore, the delivery of the
`E-mail through the lntemet 24 provides the second
`processing unit 22 with a session number as well as IP
`addresses of both the first processing unit 12 and the
`second processing unit 22.
`[0037]
`Point-to-point communication may then be es-
`tablished by the processing unit 22 processing the E-
`mail signal to extract the <ConnectRequest> message,
`including the IP address of the first processing unit 12
`and the session number. The second processing unit 22
`may then open a socket and generate a <ConnectOK>
`response signal, which includes the temporary IP ad-
`dress of the second processing unit 22 as well as the
`session number of the first processing unit.
`[0038] The second processing unit 22 sends the
`<ConnectOK> signal directly over the Internet 24 to the
`IP address of
`the first processing unit 12 without
`processing by the mail server 28, and a timeout timer of
`the second processing unit 22 may be set to wait and
`detect a <CaII> signal expected from the first processing
`unit 12.
`
`[0039] Realtime point-to-point communication of au-
`dio signals over the lntemet 24, as well as video and
`voicemail, may thus be established and supported with-
`out requiring permanent IP addresses to be assigned to
`either of the users or processing units 12, 22. For the
`duration of the realtime point-to-point link, the relative
`pemtanence of the current IP addresses of the process-
`ing units 12, 22 is sufficient, whether the current IP ad-
`dresses were permanent (i.e. predetermined or preas-
`signed) ortemporary (i.e. assigned upon initiation of the
`point-to-point communication).
`[0040]
`In the exemplary embodiment, a first user op-
`erating the first processing unit 12 is not required to be
`notified by the first processing unit 12 that an E-mail is
`being generated and sent to establish the point-to-point
`link with the second user at the second processing unit
`22. Similarly, the second user is not required to be no-
`tified by the second processing unit 22 that an E—mail
`has been received and/or atemporary IP address is as-
`sociated with the second processing unit 22. The
`processing units 12, 22 may perform the disclosed
`point-to-point Internet protocol automatically upon initi-
`ation of the point-to-point communication command by
`the first user without displaying the E-mail interactions
`to either user. Accordingly, the disclosed point-to-point
`lntemet protocol may be transparent to the users. Alter-
`natively, either of the first and second users may re-
`ceive, for example, a brief message of "CONNECTION
`IN PROGRESS" or the like on a display of the respective
`output device of the processing units 12, 22.
`[0041] After the initiation of either the primary or the
`secondary point-to-point Internet protocols described
`above in conjunction with FIGS. 1-2, the point-to-point
`communication link over the lntemet 24 may be estab-
`lished as shown in FIGS. 3-4 in a manner known in the
`
`art. For example, referring to FIG. 3, upon receiving the
`
`<ConnectorOK> signal from the second processing unit
`22, the first processing unit 12 extracts the IP address
`of
`the second processing unit 22 and the session
`number, and the session number sent from the second
`processing unit 22 is then checked with the session
`number originally sent from the first processing unit 12
`in the <ConnectFtequest> message as E-mail.
`If the
`session numbers sent and received by the processing
`unit 12 match, then the first processing unit 12 sends a
`<CaIl> signal directly over the Internet 24 to the second
`processing unit 22; i.e. using the IP address of the sec-
`ond processing unit 22 provided to the first processing
`unit 12 in the <ConnectOK> signal.
`[0042] Upon receiving the <CaII> signal, the second
`processing unit 22 may then begin a ring sequence, for
`example, by indicating orannunciating to the second us-
`er that an incoming call is being received. For example,
`the word "CALL" may be displayed on the output device
`of the second processing unit 22. The second user may
`then activate the second processing unit 22 to receive
`the incoming call.
`[0043] Referring to FIG. 4, after the second process-
`ing unit 22 receives the incoming call, realtime audio
`and/or video conversations may be conducted in a man-
`ner known in the an between the first and second users
`
`through the Internet 24, for example, by compressed
`digital audio signals. Each of the processing units 12,
`22 also display to each respective user the words "IN
`USE‘ to indicate that the point-to-point communication
`link is established and audio or video signals are being
`transmitted.
`
`In addition, either user may terminate the
`[0044]
`point-to-point communication link by, for example, acti-
`vating a termination command, such as by activating an
`[END] button or icon on a respective processing unit,
`causing the respective processing unit
`to send an
`<End> signal which causes both processing units to ter-
`minate the respective sockets, as well as to perform oth-
`er cleanup commands and functions known in the art.
`[0045]
`FIGS. 5-6 illustrate examples of display
`screens 36 which may be output by a respective output
`device of each processing unit 12, 22 of FIGS. 14 for
`providing the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol
`and system 10. Such display screens may be displayed
`on a display of a personal compute