`
`EP0648038AZ
`
`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
`dilferent sets of predetermined test criteria for
`each generic name.
`
`15. A method 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
`
`Page 516 of 1030
`
`LG Electronics Exhibit 1003
`
`
`
`EP0548038A2
`
`uzzaz
`
`mzfiz
`
`33.mm
`
`mm>amm
`
`
`
`_.O_n_~$S%_8
`
`m$S%_8
`
`F«E828
`
`$>$m
`
`mag?
`
`mz_E<zEm_d
`
`3:528
`
`10
`
`3
`
`zo_mE>z8
`
`mzfiz
`
`wuzu<Iz:uu_mm:zmoD
`
`Page 517 of 1030
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` SS8S3maéomE495
`
`
`
`$>E$z<zo._.553:ozmm
`
`EOE:HamEa%mo”.
`
`N.o_n_
`
`EP0648038A2
`
`
`
`m$5n_z8E>EmZOE
`
`
`
`mwmzoammm“E38
`
`.585m._Lz_z$ma
`
`
`
`$5.2852mm
`
`
`
`z$5%8Ezmmo._.m6:528Ezmm9NE5n_zB~m>$m9
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`292:852mm9.
`
`zo:<m:<Ez_
`
`uz_Emgum:ozwm
`
`
`oz_Emgab:ozmm
`
`oz_EmEm:ozmm
`
`ozamEm:ozmm
`
`Page 518 of 1030
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EP0648038A2
`
`SERVER CLUSTER
`
`A10
`
`430
`
`12
`
`Page 519 of 1030
`
`
`
`(19) 9)
`
`§ZlZ.'Z§l‘.°'.1ZfJ§f'Z.".IZZ"
`
`Office européen des brevets
`
`illlllilllilillillllllilllllilllllllillilllilllliliilillllili
`
`(11)
`
`1
`
`(12)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`
`(43) Date of publication:
`07.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/02
`
`(51) Int Ci.7: H04L 1?J58, H04L 29/06
`
`(21) Application numben 03022287.1
`
`(22) Date of filing: 25.09.1996
`
`
` (84) Designated Contracting States:
`
`CH DE ES FI FR GB IE IT LI NL SE
`
`(72) Inventor: Hutton, Glenn W.
`Miami, FL 33196 (us)
`
`(30) Priority: 25.09.1995 US 533115
`
`(62) Document number(s) of the earlier app|ication(s) in
`accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
`969339282 I 0 852 868
`
`(74) Representative: Klndermann, Manfred
`Patentanwalt,
`Sperberweg 29
`71032 Bébilngen (DE)
`
`Remarks:
`
`
`
`(71) Applicant: Netspeak Corporation
`Boca Raton, FL 33487 (US)
`
`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-
`pied to other computers over a computer network (24),
`such as the lntemet, means are included for establish-
`ing a point-to-point communication link between proc-
`esses. The means provide for transmittingtrom a first
`processing unit (12) to the Internet an E-mail signal, in-
`
`cluding afirst IP address assigned to the iirst 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.
`
`INTERNET
`
`POP 3
`
`
`
`
`14
`
`DEVICE
`
`MAIL SERVER
`
`<CONNECTREQLIEST>__.......___.__.,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`OUTPUT
`
`DEVICE
` <CONNECTOK>
`
`
`
`POLLS EVERY
`3-5 SECONDS
`
`22
`
`SECOND
`PROCESSING
`UNIT
`
`
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Primed by Jouve. 75oo1 PAFIIS (FR)
`
`EP1379039A2
`
`Page 520 of 1030
`
`
`
`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 forfe-
`cilitating audio communications over computer net-
`works.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The increased popularity of on-line services
`such as AMERICA ON|_|NE (TM), 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 pointer to 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 overthe 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 gibben'sh
`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
`
`Permanent IP addresses of users and devices
`[0005]
`accessing the lntemet readily support point-to-point
`communications of voice and video signals over the ln-
`ternet. For example, global real-time video conferencing
`has been implemented using dedicated IP addresses
`
`55
`
`and mechanisms known as reflectors.
`
`[0006] A technique for matching domain names to In-
`ternet Protocol addresses is described in the text enti-
`
`tled "lnternetworking With TCP/lP", 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 ofvoice 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 Internet, 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 transmittingfrom afirst processing unittothe lntemet
`an E-mail signal, including a first IP address assigned
`to the first processing unit, (b) means for processing the
`E-mail signal through the lntemet 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
`
`Page 521 of 1030
`
`
`
`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 oi the initiation of the
`
`point-to-point Internet protocols;
`FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart oi the performance of
`the primary point-to-point Internet protocols; and
`FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of the performance of
`the secondary point-to-point lntemet protocol.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`[0012] Referringnowinspecificdetaiitothedrawings,
`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 lntemet orother computer net-
`works such as an Intranet, i.e., a private computer net-
`work. One skilled in the an 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 Flaton, FL, which is capable of perfonn-
`ing the disclosed point-to-point lntemet 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 server 26, and may also be op-
`eratively connected to a mail server 28 associated with
`the lntemet 24.
`
`[0015] The connection server 26 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 lntemet 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-
`ablefrom SUN MICFIOSYSTEMS, |NC., 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 (DFIAM) 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 Oflice Protocol (POP) Version 3 mail
`server including a processor, memory, and stored pro-
`grams operating in a UNIX environment, or, a|temative-
`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 hereinbeiow in conjunction with FIG.
`6, which may be implemented from compiled and /or in-
`terpreted source code in the CH 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 finnware, as an erasable read only memory
`(EPROM), etc. it is understood 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.
`[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-
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`Page 522 of 1030
`
`
`
`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 1 8 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 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 Interlaces (GUI)
`such as WINDOWSTM 3.1 available form MICROSOI-T
`Corporation, Redmond, WA., and other operating sys-
`tems and GUIs, 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 multiirequency (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 intemet 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 input device
`18 and output device 20.
`[0022]
`For clarity oi 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 either shared 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 oi 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-
`ciude 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 fall 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 diaiup
`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 ‘.inl
`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 Flequest> signal,
`and to allow for multiplexing and demuitlplexing 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-
`catlng where data is to be sent, and transmit a <CaIl>
`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
`(TGP) 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 <CalI> 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 intemet 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
`intemet 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 server 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-
`tlon 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 server 26 to be established in the database
`34 as an active on-line party.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`Page 523 of 1030
`
`
`
`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, after2 hours, so that the on-line status infor-
`mation stored in the database 34 is relatively current.
`Other predetennined 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 acaii using, forexampie, 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 server 26. The connection sewer 26 then
`searches the database 34 to determine whetherthe 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 server 26 then perfonns the pri-
`mary point-to-point lntemet protocol; i.e. 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 lnternet
`communications with the callee using the iP address of
`the callee.
`
`if the callee is not on-line when the connection
`[0029]
`server 26 determines the ca|lee's status, the connection
`server 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
`ofthe user in the database 34; for example, by removing
`the users information, or by flagging the user as being
`off-line. The connection server 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 priorto being
`disconnectedfromthe connection server 26. According-
`iy, an off-line user is effectively disabled from making
`and/or receiving point-to-point
`Internet communica-
`tions.
`
`[0031] As shown in FIGS. 24, the disclosed second-
`ary point-to-point lntemet protocol may be used as an
`alternative to the primary point-to-point Internet protocol
`described above, for example, if the connection server
`26 is non-responsive, inoperative, and/or unable to per-
`fonn the primary point-to-point Internet protocol, as a
`non-responsive condition. Altemativeiy, 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 lntemet
`protocol, the first processing unit 12 sends a <Connec-
`tRequest> message via E-mail over the Internet 24 to
`the mail server 28. The E-mail including the <Conne<>
`tFlequest> message may have, for example, the subject
`['wpffXXXXXXXXfinnn.nnn.nnn.#emaiiAddr]
`where nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn. is the current (is. 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 userto 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. Altemativeiy, the
`first processing unit 12 may send the <Connec-
`tFlequest> 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 responsefrom 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 predetennined duration to receive
`a <ConnectOK> signal. The processor 14 of the first
`processing unit 12 may cause the output device 20 to
`output a Fling 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 Fl|NG.WAV, which is processed by the output de-
`vice 20 to output an audible ringing sound.
`[0034] The mail server 28 then polls the second
`processing unit 22. for example, every 3-5 seconds, to
`deliver the E-mail. Generally, the second processing
`unit 22 checks the incoming lines, for example, at reg-
`uiar intervals to wait for and to detect incoming E-mail
`from the mail server 28 through the lntemet 24.
`[0035] Typically, for sending E-mail to users having
`associated processing units operativeiy connected to a
`host computer or server 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 computer may 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-
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`Page 524 of 1030
`
`
`
`9
`
`EP1 379 039 A2
`
`10
`
`ond processing unit 22 may assign or may be assigned
`a temporary IP address. Therefore, the delivery of the
`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 <ConnectFiequest> 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 lntemet 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 fromthe first processing
`unit 12.
`
`[0039] Realtime point-to-point communication of au-
`dio signals over the Inlemet 24, as well as video and
`voicemail, may thus be established and supported with-
`out requiring pennanent 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
`pennanence of the current IP addresses of the process-
`ing units 12, 22 is sufficient, whether the current IP ad-
`dresses were pennanent (i.e. predetermined or preas-
`signed) ortemporary (i.e. assigned upon initiation ofthe
`point-to-point communication).
`[0040]
`in the exemplary embodiment, a flrst user op-
`erating the first processlng 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 a temporary IP address is as-
`sociated with the second processing unit 22. The
`processing units 12, 22 may perfonn 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" orthe 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 <ConnectFiequest> 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
`<CaII> signal directly over the Internet 24 to the second
`processing unit 22; i.e. using the IP address of the sec-
`ond processlng 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 or annunciating 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 art 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. 1-4 for
`providing the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol
`and system 10. Such display screens may be displayed
`on a display of a personal computer (PC) or a PDA in a
`manner known in the art.
`
`[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, a first display screen 36
`Includes a status area 38 for Indicating, for example, a
`called user by name andlor by IP address or telephone
`number, a current function such as C2; a current time;
`a current operating status such as "lN USE", and other
`control icons such as a down arrow icon 40 for scrolling
`down a list of parties on a current conference line. The
`operating status may include such annunciators as “IN
`USE," "IDLE," "BUSY," "NO ANSWER." "OFFLINE,"
`"CALL," 'DIALING,' "M ESSAGES,“ and "SPEEDDiAL."
`[0047] Other areas of the display sc