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`09 53311
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`5.7
`
`PATENT
`
`Atty. Docket No. 649—2
`
`
`
`AND TRADEIN THE UNITED STATES PAT FF CB
`
`
`
` Inventor(s):
`
`Commissioner of Patents
`and Trademarks
`Washington, D.C-
`
`20231
`
`UTILITY APPLICATION FEE TRANSMITTAL
`
`Sir:
`
`Transmitted herewith for filing is the patent application of
`
`For:
`
`‘Enclosed are:
`
`[X]
`
`[X]
`
`g8
`
`1
`
`[X]
`
`[X]
`
`[X]
`
`9
`
`6
`
`5
`
`Glenn w, Hutton
`
`EOINg—Io—EQLEE IEIEBEEI EBQgQgQL
`
`page(s) of specification
`
`page(s) of Abstract
`
`page(s) of claims
`
`sheets of drawings
`
`[
`
`]
`
`formal
`
`[X]
`
`informal
`
`page(s) of Declaration and Power of Attorney
`
`[
`
`3 An Assignment of the invention to
`
`[
`
`] Certified copy of applications
`
`Country
`
`Agglg,
`
`fig.
`
`Fi e
`
`from which priority under Title 35 United states Code, § 119
`
`is claimed
`
`[
`
`[
`
`]
`
`is enclosed.
`
`1 will follow.
`
`1 hereby certify um this New Applimu'm Trunmiunl and lb: donumcnu referred Io in wound «herein an inning dcpoaitod with d1: Unilcd Sula Pow)
`Scrvice am this data ggmbcr 25, 1995 in an cnvdopc at 'Exprcu Mail Post Office to Addrcswc“ Mail Lube] Number mmmuus nddrund Ia:
`Winner of Pusan and Tudor-um. Wuhinglun. D.C. 209.31.
`
`PICA 0
`
`D
`
`3 C.F.R. LI
`
`Wand! Omn‘mh
`(Type or print
`
`at pcman truii'
`
`1* paper)
`
`
`
`Page 1 of 561
`
`Page 1 of 2
`LG Electronics Exhibit 1024
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`6
`
`C
`
`CALCULATION OF UTILITY APPLICATION FEE
`
`Number
`Number
`Basic Fee
`For
`Filed
`Extra
`Rate
`30.00
`
`Total
`.
`' 5*
`20
`-20 =
`0
`x
`22.00
`
`Independent
`Claim
`
`x
`
`76
`
`6
`
`-3
`
`=
`
`3
`
`Multiple
`Dependent
`s
`
`[
`
`] yes
`
`Add'l. Fee
`
`$240.00
`
`$
`
`o
`
`dd’l. Fee
`
`None
`
`=
`
`TOTAL
`
`5 958.00
`
`[X] Verified Statement of "Small Entity" Status Under 37 C.F.R.
`S 1.27. Reduced fees under 37 C.F.R.
`§ 1.9(f)
`(50% of
`total) paid herewith $479.0 .
`
`[
`
`]
`
`[X]
`
`The amount of $40.00 for recording the attached Assignment
`is included in the enclosed check.
`
`A check in the amount of $479.00 to cover the
`[
`] recording,
`[X] filing fee(s) is attached.
`
`[
`
`] Charge fee to Deposit Account No. 04—1121. Order No.
`TWO (2) COPIES OF THIS SHEET ARE ENCLOSED.
`
`[X] Please charge any deficiency as well as any other fee(s)
`which may become due under 37 C.F.R. S 1.16 and 1.17, at any
`time during the pendency of this application, or credit any
`overpayment of such fee(s) to Deposit Account No. Qizl13L-
`Also,
`in the event any extensions of time for responding are
`required for the pending application(s), please treat this
`paper as a petition to extend the time as required and
`charge Deposit Account No. Qg;;;;1 therefor.
`TWO (2) COPIES
`OF THIS SHEET ARE ENCLOSED.
`
`
`
`Date: September 25I 1995
`
`DILWORTH & BARRESE
`
`333 Earle Ovington Blvd-
`Uniondale, NY
`11553
`Tel. No.
`(516) 228-8484
`Fax.
`(516) 228-8516
`
`
`
`oseph J. Catanzaro
`
`'eg. No. 25 837
`
`'lndudel all (pawn-idem and single dependant claim! and all claim- referred to in multiple chin“. Sc: 37 C.F.E. fl l.75(c).
`
`Page 2 of 561
`
`Page 2 of 2
`
`
`
`”1
`1
`_]
`[;IRST PROCESSING UNIT
`23
`Emma?
`
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`_24
`
`2-619
`
`9loI$3338
`
`
`
`OUTPUT
`SECOND
`
`
`
`DEVICE
`PROCESSING
`
`
`
`UNIT
`
`
`CONNECTION SERVER
`
`
`
` PROCESSOR
`
`30
`32
`
`
`
`
`Page 3 of 561
`
`
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`I 14
`
`1
`_____________________
`FIRST PROCESSING UNIT
`“I
`Human":
`
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`<ConnectOK>'
`16
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`PROCESSING
`UNIT
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`POLLS EVERY
`3-5 SECONDS
`
`Page 4 of 561
`
`FIG. 2
`
`
`
`FIRST
`PROCESSING
`UNIT
`
`UNIT
`UNIT
`
`FIRST
`PROCESSING
`UNIT
`
`SECOND
`pnoczsszna'
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`SECOND
`PROCESSING
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`Page 5 of 561
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`
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`649-2
`SHEET 4 or 6
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`36
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`52
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`Page 6 of 561
`
`
`
`FIG. 6
`
`
`
`‘649-2
`SHEET 5 OF 6
`
`
`
`START THE POINT-TO-POINT
`INTERNET PROTOCOLS
`
`
`
`INITIATE PRIMARY INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`.
`
`54
`
`56
`
`
`58
`IS THE CONNECTION SERVER IN A
`
`
`RESPONSIVE CONDITION ?
`
`
`
`
`PERFORM PRIMARY
`INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`INITIATE SECONDARY
`INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`
`62
`
`FIG. 7
`
`START THE PRIMARY
`POINT-TO-POINT INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`TIMESTAMP AND STORE E-MAIL ADDRESSES
`AND IF ADDRESSES OF-LOGGED-IN UNITS
`IN A DATABASE'
`
`
`
`RECEIVE QUERY FROM FIRST UNIT WHETHER
`A SPECIFIED SECOND UNIT IS LOGGED-IN
`
`.
`
`RETRIEVE IP ADDRESS PROM DATABASE
`IF THE SECOND UNIT IS LOGGED-IN
`
`SEND RETRIEVED IP ADDRESS TO FIRST UNIT
`TO ESTABLISH POINT-TO-POINT CONNECTION
`
`FIG. 8
`
`64
`-
`
`66
`
`68
`
`7O
`
`-
`
`72
`
`Pagé 7 of 561
`
`
`
`649-2
`SHEET 6 OF 6
`
`START THE SECONDARY
`POINT-TO~POINT INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`GENERATE AN E-MAIL SIGNAL,
`INCLUDING A SESSION NUMBER AND A
`FIRST IP ADDRESS CORRESPONDING TO
`A FIRST PROCESSING UNIT
`
`TRANSNIT THE E-MAIL SIGNAL AS A
`
`<COnnectRequest> SIGNAL
`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 ADDRESS FROM THE
`E-MAIL SIGNAL
`
`SEND THE SESSION NUMBER AND A
`SECOND IP ADDRESS CORRESPONDING TO THE
`SECOND PROCESSING UNIT TO THE FIRST
`PROCESSING UNIT THROUGH THE INTERNET
`
`
`
`U
`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
`
`Page 8 of 561
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`74
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`76
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`78
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`80
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`82
`'
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`8‘
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`86
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`88
`
`
`
`.
`
`was» "
`‘
`
`..
`I
`UH 533115
`
`"
`
`
`
` POINT- O—POINT INTERNET PROTOCOL
`
`
`A
`
`G O
`
`E INV
`
`1. Eield of the Invention
`
`This disclosure relates to network communication
`
`5
`
`protocols, and in particular to a point-to-point.protocol
`
`for use with the Internet.
`
`2. Description of the Related Art
`
`The increased popularity of on—line services such
`
`as AMERICA ONLINEW, COMPUSERVE®, and other services such as
`
`10
`
`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
`
`ONLINEnh available from Bonzi Software, as described in
`
`15
`
`"Simple Utilities Send Voice E-Mail Online", MULTIMEbIA
`
`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 address specified by the
`
`user.
`
`9)
`
`20
`
`Generally, devices interfacingAthe 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
`
`Page 9 of 561
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`
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`L.
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`0
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`649-2
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`address.
`
`A typical device may have a Serial Line Internet
`
`Protocol or Point-to—Point Protocol
`
`(SLIP/PPP) account with
`
`a permanent 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 gibberish 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.XXX", and each user may be
`XXX XXX .XXX.IO
`allocated a successive IP address of xxxvxxxfxxxsxxxTio,
`xxx xxx xxx. n
`XXX.xxx xxx \9 "
`i¥X—***T¥-X-Xvfififiviin-%¥XvX¥XTX¥XTXXXT&2, etc.
`A.
`“L.
`
`Such temporary
`
`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, realtime video teleconferencing has been
`
`implemented using dedicated IP addresses and mechanisms
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`Page 10 of 561
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`I
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`O
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`649*2
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`known as reflectors. Due to the dvnamic nature of temporary
`
`IP addresses of some devices accessing the Internet, point—
`
`to-point communications in realtime of voice and video have
`
`been generally difficult to attain.
`
`_fiflMMABX_QE_EHE_lEYEHElQH
`
`A point—to—point Internet protocol is disclosed
`
`which exchanges Internet Protocol
`
`(IP) addresses between
`
`processing units to establish a point-to-point communication
`
`10
`
`15
`
`link between the processing units through the Internet.
`
`A first point-to-point Internet protocol is
`
`disclosed which includes the steps of:
`
`(a) storing in a database a respective IP address
`
`of a set of processing units that have an on—line status
`
`with respect to the Internet;
`
`(b)
`
`transmitting a query from a first processing
`
`unit to a connection server to determine the on-line status
`
`of a second processing unit; and
`
`(c) retrieving the IP address of the second unit
`
`from the database using the connection server,
`
`in response
`
`20'
`
`to the determination of a positive on-line status of the
`
`second processing unit, for establishing a point—tavpoint
`
`communication link between the first and second processing
`
`units through the Internet.
`
`Page11 of561
`
`
`
`‘4
`
`649-2
`
`A second point—to—point Internet protocol is
`
`disclosed, which includes the steps of:
`
`(a)
`
`transmitting an E-mail signal,
`
`including a
`
`first I? address,
`
`from a first processing unit;
`
`5
`
`(b) processing the E—mail signal through the
`
`Internet to deliver the E-mail signal to a second processing
`
`unit; and
`
`(c)
`
`transmitting a second IP address to the first
`
`processing unit for establishing a point—to-point
`
`10
`
`communication link between the first and second processing
`
`units through the Internet.
`
`EBlEE_DE§QBlEIlQfl_QE_IHE~DBAfllH§§
`
`The features of the disclosed point-to—point
`
`Internet protocol and system will become more readily
`
`15
`
`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, where:
`
`FIG. 1 illustrates,
`
`in block diagram format, a
`
`20
`
`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 diagramIformat,
`
`the
`
`system of FIGS. 1-2 with the point-to-point Internet
`
`25
`
`protocol established;
`
`Page 12 of 561
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`1:)
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`
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`649-2
`
`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; and
`
`FIG.
`
`9 illustrates a flowchart of the performance
`
`of the secondary point—to—point Internet protocol.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE RREEERRED EMBODLMEflifi
`
`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 Internet 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
`
`kbaud communications and operatively connected via wired
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`_5_
`
`(0
`
`Page 13 of 561
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`
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`649-2
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`and/or wireless communication connebtions to the Internet.
`
`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 be a WEBPHONEn‘
`
`unit, available from iNTERfiET’TEEEPHSHE—eefifififiqzacapable of
`operating the discl sed 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.
`
`mm
`The processing units 12, Meratively interconnected
`through the Internet 24 E2a connection server 26, and may
`
`also be operatively connected to a mail server 28 associated
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`with the Internet 24.
`
`The connection server 26 includes a processor 30,
`
`a timer 32 for generating timestamps, 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
`
`Page 14 of 561
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`
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`649-2
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`embodiment,
`
`the connection server 26 may be a SPARC 5 se ver
`thufihusmfim
`or a SfARC 20 server, available from SUN MICROSYSTEMSC Ific R
`
`having a central processing unit
`
`(CPU) as processor 30
`
`operating an operating system (05) such as UNIX and
`
`providing timing operations such as maintaining the gimer
`32, a hard drive or fixed drive as well as dynamic;read=6firy'
`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
`
`10
`
`available from ORACLE or INFOMIX.
`
`In an exemplary embodiment,
`
`the mail server 28 may
`
`be a Post Office Protocol
`
`(POP) Version 3 mail server
`
`including a processor, memory, and stored prfigrams operating
`in a UNIX environment, or alternativelyjfthef'os,
`to process
`E-mail capabilities between processing units and devices
`
`.15
`
`over the 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,
`
`20
`
`which::;;§ifiglemented 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
`
`25
`
`hard or fixed drive having about 8 MB. Alternatively,
`
`the
`
`Page 15 of 561
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`
`
`649-2
`
`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 other than C++ to
`
`implement the disclosed point-to-point Internet protocol and
`
`system 10.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`The processor 14 receives input commands and data
`
`from a first user associated with the first processing unit
`
`12 through the input device 18, which may be an input port
`
`connected by a wired, optical, or a wireless connection for
`
`electromagnetic transmissions, or alternatively may be
`
`transferable storage media, such as floppy disks, magnetic
`
`tapes, compact 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
`
`20
`
`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
`
`Page 16 of 561
`
`
`
`649-2
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`other computer systems to receive the input commands and
`
`data therefrom.
`
`The first processing unit 12 may include a visual
`
`interface as the output device 20 for use in conjunction
`
`with the input device 18 and embodied as one of the screens
`
`illustrated by the examples shown in FIGS.A€:%;and discussed
`
`below.
`
`It is also understood that alternative input devices
`
`may be used in conjunction with alternative output devices
`
`to receive commands and data from the user, such as
`
`10
`
`keyboards, mouse devices, and graphical user interfaces
`
`(GUI) such as WINDOW T“ 3.1 available from MICROSOFTWM
`
`CorporationAexecuted by the processor 14 using, for example,
`
`DOS 5.0. One skilled in the art would understand that other
`
`15
`
`operating systems and GUIs, such as OSSZ and 05/2 WARP,
`available from IBM CORPORATIONc‘may be used.(¥b:her
`
`alternative input devices may include microphones and/or
`
`telephone handsets for receiving audio voice data and
`
`commands, with the first processing unit 12 including speech
`
`or voice recognition devices, dual tone multi-frequency
`
`2O
`
`(DTMF) based devices, and/or software known in the art to
`
`accept voice data and commands and to operate the first
`
`processing unit 12.
`
`In addition, either of the first processing unit
`
`12 and the second processing unit 22 may be implemented in a
`
`Page'f7of561
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`[O
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`r
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`.
`
`649-2
`
`personal digital assistant (PDA) providing modem and E-mail
`
`capabilities and Internet access, with the PDA providing the
`
`input/output screens for mouse interaction or for
`
`touchscreen activation as shown, for example,
`
`in FIGS. 4-5,
`
`as a combination of the input device 18 and output device
`
`20.
`
`I
`
`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 labelled as
`
`"processor" and “processing unit".
`
`The functions
`
`represented by these blocks may be provided through the use
`
`of either shared or dedicated 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 construed to refer exclusively to
`
`hardware capable of executing software.
`
`Illustrative
`
`embodiments may include digital signal processor (DSP)
`
`hardware, such as the AT&T DSP16 or DSPBZC, 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
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
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`Page 18 of 561
`
`
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`649-2
`
`embodiments, as well as custom VLSI circuitry 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.
`
`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
`32-19%
`unsigned long session number, for example, a.Z“ bit long
`'
`A.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`sequence in a *.ini file for each call.
`
`Each call may be
`
`assigned a successive 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
`
`<ConnectOK> response signal with a <ConnectRequest> signal,
`
`and to allow for multiplexing and demultiplexing of inbound
`
`and outbound conversations on conference lines.
`
`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 indicating
`
`where data is to be sent, and transmit a <Call> command to
`
`establish communication with the callee utilizing, for
`
`example, datagram services such as Internet Standard network
`
`layering as well as transport layering, which may include a
`
`Page 19 of 561
`
`_11__
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`101
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`
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`I‘
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`-l.7
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`649-2
`
`Transport Control Protocol
`(TCP) 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 caller processing unit.
`
`As shown in FIG. 1,
`
`the disclosed point—to—point
`
`Internet protocol and system 10 Operate when a callee
`
`processing unit does not have a fixed or predetermined IP
`
`address.
`
`In the exemplary 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 dynamical
`allocated IP address by the—
`
`0/ W
`
` connectionA
`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 dynamically
`
`allocated IP address to the connection server 26.
`
`The
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`connection server 26 then stores these addressas in the
`
`25
`
`database 34 and timestamps the stored addresses using timer
`
`_12_
`
`Page 20 of 561
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`
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`649-2
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`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 communication using the disclosed point—
`
`to-point Internet protocol. Similarly, a second user
`
`operating the second processing unit 22, upon conn ction to
`
`the Internet 24 through fag—ELconnectionW
`
`processed by the connection server 26 to be established in
`
`the database 34 as an active on—line party.
`
`The connection server 26 may use the timestamps to
`
`update the status of each processing unit; for example,
`
`after 2 hours, so that the on—line status information stored
`
`in the database 34 is relatively current.
`
`other
`
`predetermined time periods, such as a default value of 24
`
`hours, may be configured by a systems operator.
`
`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 N"'stored number, which may be
`
`labelled [5ND] and [SPD][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 retrieves from memory
`
`l6 a stored E-mail address of the callee corresponding to
`
`the Km stored number. Alternatively,
`
`the first user may
`
`directly enter the E-mail address of the callee.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Page 21 of 561
`
`
`
`649-2
`
`The first processing unit 12 then sends a query,
`
`including the E—mail address of the callee,
`
`to the
`
`connection server 26.
`
`The connection server 26 then
`
`searches the database 34 to determine whether the callee is
`
`logged—in by finding any stored information corresponding to
`
`the callee'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 performs the primary point—to—
`
`point Internet protocol; i.e.
`
`the IP address of the callee
`
`10
`
`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 cailee using the IP address of the
`
`calles.
`
`15
`
`If the callee is not on-line when the connection
`
`server 26 determines the callee’s status,
`
`the connection
`
`server 26 sends an OFF—LINE 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
`
`20
`
`first user.
`
`When a user logs off or goes off-line from the
`
`Internet 24,
`
`the connection server 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-
`
`25
`
`line.
`
`The connection server 26 may be instructed to update
`
`Page 22 of561
`
`/ S
`
`
`
`q
`
`\
`
`649—2
`
`the user's information in the database 34 by an off-line
`
`message, such as a data packet, sent automatically from the
`
`processing unit of the user prior to being disconnected from
`the connection server 26. Accordingly, an off-line user is
`
`effectively disabled from making and/or receiving point-to-
`
`point Internet communications.
`
`As shown in FIGS.
`
`2—4,
`
`the disclosed secondary
`
`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 server 26 is
`
`non-responsive,
`
`inoperative, and/or unable to perform 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 protocol.
`
`In the disclosed secondary point-to—point Internet protocol,
`
`the first processing unit 12 sends a <ConnectRequest>
`
`message via E-mail over the Internet 24 to the mail server
`
`28.
`
`The E-mail including the <ConnectRequest> message may
`
`have, for example,
`
`the subject
`
`[*wp#XXXXXXXX#nnn.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
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Page 23 of 561
`
`[L0
`
`
`
`649-2
`
`request of the first user to initiate point-to—point
`
`communication with the second user.
`
`As described above,
`
`the first processing unit 12
`
`may send the <ConnectRequest> message in response to an
`
`5
`
`unsuccessful attempt to perform the primary point—to-point
`
`Internet protocol. Alternatively,
`
`the first processing unit
`
`12 may send the <ConnectReguest> message in response to the
`
`first user initiating a SEND command or the like.
`
`After the <ConnectRequest> message via E-mail is
`
`10
`
`sent,
`
`the first processing unit 12 opens a socket and waits
`
`to detect a response from the second processing 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>
`
`15
`
`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 ringing sound, about every 3
`
`seconds.
`
`For example,
`
`the processor 14 may output a *.wav
`
`file, which may be labelled RING.WAV, which is processed by
`
`20
`
`the output device 20 to output an audible ringing sound.
`
`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 regular
`
`Page 24 of 561
`
`Z
`
`
`
`x.
`a,
`
`J
`
`649-2
`
`intervals to wait for and to detect incoming E—mail from the
`
`mail server 28 through the Internet 24.
`
`Typically, for sending E—mail to users having
`
`associated processing units operatively connected to a host
`
`computer or server operating an Internet gateway, E—Mail for
`
`a specific user may be sent over the Internet 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 username which
`
`identifies the specific user regardless of the processing
`
`unit assigned 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 so the 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.
`
`Upon detecting and/or receiving the incoming E—
`
`mail signal from the first processing unit 12,
`
`the second
`
`processing unit 22 may assign or may be assigned a temporary
`
`IP address. Therefore,
`
`the delivery of the E—mail through
`
`the Internet 24 provides the second processing unit 22 with
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Page 25 of 561
`
`_l7_
`
`(
`
`
`
`D
`
`.1
`
`649-2
`
`a session number as well as IP addresses of both the first
`
`processing unit 12 and the second processing unit 22.
`
`Point—to—point communication may then be
`established by the processing units 12, 22.
`For example,
`
`the second processing unit 22 may process 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 address of the second processing
`
`unit 22 as well as the session number,
`
`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 <Ca11>
`
`signal expected from the first processing unit 12.
`
`Realtime point-to-point communication of audio
`
`signals over the-Internet 24, as Well as video and
`
`voicemail, may thus be established and supported without
`
`requiring permanent IP addresses to be assigned to either of
`
`the users or processing units 12, 22.
`
`For the duration of
`
`the realtime point-tospoint link,
`
`the relative permanence of
`
`the current IP addresses of the processing units 12, 22 is
`
`sufficient, whether the current IP addresses were permanent
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`Page 26 of 561
`
`
`
`649—2
`
`(i.e. predetermined or preassigned) or temporary (i.e.
`
`assigned upon initiation of the point-to—point
`
`communication).
`
`In the exemplary embodiment, a first user
`
`operating 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 notified by
`
`the second processing unit 22 that an E-mail has been
`
`received and/or a temporary IP address is associated with
`
`the second processing unit 22.
`
`The processing units 12, 22
`
`may perform the disclosed point to-point InternetMprotocol
`MMM
`automatically upon initiation of the point-€6=pbtnt
`
`communication command by the first user without displaying
`
`the E-mail interactions to either user. Accordingly,
`
`the
`
`disclosed point-t0*point Internet protocol may be
`
`transparent to the users. Alternatively, either of the
`
`first and second users may receive, 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.
`
`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
`
`10
`
`15
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`20
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`25
`
`Page 27 of 561
`
`2‘0
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`‘
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`
`649-2
`
`communication link over the Internet 24 may be established
`
`as shown in FIGS.
`
`3—4
`
`in a manner known in the art.
`
`For
`
`example, referring to FIG. 3, upon receiving the <ConnectOK>
`
`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 <ConnectReguest> 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 <Ca11> signal directly over the Internet 24 to the
`
`second processing unit 22; i.e. using the IP address of the
`
`second processing unit 22 provided to the first processing
`
`unit 12 in the <ConnectOK> signal.
`
`Upon receiving the <Call> signal,
`
`the second
`
`processing unit 22 may then begin a ring sequence, for
`
`example, by indicating or annunciating to the second user
`
`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.
`
`Referring to FIG. 4, after the second processing
`
`unit 22
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