Multimedia channel management through PSTN signaling

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising of the step of sending a ring notification message while said multimedia communication session is being established.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of sending a call proceeding release notification message while said multimedia communications session is being established.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving an initial message.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of retrieving said first computer address further comprises the step of allowing a telephony server to retrieve said first computer address.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of retrieving said first computer address further comprises the step of retrieving said first computer address using a LDAP protocol.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of retrieving said first computer address further comprises the step of retrieving said first computer address using an X.500 protocol.

Claim 9

A communications system for establishing, through a PSTN, a multimedia communications session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, each of said infrastructures located on separate private data networks comprising a means to automatically establish an integrated voice and data session initiated by a single telephone call using the PSTN, said system comprising: (a) a means for initiating the telephone call from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure; (b) a means for retrieving a first computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) a means for building a first message containing said first computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure; (d) a means for sending said first message from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure via the PSTN; (e) a means for retrieving a second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (f) a means for building a second message containing said second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (g) a means for sending said second message from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastructure via the PSTN; and (h) a means for establishing said multimedia communications session between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures.

Claim 10

A communications system for establishing, through a PSTN, a multimedia communications session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, each of said infrastructures located on separate private data networks comprising a means to automatically establish an integrated voice and data session initiated by a single telephone call using the PSTN, said system comprising: (a) a means for initiating the telephone call from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure; (b) a means for retrieving a first computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) a means for building a first message containing said first computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure; (d) a means for sending said first message from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure via the PSTN; (e) a means for retrieving a second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (f) a means for building a second message containing said second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (g) a means for sending said second message from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastructure via the PSTN; and (h) a means for establishing said multimedia communications session between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures.

Claim 11

The communications system of claim 8 wherein said means for initiating a telephone call comprises a telephone.

Claim 12

The communications system of claim 8 wherein said means for initiating a telephone call comprises a H.323 terminal device.

Claim 13

The communications system of claim 10 wherein said means for retrieving said first or second computer address is a telephony server.

Claim 14

The communications system of claim 10 wherein said means for retrieving said first or second computer address is a Gateway.

Claim 15

The communications system of claim 10 wherein said means for building a first or second message is a central office.

Claim 16

The communications system of claim 10 wherein said means for sending said first and second messages to said first and second telecommunications infrastructures, respectively, is said PSTN.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15 further comprising of the step of sending a ring notification message.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of retrieving said first computer address from said INM, and sending said first computer address to said second telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of retrieving said second computer address from said ACM, and sending said second computer address to said first telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 22

The method of claim 15 further comprising of the steps of building an answer message (ANM), and sending said ANM from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 23

The method of claim 19 further comprising of the steps of building a server-notify message (SNM), and requesting a first central office to send said SNM to a telephony server.

Claim 24

The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of requesting said telephony server to send a computer address message (CAM) to said central office.

Claim 25

The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of sending a call proceeding message to said first telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 28

The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of sending a call proceeding message.

Claim 29

The method of claim 23 further comprising of the step of sending a ring notification message.

Claim 30

The method of claim 23 further comprising of the steps of building an address complete message (ACM), and sending said ACM from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 31

The method of claim 23 further comprising of the steps of building a server-notify message (SNM), and requesting a first central office to send said SNM to a telephony server.

Claim 32

The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of requesting said telephony server to send a computer address (CAM) to said central office.

Claim 33

The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of retrieving said first computer address from said INM, and sending said first computer address to said second telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 34

The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of retrieving said second computer address from said ACM, and sending said second computer address to said first telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 35

A computer program product for establishing, through a PSTN, a multimedia communications session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, each of said infrastructures located on separate private data networks comprising a means to automatically establish an integrated voice and data session initiated by a single telephone call using the PSTN, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising: (a) computer product code for initiating the telephone call from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure; (b) computer product code for retrieving a first computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) computer product code for building an initial message (INM) containing said computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure; (d) computer product code for sending said INM from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure via the PSTN; (e) computer product code for retrieving a second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (f) computer product code for building an answer message (ANM) containing said second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (g) computer product code for sending said ANM from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastucture via the PSTN; and (h) computer product code for establishing between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures said multimedia communications session.

Claim 36

A computer program product for establishing, through a PSTN, a multimedia communications session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, each of said infrastructures located on separate private data networks comprising a means to automatically establish an integrated voice and data session initiated by a single telephone call using the PSTN, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising: (a) computer product code for initiating the telephone call from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure; (b) computer product code for retrieving a first computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) computer product code for building an initial message (INM) containing said computer address of said first telecommunications infrastructure; (d) computer product code for sending said INM from said first telecommunications infrastructure to said second telecommunications infrastructure via the PSTN; (e) computer product code for retrieving a second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (f) computer product code for building an answer message (ANM) containing said second computer address of said second telecommunications infrastructure; (g) computer product code for sending said ANM from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastucture via the PSTN; and (h) computer product code for establishing between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures said multimedia communications session.

Claim 37

The computer product program according to claim 31 wherein the computer product program further comprises computer product code for building an address complete message (ACM), and computer product code for sending said ACM from said second telecommunications infrastructure to said first telecommunications infrastructure.

Claim 38

The computer product program according to claim 32 wherein the computer product program further comprises computer product code for building a server notify message (SNM); and computer product code for requesting a first central office to send said SNM to a telephony server.

Claim 39

The computer product program according to claim 33 wherein the computer product program further comprises computer. product code for requesting said telephony server to send a computer address (CAM) to said central office.

Claim 40

The computer product program according to claim 34 wherein the computer product program further comprises computer product code for sending a call proceeding message.

Claim 47

A computer program product for establishing an integrated voice and data session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising: (a) computer program code for initiating a telephone call between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (b) computer program code for initiating a data connection between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) computer program code for combining voice and data connect information of said respective first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (d) computer program code for sending said combined voice and data connect information between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN; and (e) computer program code for establishing between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures said integrated voice and data session.

Claim 48

A computer program product for establishing an integrated voice and data session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising: (a) computer program code for initiating a telephone call between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (b) computer program code for initiating a data connection between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) computer program code for combining voice and data connect information of said respective first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (d) computer program code for sending said combined voice and data connect information between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN; and (e) computer program code for establishing between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures said integrated voice and data session.

Claim 49

Apparatus for establishing an integrated voice and data session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for initiating a telephone call between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (b) means for initiating a data connection between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) means for combining voice and data connect information of said respective first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (d) means for sending said combined voice and data connect information between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN; and (e) means for establishing between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures said integrated voice and data session.

Claim 50

Apparatus for establishing an integrated voice and data session between first and second telecommunications infrastructures, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for initiating a telephone call between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (b) means for initiating a data connection between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN in response to initiating the telephone call; (c) means for combining voice and data connect information of said respective first and second telecommunications infrastructures; (d) means for sending said combined voice and data connect information between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures via the PSTN; and (e) means for establishing between said first and second telecommunications infrastructures said integrated voice and data session.