GB2398198A

GB2398198A - Video communication establishment system

Info

Publication number: GB2398198A
Application number: GB0229978A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Neville Burgin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-21
Filing date: 2002-12-21
Publication date: 2004-08-11
Also published as: GB0229978D0

Abstract

A video communication system with two or more terminals 1 and 2 which uses one or more databases 5 to maintain a list of subscribers and an up to date record of their current network address or number details where they can be contacted. Each time a subscriber switches on their terminal, logs on a network 3 or is allocated a new network address or number, the subscriber's terminal contacts a database 5 to register its current address or number. In this way the database holds a fixed name, address or number for the subscriber together with the current address or number upon which they can be contacted at that particular time. Preferably this information is subsequently used to facilitate calls between subscribers over one or more networks between the terminals through the use of a user interface 4. It is particularly suited to IP network video telephones.

Description

2398 1 98 Video Communication Establishment System for use over IP and

other Networks This invention relates to a means of establishing two way video communications across a network or networks where the address or number of one or more of the terminals may change in an unpredictable fashion.

In many communication systems, such as that of the telephone, the user initiating a call is able to instigate a call by entering the number of the other participant(s) because their number is known. However, IP networks can be rather less predictable and the IP address of a user may be dynamic and therefore subject to change. Under such circumstances, users are unable to call each other without first finding out what number or address to use on each occasion.

The objective of this invention is to make it easy for users to initiate two way video communication.

The invention works through the use of one or more databases which maintain a list of subscribers and an up to date record of their current address or number details upon which they can be contacted. Each time a subscriber switches on their terminal, logs on a network or is allocated a new address or number, the subscriber's terminal contacts a database to register its current address or number. In this way the database holds a fixed name, address or number for the subscriber together with the current address or number upon which they can be contacted.

When a subscriber wishes to place a video call to another subscriber, their terminal contacts the database which then either routes the call to the subscriber or sends an instruction back to the calling party's terminal causing it to make direct contact with the other subscriber's terminal. Alternatively, the database may update the terminal's local store of directory addresses or numbers from time to time or at the instigation of each call so that an up to date address or number is used.

Under some circumstances, the call may be routed over specific networks with a quality of service particularly suitable for video communications use or for other reasons.

Alternatively, instructions sent to the terminal may contain routing information to achieve the same result.

If appropriate, the receiving terminal can establish a sending channel to the originating terminal using the same methods as described above.

This invention can also facilitate easy communications with a subscriber who may move between multiple physical locations and therefore use a number of terminals. In this case, the subscriber would log on to a local terminal, or in some other way cause the terminal to be identified with themselves. The terminal would then register itself with the database so that any incoming calls for the subscriber would arrive at that terminal.

Preferably the database would be accessible to the users via a user friendly graphical interface which would provide a means of initiating contact with the other party or parties. This interface would provide a means to access potentially all subscribers but would also provide a more convenient facility to the user allowing them to more easily contact their personal or frequently used set of contacts. Such a user interface can be in the form of a web page or pages accessible over the public internet, a private intranet or the interface may be implemented on the terminal.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Embodiment 1: FIGURE 1 shows a system with terminals connected to a network which is also connected to a database which is accessed via a user interface.

In this embodiment, the terminals 1 and 2 are able to make videophone calls, audio phone calls and have the ability to display web pages.

Whenever a terminal 1 or 2 is switched on, or logs on to the IP network 3, it sends information to the database 5. This information includes fixed information which identifies the terminal user and the current IP address through which the terminal can be contacted. This information is stored in the database 5.

The user interface 4 is in the form of user friendly web pages which users of the terminals are able to display on their terminal screens. The names of subscribers are displayed on the screens in the form of buttons which can be activated by the subscribers.

When the user of terminal 1 wishes to place a video call to the user of terminal 2, they simply activate the relevant button on the web page displayed on their screen.

Activating the button causes the current IP address of terminal 2 to be identified from the database 5 and sent to terminal 1 together with an instruction for terminal 1 to place a video call to terminal 2 using this current IP address.

In this particular embodiment, the video call is placed directly between terminal 1 and terminal 2 with no further involvement of the user interface 4 or the database 5.

Embodiment 2: FIGURE 2 shows a system with terminals connected to networks 3 which are also connected to databases which are accessed via a user interfaces. In addition to this, a higher quality network is provided to enable a reliable connection for demanding applications such as video telephony.

Whenever a terminal 1 or 2 is switched on, or logs on to the IP network 3, it sends information to the local database 5 with which it is associated. This information includes fixed information which identifies the terminal user and the current IP address through which the terminal can be contacted. This information is stored in the local databases 5.

The multiple local databases 5 have the ability to communicate with each other so that the information on how to contact a subscriber of one database 5 can be derived through interaction with the other database 5.

Activating the button causes the current IP address of terminal 2 to be identified via the local database 5 and sent to terminal 1 together with an instruction for terminal 1 to place a video call to terminal 2 using this current IP address but routing the call over the high quality network 6.

Embodiment 3: FIGURE 3 shows a system with terminals connected to local networks which are also connected to databases which is accessed via a user interfaces. In addition to this, a higher quality network is provided to enable a reliable connection for demanding applications such as video telephony and the routing of this is managed by the database 5 directly via a server router 7 rather than via the terminal.

Whenever a terminal 1 or 2 is switched on, or logs on to the IP network, 3 it sends information to the local database 5 with which it is associated. This information includes fixed information which identifies the terminal user and the current IP address through which the terminal can be contacted. This information is stored in the local databases 5.

The multiple local databases 5 have the ability to communicate with each other so that the information on how to contact a subscriber of one database 5 is available through the other databases.

Activating the button causes the terminal to set up a call to its local server router 7 and an appropriate routing path is derived using information from the connected local databases 5. The call is routed to the local server router 7 which is local to terminal 2 via a high quality network 6. The call is then routed from local server router 7 of terminal 2 to the current IP address of terminal 2 which has been identified by the local database 5.

Claims

1. A video communications system comprising two or more terminals where one or more of the terminals provides information to one or more databases which is subsequently used to facilitate calls over one or more networks between the terminals.

2. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where one or more databases sends information to a terminal which enables the terminal to place a call across one or more networks to a second terminal.

3. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where one or more databases sends information to a terminal which enables the terminal to place a call across one or more networks to a number of other terminals simultaneously.

4. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where terminals send information identifying how they may be contacted to one or more databases whenever they first log on to a network.

5. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where terminals send information identifying how they may be contacted to one or more databases whenever a change in their network address or number is detected.

6. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where a terminal sends information identifying how it may be contacted to one or more databases whenever it is powered on or reset.

7. A video communications system as claimed in Claims 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 where the terminal is a videophone or video conferencing system.

8. A video communications system as claimed in Claims 1,2,3,4,5,6 or 12 where the terminal is a personal computer running video communications application.

9. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where one or more databases are used to manage the routing of the data passing between the terminals.

10. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where one or more databases pass information to the terminals which is subsequently used to manage the routing of the data passing between the terminals.

11. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where one or more databases are used to update network addressing or numbering information stored locally within the terminals.

12. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 11 where one or more databases are used to update network addressing or numbering information stored locally within a terminal each time its user commences to place a call.

13. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where the databases used to update network addressing or numbering information are stored and operated within the terminals.

14. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where the same method is used to place speech or audio calls.

15. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 which is operated through users accessing one or more web pages.

16. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 15 where users have the ability to personalise one or more of the web pages with their own choice of contacts.

17. A video communications system as claimed in Claim 1 where one or more databases sends information to a device or devices which set up calls between two or more terminals across one or more networks.

18. A video communications system substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.