Claims
- 1. An adapter device for facilitating communications among a first instant communications client and a communications gateway, the adapter device comprising:
a messaging interface through which the adapter device acts to establish communications involving the first instant communications client; and a gateway control interface acting to communicably couple the adapter device to the communications gateway; and a processor acting to effect establishment of communications through the communications gateway responsive at least to communications via the messaging interface.
- 2. The adapter device of claim 1 further comprising a billing system interface for communicating, with a billing system, information about the establishment of communications through the communications gateway.
- 3. The adapter device of claim 1 further comprising a billing function for determining billable usage related to establishment of communications through the communications gateway.
- 4. The adapter device of claim 3 further comprising:
means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage, wherein the establishing communications through the communications gateway is selectively performed responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.
- 5. The adapter device of claim 1 wherein said communications involving the first instant communications client comprises communications between the adapter device and the first instant communications client.
- 6. The adapter device of claim 1 wherein said communications involving the first instant communications client comprises messaging communications between the adapter device and the first instant communications client.
- 7. The adapter device of claim 1 wherein said messaging interface presents an interface to the first instant communications client wherein the adapter device appears to be a second instant communications client.
- 8. The adapter device of claim 1 wherein the adapter device, via the messaging interface, acts to communicate with a messaging service associated with the first instant communications client.
- 9. The adapter device of claim 8 wherein said communications between the adapter device and the messaging system comprises instant messaging session initiation communications.
- 10. The adapter device of claim 8 wherein the adapter device coordinates with the messaging system in establishing communications with the first instant communications client.
- 11. The adapter device of claim 8 wherein the adapter device coordinates with the messaging system in establishing communications between the communications gateway and the first instant communications client.
- 12. The adapter device of claim 8 wherein said messaging interface presents an interface to the messaging system wherein the adapter device appears to be a second instant communications client.
- 13. The adapter device of claim 1 further comprising:
a control interface through which the adapter device acts to receive indication that communications are to be established through the communications gateway.
- 14. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the adapter device, responsive at least to indication received via the control interface, acts to perform at least one of: communicating via the messaging interface and communicating via the gateway control interface.
- 15. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the adapter device, responsive at least to indication received via the control interface, acts to communicate via the messaging interface to effect communications involving the first instant communications client.
- 16. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the adapter device, responsive at least to indication received via the control interface, acts to communicate via the gateway control interface to cause the communications gateway to establish communications involving the first instant communications client.
- 17. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the communications gateway is a packet telephony gateway and said communications between the communications gateway and the first instant communications client comprises a voice-over-packet session.
- 18. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the communications gateway is a packet telephony gateway and the adapter device acts to cause the communications gateway to establish a telephony connection in a telephone network responsive to said indication received via said control interface.
- 19. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the communications gateway is a packet telephony gateway and the adapter device acts to cause the communications gateway to establish communication with an intelligent media translator acting to perform at least one of:
receiving textual information from the first instant communications client, translating the textual information into corresponding audio information audio information, and providing the corresponding audio information to the communications gateway; and receiving audio information from the communications gateway, translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and providing the corresponding textual information to the first instant communications client.
- 20. The adapter device of claim 13 wherein the communications gateway is a packet telephony gateway and the adapter device acts to cause the communications gateway to establish communications between the first instant communications client and a telephone device.
- 21. A method of managing communications through a gateway comprising the steps of:
receiving an indication that communications are to be established through the gateway; and responsive at least to the indication, causing the gateway to establish a communications session with an instant communications client.
- 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:
indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the establishing communications with the instant communications client.
- 23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:
determining billable usage of the system related to the establishing communications with the instant communications client.
- 24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:
determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and selectively performing the establishing communications with the instant communications client responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.
- 25. The method of claim 21 further comprising:
responsive at least to the indication, causing the gateway to establish communications between the instant communications client and a telephone connection.
- 26. The method of claim 21 wherein the communications session with the instant communications client comprises voice-over-packet communications.
- 27. The method of claim 21 further comprising:
communicating with a messaging server associated with the instant communications client wherein the communicating with the messaging server affects an aspect of the communications between the gateway and the instant communications client.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein said communications with the messaging system effects the establishment of communications between the gateway and the instant communications client.
- 29. The method of claim 21 further comprising:
responsive at least to the indication, causing the gateway to establish communications with an intelligent media translator acting to perform at least one of:
receiving textual information from the instant communications client, translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and providing corresponding audio information to the gateway; and receiving audio information from the gateway, translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and providing the corresponding textual information to the instant communications client.
- 30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the engaging the intelligent media translator.
- 31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
communicating with a messaging system associated with the instant communications client wherein the communicating with the messaging server affects an aspect of the communications between the gateway and the intelligent media translator.
- 32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
communicating with a messaging system associated with the instant communications client wherein the communicating with the messaging server affects an aspect of the communications between the instant communications client and the intelligent media translator.
- 33. A method of managing communications through a gateway comprising the steps of:
conducting instant messaging communications between the gateway and at least one of an instant communications client and an instant messaging server; and responsive at least to said instant messaging communications, affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway.
- 34. The method of claim 33 further comprising:
indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway.
- 35. The method of claim 33 further comprising:
determining billable usage of the system related to the affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway.
- 36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:
determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and selectively performing the affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.
- 37. The method of claim 33 wherein the gateway is a packet telephony-gateway.
- 38. The method of claim 33 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing at least one of a voice connection in a packet data network and a telephone connection in a telephone network.
- 39. The method of claim 33 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing a voice connection in a packet data network and a telephone connection in a telephone network.
- 40. The method of claim 33 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing new communications sessions through the gateway.
- 41. The method of claim 33 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing new communications sessions between the gateway and at least one of the instant communications client and the instant messaging server.
- 42. A communications gateway acting to establish communications between a first party communicably coupled to a first network and a second party communicably coupled to a second network, the communications gateway comprising:
a first network interface means acting to communicably couple the gateway to the first network; a second network interface means acting to communicably couple the gateway to the second network; and a messaging interface means by which the gateway acts to conduct messaging communications, wherein the messaging communications affect an aspect by which the gateway establishes communications among the first party via the first network and the second party via the second network.
- 43. The communications gateway of claim 42 further comprising:
means for indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the establishing communications through the gateway.
- 44. The communications gateway of claim 42 further comprising:
means for determining billable usage of the system related to usage of the communication system pertaining to the establishing communications through the gateway.
- 45. The communications gateway of claim 44 further comprising:
means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and means for selectively performing the establishing communications through the gateway responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.
- 46. The communications gateway of claim 42 wherein at least one of the first network and the second network is a packet data transport network.
- 47. The communications gateway of claim 42 wherein at least one of the first network and the second network is a telephone network.
- 48. The communications gateway of claim 42 wherein the messaging communications involve an instant communications client in use by the first party.
- 49. The communications gateway of claim 42 further comprising a control interface means by which the gateway acts to receive an indication of whether the gateway is to establish communications between the first party and second party.
- 50. The communications gateway of claim 49 wherein the control interface is further acting to communicate an identifier specifying at least one of the first party and the second party to engage in communications through the gateway.
- 51. The communications gateway of claim 49 wherein the messaging communications is responsive at least to communications through the control interface.
- 52. The communications gateway of claim 49 wherein an aspect of the establishment of communications between the first party and the second party is affected by communications via the control interface.
- 53. A communications gateway device for establishing communications between a first party using an instant communications client coupled to a data transport network and a second party using a telephone connection, comprising:
a data network interface means acting to be coupled to the data transport network and to communicate media signals through the data transport network; a telephone interface means acting to be coupled to the telephone connection; a messaging service interface means acting to communicate with a messaging service associated with the instant communications client wherein the gateway device acts to interact with the messaging service to establish communications among the instant communications client and the telephone connection via the gateway device.
- 54. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes a communication system to perform a method of managing communications through a gateway comprising:
receiving an indication that communications are to be established through the gateway; and responsive at least to the indication, causing the gateway to establish a communications session with an instant communications client.
- 55. The computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the method further comprises:
indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the establishing the communications session.
- 56. The computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the method further comprises:
determining billable usage of the system related to the establishing the communications session.
- 57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein the method further comprises:
determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and selectively performing the establishing the communications session responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.
- 58. The computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the method further comprises:
responsive at least to the indication, causing the gateway to establish communications between the instant communications client and a telephone connection.
- 59. The computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the communications session with the instant communications client comprises voice-over-packet communications.
- 60. The computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the method further comprises:
communicating with a messaging system associated with the instant communications client wherein the communicating with the messaging server affects an aspect of the communications between the gateway and the instant communications client.
- 61. The computer-readable medium of claim 60 wherein said communications with the messaging system effects the establishment of communications between the gateway and the instant communications client.
- 62. The computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the method further comprises:
responsive at least to the indication, causing the gateway to establish communications with an intelligent media translator acting to perform at least one of: receiving textual information from the instant communications client, translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and providing corresponding audio information to the gateway; and receiving audio information from the gateway, translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and providing the corresponding textual information to the instant communications client.
- 63. The computer-readable medium of claim 62 wherein the method further comprises:
indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the establishing communications with the intelligent media translator.
- 64. The computer-readable medium of claim 62 wherein the method further comprises:
communicating with a messaging system associated with the instant communications client wherein the communicating with the messaging server affects an aspect of the communications between the gateway and the intelligent media translator.
- 65. The computer-readable medium of claim 62 wherein the method further comprises:
communicating with a messaging system associated with the instant communications client wherein the communicating with the messaging server affects an aspect of the communications between the instant communications client and the intelligent media translator.
- 66. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes a communication system to perform a method of managing communications through a gateway comprising the steps of:
conducting instant messaging communications between the gateway and at least one of an instant communications client and an instant messaging server; and responsive at least to said instant messaging communications, affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway.
- 67. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein the method further comprises:
indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to the establishing communications between the first party and the second party.
- 68. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein the method further comprises:
determining billable usage of the system related to usage of the communication system by at least one of the first party and the second party.
- 69. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein the method further comprises:
determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and selectively performing the establishing communications between the first party and the second party responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.
- 70. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein the gateway is a packet telephony gateway.
- 71. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing at least one of a voice connection in a packet data network and a telephone connection in a telephone network.
- 72. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing a voice connection in a packet data network and a telephone connection in a telephone network.
- 73. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing new communications sessions through the gateway.
- 74. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein said affecting an aspect of communications through the gateway comprises establishing new communications sessions between the gateway and at least one of the instant communications client and the instant messaging server.
- 75. A network element in a communications system comprising:
traffic-affecting means for affecting at least one of the transporting, routing and processing of communications traffic in the communications system; and a messaging communications interface acting to perform messaging communications, wherein an aspect of how the traffic-affecting means network acts upon communications traffic element is responsive to the messaging communications.
- 76. The network element of claim 75 further comprising a billing system interface for communicating, with a billing system, information about activity of the traffic-affecting means.
- 77. The network element of claim 75 wherein the network element is addressable as an instant communications client by an instant messaging system.
- 78. The network element of claim 75 wherein the network element acts as an instant communications client.
- 79. The network element of claim 75 wherein the messaging communications comprise instant messaging communications.
- 80. The network element of claim 75 wherein the messaging communications comprise communications with an instant communications client.
- 81. The network element of claim 75 wherein said action of the network element comprises establishing communications involving the instant communications client using a voice-over-packet.
- 82. The network element of claim 80 wherein said action of the network element comprises establishing communications involving the instant communications client and a intelligent media translator acting to perform at least one of:
receiving textual information from the instant communications client, translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and providing corresponding audio information to the network element; and receiving audio information from the network element, translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and providing the corresponding textual information to the instant communications client.
- 83. The network element of claim 75 wherein the messaging communications comprise communications with an instant messaging service.
- 84. The network element of claim 75 wherein the network element acts upon non-messaging traffic in the communications system.
- 85. The network element of claim 75 wherein the network element is a gateway.
- 86. The network element of claim 75 wherein said action of the network element comprises establishing telephony communications in the communications network.
- 87. The network element of claim 75 wherein said action of the network element comprises establishing communications using a voice-over-packet.
- 88. The network element of claim 87 wherein said action of the network element further comprises establishing telephony communications in the communications network.
PRIORITY CLAIM AND CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/369,271 (Atty. Docket CDR-02-002PR), filed Apr. 2, 2002, entitled “Chat-Accessible Services in a Communication System,” assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference its entirety.
[0002] The present application is also related to the following co-pending applications, which are assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference in their entireties:
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-012), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Billing System for Services Provided via Instant Communications;”
[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-013), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Messaging Response System;”
[0005] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-015), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Media Translator;”
[0006] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-016), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Billing System for Communications Services involving Telephony and Instant Communications;”
[0007] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-017), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Call Completion via Instant Communications Client;”
[0008] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-018), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Enhanced Services Call Completion;”
[0009] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-019), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Providing of Presence Information to a Telephony Services System;” and
[0010] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Docket No. CDR-02-020), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Telephony Services System with Instant Communications Enhancements.”
[0011] The present application relates to subject matter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,464. The present application also relates to subject matter described in Internet Engineering Task Force document RFC 2778, “A Model for Presence and Instant Messaging” by Day, M., Rosenberg, J. and H. Sugano, February 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60369271 |
Apr 2002 |
US |