Graphical communications device using translator
View Patent ↗A communication system includes a plurality of network devices that communicate using one or more protocols, such as SIP. Graphical terminals ( 30 ) communicate with the network devices. Graphical servers ( 32 ) provide a graphical user interface for the graphics terminals ( 30 ) responsive to signaling messages received by the graphical terminals ( 30 ) and forwarded to the graphical server ( 32 ) in a service request. As the user operates the interface to perform functions, graphical information on the user's actions is sent to the associated graphical server ( 32 ). The graphical server ( 32 ) interprets the graphical information and updates the graphical interface and/or generates service requests for signaling messages to create, modify and terminate communication sessions as desired by the user, using the appropriate protocol.
1. A communication system comprising:
a digital network;
one or more communication servers coupled to said network for enabling communications sessions responsive to commands conforming to one or more known protocols;
a plurality of graphical terminals coupled to said network for communicating by sending and receiving packetized data and signaling messages over said network during said communications sessions; and
one or more graphical servers each coupled to a plurality of said graphical terminals for:
receiving service requests, where at least some of said service requests are generated responsive to a signaling message;
sending graphical information to the graphical terminals responsive to said service requests to provide graphical interfaces on said graphical terminals;
receiving control information associated with actions by users using said graphical interface; and
generating service requests to create signaling messages responsive to said control information.
2. The communication system of claim 1 and further comprising at least one translator for translating a signaling message into a service request associated with one of said graphical terminals.
3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein each one or more of said graphical terminals include a translator.
4. The communication system of claim 2 wherein one or more translators are located on said digital network for receiving signaling messages from a plurality of graphical terminals.
5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein one or more of said graphical servers include a translator.
6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said graphical terminals include a communications stack.
7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said graphical terminals include a graphical client for receiving graphical information from an associated graphical server.
8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein said graphical terminals further comprise a display coupled to said graphical client.
9. A method of providing communications over a digital network, comprising the steps of:
receiving signaling messages conforming to one or more known protocols from one or more communication servers coupled to said network;
translating the signaling messages into service requests indicating an desired action;
receiving the service requests in one or more graphical servers each coupled to a plurality of said graphical terminals;
sending graphical information from the graphical servers to the graphical terminals responsive to the service requests to control graphical interfaces executed on the graphical terminals;
sending control information associated with actions by users using said graphical interface to the one or more graphical servers; and
generating service requests to create signaling messages responsive to said control information.
10. The method of claim 9 and further wherein the translating step comprises the step of translating signaling messages into service requests using translators in said graphical terminals.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the translating step comprises the step of translating signaling messages into service requests using a translator on said digital network, said translator receiving signaling messages from a plurality of graphical terminals.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the translating step comprises the step of translating signaling messages into service requests using a translator on a graphical server, said translator receiving signaling messages from a plurality of graphical terminals.