Caller-callee association of a plurality of networked devices
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for establishing and maintaining communication between two or more communication devices coupled to communication networks. Some specific aspects relate to communication between a plurality of communication devices each of which is coupled to a respective network. Other aspects relate to establishing such communication by way of contact lists maintained and facilitated on systems coupled to the networks. Users of multiple communication networks, such as VoIP, PSTN and wireless, employ multiple communication devices to communicate with their contacts. For example, a VoIP enabled computer is necessary to access contacts on a VoIP network and a mobile or cellular telephone is used to access contacts on wireless and PSTN networks. A contact list, stored on one communication device, in some instances, cannot be accessed from another communication device. For example, a contact list stored in a VoIP enabled computer cannot be accessed from PSTN or wireless phone devices. Various embodiments described herein provide a convenient solution that can integrate contacts stored on different communication devices and make them accessible from a single device.
1. A method of operating a server configured to selectively bridge communication between a first device and a second device, comprising:
receiving, from the first device, a request for the server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device;
determining that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested;
obtaining a given contact identifier that identifies the second device; and
providing, to the first device in response to the determination, the given contact identifier to the first device to facilitate the first device to initiate communication with the second device independently of the server.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the request is received over a public switched telephone network (PSTN) from a peer telephone module on the first device that is configured to manage PSTN calls,
wherein the request requests the server to directly bridge the communication using a PSTN link between the server and the first device and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) link between the server and the second device,
wherein the providing provides the given contact identifier is provided to a peer computer module on the first device that is configured to manage VoIP calls, and
wherein the given contact identifier is provided to the peer computer module to trigger the peer computer module to initiate a VoIP session with the second device independently of the server and the PSTN.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a contact list that includes a set of contacts for a user of the first device, a network address for each contact in the set of contacts and a contact identifier for each contact in the set of contacts that uniquely identifies the associated contact.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the contact list is obtained from the first device.
5. The method of claim 3 ,
wherein the given contact identifier is obtained from the request,
wherein the given contact identifier identifies a given contact in the set of contacts that is associated with a given network address assigned to the second device, and
wherein the determination that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested is based on detection of an unsuccessful attempt by the server to connect to the second device using the given network address.
6. The method of claim 3 ,
wherein the contact list is obtained from a peer computer module provisioned on the first device that is configured to manage Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls,
wherein the request is received from a peer telephone module provisioned on the first device over a public switched telephone network (PSTN),
wherein the contact list includes a given identifier for the peer telephone module,
wherein the request includes the given identifier for the peer telephone module, and
wherein the contact list for the user of the first device is determined from the given identifier for the peer telephone module that is included in the request.
7. A method of operating a first device that is attempting to communicate with a second device, comprising:
transmitting a request for a server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device on behalf of the first device;
receiving, from the server in response to a determination that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested, a given contact identifier that identifies the second device;
identifying a network address of the second device using the given contact identifier; and
attempting to initiate communication with the second device using the identified network address independently of the server.
8. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the request is transmitted over a public switched telephone network (PSTN) from a peer telephone module on the first device that is configured to manage PSTN calls,
wherein the request is configured to request the server to directly bridge the communication using a PSTN link between the server and the first device and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) link between the server and the second device,
wherein the given contact identifier is received by a peer computer module on the first device that is configured to manage VoIP calls, and
wherein the receipt of the given contact identifier triggers the peer computer module to initiate a VoIP session with the second device independently of the server and the PSTN.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
uploading, to the server, a contact list that includes a set of contacts for a user of the first device, a network address for each contact in the set of contacts and a contact identifier for each contact in the set of contacts that uniquely identifies the associated contact.
10. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein the given contact identifier identifies a given contact in the set of contacts that is associated with a given network address assigned to the second device, and
wherein the identifying identifies the network address as the given network address assigned to the second device.
11. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein the contact list is uploaded from the first device to the server by a peer computer module provisioned on the first device that is configured to manage Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls,
wherein the request is transmitted from the first device to the server by a peer telephone module provisioned on the first device over a public switched telephone network (PSTN),
wherein the contact list includes a given identifier for the peer telephone module, and
wherein the request includes the given identifier for the peer telephone module.
12. A server configured to selectively bridge communication between a first device and a second device, comprising:
means for receiving, from the first device, a request for the server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device;
means for determining that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested;
means for obtaining a given contact identifier that identifies the second device; and
means for providing, to the first device in response to the determination, the given contact identifier to the first device to facilitate the first device to initiate communication with the second device independently of the server.
13. A first device that is attempting to communicate with a second device, comprising:
means for transmitting a request for a server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device on behalf of the first device;
means for receiving, from the server in response to a determination that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested, a given contact identifier that identifies the second device;
means for identifying a network address of the second device using the given contact identifier; and
means for attempting to initiate communication with the second device using the identified network address independently of the server.
14. A server configured to selectively bridge communication between a first device and a second device, comprising:
a processor coupled to a communication port and configured to:
receive, from the first device, a request for the server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device;
determine that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested;
obtain a given contact identifier that identifies the second device; and
provide, to the first device in response to the determination, the given contact identifier to the first device to facilitate the first device to initiate communication with the second device independently of the server.
15. A first device that is attempting to communicate with a second device, comprising:
a processor coupled to a communication port and configured to:
transmit a request for a server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device on behalf of the first device;
receive, from the server in response to a determination that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested, a given contact identifier that identifies the second device;
identify a network address of the second device using the given contact identifier; and
attempt to initiate communication with the second device using the identified network address independently of the server.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a server configured to selectively bridge communication between a first device and a second device, cause the server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
at least one instruction for causing the server to receive, from the first device, a request for the server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device;
at least one instruction for causing the server to determine that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested;
at least one instruction for causing the server to obtain a given contact identifier that identifies the second device; and
at least one instruction for causing the server to provide, to the first device in response to the determination, the given contact identifier to the first device to facilitate the first device to initiate communication with the second device independently of the server.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a first device that is attempting to communicate with a second device, cause the first device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
at least one instruction for causing the first device to transmit a request for a server to initiate a voice communication session with the second device by directly bridging communication between the first device and the second device on behalf of the first device;
at least one instruction for causing the first device to receive, from the server in response to a determination that the server cannot bridge the communication between the first device and the second device as requested, a given contact identifier that identifies the second device;
at least one instruction for causing the first device to identify a network address of the second device using the given contact identifier; and
at least one instruction for causing the first device to attempt to initiate communication with the second device using the identified network address independently of the server.