Granted Patent B2

US 11,089,541 · App. 15/967,183 · Granted Aug 10, 2021

Inventor: Michael Stimpson (Taylorsville, UT)

Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC

H04W48/18H04L41/20H04W72/10H04L61/1594

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. A user device comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer readable media configured to store:

first instructions for implementing a first software controller configured to directly interface with a first transport medium for voice communications that is a plain old telephone service;

second instructions for implementing a second software controller configured to directly interface with a second transport medium for voice communications that is a Voice over Internet Protocol service; and

third instructions for implementing a communication manager configured to direct the first software controller and the second software controller; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one non-transitory computer readable media, the processor configured to execute the first instructions, the second instructions, and the third instructions to cause or direct the user device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtain a request to establish a voice communication session with a device;

in response to the request, select the first software controller based on the request and a priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium, wherein both the first transport medium and the second transport medium are configured to handle the request to establish the voice communication session;

direct the first software controller to establish the voice communication session based on the request through the first transport medium; and

establish, by execution of the first instructions to implement the first software controller, the voice communication session with the device through the first transport medium.

2. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the priority order is based on an availability of each of the first transport medium and the second transport medium, a cost to send, receive, or participate in voice communication sessions for each of the first transport medium and the second transport medium, and preferences of a user of the user device.

3. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the device is associated with a contact stored in the user device, the contact including contact identification data, and the request, upon which selection of the first software controller is based, includes the contact identification data.

4. The user device of claim 3 , wherein the contact identification data comprise one or more of the following: an identification number, a username, a phone number, and an email address.

5. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to the request, determine an availability of the first transport medium and the second transport medium; and

create the priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium based on the determined availability of the first transport medium and the second transport medium.

6. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

direct first audio obtained during the voice communication session from the first transport medium to a second device configured to broadcast the first audio; and

direct second audio obtained during the voice communication session to the first transport medium for sending the second audio over the first transport medium to the device.

7. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtain, by execution of the second instructions to implement the second software controller, a request to establish a second communication session through the second transport medium;

obtain input from a user to accept or reject the request to establish the second communication session; and

in response to input to accept the request:

direct, by way of the first software controller, the first transport medium to place the voice communication session on hold;

activate the second transport medium by way of the second software controller; and

establish the second communication session by sending an indication of acceptance to the second transport medium by way of the second software controller.

8. A method of communication, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a user device, a request to establish a voice communication session with a device;

in response to the request, selecting, by the user device, a first software controller configured to directly interface with a first transport medium for voice communications that is a plain old telephone service from among the first software controller and a second software controller configured to directly interface with a second transport medium for voice communications, both the first transport medium and the second transport medium being configured to handle the request to establish the voice communication session, the first and second software controllers installed and configured to run on the user device, the second transport medium being a Voice over Internet Protocol service, the selection of the first software controller based on the request and a priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium; and

establishing, by the user device, the voice communication session with the device by the first software controller through the first transport medium.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the priority order is based on an availability of each of the first transport medium and the second transport medium, a cost to send, receive, or participate in voice communication sessions for each of the first transport medium and the second transport medium, and preferences of a user of the user device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the device is associated with a contact, the contact including contact identification data, and the request, upon which selection of the first software controller is based, includes the contact identification data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the contact identification data comprise one or more of the following: an identification number, a username, a phone number, and an email address.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

in response to the request, determining an availability of the first transport medium and the second transport medium; and

creating the priority order among the first transport medium and to the second transport medium based on the determined availability of the first transport medium and the second transport medium.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the device is associated with a contact, the contact including contact identification data, and the request, upon which selection of the first software controller is based, includes the contact identification data.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

obtaining a request to establish a second communication session through the second transport medium by way of the second software controller;

obtaining input from a user to accept or reject the request to establish the second communication session; and

in response to input to accept the request:

directing, by way of the first software controller, the first transport medium to place the voice communication session on hold;

activating the second transport medium by way of the second software controller; and

establishing the second communication session by sending an indication of acceptance to the second transport medium by way of the second software controller.

15. A user device comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer readable media configured to store:

first instructions for implementing a first software controller configured to directly interface with a first transport medium for voice communications that is a plain old telephone service;

second instructions for implementing a second software controller configured to directly interface with a second transport medium for voice communications that is a short-wavelength 2.4 GHz frequency band; and

third instructions for implementing a communication manager configured to direct the first software controller and the second software controller; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one non-transitory computer readable media, the processor configured to execute the first instructions, the second instructions, and the third instructions to cause or direct the user device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtain a request to establish a voice communication session with a device;

in response to the request, select the first software controller based on the request and a priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium wherein both the first transport medium and the second transport medium are configured to handle the request to establish the voice communication session;

direct the first software controller to establish the voice communication session based on the request through the first transport medium; and

establish, by execution of the first instructions to implement the first software controller, the voice communication session with the device through the first transport medium.

16. The user device of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtain a second request to establish a second communication session with a second device;

in response to the second request, select the second software controller based on the second request and the priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium;

direct the second software controller to establish the voice communication session based on the request through the second transport medium; and

establish, by execution of the second instructions to implement the second software controller, the second communication session with the second device through the second transport medium.

17. The user device of claim 16 , wherein the device is the same as the second device.

18. The user device of claim 1 , wherein

the operations further comprise:

obtain a second request to establish a second communication session with a second device;

in response to the second request, select the second software controller based on the second request and the priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium;

direct the second software controller to establish the voice communication session based on the request through the second transport medium; and

establish, by execution of the second instructions to implement the second software controller, the second communication session with the second device through the second transport medium.

19. The user device of claim 18 , wherein the device is the same as the second device.

20. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

obtaining, at the user device, a second request to establish a second communication session with a second device;

in response to the request, selecting, by the user device, the second software controller configured to directly interface with the second transport medium, the selection of the second software controller based on the request and the priority order among the first transport medium and the second transport medium; and

establishing, by the user device, the second communication session with the second device by the second software controller through the second transport medium.

Assignments (11)