Method and apparatus for accessing a network computer to establish a push-to-talk session
A wireless phone user registered for push-to-talk (PTT) services desires a push-to-talk session with a party on a network computer accessible via a public data network (like the Internet) that is not registered with any PTT service. The registered user enters a unique identifier, as a destination address for such computer, and a PTT server uses the unique identifier to query a Directory Service available on the public data network to obtain a PTT address for the destination computer. The PTT server then forwards or proxies the PTT request to the destination computer. As a result, the number of push-to-talk destinations available to the wireless phone user is expanded to include any number of push-to-talk enabled computers available on the Internet that are known to the Directory Service.
1. A method comprising:
extending a mobile operator's push-to-talk (PTT) system to enable registered users on the PTT system to establish PTT sessions with unregistered end-user equipment, where such unregistered end-user equipment is not registered for PTT service with any mobile operator's PTT system but can be located on a public data network by querying a directory service database accessible on a public data network, the database containing a PTT address for the unregistered end-user equipment, the method including:
a wireless phone, having PTT functionality and registered with the mobile operator's PTT system, sending a request for a PTT session to the system's PTT server, the request including a unique identifier of the unregistered end-user equipment wherein the equipment comprises a destination network computer accessible on a public data network and having PTT functionality;
the PTT server receiving the request and sending a query to the directory service database for the PTT address of the unregistered end-user equipment;
the directory service database receiving and resolving the query, based on the unique identifier, to the PTT address of the unregistered end-user equipment; and
the PTT server receiving the PTT address and sending a request to initiate a PTT session with the destination network computer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the public data network is the Internet.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PTT address is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the SIP address is a SIP-URI that can be further resolved into an IP address and a port number for receiving PTT sessions at the destination network computer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directory service issues the unique identifier to the destination network computer.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the unique identifier is a telephone number with a # prefix.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is a fixed or variable length number or name with a # or * prefix.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a push-to-talk (PTT) server of a mobile operator's PTT system including means for extending the PTT system to enable a registered user of the PTT system to initiate a PTT session with unregistered end-user equipment which is not registered for PTT service with any mobile operator's PTT system, the unregistered end-user equipment comprising a destination network computer having PTT functionality and being accessible on a public data network;
the PTT server containing means for querying an external directory service database, accessible on a public data network, with a unique identifier to obtain a PTT address for the unregistered end-user equipment, and
means for initiating a PTT session with the unregistered end-user equipment.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the means for querying includes means for querying a DNS directory service.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the means for querying includes means for receiving the PTT address.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the means for initiating includes means for sending a PTT session request to the destination network computer.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , including means for receiving a PTT session response from the destination network computer.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , including means for accessing a user equipment registered with the PTT server, means for receiving a request for a PTT session with the unique identifier, and means for sending the user equipment a session response.
14. An apparatus comprising:
a directory service,
residing on a computer,
accessible on a public data network, and
containing a unique identifier and an associated push-to-talk (PTT) address of an unregistered end-user equipment comprising a destination network computer having PTT functionality and accessible on a public data network and not registered for PTT service with any mobile operator's PTT system,
wherein the directory service extends a mobile operator's PTT system to enable a registered user of the PTT system to initiate a PTT session with the unregistered end-user equipment,
the directory service comprising a database external to the PTT system and including:
means for receiving a request including a unique identifier from a PTT server of the PTT system,
means for resolving the request to identify the unregistered end-user equipment associated with the unique identifier, and
means for returning the PTT address to the PTT server.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the public data network is the Internet.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the destination address is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the SIP address is a SIP-URI that can be resolved into an IP address and a port number for receiving PTT sessions at the network computer.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the unique identifier is a number or name.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the directory service is a domain name system (DNS) directory service.
20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the directory service stores the PTT address as a resource record.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the format of the resource record is one or more of a Naming Authority Pointer (NAPTR), Service (SRV), and A record.