Flexible session initiation protocol endpoint signaling
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for flexibly assigning Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Endpoints to any part of a communication resource is disclosed. The present invention removes the device location and behavior requirements from the application, thus providing a generic interface for robust application development.
1 . A method for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based communications comprising:
providing a plurality of SIP endpoints;
providing an SIP enabled device; and
assigning at least two of said plurality of SIP endpoints to said SIP enabled device.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
defining a first event associated with at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints;
detecting an occurrence of said first event;
performing a first response upon detecting said occurrence of said first event.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said first event is one of:
receiving an SIP message on at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints; or
an expiration of a logical timer.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said response is one of:
sending at least one message from at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints;
defining a second event associated with at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints; or
setting a logical timer.
5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
providing at least one user interface point;
defining a second event associated with one of said at least one user interface point;
detecting an occurrence of said second event;
performing a second response upon detecting said occurrence of said second event.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said first response or said second response, is one of:
sending a message to one of said at least one user interface point; or
sending at least one SIP message from at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints.
7 . An apparatus comprising:
a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) enabled device suited to perform SIP based communications; and
a plurality of SIP endpoints, wherein at least two of said plurality of SIP endpoints are assigned to said SIP enabled device.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a first event associated with at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints is defined and upon detection of an occurrence of said first event, a first response is performed.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said first event is one of:
receiving at least one SIP message on at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints; or
an expiration of a logical timer.
10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said first response is one of:
sending at least one SIP message from at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints;
defining a second event associated with at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints; or
setting a logical timer.
11 . The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:
at least one user interface point, wherein a second event is defined, which is associated with one of said at least one user interface point, and upon detecting an occurrence of said second event, a second response is performed.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said first response or said second response is one of:
sending a message to one of said at least one user interface point; or
sending at least one SIP message from at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints.
13 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to:
communicate in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based communications using a plurality of SIP endpoints, wherein at least two of said plurality of SIP endpoints are assigned to a single SIP enabled device.
14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to:
define a first event, which is associated with at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints;
detect an occurrence of said first event; and
perform a first response upon detecting said occurrence of said first event.
15 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to define said first event that is one of:
receiving at least one SIP message on at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints; or
an expiration of a logical timer.
16 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to perform said first response that is one of:
sending at least one SIP message from at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints;
defining a second event associated with at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints; or
setting a logical timer.
17 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to:
define a second event associated with one of said at least one user interface point;
detect an occurrence of said second event; and
perform a second response upon detecting said occurrence of said second event.
18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein said first response or said second response is one of:
sending a message to one of said at least one user interface point; or
sending at least one SIP message from at least one of said assigned SIP endpoints.