Method and process for signaling, communication and administration of networked objects

Abstract

Systems and processes for communication of messages between one or more networked objects on circuit and packet data networks are described. Specifically, means for representation of various communication types, including content description and disposition rules, delivery and routing descriptions and rules, conversion and translation descriptions and rules, and methods for interactions and for administration over one or more network types, through one or more communication protocol types, to one or more destination types are described. The delivery of messages and other communication over various communication protocols in addition to email is described. Methods for administering and managing rules for directing and transforming said messages and communications for purposes of routing or delivery to one or more specific destinations are also presented.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a first set of communication servers to be coupled to a first set of switches of a first circuit switched network, for receiving a first set of incoming call signals, wherein the first set of incoming call signals are from a first origin and include a first inbound address identifying a first destination of said first set of incoming call signals wherein said first set of communication servers are to be further coupled to a first data network and containing a message processing resource configured to receive and process said first set of incoming call signals into a first digital representation, wherein each communication server is coupled to said first circuit switched network to extract the first inbound address, and said message processing resource being further configured to determine, based on the first inbound address, a) a first set of attributes that define a disposition of said first set of incoming call signals and how to send the first digital representation of said first set of incoming call signals to said first destination, b) and via an instant messaging protocol whether a user is connected to the first set of communication servers by a device that can accept a message obtained from the incoming call signals.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a first call management unit that contains one of (1) a set of static or dynamically assignable inbound addresses and (2) attributes that define the rules for direction of said first set of incoming call signals to any one of a plurality of communication servers, said first call management unit further determining said attributes from within a local repository of attribute information or through another repository accessible over a network.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said first inbound address includes one of a telephone number, an Internet address, an SIP address, a Universal Resource locator or identifier, a globally unique identifier, a pointer to a location or repository of addresses, and a pointer to a hierarchy or other logical, structured or unstructured, collection or combination of addresses.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said first set of incoming call signals and said first inbound address are used to verify the authenticity of an intended recipient of said first incoming call signals or related communication through a lookup or computation in said first set of communication servers or repository accessible over a network.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising a mechanism for encryption of said first set of incoming signals or related communication, for transport between said first set of communication servers and one or more destinations.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising a trusted source on the data network that maintains a set of encryption keys and a method for management and distribution of keys between communication servers, and between origins and destinations of said first set of incoming signals.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said first set of incoming call signals includes one of an audio message, a facsimile message, a video message, a textual or other data representation, a software agent or component, a voice call, a video call, a datagram, and an instant message.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said first set of incoming call signals or related communication from an origin is delivered to the first destination, wherein the first destination sends a second communication to one of the first origin and a communication server that the delivery was completed, along with details pertaining to the delivery, said second communication being further archived, manipulated, transformed, distributed, or otherwise disposed of in a manner dictated by a set of attributes defined by one of said first origin, said first destination, and a communication server, said second communication further containing a part of a message contained in the first set of incoming signals or part of said related communication.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one of said first circuit network and said first data network are comprised in part of a 2.5G or 3G wireless network infrastructure, an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting server (AAA) of said 3G network to establish part of a set of attributes pertaining to the establishment and maintenance of communication between an origin and a destination of said first incoming call signal, with support nodes (SN) of said 2.5G or 3G system for purposes of obtaining or communicating handover and location information, authenticity, security and routing information relevant to communication between said origin and said destination and another element of the network pertaining to said first set of incoming call signals.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the session initiation protocol (SIP) is used for establishing the identity and authenticity of an origin and destination of said first set of incoming call signals, and to determine a route for a message contained in the first set of incoming call signals, and being further used for establishment, monitoring, administration, logging, proxy, billing, and delivery of said message.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2  wherein communication between communication servers, the call management unit, and the first origin is accomplished through the use of markup languages or other structured representations of rules and directives, and methods for exchange of attributes or communication signals pertaining to the first set of incoming call signals or other attributes specific to the first origin, first destination, network, communication protocol, communication server or call management unit involved in the communication of said first set of incoming call signals.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one of said first set of communication servers has a message processing resource that employs a text-to-speech interface for conveying textual representations of information via a voice or audio representation to an origin or destination, for purposes of delivery of a message or communication.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one of said first set of communication servers uses a message processing resource that employs a voice recognition interface for purposes of processing a digital representation of an incoming call signal between an origin and destination, said resource to translate and recognize spoken voice utterances into a machine readable form that can be further manipulated, transformed and communicated with one or more elements of a network involved in the process of communication of said first set of incoming call signals.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein a markup language is used for the representation of structured voice information and related data information, said voice information comprising a) digitized voice representations or voice representations produced as a result of text-to-speech conversions, and b) signaling and call control information pertaining to the direction, disposition, or administration of said first set of incoming call signals, wherein said voice information or said signaling and call control information is obtained from either said first set of communication servers or any element accessible on the first data network.  
     
     
         15 . A system for supporting a message delivery service, comprising: 
 a media gateway to process one or more signals, associated with an incoming telecommunications call, into a digital representation, and extract from one or more of the signals an inbound address and a message being one of a voice message and a fax message;    a call management system to communicate with the media gateway, to verify that the inbound address is that of an authorized customer of the message delivery service and determine based on the inbound address a set of attributes that indicates a destination for delivering the message; and    a communication server to communicate with the call management system and the authorized customer, to use Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, to set up a session between itself and the user's client program for notifying the user that an incoming message has been received.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said set of attributes includes a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said set of attributes includes a set of rules for one of filtering the digital representation, and converting the message into a format suitable for delivery to one of a plurality of different destinations.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the message is encapsulated with said set of attributes that further includes a set of rules for one of filtering the digital representation and converting the message into a format suitable for delivery to one of a plurality of different destinations, said set of attributes being described using a representation language.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the communication server is to cause a pop-up box to be displayed on the user's machine for notifying the user.