Systems and methods for providing a generic interface in a communications environment

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a generic interface in a communications environment are provided. A communications services interface may receive a first and second application function call specifying a first and second communications channel, respectively. The first and second communications channels may utilize a first and second communications protocol, respectively, to communicate over a network. The communications services interface may send a first protocol command and a second protocol command to control communications over the first and second communications channels, respectively. The first and the second protocol commands may be responsive to the first and second application function calls, respectively. The second application function call may have a same syntax as the first application function call, and the second communications protocol may be different than the first communications protocol.

1 . A method for providing a communications services interface, the method comprising:
 receiving a first application function call specifying a first communications channel utilizing a first communications protocol to communicate over a network;   sending a first protocol command to control communications over the first communications channel, the first protocol command being responsive to the first application function call;   receiving a second application function call specifying a second communications channel utilizing a second communications protocol to communicate over the network, the second application function call having a same syntax as the first application function call, the second communications protocol being different than the first communications protocol; and   sending a second protocol command to control communications over the second communications channel, the second protocol command being responsive to the second application function call.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a status of the first and second communications channels and reporting an event corresponding to the first or second communications channel. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the status of the first and the second communications channels includes a presence status. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communications protocol includes a cellular telephone voice communications protocol and the second communications protocol includes a voice over internet communications protocol. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communications channel utilizes a different communications service provider than the second communications channel. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communications protocol includes a text communications protocol. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second communications protocol includes a voice communications protocol. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling streaming video over the network. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling streaming audio over the network. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a text chat room service providing text communications over the first communications channel and over the second communications channel, wherein the text communications sent over the first communications channel are also sent over the second communications channel. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first communications protocol is different than the second communications protocol. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communications protocol includes an SIP protocol and the second communications protocol includes an XMPP protocol. 
   
   
       13 . A method comprising:
 utilizing a first voice communications protocol to provide voice communications between a central entity and a first entity;   utilizing a second voice communications protocol to provide voice communications between the central entity and a second entity, the second voice communications protocol being different from the first voice communications protocol; and   communicatively coupling the first entity and the second entity.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first communications channel and the second communications channel are carried over different communications service providers. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first voice communications protocol includes a cellular service protocol and the second voice communications protocol includes a voice over internet protocol. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first voice communications protocol includes an SIP protocol and the second voice communications protocol includes an XMPP protocol. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein communicatively coupling the first entity and the second entity includes providing a voice conference service between the central entity, the first entity, and the second entity. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein communicatively coupling the first entity and the second entity includes transferring a voice call from the first entity to the second entity. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein communicatively coupling the first entity and the second entity includes forwarding a voice call from the first entity to the second entity. 
   
   
       20 . A method comprising:
 including an application programming interface function call in an application source code, the application programming interface function call configured to selectively utilize either a first communications protocol or a second communications protocol, the selection of communications protocol to utilize being responsive to a parameter setting of the application programming interface function call, the first protocol and the second protocol being different;   targeting a compiler to compile the application source code into an executable application configured to execute on a first processor;   compiling the application source code into an executable application targeted to execute on the first processor, the compilation being performed using the compiler;   targeting the compiler to compile the application source code into an executable application configured to execute on a second processor; and   compiling the application source code into an executable application targeted to execute on the second processor, the compilation being performed using the compiler.   
   
   
       21 . A system for providing communications services comprising:
 a communications device including
 a transceiver configured to transmit and receive communication signals, 
 a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions, 
 a processor configured to
 read the computer-readable instructions from the memory, 
 execute the computer-readable instructions, and 
 communicate with other communications devices using the transceiver; and 
 
   a program including computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, the program being executable by the processor for performing a method for providing a communications services interface, the method comprising:   receiving a first application function call specifying a first communications channel utilizing a first communications protocol to communicate over a network;   sending a first protocol command to control communications over the first communications channel, the first protocol command being responsive to the first application function call;   receiving a second application function call specifying a second communications channel utilizing a second communications protocol to communicate over the network, the second application function call having a same syntax as the first application function call, the second communications protocol being different than the first communications protocol; and   sending a second protocol command to control communications over the second communications channel, the second protocol command being responsive to the second application function call.   
   
   
       22 . A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor for performing a method for providing a communications services interface, the method comprising:
 receiving a first application function call specifying a first communications channel utilizing a first communications protocol to communicate over a network;   sending a first protocol command to control communications over the first communications channel, the first protocol command being responsive to the first application function call;   receiving a second application function call specifying a second communications channel utilizing a second communications protocol to communicate over the network, the second application function call having a same syntax as the first application function call, the second communications protocol being different than the first communications protocol; and   sending a second protocol command to control communications over the second communications channel, the second protocol command being responsive to the second application function call.   
   
   
       23 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , the method further comprising monitoring a status of the first and second communications channels and reporting an event corresponding to the first or second communications channel. 
   
   
       24 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the status of the first and second communications channels includes a presence status. 
   
   
       25 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the first communications protocol includes a cellular telephone voice communications protocol and the second communications protocol includes a voice over internet communications protocol. 
   
   
       26 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the first communications channel utilizes a different communications service provider than the second communications channel. 
   
   
       27 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the first communications protocol includes a text communications protocol. 
   
   
       28 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 27 , wherein the second communications protocol includes a voice communications protocol. 
   
   
       29 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , the method further comprising controlling streaming video over the network. 
   
   
       30 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , the method further comprising controlling streaming audio over the network. 
   
   
       31 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , the method further comprising providing a text chat room service providing text communications over the first communications channel and over the second communications channel, wherein the text communications sent over the first communications channel are also sent over the second communications channel. 
   
   
       32 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 31 , wherein the first communications protocol is different than the second communications protocol. 
   
   
       33 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the first communications protocol includes an SIP protocol and the second communications protocol includes an XMPP protocol. 
   
   
       34 . A method for providing a communications services interface, the method comprising:
 receiving a first application function call specifying a first communications channel to communicate over a network;   sending a first protocol command to control communications over the first communications channel, the first protocol command being responsive to the first application function call;   receiving a second application function call specifying a second communications channel to communicate over the network, the second application function call having a same syntax as the first application function call, the second communications channel being carried by a different communications services provider than the first communications channel; and   sending a second protocol command to control communications over the second communications channel, the second protocol command being responsive to the second application function call.   
   
   
       35 . A method for providing a communications services interface, the method comprising:
 registering a first protocol stack with a communications services interface module;   activating a first communications service using the first protocol stack; and   registering a second protocol stack with the communications services interface module without interrupting operation of the first communications service.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the second protocol stack is configured to support a second communications protocol which the communications services interface module did not previously support. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising activating a second communications service using the second protocol stack without interrupting operation of the first communications service. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising deactivating the second protocol stack without interrupting operation of the first communications service. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein deactivating the second protocol stack is responsive to availability of communications resources. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein registering the second protocol stack is responsive to availability of communications resources.