Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
An apparatus for establishing a communication session between first and second terminals in communication over a plurality of networks employing differing transmission standards, said plurality of networks being selected from among a circuit switched network, a connectionless packet switched network and a connection-oriented packet switched network, comprising: a call set-up translator for translating among call set-up protocols associated with said circuit switched network, said connectionless packet switched network and said connection-oriented packet switched network; an encoding format translator for translating among encoding protocols associated with said circuit switched network, said connectionless packet switched network and said connection-oriented packet switched network; an address database for storing a plurality of addresses in different formats for each registered terminal including at least said first and second terminals; a session manager for storing control information relating to the first and second terminals, said control information including an identification of the first and second terminals participating in the communication session.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said circuit-switched network is a telephony network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said connectionless packet switched network is the Internet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said connection-oriented packet switched network is an ATM network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said connection-oriented packet switched network is a Frame-Relay network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communication session is established among at least three terminals and further comprising an aggregator for bridging a plurality of communications received from a plurality of the terminals and for transmitting said plurality of communications to remaining ones of said at least three terminals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communication session is an audio session.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communication session includes video information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communication session is a multimedia session including audio and video information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said encoding format translator is an audio format translator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said encoding format translator is a video format translator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said encoding format translator is a multimedia format translator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control information further includes quality of service requirements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control information further includes information defining a format in which data is to be received by at least one of the first and second terminals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said data format is alterable during the communication session.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
132 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said call set-up translator translates among a plurality of standards, including H.225, Q.931, Q.2931, and SS7 signaling standards. a call set-up translator for translating among call set-up protocols associated with said circuit switched network, said connectionless packet switched network and said connection-oriented packet switched network; an encoding format translator for translating among encoding protocols associated with said circuit switched network, said connectionless packet switched network and said connection-oriented packet switched network; an address database for storing a plurality of addresses in different formats for each registered terminal including at least said first and second terminals; a session manager for storing control information relating to the first and second terminals, said control information including an identification of the first and second terminals participating in the communication session.