WO2004002067A2

WO2004002067A2 - Method and device for establishing a communication between a calling computer terminal and a called computer terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2004002067A2
Application number: PCT/FR2003/050014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frédéric VICHER
Original assignee: Compagnie Europeenne De Developpement S.A.
Priority date: 2002-06-20
Filing date: 2003-06-18
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: FR2841415A1; FR2841415B1; AU2003255705A1; WO2004002067A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of establishing a communication between a calling computer terminal and a called computer terminal via a communication network in which the connected terminals are denoted by an IP address. The inventive method comprises the following steps: (1) identification of the calling terminal in relation to a server; (2) sending of a request from the calling terminal to the server in order to obtain the IP address of the called terminal; (3) if the terminal called (P2) is not connected to the communication network (4), a telephone call procedure is performed by the called terminal (P2) in order to establish a connection between same and the communication network (4), said telephone call procedure of the called terminal (P2) depending on the calling terminal (P1) being cleared to request the telephone call from the called terminal (P2); (4) if the called terminal (P2) is connected to the communication network (4), transmission of the response to the request from the calling terminal (P1).

Description

"Method and device for connecting a calling computer station to a called computer station"

The present invention relates to a method of communicating a calling computer station, and a computer station called through a communication network in which the connected stations are identified by an IP address.

The invention also relates to a device capable of implementing this method.

The invention will find its application particularly in communication networks of wide extension of the Internet type, for the connection of two stations able to connect to such a network.

The term computer station is understood to mean all current computer equipment, in particular a personal computer or a network terminal.

The location of computer stations in a communication network and in particular on the Internet essentially uses two types of addressing. The IP address (Internet Protocol) is one of these addresses, and currently consists of, but is not limited to, a series of four numbers from 0 to 255. It is the address understood by computer hardware.

We also use an address of type U.R.L. (Universal Resource Locator) which is easier to remember by users and less related to equipment. It consists of a service name, a domain name, an address in the domain name, and some separators.

Traditionally, to obtain the IP address corresponding to a U.R.L., a program requests it from one or more D.N.S. (Domain name server). In general, a calling machine wishing to obtain the IP address of a called machine, contacts a single DNS, the latter responsible for contacting other DNS if necessary for the supply of the full address of the called machine.

Each DNS server usually stores the last addresses provided in order to save time during the next possible request. The time during which each address can be kept is indicated by the record which contains this address. The normal mode of operation of the Internet communication network is described below in a search for communication between a caller and a called party. When a program (in particular a browser or browser type) located on the calling party requests to communicate with a program located on the called party, it begins to send a message to a DNS domain name server indicating to it the 'URL (Universal Resource Locator) of the called party. The DNS if it already knows the IP address of the called party sends it to the caller. Otherwise, it contacts another DNS which will provide it with either the desired address or the address of another DNS.

When the requested address is obtained, it transmits it to the caller and keeps a copy. The caller then uses the IP address obtained to contact the called party. The method thus used in the traditional way works satisfactorily for a fixed IP address, that is to say allocated to the called party for a long period. However, a large number of computers currently connected to the Internet are connected via an access provider which has a These addresses are therefore reallocated to customers as requests arise. These are dynamic IP addresses. The address resolution mechanism explained above is not suitable for dynamic addresses. Indeed, a computer does not know its dynamic address until it is connected to its access provider. This address will most likely be different the next time it connects and will necessarily be different if it goes through another ISP. The table of the DNS server responsible for its subdomain cannot therefore be filled out in advance.

In addition, as a dynamic address can change at any time, you should avoid keeping a copy in the intermediate DNS. The mechanism consisting in using the hierarchy of DNS is then not very effective (successive interrogations of several DNS for obtaining the complete address of the called station) since each request must be transmitted through all the hierarchy. In addition, the called party must be connected to their access provider. Otherwise, not only does it not have an IP address, it is also unreachable.

To solve this last problem, document EP A 1 065 870 discloses a method and an apparatus for establishing a connection of a customer telecommunication station having access to the Internet service but which is not yet connected to the Internet. 'Internet. In response to a notification received by the telephone network, the station called automatically connects to the Internet.

This prior method is however only applicable to called parties not yet connected, and generates a systematic telephone call procedure, without differentiation of cases.

Document FR-A-2,786,970 also discloses a method for establishing communication between two terminals (T1, T2) through a computer communication network. According to this publication, the address of the other is systematically transmitted to each terminal and the two terminals must have a telephone connection. In addition, the authorization of the terminal T1 to communicate and initiate the telephone call from T2 is in no way verified, which is harmful to use for the terminal T2.

Note that when T2 accepts the communication, it does not know The purpose of the invention presented here is to remedy the drawbacks of the devices and techniques known up to now.

It ensures communication between a calling station and a called station, regardless of the activation and connection status of the called party.

Another advantage of the invention is that it makes it possible to check the authorizations of the caller with respect to the called party, and to condition the steps of setting up communication with these authorizations.

Another object of the invention is to preserve the speed of connection between the caller and the called party, and in particular not to slow down the connection when the called party is already connected.

The invention also provides a service which is additional to existing Internet services, and which is completely transparent for the stations used, namely the calling stations and the called stations. Another advantage of the invention is that it allows, according to a preferred variant, the direct transmission of the address of the station called by it and not via additional servers. It is therefore in this case the extension called itself which has the capacity and the responsibility to transmit its address if it so wishes. Another object of the invention is to reduce the IP address traffic on the Internet network.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description or from a preferred embodiment of the invention, which however is not limiting.

The present invention relates to a method of communicating a calling computer station and a called computer station through a communication network in which the connected stations are identified by an IP address.

It includes the following steps:

1 ° - Identification of the calling station with a server; 2 ° - Sending a request from the calling station to the server to obtain the IP address of the called station;

3 ° - If the called station is not connected to the communication network, operation of a telephone call procedure from telephone call procedure of the called station being conditioned on an authorization of the calling station to request the telephone call of the called station;

4 ° - If the called station is connected to the communication network, response to the request from the calling station.

According to preferred variants, this method is such that: If the called station is connected to the communication network, transmission of the request from the calling station to the station called by the server and response from the called station; When the called extension is connected to the communication network, it checks the authorization of the calling extension to get in communication with it and if the calling extension is enabled, the called extension returns its IP address.

- The called extension returns its IP address directly to the calling extension. - The called station returns its IP address to the calling station via the server.

- That the server checks the authorization of the calling station to put itself in communication with the called station.

- That the server checks the authorization of the calling station to put in communication with the called station and if the calling station is authorized, the server returns the IP address of the called station

That the calling station identifies itself with the server as soon as it is connected to the communication network.

- The telephone call procedure for the called station includes the following steps:

• Search by the server of the telephone number of the called station;

• Call of the extension called by the server using this number;

• Waiting for a predetermined number of rings then end of communication;

• Triggering of the connection of the called station to the communication network. - We create applications respectively on the calling and called stations for their communication with the server. We use a domain name server of the communication network in which we assign a data to the called station which is:

^" Either, by default, a fixed identification data" or, an IP address if the called station is permanently connected to the communication network

- Prior to or simultaneously with the sending of the request from the calling station to the server, the same request from the calling station is sent to the domain name server to obtain the data assigned to the called station.

- If the data assigned to the extension in the domain name server is different from the identification data, the calling extension uses the returned IP address to communicate with the called extension unless the calling extension has obtained the IP address of the station called elsewhere before.

We use a domain name server of the communication network in which we assign a data to the called station which is:

- either by default, a fixed identification data "or an IP address if the called station is connected to the communication network

- If the data assigned to the extension in the domain name server is different from the identification data, the calling extension uses the returned IP address to communicate with the called extension unless the calling extension has obtained the IP address of the called station (P2) elsewhere previously. - we send a request from the calling station to the domain name server (DNS) to obtain the data assigned to the called station

- We condition the sending of the request from the calling station to the server upon receipt of the calling station of data assigned to the called station in the domain name server equal to the identification data.

The invention also relates to a device for establishing communication between a calling computer station and a computer station called through a communication network in which the connected stations are identified by an IP address,

Characterized by the fact that it includes:

- a computer application on the called station and on the calling station;

- a server capable of receiving a request from the calling station to obtain the IP address of the called station

- And by the fact that it is able to implement the process.

The attached drawings are given by way of examples and are not limitative of the invention. They represent only one embodiment of the invention and will make it easy to understand it. Figure 1 illustrates in summary the various components of the device according to the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show schematically different stages of carrying out the method of the invention, and the cooperation phases of the organs constituting the device. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of different stages of the method according to the invention in a particular embodiment.

Referring to Figure 1, we see that we implement a station calling P1, and a station called P2 that we want to put in communication. Preferably, for the implementation of the invention, specific applications linked to the present invention are installed on the stations P1 and P2, applications called A1 and A2 in FIG. 1. A domain name server (DNS) is also used, which could be the server commonly used by the P1 set for its access to the Internet.

There is also a server S able to perform certain steps of the process. Between these four components, a communication network 4 is formed, and in particular a wide extension network of the Internet type.

The telephone network 3 is also used.

Figure 2 shows an illustration of the method according to the invention according to a possibility of operation. The numberings first to seventh present in Figure 2, correspond to the steps described below.

1 Any computer station on which the application is installed (A1, A2) identifies itself to the server S as soon as it is connected to the Internet. This identification is carried out by the A1 A2 application in a transparent manner for the user. In this case, the station P1 identifies itself with the server S in step 17. In addition, any station subscribed to the service offered by the invention and using a dynamic IP address is provided in the DNS (the DNS block indicated in the figures represents a domain name server or a hierarchy of domain name servers according to the need to search for a complete hardware address), of the same data item called identification data.

By way of example and for the remainder of the description, this identification data (AR) consists of a reserved Internet address.

27 When a browser or browser type program located on the calling station P1 requests to communicate with a program located on the station called P2, it sends a request to a DNS indicating the URL it wishes to call. Simultaneously, the application A1 installed on the station P2 intercepts this request and sends the same information to the server S.

37 If the domain name server (DNS) already knows the IP address of the station called P2, it sends it to the station calling PL Otherwise, it contacts another DNS which will provide it with either the desired address or the address of another DNS, etc.

When the requested address is obtained, the DNS transmits it to the calling station P1 and keeps a copy. 47 The A1 application installed on the station called P2 examines the IP address returned by the DNS to find out whether it is the reserved address (AR). If this is not the case, the calling station P1 then uses the IP address thus obtained to contact the station called P2. Indeed, if the IP address returned is not the reserved address AR, it is an IP address obtained due to the existing connection of the station called P2 to the communication network 4.

If the IP address returned to the DNS is the reserved address AR, the application program A1 does not transmit the response to the calling station PL II waits for the response from the server S. Of course, if the response from the server S had arrived before that of the DNS, the station calling P1 would have likewise ignored the response of the DNS by using the address returned by the server.

The server S checks whether the called station is connected to the communication network 4. 57 If the station called P2 is connected, the server S sends a message to the station called P2 signifying the request for delivery of its IP address. The application A2 installed on the station called P2 checks that the station calling P1 is authorized to call it.

67 If this is the case, the application A2 on the station called P2 transmits to the application A1 on the station calling P1 its IP address. The application A1 installed on the station calling P1 then responds to the station calling P1 in place of the DNS. This response can also be indirect and can be operated, by order, by the server S.

77 If the calling station P1 is not authorized to be put in communication with the called station P2, the application A2 installed on the called station P2 sends a refusal message to the server S which transmits it to the calling station PL

It is also possible that the called station is not connected to the communication network 4 when the server S seeks to send it a request message for issuing its IP address.

This case is represented in FIG. 3, in which the operating steps of the method according to the invention are represented by the numbers from 1 to 11.

As in the case of FIG. 2, the calling station P1 begins by identifying itself with the server S when it is connected to the network of communication 4. It performs this identification via the AL application

27 Still in a similar way to the case in FIG. 2, the calling station P1 sends a message to the DNS indicating the URL of the desired called station P2. The application A1 installed on the calling station P1 intercepts this sending and sends the same information to the server S.

37 This step is identical to the third step previously cited for Figure 2.

47 This step is identical to the step fourth cited above for Figure 2.

67 It turns out that the station called P2 is not connected to the communication network 4. In this case, the server S checks whether the calling station P1 is authorized to request a connection from the called party P2.

If this is the case, the server S finds the telephone number of the station called P2 and calls it to this number via the telephone network 3. The calling procedure can vary without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the server S lets one or two rings ring and then hangs up. 87 Upon receipt of this telephone call, the called extension calls its access provider to connect to the Internet-type communication network. Once connected, the application A2 installed on the station called P2 identifies itself with the server S. The procedure continues as if the called party P2 had already been connected before the call from the calling station: phases 9 and 10 which ' ensue conform to steps 5 and 6 described in the previous example linked to FIG. 2.

1 17 If it turns out after checking the server S that the calling station P 1 is not entitled to request a connection from the station called P2, the server S sends a refusal message to the calling station P1. According to a variant, instead of the application A1 of the calling station P1 sending a request to the server simultaneously with that sent by the station P1 to the DNS, the application A1 installed on the calling station P1 subsequently interrogates the server S only when (and if) the DNS returned the identification data. FIG. 4 retraces different stages of the method according to the invention by grouping together the situations described in FIGS. 2 and 3. Of course, the embodiment thus described is not limiting of the present invention.

In particular, the server S can be responsible for verifying the authorization of P1 to put itself in communication with P2.

For this, we create a database accessible by S and storing the authorization parameters of the different stations called P2.

We can also arrange for the server S to return the IP address (AIP) of P2 itself if the authorization of P1 is validated. Finally, note that it is not necessary for the server S to notify P1 of the availability of the IP address (AIP) of P2.

In addition, if the P1 station does not receive a response, it can be expected that it will automatically reiterate its request or not.

REFERENCES

PL Calling station

P2. Extension called S. Server

DNS. Domain name server

AL Application of P1

A2. P2 application

3. Telephone network 4. Communication network

Claims

1. Method for establishing communication between a calling computer station (P1) and a called computer station (P2) through a communication network (4) in which the connected stations are identified by a IP address (AIP), characterized in that it comprises the following stages:

1 ° - Identification of the calling station (P1) with a server (S);

2 ° - Sending a request from the calling station (P1) to the server (S) to obtain the IP address (AIP) of the called station (P2); 3 ° - If the called station (P2) is not connected to the communication network (4), operation of a telephone call procedure from the called station (P2) to initiate its connection to the communication network (4), the telephone call procedure of the called station (P2) being conditioned on an authorization of the calling station (P1) to request the telephone call of the called station (P2),

4 ° - If the called station (P2) is connected to the communication network (4), response to the request from the calling station (P1).

2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the following steps are carried out: If the called station (P2) is connected to the communication network (4), transmission of the request from the calling station (P1) to the called station ( P2) by the server (S) and response from the called station (P2);

3. Method according to claim 2,

Characterized by the fact that, when the called station (P2) is connected to the communication network

(4), it checks the authorization of the calling station (P1) to communicate with it and if the calling station (P1) is enabled, the called station (P2) returns its IP address (AIP)

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that

The called extension (P2) returns its IP address (AIP) directly to the calling extension (P1).

5. Method according to claim 3,

Characterized by the fact that The called extension (P2) returns its IP address (AIP) to the calling extension via the server (S).

6. Method according to claim 2 characterized in that

The server (S) checks the authorization of the calling station (P1) to put itself in communication with the called station (P2).

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that

The server (S) checks the authorization of the calling station (P1) to put itself in communication with the called station (P2) and if the calling station (P1) is authorized, the server (S) returns the IP address ( AIP) of the called station (P2)

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that

That the calling station (P1) identifies itself with the server (S) as soon as it is connected to the communication network (4).

9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

Characterized by the fact that

The telephone call procedure for the called station (P2) includes the following steps:

• Search by the server (S) for the telephone number of the called station (P2);

• Call of the called station (P2) by the server (S) using said number;

^» Waiting for a predetermined number of rings then end of communication; - Triggering the connection of the called station (P2) to the communication network (4).

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

Characterized by the fact that,

We create applications (A1, A2) respectively on the calling stations (P1) and called (P2) for their communication with the server

(S).

11. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

Characterized by the fact that, - we use a domain name server (DNS) of the communication network (4) in which we assign data to the called station (P2) which is:

• either, by default, a fixed identification data (AR) ^” or, an IP address (AIP) if the called station (P2) is permanently connected to the communication network (4)

- before or simultaneously with sending the request from the calling station (P1) to the server (S), we send the same request from the calling station (P2) to the domain name server (DNS) to obtain the data assigned to the station called (P2).

- If the data assigned to the extension (P2) in the domain name server is different from the identification data (AR), the calling extension (P1) uses the returned IP address to communicate with the called extension (P2) unless the calling extension (P1) has obtained the IP address (AIP) of the called extension (P2) previously.

12. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that

- we use a domain name server (DNS) of the communication network (4) in which we assign data to the called station (P2) which is:

• either by default, a fixed identification data (AR)

"or an IP address (AIP) if the called station (P2) is connected to the communication network (4) - before or simultaneously with the sending of the request from the calling station (P1) to the server (S), we send the same request from the calling station (P2) to the domain name server (DNS) to obtain the data assigned to the called station (P2).

- If the data assigned to the extension (P2) in the domain name server is different from the identification data (AR), the calling extension (P1) uses the returned IP address to communicate with the called extension (P2) unless the calling extension (P1) has obtained the IP address (AIP) of the called extension (P2) previously. - we send a request from the calling station (P1) to the domain name server (DNS) to obtain the data assigned to the called station (P2)

- We condition the sending of the request from the calling station (P1) to the server (S) upon receipt of the calling station (P1) of data assigned to the called station (P2) in the domain name server equal to the identification data (AR).

13. Device for establishing communication between a calling computer station (P1) and a called computer station (P2) through a communication network (4) in which the connected stations are identified by a IP address (AIP), Characterized by the fact that it includes:

- a computer application on the called station (P2) and on the calling station (P1) - a server (S) capable of receiving a request from the calling station (P1) to obtain the IP address (AIP) of the called station (P2 ) and that it is capable of implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.