MULTIMODAL TELEPHONE CALLS
BACKGROUND
[0001] Smart telephones provide more computing and connectivity options than
standard telephones. In addition to making telephone calls, smart telephones are typically
used to access the Internet or corporate intranets. Applications such as email and web
browsing are common on smart telephones.
[0002] Telephone calls between standard telephones are limited to voice
communications. Although some smart telephones may include a computer operating
system, telephone calls between smart telephones are also typically limited to voice
communications. When a data exchange is desired between connecting parties, a separate
data channel using separate equipment is typically required.
SUMMARY
[0003] Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a method implemented on a
computing device for establishing a multimodal telephone call. On the first computing
device, a telephone call is received from a second computing device. A telephony session
is established between the first computing device and the second computing device. On
the first computing device, a request message is sent to register the first computing device
for a data session at an online registry service. On the first computing device, a response
message is received indicating that the first computing device is registered at the online
registry service. The response message includes a key that uniquely identifies the data
session. On the first computing device, the key is used to establish the data session with
the second computing device.
[0004] The details of one or more techniques are set forth in the accompanying
drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of these
techniques will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Figure 1 shows an example system that supports establishment of a multimodal
telephone call.
[0006] Figure 2 shows example communications between a caller computing device
and a recipient computing device of the system of Figure 1 during the establishment of a
multimodal telephone call.
[0007] Figure 3 shows example communications between the caller computing device
and a multimodal register server computer of the system of Figure 1 during the
establishment of the multimodal telephone call.
[0008] Figure 4 shows example communications between the recipient computing
device, a messaging email server computer and the multimodal register server computer of
the system of Figure 1 during the establishment of the multimodal telephone call.
[0009] Figure 5 shows an example system showing the establishment of a multimodal
telephone call for the system of Figure 1.
[0010] Figure 6 shows an example flowchart for establishing a multimodal telephone
call from the perspective of the calling computing device of Figure 1.
[0011] Figure 7 shows an example flowchart for establishing a multimodal telephone
call from the perspective of the recipient computing device of Figure 1.
[0012] Figures 8 and 9 show an example flowchart for establishing a multimodal
telephone call from the perspective of the multimodal register server computer of Figure 1.
[0013] Figure 10 shows example components of the computing devices of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The present application is directed to systems and methods for using a
multimodal capability of smart telephones to exchange both voice and data in the context
of a telephone call. The telephone call is initiated as a voice communication but migrates
to include a data connection when both parties in the telephone call determine that
multimodal capability is available.
[0015] The term multimodal, as used herein, refers to the ability of a device to support
both voice and data communications.
[0016] When a caller initiates a telephone call to a recipient from a computing device a
smart telephone with multimodal capability, the caller's computing device also sends a
data session registration request to an online registry service. The online registry service
is typically a server computer that provides hosting capability and that also provides a data
session registry service. When the recipient receives the telephone call, if the recipient's
telephone is also a computing device with multimodal capability and if the computing
device is properly configured, the recipient's computing device also sends a data session
registration request to the online registry service. In examples, the computing devices may
be smart telephones, laptop/desktop computers, unified messaging servers, etc.
[0017] The data session registration request from computing device of both the caller
and the recipient includes the telephone number of both the caller and the recipient. When
the online registry service receives the data session registration requests, the online
registry service attempts to match the caller and recipient telephone numbers in both
registration requests. When the online registry service determines that the caller and
recipient telephone numbers in the registration requests match, the online registry service
establishes a data session between the caller and the recipient. When the data session is
established, a simultaneous voice and data connection exists between the caller and the
recipient. Once the voice and data connection is established, rich content can be
exchanged between the computing devices of the caller and the recipient via the online
registry service.
[0018] Figure 1 shows an example system 100 that supports the establishment of a
multimodal telephone call. The example system 100 includes an example caller
computing device 102, an example recipient computing device 106, a public switched
telephone network (PSTN) 104, an example multimodal register server computer 108 and
networks 110 and 112.
[0019] The caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106 are
smart telephones with multimodal capability. The multimodal register server computer
108 is a server computer is a hosted service that provides an online registry service. For
example, a multimodal register server can be built using the Windows Azure™ cloud
services operating system from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington. One
example of recipient computing device 106 is the Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 server
computer with unified messaging. The Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 server computer
provides auto attendant hosting capability.
[0020] In the example system 100, communication between the caller computing
device 102 and the multimodal register server computer 108 occurs across network 110
and communication between the recipient computing device 106 and the multimodal
register server computer 108 occurs across network 112. In examples, networks 110 and
112 are a corporate Intranet or the Internet. In some examples, network 110 and network
112 are the same network.
[0021] When a caller at caller computing device 102 initiates a telephone call to
recipient computing device 106, the caller computing device 102 also sends a first
registration request for the establishment of a data session to multimodal register server
computer 108. At the time the caller computing device 102 sends the first registration
request, the caller computing device 102 has no knowledge about the multimodal
capabilities of the recipient computing device 106. However, the request is sent as a
matter of protocol to provide caller registration information for the possibility that the
recipient computing device 106 does have multimodal capability. The call is made over
the PSTN 104. When the recipient computing device 106 receives the telephone call, a
voice communication telephony session is established between the caller computing
device 102 and the recipient computing device 106.
[0022] When the recipient computing device 106 has multimodal capability, the
recipient computing device 106 may be configured to initiate a registration request for a
data session with the caller computing device 102. For example, the recipient computing
device 106 may include an automated attendant that automatically initiates a second
registration request for a data session when an incoming call is received. As with the
caller computing device 102, the recipient computing device 106 has no knowledge of the
multimodal capability of the caller computing device 102. However, the second
registration request is initiated by the recipient computing device 106 as a matter of
protocol to provide registration information for the possibility that caller computing device
102 does have multimodal capability.
[0023] The first registration request from caller computing device 102 and the second
registration request from recipient computing device 106 each include the caller
computing device 102 telephone number and the recipient computing device 106
telephone number. When the multimodal register server computer 108 receives the second
registration request, the multimodal register server computer 108 attempts to match the
caller computing device telephone number 102 and the recipient computing device 106
telephone number with caller and recipient telephone numbers from other registration
requests received at the multimodal register server computer 108.
[0024] When the multimodal register server computer 108 determines that the caller
computing device 102 telephone number and the recipient computing device telephone
number 106 from the first registration request matches the caller computing device
telephone number 102 and the recipient computing device 106 telephone number from the
second registration request, the multimodal register server computer 108 establishes a data
connection between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device
106. When the data connection is established, data can be transferred between the caller
computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106 using standard network
protocols.
[0025] The ability to establish a multimodal conversation between two parties in which
both voice and data are exchanged provides several possible application scenarios.
Generally, as described herein, the establishment of a multimodal conversation allows for
the exchange of rich communications between the two parties.
[0026] In one example, a caller using a smart telephone calls a pizza store to place an
order for pizza. The pizza store could have an automated attendant hosted on the recipient
computing device 106. Because the pizza store had configured one of the automated
attendants to display specials for the day when calls are received from multimodal devices
such as smart telephones, when a telephone session is established between the caller and
the pizza store and when a data session is established between the caller and the pizza
store, when the caller calls the pizza store, the specials of the day are displayed on the
caller's smart phone at the same time that the caller is talking to an employee of the pizza
store and placing an order.
[0027] In a second example, a caller telephones a restaurant to obtain driving directions
to the restaurant. Because the caller uses a smart telephone, the smart telephone, for
example the caller computing device 102 also sends a request to an online registry service,
for example multimodal register server computer 108, to register for a data session. An
automated attendant registered for the restaurant answers the telephone call and provides a
voice menu of options for the caller. For example, the automated attendant may be hosted
in the recipient computing device 106. One of the voice options in the menu is
"directions." When the caller says "directions," the automated attendant at the restaurant
sends the caller a map that the caller can visualize via the data connection between the
caller computing device 102 and recipient computing device 106 via the online registry
service.
[0028] In a third example, an extension of the second example above, the caller places
an order over the phone. When the order is placed, the restaurant attendant uses the data
connection to display the order on the caller's smart telephone and asks the caller to
confirm the order.
[0029] In a fourth example, a caller calls an employee at a business office. The
employee is on vacation. Because the caller is calling from a smart telephone, as
discussed the caller also initiates a data session with the business office. When the call is
received at the business office, a message on the employee's phone informs the caller that
the employee is out of the office. Because the business office uses a unified messaging
server computer, the unified messaging server computer sends the caller the employee's
calendar over the data connection and also sends the caller a list of contacts that the
employee created before the employee left for vacation.
[0030] In a fifth example, a man is in the market for a sofa, but is undecided about two
sofas. The man calls his wife, but the wife does not answer the telephone and the call is
redirected to her voice mail system. Because the man is calling from a smart telephone
and because the wife's voice mail system is hosted by a unified messaging server
computer device, a data session is established between the man's smart telephone and the
unified messaging server computer device. The man records a voice message and sends
pictures of both sofas before ending the telephone call. When the wife checks her smart
telephone, the wife listens to a message left by her husband. At the same time, the wife's
smart telephone displays the two pictures of the sofa sent by her husband.
[0031] In a sixth example, a caller calls a department store to check on the status of an
order. Because the caller calls from a smart telephone and because the department store
uses an automated attendant hosted by a unified messaging server computer, in addition to
a telephone session being established between the caller and the department store, a data
session is also established between the caller and the department store. When the caller
asks for the status of her order, the automated attendant displays the order status and other
order information on the caller's smart telephone.
[0032] In a seventh example, the caller from the sixth example disagrees with
something on her monthly billing statement from the department store. When the caller
places a telephone call to the billing office of the department store, a data session is
established between the caller and an automated attendant associated with the billing
office. The automated attendant displays the caller's billing statement online while the
caller waits for someone to answer the telephone call. When a customer representative
answers the telephone call, both the caller and the customer representative are able to see
the caller's billing statement. The caller is also able to highlight portions of the billing
statement, making it easier for the customer service representative to understand to which
portion of the bill the caller is referring.
[0033] The examples provided above are not exhaustive or limiting. Many applications
of the technologies described herein are possible.
[0034] Referring to Figures 2-5, the process of establishing a multimodal telephone call
is described in more detail. Figure 2 shows example communications 200 between the
caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106 during the
establishment of a multimodal telephone call. At step 202, using a smart telephone, a
caller at caller computing device 102 initiates a telephone call with a recipient computing
device 106. The recipient computing device 106 is a computing device capable of
handling multimodal telephone calls. For example, the recipient computing device 106
may be a smart telephone or a unified messaging server computer, etc. The telephone call
is sent over a public switched telephone network, for example PSTN 104, not shown in
Figure 2. After the recipient computing device 106 receives the telephone call, the
recipient computing device 106 confirms the establishment of the telephone call with the
caller computing device 102.
[0035] Figure 3 shows example communications 300 between the caller computing
device 102 and the multimodal register server computer 108 when the caller computing
device 102 registers with the multimodal register server computer 108 for a data
connection. When the caller computing device 102 initiates a telephone call with the
recipient computing device 106 (step 202), because the caller computing device 102 is a
smart phone, at step 302, the caller computing device 102 also sends a request to the
multimodal register server computer 108 to register with the multimodal register server
computer 108 for a data connection. The request includes the telephone number of the
caller (caller computing device 102) and the telephone number of the recipient (recipient
computing device 106). The request also includes a fully qualified domain name for the
multimodal register server computer 108. As discussed, the multimodal register server
computer 108 is a hosted service that provides an online registry service, for example a
registry service hosted on the Windows Azure™ cloud services operating system. In this
disclose, the telephone number of the caller is represented as and
the telephone number of the recipient is represented as .
[0036] When the multimodal register server computer 108 establishes the data
connection between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device
106, at step 304, the multimodal register server computer 108 creates a key for the data
connection and sends the key to the caller computing device 102. The key represents a
unique identifier for the data session. The key may comprise one or more numbers or
alphabetic characters.
[0037] Figure 4 shows example communications 400 between the recipient computing
device 106, and the multimodal register server computer 108 when the recipient
computing device 106 registers with the multimodal register server computer 108 for a
data connection. The recipient computing device 106 may be a unified messaging server
that hosts an automated attendant or a voice mail system.
[0038] At step 402, the recipient computing device 106 initiates a registration process
with the multimodal register server computer 108. The registration message from the
recipient computing device 106 includes the telephone number of the caller computing
device 102 (caller telephone number), the telephone number of the recipient computing
device 106 (recipient telephone number) and the fully qualified domain name for the
multimodal register server computer 108.
[0039] At step 404, the multimodal register server computer 108 establishes a data
session with the recipient computing device 106 and sends the key for the data session to
the recipient computing device 106.
[0040] The process of the multimodal register server computer 108 establishing a data
session with the recipient computing device 106 involves determining whether the
telephone number of the caller computing device 102 and the telephone number of the
recipient computing device 106 that are included in the registration request message from
the recipient computing device 106 matches a caller computing device number and a
recipient computing device number already registered at the multimodal register server
computer 108.
[0041] For example, at step 302, the multimodal register server computer 108 registers
the caller computing device 102 and associates the telephone numbers of the caller
computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106 with the registration. In
examples, the telephone numbers are stored in the multimodal register server computer
108 as a concatenated string with the following syntax:

In other examples, a different format may be used. The caller number is the telephone
number of the caller computing device 102, and the called number is the telephone number
of the recipient computing device 106.
[0042] At step 404, the multimodal register server computer 108 registers the recipient
computing device 106 and associates the telephone numbers of the caller computing
device 102 and the recipient computing device 106 with the registration. The telephone
numbers are stored in the multimodal register server computer 108 as a string with the
following syntax:

The caller number is the telephone number of the caller computing device 102, and the
called number is the telephone number of the recipient computing device 106.
[0043] The multimodal register server computer 108 determines if a match is found
between the strings. Some normalization of the strings may be required before the
matching process. When a match is found between the strings, the multimodal register
server computer 108 creates a temporary unique identifier for a data session with the caller
computing device 102 and with the recipient computing device 106. The temporary
unique identifier is also known as a key.
[0044] At step 404, the multimodal register server computer 108 registers the recipient
computing device 106 for a data session and sends a response message with the key to the
recipient computer device 106.
[0045] Figure 5 shows an example system 500 showing both a telephony session and a
data session that are established between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient
computing device 106. A data session is established between the caller computing device
102 and the multimodal register server computer 108. In examples the caller computing
device 102 uses the and the where is
the fully qualified domain name for the multimodal register server computer 108 to send
and receive messages via a network protocol, e.g., HTTP, SOAP. In other examples, a
different format or protocols may be used.
[0046] A data session is also established between the recipient computing device 106
and the multimodal register server computer 108. In examples, the recipient computing
device 106 uses the and , where is the
fully qualified domain name for the multimodal register server computer 108 and
to send and receive messages via a network protocol such as HTTP or SOAP. In other
examples, different formats may be used for the fully qualified domain name and the key.
[0047] Once the data sessions are established between the caller computing device 102
and the multimodal register server computer 108 and between the recipient computing
device 106 and the multimodal register server computer 108, data can be transmitted
between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106 using the
multimodal register server computer 108 as an intermediary. Figure 5 also shows that a
telephony session coincides with the data session so that voice and data communications
are simultaneously operative between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient
computing device 106.
[0048] When the telephone call between the caller computing device 102 and the
recipient computing device 106 is completed, for example when the parties in the
telephone call hang up, the caller computing device 102 sends a message to the
multimodal register server computer 108 terminating the data connection and identifying
the key as no longer being valid When the multimodal register server computer 108
receives the termination message from the caller computing device 102, the multimodal
register server computer 108 unregisters the caller computing device 102.
[0049] The recipient computing device 106 also sends a message to the multimodal
register server computer 108 terminating the data connection and identifying the key as no
longer being valid. When the multimodal register server computer 108 receives the
termination message from the recipient computing device 106, the multimodal register
server computer 108 unregisters the recipient computing device 106.
[0050] Figure 6 shows an example flowchart of a method 600 at a caller computing
device for establishing a multimodal telephone call between the caller computing device,
for example caller computing device 102, and a recipient computing device, for example
recipient computing device 106. In some examples, the recipient computing device 106 is
also a smart telephone. In other examples, the recipient computing device 106 is a client
computer having multimodal capability.
[0051] At operation 602, a caller at the caller computing device 102 initiates a
telephone call to a recipient computing device 106. At operation 604, the caller
computing device 102 also sends a registration request to an online registry service, for
example the multimodal register server computer 108. The online registry service is an
online hosting server computer that also provides registration capability. The registration
capability provides for registering a computing device for a data connection with one or
more other computing devices.
[0052] When the caller at operation 602 initiates the telephone call to the recipient
computing device 106, the caller computing device 102 has no knowledge as to whether
the recipient computing device 106 can support a data connection. However, each time
the caller computing device 102 initiates the telephone call to the recipient computing
device 106 at operation 602, the caller computing device 102 also sends the registration
request to the online registry service. When the recipient computing device 106 cannot
support a data connection, no response is typically received for the registration request of
operation 604.
[0053] At operation 606 a response is received from the recipient computing device
indicating that a telephony session is established between the caller computing device and
the recipient computing device.
[0054] At operation 608, a response message is received from the online registry
service, for example from the multimodal register server computer 108. The response
message indicates that the caller computing device 102 is registered at the multimodal
register server computer 108 and that a data session has been established at the multimodal
register server computer 108. The response message also includes a key for the data
session. The key is a unique identifier for the data session that is created when a match is
detected from registration information from the caller computing device and the recipient
computing device. The registration information includes the telephone numbers of the
caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106.
[0055] At operation 610, the key is used to establish a data session between the caller
computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106. In examples, the data
session may implement direct communication between the caller computing device 102
and the recipient computing device 106 or the data session may use the online registry
service as an intermediary between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient
computing device 106.
[0056] Figure 7 shows an example flowchart of a method 700 at a recipient computing
device, for example at recipient computing device 106, for establishing a multimodal
telephone call with a caller computing device, for example caller computing device 102.
[0057] At operation 702, the recipient computing device 106 receives a telephone call
from the caller computing device 102. At operation 704, the recipient computing device
106 sends a response to the caller computing device 102 indicating that a telephony
session has been established between the caller computing device 102 and the recipient
computing device 106.
[0058] At operation 706, the recipient computing device 106 sends a registration
request to an online registry service. The online registry service, for example the
multimodal register server computer 108, is an online hosted service that also provides
registration capability. The registration capability provides for registering a computing
device for a data connection with one or more other computing devices.
[0059] When the recipient computing device 106 receives the telephone call, the
recipient computing device 106 has no knowledge as to whether the caller computing
device 102 can support a data connection. However, each time the recipient computing
device 106 receives a telephone call, the recipient computing device 106 sends a
registration request to the online registry service. When the caller computing device 102
cannot support a data connection, no response is typically received for the registration
request of operation 706.
[0060] At operation 708, a response message is received at the recipient computing
device 106 indicating that the recipient computing device 106 is registered for a data
session at the online registry service. The response also includes a key for the data
session. The key is a unique identifier for the data session that is created when a match is
detected from registration information from the caller computing device 102 and the
recipient computing device 106. The registration information includes the telephone
numbers of the caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106.
[0061] At operation 710, the key is used to establish a data session between the caller
computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106. The recipient computing
device 106 sends and receives messages using the and KEY, where
REGISTERFQDN is the fully qualified domain name of the multimodal register server
computer 108 and where KEY is the unique identifier for the data session. The data is
exchange via a network protocol, such as HTTP or SOAP.
[0062] Figures 8 and 9 show an example flowchart of a method 800 for a registering a
caller computing device and a recipient computing device for a data session at an online
registry service. In this example, the caller computing device is caller computing device
102, the recipient computing device is recipient computing device 106 and the online
registry service is the multimodal register server computer 108.
[0063] At operation 802, a first request message is received at the multimodal register
server computer 108 from the caller computing device 102 to register a data session for the
caller computing device 102. At operation 804, a second request message is received at
the multimodal register server computer 108 from the recipient computing device 106. At
operation 806, the multimodal register server computer 108 determines whether a
telephone number information in the first request message matches a telephone number
information in the second request.
[0064] At operation 808, a determination is made as to whether a match is detected.
When a determination is made that a match is detected, meaning that the telephone
information provided by both the caller and the recipient computer device match, at
operation 810 an identifier is created for a data session between the caller computing
device 102 and the recipient computing device 106. The identifier, also known as a key,
provides a unique identifier for the data session.
[0065] At operation 812, the multimodal register server computer 108 sends a response
message to the caller computing device 102. The response message also includes the key
for a data session.
[0066] At operation 814, the multimodal register server computer 108 sends a response
message to the recipient computing device 106. The response message to the recipient
computing device 106 also includes the key for the data session. The data session setup at
the multimodal register server computer 108 permits data communication between the
caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing device 106.
[0067] At operation 818, the multimodal register server computer 108 receives a
message from one or both of the caller computing device 102 and the recipient computing
device 106 indicating that the telephone call between the caller computing device 102 and
the recipient computing device 106 has ended. At operation 820, the multimodal register
server computer 108 unregisters the caller computing device 102 and the recipient
computing device 106.
[0068] With reference to Figure 10, example components of computing devices 102,
106 and server computers 108, 114 are shown. In example embodiments, computing
devices 102, 106 are client computers. In example embodiments, the server computers
108, 114 are computing devices. The recipient computing device 106 can include
input/output devices, a central processing unit ("CPU"), a data storage device, and a
network device. The other computing device 102 and the server computers 108, 114 can
be configured in a similar manner.
[0069] In a basic configuration, the recipient computing device 106 typically includes
at least one processing unit 1002 and system memory 1004. Depending on the exact
configuration and type of computing device, the system memory 1004 may be volatile
(such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or some combination of
the two. System memory 1004 typically includes an operating system 1006 suitable for
controlling the operation of a networked personal computer, such as the Windows®
operating systems from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington or a server, such
as Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, also from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,
Washington. The system memory 1004 may also include one or more software
applications 1008 and may include program data.
[0070] The recipient computing device 106 may have additional features or
functionality. For example, the recipient computing device 106 may also include
computer readable media. Computer readable media can include both computer readable
storage media and communication media.
[0071] Computer readable storage media is physical media, such as data storage
devices (removable and/or non-removable) including magnetic disks, optical disks, or
tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in Figure 10 by removable storage 1010 and
non-removable storage 1012. Computer readable storage media may include volatile and
nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or
technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules, or other data. Computer readable storage media can include,
but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology,
CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes,
magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other
medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by
recipient computing device 106. Any such computer readable storage media may be part
of the recipient computing device 106. Caller computing device 102 may also have input
device(s) 1014 such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc.
Output device(s) 1016 such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. may also be included.
[0072] The recipient computing device 106 may also contain communication
connections 1018 that allow the device to communicate with other computing devices
1020, such as over a network in a distributed computing environment, for example, an
intranet or the Internet. Communication connections 1018 are one example of
communication media. Communication media may typically be embodied by computer
readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data
signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information
delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" means a signal that has one or more of
its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal.
By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such
as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF,
infrared and other wireless media.
[0073] The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration
only and should not be construed to limiting. Various modifications and changes that may
be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the true spirit and
scope of the disclosure.
What is claimed is:
1. A method implemented on a first computing device for establishing a multimodal
telephone call, the method comprising:
on the first computing device, receiving a telephone call from a second computing
device;
on the first computing device, sending a response to the second computing device that
a telephony session is established between the first computing device and the second
computing device;
on the first computing device, sending a request message to register the first
computing device for a data session at an online registry service;
on the first computing device, receiving a response message indicating that the first
computing device is registered at the online registry service, the response message
including a key that uniquely identifies the data session; and
on the first computing device, using the key to establish the data session with the
second computing device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request message to register the first
computing device for the data session at the online registry service further comprises
including a first telephone number and a second telephone number in the request message,
the first telephone number being a telephone number of the second computing device and
the second telephone number being a telephone number of the first computing device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the key to establish the data session with the
second computing device further comprises including the key in one or more data
messages sent from the first computing device to the second computing device.
4. A method implemented on a first computing device for establishing a multimodal
telephone call, the method comprising:
on the first computing device, receiving a first request message from a second
computing device to register a data session for the second computing device, the first
request message including a first telephone number and a second telephone number;
on the first computing device, receiving a second request message to register the data
session for a third computing device, the second request message including a third
telephone number and a fourth telephone number;
on the first computing device, determining whether the telephone numbers from the
second computing device and third computing device match;
on the first computing device, when it is determined that the telephone numbers
from the second computing device and the third computing device match, creating a key
for the data session between the second computing device and the third computing device,
the key providing a unique identifier for the data session.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising on the first computing device, sending a
first response message to the second computing device, the first response message
including the key.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising on the first computing device, sending a
second response message to the third computing device, the second response message
including the key.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein the first telephone number is a telephone number
associated with the second computing device and the second telephone number is a
telephone number associated with the third computing device.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the third telephone number is a telephone number
associated with the third computing device and the fourth telephone number is a telephone
number associated with the second computing device.
9. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the telephone numbers from the
second computing device and the third computing device match further comprises
determining whether the first telephone number matches the fourth telephone number and
determining whether the second telephone number matches the third telephone number.
10. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by
a client computer, cause the client computer to:
receive a telephone call from a second computing device;
send a response to the second computing device that a telephony session is
established between the client computer and the second computing device;
send a first request message to register the client computer for a data session at an
online registry service, the first request message including a first telephone number
associated with the client computer and a second telephone number associated with the
second computing device;
receive a response message indicating that the client computer is registered at the
online registry service, the response message including a key that uniquely identifies the
data session; and
initiate a second request message to send data to the second computing device, the
second request message including the key.