Avaya Canada Corp.

Avaya Inc.

Behrouz Poustchi

James Andrew Stelzig

Natalie Ann Gagnon

Eric Cooper

Jennifer Bell

Vineet Seth

Jeroen De Witte

David Thomas Bingham

Cristian Hudici

Jeroen Dewitte

A network device such as a terminal set in a distributed peer-to-peer communications network receives periodic notifications from other network devices indicating which network devices are currently receiving pages. When the network device wishes to send a page to a set of target network devices, it ascertains whether the target devices are already receiving a page. If not, the network device notifies other network devices that it is claiming the target devices for its exclusive paging use. Each device receiving the notification ascertains whether it is one of the target devices, and if so, prepares to receive a page. Absent any objections, the initiating device sends the page (e.g. audio or video) to the target devices. Upon completion, the network device relinquishes its claim to the target devices. If a target network device becomes engaged in a call while receiving a page, playing of the page may be ceased.

Paging between network devices

In call forwarding of a call there is an original calling network device, an original recipient of an incoming call, and a forwardee of the call. Systems, network devices, and methods are provided for delivering local call forwarding functionality. Each network device is capable of functioning in the capacity of any one or more of the above three roles, namely, originator, original recipient, and forwardee by providing local call forwarding functionality. In some implementations there is no central processing equipment used to provide local call forwarding functionality for forwarding calls. Furthermore, a network device may provide a call forwarding destination on behalf of another network device when the other network device cannot be reached.

Call forwarding systems, methods and network devices

Systems and methods for announcing and locating services that are shared in a distributed manner within a peer-to-peer packet-based network are provided. One or more network devices maintain a copy of a particular service and the service is shared by any network device in the network that requires the service. Network devices maintain lists of what services are available on the network as well as where the services are located. When a particular service is desired, the network device consults the lists and is able to request acquisition of the service from any network device known to host the service, either locally or on a remote network device. Service location functionality is also capable of allocating resources and/or services in the network based on statistical information gathered and maintained regarding service use in the network.

System and methods for announcing and locating services in a distributed peer-to-peer network

In a call transfer of a call there is an original calling network device, an original recipient of the call, and a transferee of the call. Systems, network devices, and methods are provided for delivering local call transfer functionality. Each network device is capable of functioning in the capacity of any one or more of the above three roles, namely, originator, original recipient, and transferee by providing local call transfer functionality. There is no requirement for central processing equipment used to provide local call transfer functionality for transferring calls.

Call transfer system, method and network devices

A network device has a voice mail module adapted to provide voice mail functionality for calls of a first type directed to the network device. The calls of the first type are originally intended for the network device. The voice mail module also provides voice mail functionality for calls of a second type directed to the network device. The calls of the second type are originally intended for one or more other network devices in respect of which the network device has been designated as a backup. In a system having such network devices, voice mail functionality may be provided locally at the network devices. The network devices may be implemented as telephones. In the event that a network device is no longer available on the network, another network device designated as a backup network device takes voice mail messages for the network device that is unavailable. This significantly improves overall system reliability and availability.

Peer to peer voice over IP network with distributed call processing

A plurality of local networks each have one or more terminal sets and a message re-director. The message re-directors are adapted to communicate with each other across another network through edge devices. The message re-directors are also adapted to convert multicast messages received locally from the terminal sets into unicast messages for transmission across the other network. The unicast messages are received by the other message re-directors. Each one of the other message re-directors then multicasts information received as part of the multicast messages received to the terminal sets within its local network.

Multicast and unicast message re-direction system, method, message re-director, and network device

In a call park and call park pickup system, a plurality of network devices have local call park functionality. For call park of a call between two network devices initiated at one of the network devices and call park pickup of the call at a third network device, the local call park functionality is used to provide messaging between the three network devices for parking and picking up the call without the need of central processing equipment for providing call park and call park pickup functionality.

Call park and call park pickup systems, methods and network devices

Upon initial connection of a peer to a peer-to-peer network, the peer notifies other peers of its connection to the network. The peer receives existence notifications from other peers and may use them to create a list of the peers on the network, which may be sorted by the unique identifiers of each peer. A prospective network address is selected, e.g. based on the ordinal position of the peer within the sorted list. Conflict checking resolves conflicts between the prospective network address and the network address of other peers. Each peer may periodically notify the other peers of its network address, e.g. to prevent new peers from claiming the address. When a peer becomes inactive, another peer detecting this may begin periodically notifying the remaining peers that the address of the disconnected peer is already claimed. Peers may be Voice-over-IP telephone sets and network addresses may be directory numbers.

Peer discovery

To synchronize time between network devices equally capable of accurately maintaining an indication of current time, one of the network devices is deemed to be a reference for time and the other network devices synchronize their indications of current time to the reference. To synchronize copies of data at multiple network devices, each network device maintains a counter representative of the passage of time but not necessarily of current time. The counter at each device is periodically synchronized with the counters of other network devices. When data is changed at a network device, the value of the counter at the time of changing is stored in association with the changed data. Stored counter values are used to determine whether a local copy or a remote copy of the data is likely more recent and therefore preferable. A further test may be applied if a counter value comparison is inconclusive.

Time and data synchronization between network devices

A network device selects at least one other network device as its backup and communicates information for use by the backup network device(s) in assuming the role of the network device upon its unavailability. The network device also receives information from at least one network device that has selected it as its backup device for use in assuming the role of the selecting device(s) upon unavailability of the selecting device(s). Each network device may act as a backup for the same number of devices as it has backups. Selection of backup devices may be based on device reliability. In one embodiment, each network device has a primary and secondary backup. The primary backup assumes the role of the network device when the latter becomes unavailable, and the secondary backup assumes the role of the network device when both the network device and its primary backup are unavailable.

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Ottawa, Canada

Behrouz Poustchi