662 results about "Peer communication" patented technology

This disclosure describes systems and methods related to facilitating payments via a peer-to-peer protocol. Tokenized information associated with a payment transaction may be obtained. Establishment of a peer-to-peer communications session with a payment recipient device may be facilitated. The tokenized information to the recipient device via the established peer-to-peer communications session may be communicated in order to facilitate completion of the payment transaction.

A server provides a secure environment for establishing peer-to-peer communications between clients. When two clients of the server wish to establish peer-to-peer communication, they first connect to the server. The server authenticates each client and provides information to authenticated clients to enable them to establish peer-to-peer communication. Any client who abuses the peer-to-peer communication privileges can lose the right to be authenticated. In an exemplary embodiment, the server is a game server and the clients joining in playing games, preferably using voiced-based peer-to-peer communication. Different levels of authorization may be granted to different clients, to limit the interaction between clients.

A peer-to-peer communication system for use over an underlying computer network system, the peer-to-peer communication system comprising: a web browser; and a broker interposed between the browser and the underlying computer network system, with the broker being adapted to (1) monitor a first event taking place within the browser, encode the first event and associated changes in a first event message, and push the first event message to the at least one other peer over the underlying computer network system.

Disclosed are systems and methods for peer-to-peer communication over a network between a first node behind a first network address translator (NAT) and a second node behind a second NAT, despite the first NAT and the second NAT intervening between the first and second nodes. The first NAT is a Symmetric NAT. A port prediction is performed wherein the first node constructs a list of predicted transport addresses on the first NAT. A message containing the list of predicted transport addresses is sent from the first node to the second node. A connectivity check is performed with the second node using the predicted transport addresses.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a network of peer-to-peer communication devices controlled by a central controller. Using respective peer-to-peer communication devices, users can submit customized program schedules to the central controller, for media broadcasts that the users wish to record and view at a later time. The central controller maintains a global schedule of individual user-entered program schedules, and directs the peer-to-peer communication devices to record and re-play the content as requested in the schedules. The requested content may be recorded locally by any peer-to-peer communication device and transmitted upon request to a different peer-to-peer communication device of the network.

A peer-to-peer communication system for use over an underlying computer network system, the peer-to-peer communication system comprising: at least two peers, each peer comprising: a Web browser; and a broker interposed between the browser and the underlying computer network system, with the broker being adapted to (1) monitor a first event taking place within the browser, encode the first event and associated changes in a first event message, and push the first event message to the at least one other peer over the underlying computer network system, whereby the at least one other peer can reproduce on the at least one other peer the changes associated with the first event; and (2) receive a second event message from the at least one other peer, where the second event message has been encoded to correspond to a second event and associated changes taking place on the at least one other peer, decode the second event message and push the results to the browser, whereby to recreate the changes associated with the second event within the browser.

A communication apparatus is provided. A controller module generates a suggested sub-frame pattern describing suggested arrangement of one or more almost blank sub-frame(s) in one or more frame(s) and schedules control signal and / or data transmissions according to the suggested sub-frame pattern. A radio frequency module transmits at least a first signal carrying information regarding the suggested sub-frame pattern to a peer communications apparatus. The peer communications apparatus does not schedule data transmissions in the almost blank sub-frame(s).

A method and system for transferring a computer session between devices, such as a land-line device to a wireless device. A user launches a computer session on a first device, such as a personal computer. The user may then selectively transfer the computer session to another device, such as a wireless device, through activation of a triggering signal or other transfer request means. In response, the context of the computer session is determined as it is being performed on the first device, and corresponding context data is transferred to the second device. An applicable application on the second device is opened and loaded with applicable context data to continue the session. Several session transfer mechanisms, including use of an online service, proxy mechanisms, and peer-to-peer communication links, are disclosed.

A sync-seeking system comprises a central server and a portable server that include control programs to maintain the equivalency of their stored data and to accumulate additional data from outside sources. The portable server establishes a wireless connection with at least one wireless network, e.g., a wireless wide area network (WWAN) or a wireless local area network (WLAN), and the central server and portable server establish a logical connection via the at least one wireless network. In order to maintain logical equivalency, the central server and portable server intermittently engage in peer-to-peer communication via the logical connection to exchange the additional data they have accumulated. The portable server can be interconnected, via wireless links, to display devices, such as laptop computers, PDAs, set-top boxes, and cell phones.

A method and system for configuring one or more prospective-participant nodes as participant nodes so as to enable the prospective-participant nodes to engage in a peer-to-peer communication is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the method and system may be embodied as a common application that includes logic, in hardware or software form, for carrying out one or more of the functions for configuring one or more prospective-participant nodes as a participant node in a peer-to-peer network. In carrying out these functions, one of the participant nodes discovers its network connection settings, and based on these settings, generates participant-node-configuration data that includes one or more network connection settings that define how to address the prospective-participant node as a participant node. When desiring to join the peer-to-peer network, the prospective-participant node and the participant node may establish a point-to-point communication link by engaging in a discovery process using so as to establish a data-link layer connection. After completing negotiation of the data-link-layer connection, the prospective-participant node and the participant node may communicate over the data-link-layer connection. The prospective-participant node may send to the participant node a request for network access. Responsively, the participant node sends to the prospective-participant node the participant-node-configuration data over the point-to-point connection. And the prospective-participant node configures itself using the participant-node-configuration data so as to become a participant node.

A method (FIG. 11) and corresponding wireless communication unit (102, FIG. 5) and mobility manager (116, FIG. 6) for facilitating a handover from one communication network (106) to another communication network (108) of an ongoing communication (120, 122) between a wireless communication unit (102) and a peer communication unit (114, 714). The method including obtaining call information (1103) corresponding to the ongoing communication where the ongoing communication uses the first communication network; and ascertaining a handover number (1105) for use by the wireless communication unit to originate a handover call (1107) via the second network (108), the handover number terminating within the first communication network for use in facilitating the handover of the ongoing communication to the second communication network.

A method of wireless communication includes communicating with a server through a first MPTP path using a first IP address; communicating with the server through a second MPTP path using a second IP address, the communication with the server through the second MPTP path being through a wireless node at the second IP address; and communicating with the wireless node through peer-to-peer communication.

A wireless network provides controlled wireless communications with multi-mode wireless WTRUs. The wireless network has at least one base station having a transceiver operating in an infrastructure communication mode with multi mode WTRUs and a controller that transmits control signals via infrastructure communications with a WTRU that control peer-to-peer mode communications of that WTRU with other WTRUs. A WTRU has transceiver components configured for selective operation in an infrastructure communication mode with a network base station and in a peer-to-peer communication mode with other WTRUs. The WTRU also has a transceiver controller configured to selectively control peer-to-peer mode communications with other WTRUs based on communication signals received in infrastructure communications with a network base station. Preferably, the transceiver controller is configured to control the transceiver components to switch between infrastructure communication mode and peer-to-peer communication mode based on Quality of Service criteria.

A method for enabling mobile coverage extension and peer-to-peer communications in an ad hoc network is provided. The method includes communicating at least one message among the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one message comprises: an ad hoc zone, wherein the ad hoc zone comprises at least one channel selected from a group of channels comprising: at least one synchronization channel for synchronizing out of coverage nodes, at least one access channel for peer-to-peer communications, and at least one ad hoc relay data / traffic channel for exchanging data during data sessions between one or more nodes.

A method and apparatus for allocating frequency resources for peer to peer (P2P) communication between terminals without a base station are provided. The method determines resources used for a direct communication between two terminals in a communication system. The method includes determining uplink frequency resources of a cellular communication system for use in the direct communication between the two terminals, determining a primary maximum transmission power to minimize interference caused by the direct communication on the cellular communication system and performing the direct communication between the two terminals by using the uplink frequency resources and a transmission power less than the determined primary maximum transmission power.

A wireless proximity network is extended to provide peer-to peer communication among ad hoc networks. A mobile device (peer) coupled to an access point serves an adhoc network via a short-range communication link. The peer executes a Bluetooth protocol stack. Each peer has a routing table about all the peers in the adhoc network. A peer to peer software layer (P2P) runs on top of the Bluetooth protocol stack and beneath a multi-user application layer. The P2P software handles application deployment, peer management and communications for applications and provides information about existing peers on the adhoc network; routes messages between peers within an ad hoc network and from one peer to another in different adhoc networks. The access point is connected to a wireless LAN via a wireless router. The access point has an IP-BT address conversion table and communicates with other access points via wireless routers using TCP / IP protocols.

An authentication protocol is disclosed for use in enhancing the security of communications between software applications and Internet-based service providers. The protocol incorporates a two level authentication model based on a distribution of authentication responsibilities, wherein the application authenticates users and the service provider authenticates the application. Embodiments of the protocol incorporate public key infrastructure and digital certificate technology. Other embodiments of the present invention pertain to applying a corresponding protocol to peer-to-peer communication scenarios.

A distributed data storage system and method comprising a highly integrated mass storage controller system permitting distributed management and control of data storage is disclosed. The present invention in some preferred embodiments permits mass storage media to be made available on a network in a fashion to permit global access, while automatically handling many high-level file access and data integrity / security / control functions normally associated with a host operating system. This integration and redistribution of functionality permits spatial diversification of data resources, automatic mirroring of data, fault isolation, data security, and a plethora of other control functions to be integrated into the mass storage device. This integration permits peer-to-peer communication between mass storage devices to both unburden the host data consumers but also isolate the data management functions from the data presentation functions normally associated with host systems. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention as applied to specific preferred system contexts include but are not limited to distributed data storage in a networked environment, brokered data access metering, database access / control, data backup, journaling, checkpointing, and automated software distribution.

The present invention allows originating endpoints to obtain reachability information from a directory service, which collects contact and related information from available users. When initiating a peer-to-peer communication session to an endpoint of a destination user, the originating endpoint will access the directory service to obtain reachability information for the destination user. The reachability information may contain one or more addresses, one of which will be a peer-to-peer communication session address. From the reachability information, the originating terminal will determine an appropriate address to initiate communications with the destination user. The reachability information may identify multiple addresses, where only certain of the addresses may be peer-to-peer communication addresses and other addresses may be used to establish other types of sessions through disparate types of networks.

Improved systems and methods for establishing peer-to-peer calls such as voice over IP calls and video over IP calls. In various embodiments of the invention, SMTP messages are exchanged between devices using a SMTP server, with the SMTP messages including IP address information. With this arrangement, the need for SIP service providers can be eliminated. In other embodiments of the present invention, SMS messages including IP address information are transmitted between devices during a GSM or other type of telephone call, enabling the call to “migrate” to a VoIP or video over IP call.

A system and method for notifying emergency responders, family, and other contact parties of an urgent vehicle condition such as a breakdown or crash, by using a short-range wireless communicator mounted on the vehicle to employ a peer-to-peer communications capability to find and co-opt a nearby long-range communication device, such as a Bluetooth enabled phone, which is not mounted on the vehicle, such as a passer's-by telephone. The invention obtains authorization from the co-opted device to use it as a forwarding proxy, and transmits a notification message to one or more parties, such as emergency dispatchers, family members, etc., via the short-range link to the co-opted device, which then transmits the message to the recipient via the long-range network, such as via a telephone network.

A solution for improved monitoring and control of jobs in grid and batch computing systems provides a centralized server's batch manager which is only responsible for workload balancing and job initiation and completion, all other command and status information are communicated directly between the plurality of submitter's systems and the plurality of client systems that are processing their respective workloads. The computing system and communication process utilizes event-driven peer to peer communications between submitter's systems and client systems and enables more detailed status and control information to be passed without overloading the centralized server, and by avoiding polling also provides more immediate feedback of results. Multiple process threads are employed on both the submitter's and client systems, and a user interface consolidates and displays results to the submitter allow commands to be sent to processes running on client batch systems.

A system and method for peer-to-peer communications in cellular communications systems are provided. A method for communications device operations includes receiving a peer list at a communications device, where the peer list includes a list of reachable communications devices and device-to-device (D2D) capability information of the reachable communications devices, selecting a peer from the peer list, sending a content request comprising an indication of a content to a communications controller serving the communications device, and receiving the content from the peer over a channel established by the communications controller.

An apparatus and method for supporting Peer-to-Peer (P2P) communications in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. A frame used by the terminal in P2P communications includes a plurality of P2P contention channels overlapping with a region for cellular communications and at least one P2P dedicated channel allocated by a base station only for the P2P communications. The method includes establishing a P2P connection with a correspondent terminal through the at least one P2P dedicated channel, and exchanging P2P communication data with the correspondent terminal through at least one of the plurality of P2P contention channels.

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for scheduling resources in Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) communication networks for “direct link” or peer-to-peer communications among stations operating therein so that OFDMA resources can be allocated to a transmitter station for a peer-to-peer communication session with a receiver station such that near-far issues caused by peer-to-peer communication are reduced / avoided. The disclosed technologies can prevent peer-to-peer communication links using different sub-channels within the same time slot from creating near-far issues for other receiver stations that are within communication range.

Peer-to-peer communication between user terminals in a licensed spectrum is enabled by a method comprising the following steps: —communicating directly, peer-to-peer, between the first and the second mobile terminal, and —disconnecting the peer-to-peer communication in dependence of control signals received or not received from the base station. Thus, according to the invention, the network is enabled to control the peer-to-peer communication between two user terminals.

Methods for authenticating peer mobile network nodes for establishing a secure peer-to-peer communications context in an ad-hoc network are presented. The methods include accessing wireless infrastructure network entities at low bandwidth and for a short time duration to obtain cryptographic information regarding a peer mobile network node for the purpose of establishing secure peer-to-peer communications therewith ad-hoc network. Having received cryptographic information regarding a peer mobile network node, the method further includes challenging the peer network node with a challenge phrase derived from the cryptographic information received, receiving a response, and establishing a secure communications context to the peer mobile network node based on the validity of the received response. Advantages are derived from addressing security threats encountered in provisioning ad-hoc networking, by leveraging wireless infrastructure network security architecture, exemplary deployed in UMTS / GSM infrastructure networks, enabling seamless mobile network node authentication through the existing UMTS and / or GSM authentication infrastructure, while pervasively communicating with peer mobile network nodes in an ad-hoc network.

A method for ensuring valid and secure peer-to-peer communications in a group structure. Specifically, the system of the present invention presents a method of ensuring secure peer-to-peer group formation, group member addition, group member eviction, group information distribution, etc. Such functionality may be distributed to the individual peers in the group to further enhance the overall security of the group while enhancing flexibility. The P2P group security allows every peer who is a valid member of the group to invite new members. The recipients of these invitations are then able to contact any member of the group to join the group, not only the inviter. Further, groups may function when the group creator is not online. Likewise, the method allows the creation of secure groups with users from different security domains, relying on their security credentials in those domains for initial authentication.