Switching between user devices during a VoIP call

The invention allows a user to switch between devices during a call whilst maintaining a consistent user identity, but without having to log-out or re-dial.

The system comprises a first user device and at least a second user device for the same user, at least one of the devices being a household media appliance, e.g. television or set-top box (STB), and each being installed with a respective instance of a communication client application, e.g. VoIP client, for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network.

Each instance is associated with the same user identifier, with the first of the instances being associated with a first sub-identifier and a second of the instances being associated with a second sub-identifier. The instances are configured so as, during an ongoing call between the first user device and a remote user device conducted over a first network connection established using the user identifier and the first sub-identifier, after the call has been answered, to establish a second network connection using the user identifier and the second sub-identifier and to switch the call to the second network connection.

Cited by

This patent and its US equivalent (US8885601B2) have been cited by 22 subsequent patents filed by Microsoft, Rovi Technologies, Metaswitch Networks and TwineLAB, covering call transfer, device switching, session handoff and notification routing.

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