Patent ID: 6463078
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A63F,H04L

Abstract:
A method for switching communication protocols between a client computer and remote computers, the method comprising:establishing a first connection with a first remote computer according to a first communication protocol; in a first process executing on the client computer, receiving a connectivity address from the first remote computer via the first connection, wherein the connectivity address provides address information to establish a second connection with a second remote computer; and using the connectivity address to establish the second connection with the second remote computer automatically and without prompting a user for the address information, where the second connection employs a second communication protocol and the second communication protocol is different than the first communication protocol; wherein the first process comprises a first application programming interface program executing on the client computer, and wherein the first application programming interface program establishes the second connection by terminating a first service provider program that implements the first communication protocol and launching a second service provider program that implements the second communication protocol; wherein the first application programming interface program is responsive to application programs executing on the client computer to receive device independent function calls to send and receive messages to the remote computers, where the device independent function calls are independent of the device and communication protocols used to send the messages; and wherein the first application programming interface program establishes the second connection in response to a first message sent by a second application programming interface program executing on the first remote computer, wherein the first message includes the connectivity address, and wherein the connectivity address includes a service provider identifier of the second service provider program and a telephone number or network address.