Patent ID: 6611501
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A method of establishing a connection over a communications network, for service provision between first and second users of the network, there being provided respective connection set-up means for said users, which method comprises:i) storing for each of said users data defining at least one connection configuration, said connection configuration comprising at least one operation of the communications network in combination with an operation to be implemented at least in part by functionality of the connection set-up means; ii) storing in respect of data defining a connection configuration for the second user, data defining at least one alternative connection configuration; and iii) storing in respect of said data defining a connection configuration for the second user, and in respect of the data defining the or each of its alternative connection configuration(s), a respective priority indicator; the method further comprising a negotiation process for the establishment of a connection by means of:iv) transmitting data defining a proposed connection configuration from the connection set-up means for the first user to the connection set up means for the second user, said proposed connection configuration comprising at least one of an operation of the communications network and an operation to be implemented at least in part by functionality of the connection set-up means for the first user; v) reviewing the data defining the proposed configuration at the connection set-up means for the second user by accessing the data defining configurations and the respective priority indicators stored in respect of the second user; and vi) selecting and transmitting a response to the connection set-up means for the first user, the response being determined at least in part by the result of the review step v) above, and selected from acceptance or rejection of the proposed connection configuration, or comprising data defining a counter-proposed connection configuration, without having access to the stored data defining at least one connection configuration in respect of the first user.