Patent ID: 8190705
Filing Date: 2012-05-29
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A method for establishing communications between first and second parties through the intermediary of a server device, said method comprising the steps of: generating a request initiated by a first party for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between said first party and a second party, said first communications network comprising a telephone communications network; interrupting, at a server device associated with said first communications network, receipt of said request and translating the request into a data network object representing a communications capability for subsequently establishing, at a plurality of times, a communications channel between said first party and second party, said data network object maintaining state information concerning use of said communications capability, said maintained state information including an identification (ID) of the first party and information for subsequently establishing, via said data network object, a communications channel between said first and second party over said first communications network, and, an indication of a number of times the second party is allowed to invoke the data network object; and, sending the data network object to the second party via a second communications network, said second communications network comprising a data communications network, said network object enabling a second party to communicate acceptance of communicating with said first party upon receipt thereof or at a future time back to said server device; upon receipt of said acceptance, initiating via said server device, creation of a communications channel between the first and second parties over said first communications network, and, implementing, at said server device, a counter for tracking each subsequent communication successfully completed between the first and second parties over said first communications network, said server device decrementing said counter each time the data network object is successfully used to establish a subsequent call that has been completed between the first and second parties over said channel in said first communications network.