Patent ID: 8804936

Claim:
A method of allocating ports in a communication session, wherein a plurality of applications share said communication session, said method comprising: receiving at a first data-processing system, DPS1, from a first terminal, T1, associated with a first application, App1, a first request, Req 1 , for two ports for use by said first terminal; transmitting from said first data-processing system, DPS 1 , to a second data-processing system, DPS 2 , said first request, Req 1 ; transmitting a signal from said second data-processing system, DPS 2 , to a third data-processing system, DPS 3 , to allocate two ports; at said third data-processing system, DPS 3 , allocating two ports and transmitting a signal to said second data processing system, DPS 2 , said signal comprising parameters for said two ports; at said second data-processing system, DPS 2 , allocating a token, associating the token with said parameters for said two ports, and transmitting a signal to said first data-processing system, DPS 1 , with said token and parameter information; at said first data-processing system, DPS 1 , determining that a second application, App 2 , is associated with a second terminal, T 2 , and transmitting a signal to said second application, App 2 , said signal comprising said token and parameter information; utilizing said two ports allocated from said third data processing system, requesting two additional ports; and determining that two ports have already been allocated by said third data processing system and reusing said two ports already allocated by said third data processing system to perform an operation by said second application.