Patent ID: 7809846

Claim:
A method comprising: initiating a call from a first endpoint to a second endpoint via the Session Initiation Protocol; applying to the call an overlay framework that enables the first endpoint to maintain concurrent communication in two application layer protocols, wherein: (i) the first application layer protocol is the Session Initiation Protocol and the second application layer protocol is a web services protocol, and (ii) the overlay framework comprises support for (A) the web services protocol, (B) a Session Initiation Protocol user agent, and (C) an interface that communicates between the Session Initiation Protocol user agent and an application that uses the web services protocol; and executing the application by the first endpoint via the web services protocol, wherein: (i) the operation of the Session Initiation Protocol user agent is independent of the operation of the application, and (ii) the operation of the application does not require the cooperation of the second endpoint.