System and method for implementing video calls

A method for implementing video calls, comprising:

• maintaining, at a calling terminal, a persistent connection with a server;
• sending, by the calling terminal, a video call request to the server, the video call request including a first universally unique identifier and a second universally unique identifier of a called terminal, wherein prior to the sending of the video call request, the first universally unique identifier is acquired, and wherein prior to the sending of the video call request, the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal is acquired, and wherein the acquiring of the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal comprises:
• scanning, by the calling terminal, a Quick Response (QR) code being displayed on the called terminal, the QR code being generated based on the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal;
• acquiring, by the calling terminal, the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal based on the QR code;
• and
• during the scanning of the QR code, sending, by the calling terminal, the first universally unique identifier of the calling terminal to the called terminal to be added as a contact via the persistent connection;
• and
• conducting, by the calling terminal, a video call with the called terminal via an established video call channel.

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
• maintain, by a server, persistent connections with a plurality of terminals used to make video calls, wherein each terminal has a universally unique identifier;
• receive, by the server, a video call request from a called terminal via one of the persistent connections, wherein prior to the receiving of the video call request from a calling terminal, the universally unique identifier of the called terminal is acquired by the calling terminal, and wherein the acquiring of the universally unique identifier of the called terminal comprises to:
• scan, by the calling terminal, a Quick Response (QR) code being displayed on the called terminal, the QR code being generated based on the universally unique identifier of the called terminal;
• acquire, by the calling terminal, the universally unique identifier of the called terminal based on the QR code;
• and
• during the scanning of the QR code, send, by the calling terminal, the universally unique identifier of the calling terminal to the called terminal to be added as a contact via the one of the persistent connections;
• notify, by the calling terminal, the called terminal via one of the persistent connections, the notifying being based on the universally unique identifier of the called terminal;
• receive, by the calling terminal, a response from the called terminal;
• and
• establish a video call channel, wherein the calling terminal and the called terminal conduct a video call via the video call channel.

A computer program product for implementing video calls, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• maintaining, by a server, persistent connections with a plurality of terminals used to make video calls, wherein each terminal has a universally unique identifier;
• receiving, by the server, a video call request from a calling terminal via one of the persistent connections, the video call request including the universally unique identifier of the calling terminal, and a universally unique identifier of a called terminal, wherein prior to the receiving of the video call request from the calling terminal, the universally unique identifier of the called terminal is acquired by the calling terminal, and wherein the acquiring of the universally unique identifier of the called terminal comprises:
• scanning, by the calling terminal, a Quick Response (QR) code being displayed on the called terminal, the QR code being generated based on the universally unique identifier of the called terminal;
• acquiring, by the calling terminal, the universally unique identifier of the called terminal based on the QR code;
• and
• during the scanning of the QR code, sending, by the calling terminal, the universally unique identifier of the calling terminal to the called terminal to be added as a contact via the one of the persistent connections;
• notifying, by the calling terminal, the called terminal via one of the persistent connections, the notification being based on the universally unique identifier of the called terminal;
• receiving, by the calling terminal, a response from the called terminal;
• and
• establishing a video call channel based on the received response, wherein the calling terminal and the called terminal conduct a video call via the video call channel.

A computer program product for implementing video calls, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• maintaining, at a calling terminal, a persistent connection with a server;
• sending, by the calling terminal, a video call request to the server, the video call request including a first universally unique identifier and a second universally unique identifier of a called terminal, wherein prior to the sending of the video call request, the first universally unique identifier is acquired, and wherein prior to the sending of the video call request, the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal is acquired, and wherein the acquiring of the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal comprises:
• scanning, by the calling terminal, a Quick Response (QR) code being displayed on the called terminal, the QR code being generated based on the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal;
• acquiring, by the calling terminal, the second universally unique identifier of the called terminal based on the QR code;
• and
• during the scanning of the QR code, sending, by the calling terminal, the first universally unique identifier of the calling terminal to the called terminal to be added as a contact via the persistent connection;
• and
• conducting, by the calling terminal, a video call with the called terminal via an established video call channel.