# US 2014/0156854 A1 · Collaboration Handoff > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156854 A1 - Document ID: US20140156854A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,687 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Mitel Networks Corporation - Inventors: Arthur Louis Gaetano, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156854A1 ## CPC - H04L 65/1069: Session establishment or de-establishment - H04L 12/1822: {Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission} - H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] - H04L 65/1086: {session scope modification} - H04L 65/1093: by adding participants; by removing participants - H04L 65/1094: Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing - H04L 65/1096: Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding (systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42) - H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) - H04W 36/0011: {for data sessions of end-to-end connection} - H04W 76/20: Manipulation of established connections - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A collaboration handoff method for seamlessly passing a communication session between devices includes connecting a first device and a second device to enable communication between the first and second devices using an intermediary device to initiate a communication session. A request may be received from one of the first device and a third device to switch to the third device for communication with the second device. Communication session data for the first device may be identified at the intermediary device. The third device may be connected with the second device within the communication session and the communication session data may be transmitted to the third device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for seamlessly passing a communication session between devices, comprising: connecting a first device and a second device to enable communication between the first and second devices using an intermediary device to initiate a communication session; receiving a request from one of the first device and a third device to switch to the third device for communication with the second device; identifying communication session data for the first device at the intermediary device, the communication session data being specific to the communication session; connecting the third device with the second device within the communication session; and transmitting the communication session data to the third device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the first device from the communication session. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the communication session data includes a communication history between the first and second devices during the communication session ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the communication session data includes communication settings for the first device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the communication session data includes communication settings for the intermediary device specific to communications to or from the first device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sharing the communication session with the second device between the first and third devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein sharing the communication session between the first and third devices comprises transmitting a first type of communication data to the first device and a second type of communication data to the third device, types of communication data being selected from the group consisting of audio or voice data, image or video data, and collaboration data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session is a telephone call. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session is an audio-visual collaboration session. ### Claim 10 A communication handoff system, comprising: a server configured to host a collaboration session between multiple parties; a session manager on the server for managing the collaboration session individually for the multiple parties; and a device manager configured to enable a party to transfer the collaboration session between client devices in communication with the collaboration server such that the transfer is unnoticeable by other of the multiple parties. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein transfer of the access includes a transfer of at least one of collaboration session data and collaboration session settings established before the transfer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the collaboration session data includes a chat history and the collaboration session settings includes audio and video settings. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising a notification module configured to notify one or more of the client devices for the individual of the multiple parties of the communication transfer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising a confirmation module configured to confirm the transfer with one or more of the client devices for the individual of the multiple parties. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising an account manager for managing accounts for the multiple parties and configured to enable transfer of access to the collaboration session when the client devices for the individual of the multiple parties are simultaneously logged in to the system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the device manager is configured to enable transfer of less than full access to the collaboration session such that access to portions of collaboration session are split between the client devices. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the device manager is in communication with the session manager to cause the client devices between which access to the portions of the collaboration session is split to appear as a single device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the server comprises a plurality of collaboration servers in communication with one another, wherein a first of the collaboration servers is configured to host an account manager for the multiple parties and a second of the collaboration servers is configured to host the collaboration session. ### Claim 19 A collaboration method, comprising: providing access for a first client device to an account on a collaboration server to communicate with a second client device in a collaboration session; providing access for a third client device to the account; receiving a request for a seamless transfer of at least a portion of the collaboration session to the third client device from the first client device; and transferring the at least a portion of the collaboration session from the first client device to the third client device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the request further comprises one selected from the group consisting of: receiving the request from the first client device and requesting a confirmation of the request from the third client device; and receiving the request from the third client device and requesting a confirmation of the request from the first client device.