Communicating between diverse communications environments

A telecommunications apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first user terminals;
• a first communications medium interconnecting the first user terminals;
• first call processing means for interacting with the first user terminals via a first protocol to effect communications sessions between the first user terminals over the first communications medium;
• a plurality of second user terminals;
• a second communications medium interconnecting the second user terminals;
• second call processing means for interacting with the second user terminals via a second protocol different from the first protocol to effect communications sessions between the second user terminals over the second communications medium;
• and
• proxy user means connected to the first medium and to the second medium for interacting on behalf of a second user terminal with the first call processing means via the first protocol like the first user terminals and for interacting on behalf of a first user terminal with the second call processing means via the second protocol like the second user terminals to cause the first call processing means and the second call processing means to effect a communications session between the first user terminal and the second user terminal over the first communications medium and the second communications medium, wherein
• the first call processing means comprise a stored-program-controlled server of a client-server system that comprises a client and the server which executes a server program;
• each first user terminal comprises a stored-program-controlled said client of the client-server system which executes a client program;
• and
• the proxy user means comprise a client program which executes on the server.

A proxy user arrangement for a telecommunications system that includes a plurality of first user terminals, a first communications medium interconnecting the first user terminals, a first call processor for interacting with the first user terminals via a first protocol to effect communications sessions between the first user terminals over the first communications medium, a plurality of second user terminals, a second communications medium interconnecting the second user terminals, and a second call processor for interacting with the second user terminals via a second protocol different from the first protocol to effect communications sessions between the second user terminals over the second communications medium, the proxy user arrangement comprising:

• first means connectable to the first medium for interacting on behalf of a second user terminal with the first call processor via the first protocol like the first user terminals;
• and
• second means connectable to the second medium for interacting on behalf of a first user terminal with the second call processor via the second protocol like the second user terminals;
• thereby to cause the first call processor and the second call processor to effect a communications session between the first user terminal and the second user terminal over the first communications medium and the second communications medium, wherein
• the first means comprise
• first control signaling means connected to the first call processor for interacting with the first call processor on behalf of the second user terminal via control signals of the first protocol, and
• first interface means interconnecting the first medium with the second medium, for receiving second user communications from the second user terminal via the second medium and the second protocol on behalf of the first user terminal and transmitting the received second user communications to the first user terminal via the first medium and the first protocol on behalf of the second user terminal;
• and
• the second means comprise
• second control signaling means connected to the second call processor for interacting with the second call processor on behalf of the first user terminal via control signals of the second protocol, and
• second interface means interconnecting the first medium with the second medium, for receiving first user communications from the first user terminal via the first medium and the first protocol on behalf of the second user terminal and transmitting the received first user communications to the second user terminal via the second medium and the second protocol on behalf of the first user terminal.

A proxy user arrangement for a telecommunications system that includes a plurality of first user terminals, a first communications medium interconnecting the first user terminals, a first call processor for interacting with the first user terminals via a first protocol to effect communications sessions between the first user terminals over the first communications medium, a plurality of second user terminals, a second communications medium interconnecting the second user terminals, and a second call processor for interacting with the second user terminals via a second protocol different from the first protocol to effect communications sessions between the second user terminals over the second communications medium, the proxy user arrangement comprising:

• first means connectable to the first medium for interacting on behalf of a second user terminal with the first call processor via the first protocol like the first user terminals;
• and
• second means connectable to the second medium for interacting on behalf of a first user terminal with the second call processor via the second protocol like the second user terminals;
• thereby to cause the first call processor and the second call processor to effect a communications session between the first user terminal and the second user terminal over the first communications medium and the second communications medium, wherein
• the first call processor comprises a stored-program-controlled server of a client-server system that comprises a client and the server which executes a server program,
• each first user terminal comprises a stored-program-controlled said client of the client-server system which executes a client program, and
• the proxy user arrangement comprises a client program for execution on the server.

A method of communicating between a first endpoint and a second endpoint in a telecommunications system that includes a plurality of first user terminals, a first communications medium interconnecting the first user terminals, a first call processor for interacting with the first user terminals via a first protocol to effect communications sessions between the first user terminals over the first communications medium, a plurality of second user terminals, a second communications medium interconnecting the second user terminals, a second call processor for interacting with the second user terminals, via a second protocol different from the first protocol to effect communications sessions between the second user terminals over the second communications medium, and an interface that interconnects the second communications medium with the first communications medium, the method comprising the steps of:

• the interface interacting with the first call processor on behalf of the second user terminal via control signals of the first protocol like the first user terminals;
• the interface receiving second user communications from the second user terminal via the second medium and the second protocol on behalf of the first user terminal;
• the interface transmitting the received second user communications to the first user terminal via the first medium and the first protocol on behalf of the second user terminal;
• the interface interacting with the second call processor on behalf of the first user terminal via control signals of the second protocol like the second user terminals;
• the interface receiving first user communications from the first user terminal via the first medium and the first protocol on behalf of the second user terminal;
• and
• the interface transmitting the received first user communications to the second user terminal via the second medium and the second protocol on behalf of the first user terminal;
• thereby to cause the first call processor and the second call processor to effect a communications session between the first user terminal and the second user terminal over the first communications medium and the second communications medium.

A method of communicating between a first endpoint and a second endpoint in a telecommunications system that includes a plurality of first user terminals, a first communications medium interconnecting the first user terminals, a first call processor for interacting with the first user terminals via a first protocol to effect communications sessions between the first user terminals over the first communications medium, a plurality of second user terminals, a second communications medium interconnecting the second user terminals, a second call processor for interacting with the second user terminals via a second protocol different from the first protocol to effect communications sessions between the second user terminals over the second communications medium, and an interface that interconnects the second communications medium with the first communications medium, the method comprising the steps of:

• the interface interacting on behalf of the second user terminal with the first call processor via the first protocol like the first user terminals;
• and
• the interface interacting on behalf of the first user terminal with the second call processor via the second protocol like the second user terminals;
• thereby to cause the first call processor and the second call processor to effect a communications session between the first user terminal and the second user terminal over the first communications medium and the second communications medium, wherein
• the first call processor comprises a stored-program-controlled server of a client-server system that comprises a client and the server which executes a server program,
• each first user terminal comprises a stored-program-controlled said client of the client-server system which executes a client program, and
• the steps of interacting together comprise the step of
• executing a client program of the client-server system on the server.