Incorporating a Mobile Device into a Peer-to-Peer Network

Abstract

A service includes registering a plurality of peer devices at a registration server and registering a peer server at the registration server. A first peer device of the plurality of peer devices communicates with a second peer device of the plurality of peer devices via the peer server. The peer server performs peer operations in a peer-to-peer network on behalf of the first peer device, and the peer server identifies itself to other devices as the first peer device.

1 - 76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . A service comprising:
 registering a plurality of peer devices at a registration server; and   registering a peer server at the registration server;   wherein a first peer device of the plurality of peer devices communicates with a second peer device of the plurality of peer devices via the peer server, and wherein the peer server performs peer operations in a peer-to-peer network on behalf of the first peer device, and the peer server identifies itself to other devices as the first peer device.   
     
     
         78 . The service of  claim 77 , further comprising, providing call progress functionality on behalf of the first peer device. 
     
     
         79 . The service of  claim 78 , further comprising, providing the call progress functionality for at least one of incoming calls and outgoing calls. 
     
     
         80 . The service of  claim 77 , further comprising, with the peer server, providing a ring-back signal to a calling party calling the first peer device. 
     
     
         81 . The service of  claim 77 , further comprising:
 selectively forwarding information on behalf of the first peer device according to rules, and   selectively accumulating information on behalf of the first peer device according to the rules.   
     
     
         82 . The service of  claim 81 , further comprising, receiving updates of the rules. 
     
     
         83 . The service of  claim 81 , further comprising, selectively forwarding the accumulated information to the first peer device. 
     
     
         84 . The service of  claim 77 , wherein the peer server performs peer operations on behalf of the first peer device when the first peer device is offline. 
     
     
         85 . The service of  claim 77 , wherein the peer server performs peer operations on behalf of the first peer device when the first peer device is in stand-by mode. 
     
     
         86 . The service of  claim 77 , wherein the first peer device is one of a portable network device, a mobile network device and a battery operated network device. 
     
     
         87 . A computer program product, stored on one or more computer-readable media, comprising instructions operative to cause a programmable processor of a network device to:
 register a plurality of peer devices at a registration server; and   register a peer server at the registration server;   wherein a first peer device of the plurality of peer devices communicates with a second peer device of the plurality of peer devices via the peer server, and wherein the peer server performs peer operations in a peer-to-peer network on behalf of the first peer device and the peer server identifies itself to other devices as the first peer device.   
     
     
         88 . The computer program product of  claim 87 , wherein the first peer device communicates with the peer server over a wireless network 
     
     
         89 . The computer program product of  claim 88 , wherein the wireless network is one of a cellular network, a wireless local area network, a wireless metropolitan area network, a personal area network, a WiFi network, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network, a Bluetooth network, a Zigbee network and a Ultra Wide Band (UWB) network. 
     
     
         90 . The computer program product of  claim 87 , wherein the peer server performs peer operations on behalf of the first peer device when the first peer device is offline. 
     
     
         91 . The computer program product of  claim 87 , wherein the peer server performs peer operations on behalf of the first peer device when the first peer device is in stand-by mode. 
     
     
         92 . The computer program product of  claim 87 , wherein the first peer device is one of a portable network device, a mobile network device and a battery operated network device. 
     
     
         93 . The computer program product of  claim 87 , wherein the instructions are further operative to cause the programmable processor of the network device to selectively forward information on behalf of the first peer device according to rules. 
     
     
         94 . The service of  claim 93 , further comprising, wherein the instructions are further operative to cause the programmable processor of the network device to selectively accumulate information on behalf of the first peer device according to the rules. 
     
     
         95 . The service of  claim 93 , further comprising, wherein the instructions are further operative to cause the programmable processor of the network device to receive updates of the rules. 
     
     
         96 . A peer-to-peer communication network comprising:
 at least one peer server; and   a plurality of peer devices,   wherein at least one of the plurality of peer devices, being a first peer device, communicates with at least another one of the plurality of peer devices, being a second peer device, via at least one of the peer servers, being a first peer server, and wherein the first peer server performs peer operations in the peer-to-peer network on behalf of the first peer device and the first peer server identifies itself to other devices as the first peer device.