Conferencing Initiation By Single Calling Station Patents (Class 379/205.01)
  • Patent number: 11659094
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a program and method for scheduling a call to be automatically initiated between users. The program and method provide for receiving, from a first device associated with a first user, a request for a call to be automatically initiated, at a scheduled time, between the first device and a second device corresponding to a second user; providing, to the second device and in response to the receiving, an invitation to participate in the call; receiving, from the second device and in response to the providing, an acceptance of the invitation; and providing for automatically initiating the call between the first device and the second device at the scheduled time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Voss, Christie Marie Heikkinen, Daniel Rakhamimov, Laurent Desserrey, Susan Marie Territo
  • Patent number: 11336773
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a program and method for scheduling a call to be automatically initiated between users. The program and method provide for receiving, from a first device associated with a first user, a request for a call to be automatically initiated, at a scheduled time, between the first device and a second device corresponding to a second user; providing, to the second device and in response to the receiving, an invitation to participate in the call; receiving, from the second device and in response to the providing, an acceptance of the invitation; and providing for automatically initiating the call between the first device and the second device at the scheduled time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Voss, Christie Marie Heikkinen, Daniel Rakhamimov, Laurent Desserrey, Susan Marie Territo
  • Patent number: 10750332
    Abstract: A network-based service is utilized to facilitate twinning of two or more communication devices associated with a subscriber account. Incoming communication is intercepted by a communication device and forwarded to a network server, which in turn transmits the incoming communication to the multiple twinned devices. In addition, identifier data associated with outgoing communication is replaced with a primary identifier (e.g., customer telephone number (CTN)) of a user's primary device or a common identifier (e.g., a mobile one number (MON)) assigned to devices associated with the user's subscriber account. Communication devices can be temporarily twinned for a defined time period, during which a common bill can be generated for the twinned devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignees: AT&T Mobility II LLC, AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Edward G. Schmit, Jayanta Das
  • Patent number: 10701115
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing, to each of a number of client devices, at least part of a graphical user interface (GUI) corresponding to a virtual room. The virtual room contains a number of users. The method further includes providing, to each of the client devices, a first portion of the GUI identifying at least some of the users in the virtual room. The method further includes providing, to each of the client devices, a second portion of the GUI, where the second portion of the GUI displays: (1) one or more user interactions from one or more of the users in the virtual room; and (2) for each user interaction, an identification of each particular user who generated the that user interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Rabbit Asset Purchase Corp.
    Inventors: Aaron Huynh, Cathrine Lindblom Gunasekara, Jane Temkin, Paul Jack
  • Patent number: 10496960
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a proactive scheduler having a controller element to determine a scheduling conflict between a called party and a calling party according to calendar information of the called party and presence information of the called party. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Jackson, Mehrad Yasrebi
  • Patent number: 10469659
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a network device for setting up a voice call. The invention further relates to computer programs and computer program products comprising computer readable medium having the computer programs stored thereon. In a first aspect of the invention a method of setting up a voice call between a first party and a second party is provided. The method comprises acquiring information pertaining to at least one detected state of at least one of the first and the second party, determining whether the acquired information pertaining to the at least one detected state of the at least one of the first and the second party satisfies at least one criterion of a scheduling policy for setting up the voice call; and if so causing the voice call to be set up between the first party and the second party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Matthew John Lawrenson, Jacob Ström
  • Patent number: 10349007
    Abstract: A video display hub is mounted in a common household area such as a kitchen or family room. During times that have been designated as being available for communications, devices in first and second households exchange and display blurred video, allowing users in each household to see vague shapes and movements of the other household. Upon noticing activity, a user in the first household may initiate a video conversation, causing the video from the first household to be unblurred and causing unobscured voice to be transmitted to the second household. A user in the second household may respond by allowing the video conversation to be fully enabled, allowing the video from the second household to be unblurred and unobscured voice to be transmitted back to the first household.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Douglas McQueen, Meng Li, Eric Alan Breitbard, Robert Steven Murdock, Julien George Beguin, Gregory Michael Hart, David A. Limp, Scott Ian Blanksteen
  • Patent number: 10230545
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method, system and apparatus for logging into a communication client. The method comprises receiving a registration request from a first communication client, the first communication client being registered in association with a device group. The method further comprises, responsive to a determination that there does exist a second communication client registered in association with the device group, provisioning the first communication client and the second communication client according to the registration request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: BELL INC.
    Inventors: David William Clark, Jonathan Allan Arsenault, Jeffrey William Dawson, Eric John Wolf
  • Patent number: 10015313
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method thereof area provided. The electronic device includes a communication circuit configured to communicate with at least one or more external electronic devices as a call reservation target, a processor electrically connected with the communication circuit, and a memory electrically connected with the processor. The processor determines a type of a call reservation request from information inputted through a user input requesting a call reservation and controls the communication circuit to perform at least one of transmitting schedule information of the electronic device to the at least one external electronic device and transmitting a request for schedule information of the at least one external electronic device, based on the type of the call reservation request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Moon Bae Song
  • Patent number: 10009389
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a conference bridge receives a call initiated by a first caller endpoint. The conference bridge identifies a conference to which the call requests entry and determines whether the conference bridge has available resources to process the call. The conference bridge enables the call to join the conference via a second conference bridge associated with a second caller endpoint participating in the conference according to whether the conference bridge has available resources to process the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Labhesh Patel, Mukul Jain, Sanjeev Kumar
  • Patent number: 9832240
    Abstract: Managing access to a conference call includes obtaining, via a calendar application, a list of participants, the list of participants includes a number of participants to be included in a conference call, identifying, from the list of participants, a first portion of the participants that have personal passcodes, generating guest passcodes for a second portion of the participants associated with the list of participants that do not have the personal passcodes, and permitting, based on the personal passcodes or the guest passcodes, each of the participants to participate in the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Darryl M. Adderly, Prasad Kashyap, Brian J. Murray, Wenjian Qiao
  • Patent number: 9659281
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a proactive scheduler having a controller element to determine a scheduling conflict between a called party and a calling party according to calendar information of the called party and presence information of the called party. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Jackson, Mehrad Yasrebi
  • Patent number: 9628566
    Abstract: A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium having instructions to establish a web connection with a user device and provide access to a carrier-grade network in support of a Web Real Time Communication (WebRTC) session; obtain service data that includes data pertaining to a user of the user device; assign a level of trustworthiness to the service data; generate a message, wherein the message includes a request to initiate the WebRTC session; package the service data in the message based on the level of trustworthiness; and transmit the message to another device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Somes, Heath W. Hendrickson, Jeffrey A. Haltom
  • Patent number: 9462120
    Abstract: A user of the system of the invention is given the option of recording a memo on the calls he or she has received through a prompt on a telecommunication device. The user can choose to record a voice memo or text memo after each call. The memos are saved in connection with caller id information pertaining to the number from which the call was placed. When a user of the system receives a call from a number that has a memo saved in relation thereto, the user will be prompted to hear, and may listen to, the voice memo before answering the call. If the memo is in text form, the user can configure the system to provide various processing options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventors: Mamoon Rashid, Sivakumaran Sanmugasuntharam, Anton Mendoza
  • Patent number: 9380265
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention detail systems, computer program products, and methods for providing a call indicator tool. In an exemplary embodiment the system presents, on the display of a video conference apparatus, a call indicator widget linked with a video conference communication session. The call indicator widget may include (i) at least one selectable feature and (ii) at least one label for presenting information to the customer via the call indicator widget. Through user input the system may receive an indication that the customer selected the at least one feature, and in response to receiving the indication, alter the display to present information related to the selectable feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carrie Anne Hanson, Alicia C. Jones-McFadden, Craig Sobol, Brent Alan Shelkey, Kimberly Ya-chin Chang, Sarah Beth Gottfried, Wang Liang, Neha Rani Rathi, Anthony Scott Wong
  • Patent number: 9232185
    Abstract: A conferencing system may comprise an electronic display configured to display remote video generated within a remote conference room, a speaker configured to reproduce remote audio generated within the remote conference room, and a processor configured to receive local audio generated within a local conference room and picked up by a microphone assembly that is part of a separate device from the electronic display. A related method may include displaying remote video on an electronic display of an all-in-one display, reproducing remote audio through at least one speaker of the all-in-one display; and performing echo cancellation of local audio using the remote audio as an echo cancellation reference. Another method may include receiving, at an all-in-one display, a plurality of local audio signals from a plurality of microphone assemblies that are separate from the all-in-one display, and controlling, within the all-in-one display, gating of the plurality of microphone assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ClearOne Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Peter H. Manley
  • Patent number: 9037121
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile device which voluntarily and easily forms a network under a ubiquitous environment to perform various services and a control method of the same, the mobile device is provided, which includes a communication unit which communicates with at least one counterpart mobile device; a signal processing unit which processes a signal transmitted and received through the communication unit; a display unit which displays an image based on the signal processed by the signal processing unit; a user input unit which receives input by a user; and a controller which controls the communication unit to transmit request signals and perform the community activity with at least one counterpart mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electonics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woo-yong Chang, Sun-ae Kim, Hyung-rae Cho
  • Patent number: 9031542
    Abstract: A multi-party call method provides connecting a multi-party call with a plurality of non-control terminals by a control terminal. Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals are received from a part of the plurality of non-control terminals to which call termination commands are input by the control terminal, respectively. The received DTMF signals are recognized to check the part of the plurality of non-control terminals that have transmitted the DTMF signals; and the call states are displayed with the recognized part of the non-control terminals as a terminal state on a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guangyu Shan
  • Patent number: 9026489
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer method, computer program product, and computer system for automatically updating a conference invitation with contact information corresponding to a user's geographical location. A user on a client device accepts an invitation to a conference. The geographical location of the client device is determined and stored in a database. Using the location of the client device, a conference information database is accessed, and location specific conference contact information is determined. The location specific conference contact information is then input into the conference invitation so that the user has location specific conference contact information. In another embodiment, when the user accesses the conference invitation, the location of the client device is determined, and if the location has changed from when the invitation was accepted, a new location is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Judith H. Bank, Erik S. Bryant, Gary Denner, Patrick J. O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9025752
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for providing a communications service in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method monitors a conference call, detects a triggering event during the conference call registered for a particular user, wherein the particular user is not a participant in the conference call, and notifies the particular user of the triggering event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles Douglas Blewett, Megan Blewett, Joseph Gibbons, Robert Haarde
  • Patent number: 9014679
    Abstract: An example aspect includes a mobile device that can perform a method where a conference call schedule is kept in a calendaring application, which is made to reference a temporary entry in a contact manager, which tracks access information, such as a dial-in number, an authentication code, and descriptive information for the call, such as a name for the call. The access information from the temporary contact entry is used to establish the call, and the descriptive information from the contact entry is outputted, such as through a display. An entry in a log can be created for the call using the descriptive information from the temporary contact entry. The temporary contact entry can be maintained if the conference call is to be repeated, or else it can be deleted. Such devices and methods provide an enhanced user experience for conference calls, by providing logging and display of more descriptive information about the calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Yuriy Yuryevich Lobzakov, Peter Eymard Baccay, Colin Mark Werner
  • Patent number: 8958536
    Abstract: A method and system for providing an audio/video conference includes receiving audio from a moderator via a circuit-switched telephone network, transmitting a representation of the audio to a first listener group via the circuit-switched telephone network, and transmitting a representation of the audio to a second listener group via a packet-switched network. The audio/video conference may be transmitted to the first listener group and the second listener group in real-time or near real-time (e.g., within a few seconds). The method and system may be used with a circuit-switched telephone network such as, for example, a public switched telephone network. Further, the method and system may be used with a packet-switched network such as, for example, the Internet. The method and system further provide synchronization of video data, including slide data, and audio data related to the audio/video conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cinchcast, Inc.
    Inventors: Avrohom Y. Charish, Alan Levy, Aleksandr Yampolskiy
  • Patent number: 8942683
    Abstract: A system and method of routing a conference call participant to a conference call is disclosed. Participant location data is requested from an electronic device of the conference call participant. The participant location data is received on a system server from the electronic device of the conference call participant. A least cost connection conference call access phone number is determined from an access number group of one or more available conference call access phone numbers based on the location data from the electronic device of the conference call participant. The conference call participant is provided with the least cost connection conference call access phone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory Joseph Doerr, Timothy J. Reedy
  • Patent number: 8942141
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods employing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to provide multi-channel, multi-access voice communication capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: IntraCom Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Brand, John Jurrius, David Brand
  • Patent number: 8830291
    Abstract: Embodiments described can more effectively complete complicated service transactions in a more efficient manner by having a team of well-trained professionals who are instantly “streamed” into any location as necessary. A two-way communication system can provide instant or quick access to the right expert at the right point in time, thereby converting what might otherwise be a negative customer experience into a positive sales and service opportunity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Citibank, N.A.
    Inventors: Christopher E. Kay, Sam Lising, Tim Kobe
  • Patent number: 8811586
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for arranging a conference call with mobile terminals operating in a cellular network. At first, a group of the participants of the conference call is formed either by selecting the participants from a list saved in the memory of the mobile terminal in by inputting the contract information of the participants manually. In the next step, a summons to the conference call is drawn up in standard form. An application loaded into the memory of the convener's mobile terminal forms the summons, and sends the summons to the particulars via the cellular network. When a participant wants to join a conference call, he/she makes a call with the mobile terminal to the telephone number mentioned in the summons. An application in the mobile terminal of the convener receives the incoming calls and joins them to the conference call automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Timo Ali-Vehmas
  • Patent number: 8781841
    Abstract: An example method is provided that may include receiving a first request to join a communication session; receiving voice data from a telephonic device in response to an audio prompt requesting a voice input from a dial-in user; interpreting the voice data to identify a particular name; and presenting the particular name in a graphical user interface associated with the communication session, the presentation of the particular name identifying that the dial-in user has joined the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhuang Wang
  • Patent number: 8774383
    Abstract: A method, a system, and computer readable medium comprising instructions for optimizing on-premise conferencing are provided. The method comprises receiving at least one call from at least one caller, identifying at least one call from at least one caller, and connecting the at least one call to a conference call bridge via a single connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel J. Marquis, Kenneth William Kurz, Warren Edward Baxley, Douglas Oneal Utley
  • Patent number: 8774396
    Abstract: An embodiment may include, in response to selecting of a displayed telephone number, prompting issuance of a click command to make an outgoing call to the displayed telephone number. The selecting may be indicated by highlighting the displayed telephone number. In response to an incoming call, a message may be displayed from an operating system. The message may include caller ID data and may prompt issuing of other click commands that, if issued, may result in answering the incoming call, conferencing the incoming call with the outgoing call, and placing on hold the outgoing call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael D. Stanford, Ronald Scott Langham
  • Patent number: 8767925
    Abstract: An interactive assistant for managing telephone communications and services is disclosed. In one of many possible method embodiments, a chat interface is provided to a device associated with an intended recipient of an incoming voice call. A chat message from the intended recipient is received through the chat interface. The chat message is presented to a calling party associated with the incoming call prior to a disposition of the call being determined. In other embodiments, an interface provides controls for individually managing calls on a conference call, without affecting other calls on the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Data Services LLC
    Inventors: Ashutosh K Sureka, Craig L Reding, Shuchi R Patel, Alin L D'Silva, Paula A Dromlewicz, Sathish Subramanian
  • Patent number: 8744054
    Abstract: Methods and systems for reestablishing voice communications in the event of a service interruption. The method comprises establishing a call session with a user via a communication device, storing call state and bridge information associated with the call session, determining that the call session has been disconnected, and maintaining the call state and bridge information associated with the call session and redialing for the disconnected user. The method may further include providing an audio message to other call participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Rene Dufrene, Eric Bernier
  • Patent number: 8724788
    Abstract: Processing a communication is disclosed. A first request to establish communication is received at a redirection node from a requesting communication participant. A destination communication participant associated with the request is determined. A communication session in which the requesting communication participant, the redirection node, and the destination communication participant are participants at the same time is established, including sending from the redirection node to an equipment associated with the destination communication participant a second request to establish communication between the redirection node and the equipment associated with the destination communication participant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher H. Claudatos, William Dale Andruss
  • Publication number: 20140120888
    Abstract: There are many ways to communicate with multiple people at the same time, some of them are Conference Calls, Walkie Talkies, Facebook, Twitter and Text. Ability to communicate to multiple people can save time, money and sometime lives. Some of them means of communication (walkie talkie, push to talk) are comparatively expensive to setup. Adding additional participants to this setup takes time and resources. Some of them of not easily achievable and practical for a small set of people. Using the cateNet service you can setup this multi-party communication within few minutes, activate them at a touch of a button and still pay a little. The service is extensible and can eventual get together a very large set of people.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventor: Mahendra Bhegade
  • Patent number: 8688149
    Abstract: A method of using an intercom on a cordless telephone during an active call. The active call is put on hold while the intercom is in use. Once the call is re-activated, the intercom is shut off. This system may be designed for a cordless telephone with one handset or a plurality of handsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Agere Systems LLC
    Inventors: Joseph M. Cannon, James A. Johanson
  • Patent number: 8666050
    Abstract: Data processing and communications devices are configured to generate, using command signals received from at least one user input device, a signal set representing a meeting request, the meeting request signal set comprising signals representing one or more parameters for a proposed meeting and configured for causing a second data processing and communications device to initiate a voice call on receipt of command signals representing a response to the meeting request; and forward the generated meeting request signal set to the second data processing and communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: John Ferguson Wilson, James Andrew Godfrey, Daryl Joseph Martin
  • Patent number: 8654955
    Abstract: Products for conferencing between a local and a distant party through an electronic channel include a portion installed to a fixed conferencing environment and another portion removable from the fixed environment for roaming conferencing. A breakout box detachable from the removable portion may be used having connections for installation-type conferencing elements such as speakers, microphones and other conferencing devices. The removable portion may include an acoustic echo canceler. The removable portion may be connected to a communication-handling device, such as a computer with VOIP software, or may be directly connected to a communication channel. Speakers or microphones in the removable portion may be automatically or manually disabled on connection with the fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Clearone Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: David Lambert
  • Patent number: 8650255
    Abstract: A method and computer program product for receiving a join request, from a requestor, to join an online conversation in which an online user of an instant messaging system is participating. A notification is provided to the online user that the requester would like to join the online conversation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Joseph O'Sullivan, Robert Cameron Weir, Edith Helen Stern, Barry E. Willner
  • Patent number: 8649781
    Abstract: A GPS mobile terminal (2) that a person (1) carries monitors position information on a dog (3) to whom a GPS terminal (4) is attached. When the person (1) and the dog (3) are separated more than a preset distance, the GPS mobile terminal (2) that the person (1) carries uses PoC communication enabling intragroup communication such as a transceiver to make a call request to mobile terminals (6, 7, 8) of all guardians belonging to any one of a plurality of groups (A, B, C) made up of the guardians. When there is a response from a group of the guardians, the communication is enabled in the group, so that the guardians can guide the person (1) to a safe place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yuuichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8619962
    Abstract: A method is provided for authorizing an authenticated user into a teleconference session as a participant that avoids some of the costs and disadvantages of doing so in the prior art. The authorization is a combination of the enterprise user's authentication at work and cryptographic authorization to the teleconference system by the inviter. When a user goes to work and connects with his or her office computer to the network of the user's employer, a secure single sign-on (SSO) access control procedure is executed. In a secure single sign-on (SSO) access control procedure, the user submits authentication information, such as a user name and password, to an identity provider and receives back a credential token when the identity provider determines that the user name/password pair is valid. The credential token is saved on the user's computer and used for further authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Avaya, Inc.
    Inventors: Mahalingam Mani, Tanjore K. Srinivas
  • Patent number: 8619636
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for providing bandwidth efficient voice over internet protocol conference calls is disclosed. The system uses softswitches, also known as media gateway controllers, that can track active calls by recording information regarding those calls in the memory of the softswitches. Upon receipt of an instruction, at a softswitch, to issue an invitation to another party to join an existing call, the softswitch examines its table of call information to determine if the invitation should be issued from that softswitch or forwarded to another softswitch involved in the existing call. In this manner, the invitation can be issued by a softswitch involved in the existing call that is nearer to the invited party than would be the case with prior art methods. This avoids the transmission of redundant data and conserves bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventor: Falguni Sarkar
  • Patent number: 8611521
    Abstract: An exemplary method and system are described for providing an easy to use interface for establishing multi-media audio conference calls involving a leader and a plurality of participants. A web-based interface can be used by the leader for establishing, controlling, and providing information associated with the call. Participants can also access the web-site for receiving information associated with the call and receiving status information regarding the conference call. In one embodiment, an address organizer can be used to select participants by the leader and schedule an audio conference call with the recipients having the opportunity to accept, decline, or indicate an alternative telephone number at which they can be reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Services Corp.
    Inventors: Raul Aldrey, Diego Crespo, Aravind Perumandia, Gaurav Kumar, Shamik Basu
  • Patent number: 8571195
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for sharing control of a customer service provided by a contact center. The method may include: receiving, from a customer, a customer contact to request the customer service; communicating by use of a communication channel between the customer and the contact center in order to provide the customer service; receiving a join request, from the customer, to join an outside party to the customer service; and joining the outside party to the customer service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Pasi, Mark Schmidt, Andrew D. Flockhart
  • Patent number: 8571592
    Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for including a plurality of users in a conversation over a communication network. A conversation is initiated when a text message is received requesting the conversation. A conversation is established using conversation gateways currently unused by users to be included in the conversation. Communication may occur across gateways in order to conserve conversation gateway resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventors: Andrew Jagoe, Enlai Chu
  • Patent number: 8565125
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for recording an exchange between a central monitoring station and a protected premises. The method includes the steps of transmitting an alarm notification from a protected premises to an alarm routing service, the alarm routing service establishing a voice connection between the protected premises and a central monitoring station in response to the alarm notification and the alarm routing service recording audio on the voice connection between the protected premises and the central station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Blum, Michael Everald Barrett
  • Patent number: 8526578
    Abstract: A voice communication apparatus includes an analysis unit to analyze an outgoing conversation signal transmitted from a user of the voice communication apparatus to another party in communication or an incoming conversation signal from the another party in communication received by the voice communication apparatus, a storage unit to store a voice message to be played back, a mixing unit to perform mixing of the voice message with the incoming conversation signal, and a control unit to control a start timing of the mixing so that the mixing of the voice message with the incoming conversation signal is started between utterances of the user on the basis of an analysis result of the analysis unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Otani, Taro Togawa, Yasuji Ota, Kaori Endo
  • Patent number: 8521144
    Abstract: The application relates to location based telephone conferences. In a location based telephone conference, upon request from a user to join a telephone conference, his location is determined and he is joined to a conference according his location. However, in the prior art it is assumed that the user remains in the telephone conference even if he moves and changes his location. The application addresses a situation where a plurality of telephone conferences, each associated with a specific area (1.4), are provided and a user moves between these areas. The telephone conferences are managed in such a way, that when a subscriber leaves an area assigned to a specific conference, he is switched into another telephone conference which is assigned to the area the user is presently located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
    Inventor: Michael Quade
  • Patent number: 8520823
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing enhanced telecommunications services are provided. Example embodiments provide a Enhanced Telecommunications System ETS, which provides less expensive calling and other services by initiating telephone requests using data request packets. In one embodiment, the ETS comprises a client communications device with client code, an ETS portal, an API server, one or more PABX servers, and various billing, payment, and accounting systems. Other systems, such as quality assurance and logging systems may also be available. These components cooperate to provide various telecommunications services. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: YaaZZ AS
    Inventors: Frode Van Der Laak, Jan Eirik Sandnes
  • Publication number: 20130216034
    Abstract: A Multicall telephony system includes a computerized communication appliance executing first software (SW) from a non-transitory medium, the appliance connected to a telephony network, and a server connected to the network, the server executing second SW from a non-transitory medium. A user selects a plurality of contacts stored on the computerized communication appliance and initiates a first call to the server which is accompanied by data transmission including at least the names and telephone numbers or IP addresses of the selected contacts, and the server, in response, establishes second calls with the selected contacts, and connects answered second calls to the first call, creating a conference between the user and the selected contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventor: Padmanabhan Mahalingam
  • Patent number: 8515044
    Abstract: A method and system for providing an audio conference includes receiving audio from a moderator via a circuit-switched telephone network, transmitting a representation of the audio to a first listener group via the circuit-switched telephone network, and transmitting a representation of the audio to a second listener group via a packet-switched network. The audio conference is preferably transmitted to the first listener group and the second listener group in real-time or near real-time (e.g., within a few seconds). Although the method and system could be used with any suitable circuit-switched telephone network, the method and system are preferably used with a public switched telephone network. Further, although the method and system could be used with any suitable packet-switched network, the method and system are preferably used with the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Cinchast, Inc.
    Inventor: Avrohom Y. Charish
  • Patent number: 8503654
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automated conference call initiation are provided. In an embodiment, a system for providing automated conference call initiation includes at least one meeting server, at least one calendar server and at least one profile server. A conference call initiator then uses data on the calendar server, the profile server and the meeting server to automatically initiate a conference call. In another embodiment, a method for providing automated conference call initiation involves analyzing the data on a meeting server to determine meeting conditions of two or more users, and initiating a conference call between two or more users based on the meeting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Google, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Ludwig