Operator Setup Of The Conference Patents (Class 370/262)
  • Patent number: 7870192
    Abstract: A method and system for coordinating a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) teleconference. A teleconference operator drags the name of invited attendees into a hot window, which connects the invited attendees to a channel for the teleconference. Each invited attendee's name has a status icon associated with it, indicating if the invited attendee is active in the teleconference. Each invited attendee has access to a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that permits the attendee to toggle back and forth between different teleconferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gordan G. Greenlee, James A. Martin, Jr., Renee Christine Mullins
  • Patent number: 7864714
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a management system may query connection devices for their capabilities and store the information in a data structure. In some embodiments, the data structure may be in a form of a Deducible Capability Numbering (DCN) number. In some embodiments, the DCN number may describe the capabilities of a connection device using a series of representative numbers. After connecting the connection devices, the management system may continue monitoring capabilities of the connection devices and line failures. The management system may reconnect connection devices based on their capabilities if a line failure occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: LifeSize Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Tracey
  • Patent number: 7830824
    Abstract: A video and/or audio conferencing system having virtual meeting room services is disclosed. The virtual meeting room services enables a third party to control and manage one or more virtual meeting rooms. Each third party organization may receive one or more dial in numbers, which is associated with a profile that defines the type of the conference that can be conducted. The profile defines the “capabilities” of the virtual meeting room, such as the maximum number of conferees, type of conference, type of endpoints, transcoding and protocol requirement, etc. Each virtual meeting room may have an NID (Numerical Identification) used by the peers along with the dial-in number to join the virtual meeting room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Decker, Rami Yochai Boneh
  • Patent number: 7817584
    Abstract: A first communication channel is established between a first entity and at least one second entity and a second communication channel is established between the first entity and at least one third entity over the network. Then, data associated with the first and second communication channels are recorded. Next, first, second, and third entities are dynamically monitored to identify if first, second, or third entities is in an active or inactive state, and based upon such monitoring, recorded data are either synchronously rendering to entities in an active state or asynchronously rendered to entities in an inactive state upon the entities in the inactive state transitioning from an inactive state to an active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher S. Campbell, Stephen P. Farrell
  • Patent number: 7778629
    Abstract: The invention enhances mobile device software such that upon receipt of a specially formatted SMS message, the software can automatically dial a telephone number that was specified in the message after a configurable timed interval. A further enhancement comprises improvements to the integration between collaboration software (such as Lotus Notes) and mobile device software to enable employees to utilize this invention for connecting to conference calls. During the method of the present invention, a potentially contentious situation is detected. After this detection, this method, disrupts the capability of the system to automatically connect the user to a previously scheduled telephone conference, and notifies the user and querying the user and giving the user options to determine how the user desires to handle the one or more incoming calls. The user options can depend on the particular situation detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Candice B. Gilzean, Gahlya Gregory, Fabian F. Morgan, Michael Eric Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7764632
    Abstract: A multimedia bridge which enables enterprise-class voice, Web, and video teleconferencing. The multimedia bridge is a distributed media server architecture that efficiently routes, bridges, manages integrated voice, data and video streams across multiple sites in real-time. The multimedia bridge includes media services, session control, content distribution and any-device access layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Interwise Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph Gray, Haim Karniely
  • Patent number: 7756923
    Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a network (102) and a multimedia server (104) operably coupled to the network. The multimedia server (104) is adapted to manage a multimedia conference and includes a memory (103) for storing selectable portions of the multimedia conference. The system further includes one or more client devices (122) operably coupled to the network and adapted to set recording cues for choosing portions of said multimedia conference for playback. The multimedia server or clients may include a voice recognition system (114) for transcribing audio portions of the conference. The voice recognition system may further be used to detect instances of the recording cues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rami Caspi, William J. Beyda
  • Publication number: 20100159830
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing conference calls using a headset are presented. The headset includes a wireless communications transceiver operable to form a first local wireless link with a first local telephone in communication with a first far end telephone user and a second local wireless link with a second local telephone in communication with a second far end telephone user. The headset further includes a processor operable to establish a conference call between the headset user, the first far end telephone user, and the second far end telephone user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benedict Andrew Findlay, Scott Walsh
  • Patent number: 7742462
    Abstract: A CD-ROM that records programs for setting up a general-purpose computer as an IP telephone terminal by using a CPU, a memory, an input, a network card, a sound card, and a CD-ROM drive except an HD drive, the program including parts for: making the computer start to deploy the programs in the CD-ROM over the memory by a CD-ROM boot method without booting from an HD; making the computer obtain user identification data respectively and correspondingly inputted by the users through the input; making the computer send the user identification data to a management server via a network based on a location data recorded onto the CD-ROM; making the computer receive an IP telephone terminal setup data sent from the management server via the network; and making the computer function as an IP telephone terminal by setting up the computer as such.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Yoji Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7701883
    Abstract: Telephone number binding in a voice-over-Internet system is provided. One embodiment is a method for provisioning a customer voice-over-Internet device for voice-over-Internet service. One such method comprises: providing a customer voice-over-Internet device for communicating with an existing telephone line and a data network; providing a telephone number associated with the existing telephone line to a voice-over-Internet platform; and linking the existing telephone number to a unique identifier associated with the customer voice-over-Internet device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: TelEvolution LLC
    Inventor: David S. Beckemeyer
  • Patent number: 7656824
    Abstract: A method for providing a private conversation channel in a videoconference session between at least three participants includes the steps of providing an ability to receive a private acceptance in response to the private invitation and providing an ability to exclude non-parties to the private conversation from receiving private messages corresponding to the private conversation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Charles Chuanming Wang, Jens Cahnbley, John William Richardson
  • Patent number: 7644181
    Abstract: A method for routing a service request in a telecommunication system in cases where the identifier received for the destination of the service is not (or can not be) suitable for routing the service, such as when a E.164 number is received in IP based multimedia telecommunication systems. Upon reception of a service request in a telecommunications node of the telecommunication system in charge of serving control for services, a query comprising the received identifier is made to a translation database. As a result, a plurality of identifiers related to the received identifier are received that can have different formats and imply different service types. The service is further routed from said telecommunications node according to an identifier selected among said plurality of identifiers that contains the primarily received identifier in the user name portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Isabel Plata Andres, Victor Ferraro-Esparza
  • Patent number: 7616591
    Abstract: A method configured to continuously receive frames from a plurality of video channels and transmit to each of a plurality of participants in a video conference individual frames containing information concerning each of the video channels. The method only transmits at any given instant new picture data for one of the participants in the video conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Excedra Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Chih-Lung Yang
  • Patent number: 7617457
    Abstract: A system and method for collaborative call management are disclosed. In one embodiment of a method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, a graphical user interface (GUI) element may be presented in connection with a collaborative call. The GUI element may display a listing of call participants and a status of each participant. Example participant states may include an on-call state, an off-call state, a currently speaking state, a waiting to speak state, and a paused-call state. In operation, information presented in the GUI element may change in response to a status change of a call participant. The method may also involve recognizing that a caller has joined the collaborative call and updating the GUI element to add the joining caller to the list of participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Philip T. Kortum, P. David White
  • Publication number: 20090268640
    Abstract: A communication method is provided. Firstly, whether the called-party side communication device is inside an area is judged. When the called-party side communication device is inside the area, the first communication link is established through a wireless local network for the caller side communication device to communicate with the called-party side communication device. When the called-party side communication device is outside the area, a second communication link is established through the mobile network communication for the caller side communication device to communicate with the called-party side communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicants: Quanta Computer Inc., National Taiwan University
    Inventors: Zse-Hong TSAI, Chiu-Chan HSU, Min-Jhe WU
  • Patent number: 7580374
    Abstract: Systems and methods relate to setting-up a future telephone conference between a host party and at least one participant party. The host party dials into a system and enters the meeting date/time and meeting parties' telephone numbers. At the meeting time, the system retrieves the information from its database and dials the meeting participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, I, L.P.
    Inventor: Lanny Gilbert
  • Patent number: 7577108
    Abstract: A method is presented for a learning-based strategy utilized within message-initiated constraint-based routing for digital message communication among nodes in an ad-hoc network, in which each node includes attributes. The method includes determining local attributes for each of the nodes and defining constraints on the attributes. Each node is provided access to the attributes of each neighboring node. Each message transmitted over the network has a message type, which includes a destination specification, route specification, and objective specification. Constraint checking and cost estimation checking are performed for each message type. Cost estimation is utilized to converge on an optimal message path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Ying Zhang, Markus P. J. Fromherz, Yi Shang, Sergei Vassilvitskii, Lara S. Crawford
  • Patent number: 7522931
    Abstract: A wireless phone user registered for push-to-talk (PTT) services desires a push-to-talk session with a party on a network computer accessible via a public data network (like the Internet) that is not registered with any PTT service. The registered user enters a unique identifier, as a destination address for such computer, and a PTT server uses the unique identifier to query a Directory Service available on the public data network to obtain a PTT address for the destination computer. The PTT server then forwards or proxies the PTT request to the destination computer. As a result, the number of push-to-talk destinations available to the wireless phone user is expanded to include any number of push-to-talk enabled computers available on the Internet that are known to the Directory Service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Netnumber, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Ranalli, David P. Peek, Robert H. Walter
  • Patent number: 7492731
    Abstract: Method for dynamically optimizing bandwidth allocation in a variable bitrate conference environment. Conference means with two or more outputs are provided, where each one can output data at different rates, in order to support two or more endpoints which may have different media rates. Two or more endpoints are connected to these conference means for participating in the conference. Whenever more than one video rate is used by participants during the conference, each set of output rates is selected from all possible combinations of output rates in the conference means, wherein the lowest output rate in each selected set is the entry rate of the endpoint joining the conference at the lowest rate. A Quality Drop Coefficient (QDC) for each endpoint that joins the conference is determined for each selected set, wherein the QDC is computed according to the endpoint entry rate and the highest rate, among the output rates of each selected set, that is lower or equal to said endpoints' entry rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Radvision Ltd.
    Inventor: Pierre Hagendorf
  • Patent number: 7453827
    Abstract: When one of two IP telephones that are maintaining a call receives a TV camera connection request, the IP telephone obtains a URI of an IP TV camera service from a resource record of the opposing terminal. Then, the IP telephone delivers the URI of the IP TV camera service to an IP TV camera adaptor of its own IP telephone in order to make a video communication request. The resource record of the opposing terminal is associated with a telephone number of the opposing IP telephone, the record being obtained by connecting to a DNS server. The IP TV camera adaptor connects a call, via the IP telephone, to an IP TV camera adaptor of the opposing terminal, using the URI of the IP TV camera service of the opposing terminal and performs video image communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Toyoda
  • Patent number: 7444139
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing latency in initiation of a real-time data session between wireless communication stations. In order to initiate a session with one or more target parties, an originating station will send a voice call origination message to a network switch, providing in the origination message (i) a session-initiation feature code and (ii) a target code indicative of the one or more target parties. The switch will then detect the session-initiation feature code as an intelligent-network trigger and responsively signal to a service controller, which will in turn signal to a communication server. The communication server will then invite the originating station and each of the one or more target parties to participate in the session, setting up a conference leg with each and bridging the legs together to allow the session to proceed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: David Welch, Thomas M. Sladek, Baoquan Zhang
  • Patent number: 7415499
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a method comprising loading a set of transport components into a memory; initializing each transport component of the set of transport components to listen on a particular conferencing interface using a listen string to associate with a network interface, each transport component of the set of transport components listening to a different conferencing interface, the listen string encapsulating parameters to one or more calls to listen; receiving an incoming call signal on the network interface having an incoming conferencing interface; processing the incoming call signal to detect the incoming conferencing interface; and launching an application based on the incoming conferencing interface. Other embodiments of the invention are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Guy Riddle
  • Patent number: 7174365
    Abstract: A video teleconferencing system for controlling multiple multipoint control units (MCU) from a single apparatus. The system utilizes a Virtual MCU (VMCU) (110) to communicate with a plurality of MCUs (135, 140, 145). A user initiates a reserve conference command with the VMCU (110). If sufficient resources are available, the reservation is made and connection numbers are assigned. When the time for the conference arises, an MCU (135, 140, 145) is assigned to the conference. The participants are then connected to the conference. By using a single VMCU (110) to schedule and coordinate multiple MCUs (135, 140, 145), the present invention is able to efficiently schedule a large number of conferences. This greater efficiency in scheduling may allow users to schedule conferences without the advance notice that is usually required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Polycom Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Roni Even, Sigmund Gavish, Ial Yad-Shalom
  • Patent number: 7039019
    Abstract: A telephone exchanging apparatus 30 comprises a joined terminal table 341, a joined terminal table operating portion 352, and a reception side designating portion 355. The joined terminal table 341 stores terminal identification information that identifies a telephone terminal 40 that will join a conference. The joined terminal table operating portion 352 operates the joined terminal table 341 corresponding to joined terminal table operation commanding information. The reception side designating portion 355 designates the reception side of a speech packet transmitted from the telephone terminal 40. Since the joined terminal table 341 is operated by the joined terminal table operating portion 352, even if the number of people who join a conference increases, they can be easily added or deleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norimasa Niiya, Koji Shima, Yoichi Naito
  • Patent number: 6930999
    Abstract: An IP telephony gateway and a user interface resource enable a subscriber to place an outgoing call according to the voice over IP (H.323) protocol to a destination party from a user interface session of an intelligent dial tone service such as voice activated dialing, and resume the user interface session upon completion of the outgoing call with the destination party. The IP telephony gateway establishes a user interface session for the subscriber with the user interface resource across a first Real Time Protocol (RTP) data stream. The user interface resource initiates a second RTP data stream to a destination party in response to reception of a prescribed command from the subscriber. Although an RTP bridge connecting the first and second RTP data streams can be maintained by the user interface resource, the user interface resource may also use the Empty Capability Set feature in the H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Alan Craig, Kelly Wycall Phillips, Narasimha K. Nayak
  • Patent number: 6907450
    Abstract: A method and accompanying apparatus forms a synchronized representation of network contents within a group of users. This makes it possible to realize a series of new applications, for instance electronic commerce, electronic consulting, call centers, telelearning, and multimedia hotline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Markus Lautenbacher
  • Publication number: 20040246121
    Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for muting or disabling audible alarms or alerts during a conference or collaboration event are provided. During the conference or collaboration event, users may participate in the conference via user or client devices (e.g., computers) that are connected to or in communication with a server or collaboration system. A server, collaboration system or other device or application detects the setting of a mute alarm preference regarding one or more users. This may occur prior to a conference or during the conference. The server, collaboration system or other device then may cause the appropriate muting to occur at the appropriate or desired client devices and/or disable or mute audible alarms at one or more of the client devices (120a, 120n, 122a, 122n).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: William J. Beyda
  • Patent number: 6816469
    Abstract: An Internet Protocol Telephony Network and public switched telephone network that allows one or more call waiting callers to dynamically join in an existing and to establish a multiple-party conference call including the call waiting call. A call waiting call may also be added to an existing conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Fen-Chung Kung, Hopeton Walker, Spencer Wang
  • Patent number: 6760422
    Abstract: A telephone interface (110) that supports a first and a second conference call service is provided in a telephone-capable apparatus (102). An input device (122) is further provided, allowing a conference call conferee to provide participation status data to a controller (116, 118) of the apparatus. The controller provides a message to a switch (104), responsive to the participation status data, instructing the switch to provide the apparatus with communication resources commensurate with the participation status data. When the participation status data indicates that the conferee is a speaking and listening conferee, the message instructs the switch to provide resources sufficient to support the first conference call service and a send-only version of the second conference call service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Kowal, Bijay K. Roy
  • Patent number: 6728784
    Abstract: A collaborative multimedia system includes a plurality of notebook processes operatively interconnected over a computer network to a conference server, and, an optional podium process capable of controlling the priority of communications within the conference. The notebook processes are capable of privately communicating with other conference participants in addition to participating in the conference. A sophisticated graphic user interface provides public and private whiteboard areas by which graphic information may be exchanged with other processes in a conference or over separate communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Netspeak Corporation
    Inventor: Shane D. Mattaway
  • Patent number: 6697342
    Abstract: A conference system is provided for connection in a digital audio signal transmission system (50), for receiving N encoded audio signals from N conferees, wherein N is a positive integer greater than or equal to three. The system comprises a decoding system (90, 91, 92) for decoding the N audio signals, a selection system (100, 130) for selecting one from the N decoded audio signals, and means for switching (160) the selected encoded audio signal from an input stage (80, 81, 82) of the conference circuit to an output (161) of the conference circuit, for transmission at least to the N−1 conferees from whom the selected audio signal did not originate. This arrangement enables the audio from one conferee to be provided as the conference signal, without undergoing decoding and subsequent re-encoding. A decision is made as to whether one signal is appropriate or whether multiple audio signals should be combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Joseph Smyth, David O'Connell
  • Patent number: 6697341
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing multimedia conferencing services with selective performance parameters delivers a different representation of the same video signals to each of a plurality of users depending on the hardware limitations, software limitations, network limitations, and user preferences of each user device. Thus, each user can choose the quality of service he/she wants to receive in view of system limitations and cost considerations. The quality of service may be defined in terms of bandwidth, jitter, frame rate, and delay, for example. The apparatus includes a multimedia bridge that receives video signals from at least one of the plurality of users. The multimedia bridge scales-down the video signals as necessary before sending the video signals to the end users. The multimedia bridge also detects congestion occurring during the multimedia conference and scales-down the video signals, if necessary, to meet reduced network availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventor: Radhika R. Roy
  • Publication number: 20020141354
    Abstract: A telephone exchanging apparatus 30 comprises a joined terminal table 341, a joined terminal table operating portion 352, and a reception side designating portion 355. The joined terminal table 341 stores terminal identification information that identifies a telephone terminal 40 that will join a conference. The joined terminal table operating portion 352 operates the joined terminal table 341 corresponding to joined terminal table operation commanding information. The reception side designating portion 355 designates the reception side of a speech packet transmitted from the telephone terminal 40. Since the joined terminal table 341 is operated by the joined terminal table operating portion 352, even if the number of people who join a conference increases, they can be easily added or deleted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA.
    Inventors: Norimasa Niiya, Koji Shima, Yoichi Naito
  • Patent number: 6404746
    Abstract: A system and method for a packet Voice Response Unit (VRU) which directly utilize packet network protocols, such as those of the H.323 standard, to provide enhanced services via a packet network. The packet VRU generally operates within the packet network and is not required to provide data format translation or multiple device-type access. The packet VRU may be built entirely in software running on a network server with a standard packet network connection such as Ethernet or token-ring. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packet VRU redirects the media stream from a source so that it is sent directly to a destination, instead of passing through the packet VRU. Alternatively, if the packet VRU must perform processing on the message contents, the packets may be sent to both the destination and to the packet VRU. The packet VRU may still retain call control over the media streams by maintaining the signaling and user input components of the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Ellis K. Cave, Roland El-Khoury
  • Publication number: 20020036990
    Abstract: A system and method facilitate capture and distribution of digital still pictures. A first node with a camera enables a patron user to capture one or more still pictures and transfers captured still pictures to a second node via a publicly accessible WAN. The second node transfers via the publicly accessible WAN copies of captured still pictures to a third node and also receives via the publicly accessible WAN an instruction from the third node designating one or more versions of still pictures derived from the captured still pictures for access by non-patron users. The second node enables transfer via the publicly accessible WAN only the still pictures derived from the captured still pictures, but not other still pictures contained at the second node, to each permitted node, other than a node operated by the patron user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Ben Chodor, Richard Harte, Les Borowski
  • Patent number: 6345074
    Abstract: A disc storage system servo code detector is disclosed that provides enhanced error correction capabilities during both tracking and seeking by increasing a minimum distance dmin between valid codewords and by increasing a minimum distance {circumflex over ( )}dmin from the signal space between adjacent codewords to the decision boundaries of all other valid codewords. The signal space with respect to the minimum distances is not a limiting aspect of the invention; however, in the preferred embodiment the codewords are selected to maximize the minimum distances in Euclidean space. Thus, the read signal is sampled and equalized according to a partial response spectrum, and maximum likelihood detection is employed to detect the servo codewords in Euclidean space. The code rate is selected according to certain design criteria such as the amount of error correction desired, the data density, and the cost and complexity of the encoder/decoder circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Turk, David E. Reed, Richard T. Behrens
  • Patent number: 6272214
    Abstract: One or more unique identifiers are created which are associated directly with an upcoming telemeeting. For example, a unique identifier can be a preselected telephone number in a PSTN, or a URL that identifies an address on the World Wide Web. In one embodiment, a telemeeting is administered automatically under the control of a communications network's service node. Intended participants are invited to the meeting by including the unique identifier along with a notification message, such as, for example, in a facsimile message, e-mail message, page message, voice mail message, or bulletin board announcement. Using the unique identifier and suitable terminal equipment, any recipient of the notification message can call the telephone number (or click on the URL). In response to such a call, the service node generates and distributes to the recipient caller a personal reference, which is a unique telephone number (or URL address).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Björn Jonsson
  • Patent number: 6243866
    Abstract: Through a memory device and a control circuit on the transmitter side, temporal gaps are inserted into the data stream, said temporal gaps being removed again on the receiving side by an additional memory device. Consequently, the necessary continuous data stream is able to be reproduced for the transmission of the video signals. The gaps in the data stream of the base station and the data and the requests are evaluated by a user-side control circuit, from these, switch-over signals are generated, and the user devices are switched over. The base state switches the station to receive mode in the temporal gaps of the video signals or of the data stream. The present invention is applicable to the transmission of continuous signals using a backward channel via microwaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Rudolph, Bernd Boelike
  • Patent number: 5841976
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a computer system to initiate, conduct, and terminate a multipoint computer conference regardless of the underlying network protocols. The computer system executes software which determines whether the network supports rooted control and rooted data. When the network supports rooted control, the computer system waits for a connect signal sent from a control leaf node of a plurality of control leaf nodes when the computer system is a control root node and the computer system is to wait for the connect signal. The receipt by the control root node of the connect signal causes the control leaf node to join the conference. The computer system sends the connect signal to the control leaf node when the computer system is the control root node and the computer system is not to wait for the connect signal. The receipt by the control leaf node of the connect signal causes the control leaf node to join the conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tsung-Yuan Charles Tai, David B. Andersen
  • Patent number: 5809110
    Abstract: An improved system for minimizing toll charges is disclosed wherein line quality is measured and a call is terminated if the line quality is not at an acceptable level to allow for the highest possible bit rates during data transfer or to guarantee a certain minimum degree of quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Dialogic Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Ulrich, Prabhakar Chitrapu
  • Patent number: 5699352
    Abstract: A distributed teleconferencing bridge system is provided that allows an attendant to control multiple conferences on multiple bridges through a network interface unit. The attendant can add or delete conferees with a minimum of inconvenience to the conferees while maximizing the use of the bridges by setting up multiple conferences on multiple bridges from a single operating console. Multiple consoles allow multiple operators to control any number of conferences. The interface unit uses a Local Operating Network (LON) to reduce the number of physical wires to the network interface unit without sacrificing control or flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Richard John Kriete, Robert B. Sussman, Vladimir Zaltsman