Subscriber Control Patents (Class 379/204.01)
  • 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: 7864937
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a method of controlling a multi-pod conferencing system for local conference participants to communicate with remote conference participants. This method includes providing a plurality of pods to local conference participants wherein an individual pod connects to one or more of the plurality of pods through a data communication means. The individual pods further include pod processor means. The pod processor means couples to an input device and a display. The method further includes providing a base unit that couples to the plurality of pods through the data communication means. The base unit further couples to a carrier medium, where the base unit further includes base controller means. The base controller means couples to the converting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: ClearOne Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy A. Bathurst, David Lambert, Wayne Whiteley, Carrie L. Owen
  • Patent number: 7853000
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for initiating conference calls via an instant messaging system to reduce the effort required to initiate and manage the call. The system uses an IM connection between a requesting party and a conference call server to inform the conference call server of the desire to initiate the conference call. The conference call server may initiate the conference call by having involved parties called by a conference bridge, thus reducing the effort required by the parties to join the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Linqware, Inc.
    Inventor: Tod C. Turner
  • Patent number: 7822185
    Abstract: A system for establishing a conference call is provided. The system includes a handset operable to send a message containing a list of prospective participants for the conference call. The system also includes an application server operable to receive the message and invite at least some of the prospective participants. The application server is further operable, in response to receiving an acknowledgement from at least one of the prospective participants to participate in the conference call, to include the at least one of the prospective participants in the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hai Duong Nguyen, Ranjith Weeresinghe
  • Patent number: 7822186
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing the scheduling of calls and automating the process of making and delivering such calls. Any endpoint (e.g., telephony-enabled) device can be used with a PSTN, cellular, and VoIP network. Different types of devices and interfaces may be used for provisioning users, conferring calling events, scheduling events, and/or delivering calls. Among other things, this increases user mobility. Also, automated retrying and rescheduling of calls, which may use updated data, reduces the likelihood of missed calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Piotr Boni
  • Patent number: 7814150
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for initiating an online meeting over a data network between a host party with a first computer and an attendee party with a second computer. Consider that a phone connection already exists over a telephone network between a first phone of the host party and a second phone of the attendee party. A start meeting message is sent over the data network to a data center. A meeting identification is subsequently received from the data center. The meeting identification is stored in a first device that is coupled to both the first phone and the first computer, and the meeting identification is transmitted from the first device over the telephone network to a second device, where the second device is coupled to both the second phone and the second computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Stewart H. Sonnenfeldt, Venkatram R. Kuditipudi, Amo Penzias, Subrah S. Iyar
  • Patent number: 7804948
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for initiating conference calls via an instant messaging system to reduce the effort required to initiate and manage the call. The system uses an IM connection between a requesting party and a conference call server to inform the conference call server of the desire to initiate the conference call. The conference call server may initiate the conference call by having involved parties called by a conference bridge, thus reducing the effort required by the parties to join the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: LINQware, Inc.
    Inventor: Tod Turner
  • Patent number: 7796744
    Abstract: A dynamic reporting tool presents conferencing data to customers in a useful and flexible manner. Customers may customize standard reports using dynamic, comprehensive search criteria. Customers may also create custom ad hoc reports as needed. Furthermore, customers may access unbilled usage data and conduct searches on the unbilled usage data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services
    Inventors: Anne K. Bingaman, Dagny Boyd Evans, Boban Mathew
  • Patent number: 7792262
    Abstract: A method and system for identifying conference participants who dial in to a telephone conference of an electronic conference that includes a web conference is provided. To identify a conference participant, a conference system displays to a user the names of those conference participants who have not yet been associated with a telephone line of the telephone conference. The conference system plays to the user the identification announcement of a conference participant who is not yet associated with a telephone line. When the user hears the identification announcement, the user recognizes the name of the conference participant and selects the name of that conference participant from the displayed names. The conference system can then associate that conference participant with the telephone line associated with the identification announcement that was played to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Cameron J. Parker
  • Patent number: 7778642
    Abstract: A method and system determines whether the receiving subscriber unit is also part of a digital wireless telephone system that has compatible vocoding capability. If so, vocoded data is converted into tones that are introduced into a wire-based telephone system for routing to the appropriate receiving digital wireless telephone system. When these tones are received by the receiving digital wireless telephone system, the vocoded data is regenerated based on the tones and then transmitted to the receiving subscriber unit. If the originating and receiving wireless subscriber units are part of the same digital wireless telephone system, the steps of conversion to tones and introduction into the wire-based telephone system may be omitted, and the vocoded data is passed between the two digital wireless telephone systems via an all-digital connection such as an ATM packet network or a wire-based telephone connection where the integrity of digital information is assured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Noam A. Ziv, Barry Robbins
  • Patent number: 7751543
    Abstract: Systems and methods for button-independent dispatch communications are provided. A dispatch station monitors a microphone input to determine whether it provides voice information. When the input provides voice information, the dispatch station then determines whether the floor of the dispatch communication is open. When the floor is open, the dispatch station seizes the floor and transmits the voice information. When the floor is not open, the dispatch station can store the voice information and transmit it once the dispatch station is able to seize the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Nextel Communications Inc,
    Inventor: Peter R. Langlois
  • 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: 7742587
    Abstract: A communications system and method, which may be used, for example, within a conferencing communication system, is provided. A plurality of communicators may transmit, via a network, audio streams bound from any other communicator. A server receives from the plurality of communicators a plurality of incoming streams and for each communicator transmits any mixed combination of the incoming streams. The system also may control any of the mixers to independently control a volume level of any of the incoming streams being mixed at any of the mixers to create the required mixed combination of the incoming streams. Various conference call features may be effected using such mix capacities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Alon Cohen
  • Patent number: 7716311
    Abstract: Resources associated with a communication system switch are monitored by storing information defining one or more resource groups. Each of the resource groups includes multiple identifiers, with each of the identifiers specifying at least one resource to be monitored. A client external to the switch is permitted to select at least one of the resource groups for monitoring. In response to selection of one of the groups by the client, monitoring of the corresponding resources is established on behalf of the client. The resource monitoring may be established, controlled and maintained by a telephony server coupled between the client and the switch. Such a telephony server can preserve monitoring for a resource group, independent of the requests of clients, in order to reduce the amount of execution time needed to set up and tear down monitors for client applications. This is particularly advantageous in call centers or in other client applications that involve monitoring large numbers of switch resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Brown, John E. De La Cruz, James L. Knight, Jr., Patrick G. Maggiulli, James Leo Murtaugh, Richard J. Pennenga, Steven Michael Silverstein, Linda G. Smith
  • Patent number: 7688961
    Abstract: A conference engine operates in a multiplex processing scheme and requires a signal hardware summer to process all of the programmed conferences, all of the outputs and all of the input channels. The conference engine is only limited by the number of available input channels, the number of desired conference registers, the speed of the implementation, and the amount of memory available on the target system. The conference engine allows the number of available conference channels, the number of conferences per bridge and the number of bridges to be scaled. Each bridge contains a unique set of conference registers and has full access to the input channel data. Additional conference bridges are added by increasing the operating clock/memory to meet the processing requirements of the additional bridge. Conference registers in each conference bridge can be added/removed depending on the system requirements and are independent of the number of input channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Concerto Software, Inc
    Inventors: Jay Vicory, Malcolm Strandberg, Thomas Ward
  • Patent number: 7676033
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatically establishing a conference call having a plurality of different subscriber participation classes includes maintaining at least one per conference call subscriber participation class list. The per conference call subscriber participation class list indicates contact information for a plurality of different subscribers and corresponding subscriber participation classes for the conference call. When a conference call is initiated, the call is automatically established using the contact information and the subscriber participation classes stored in the per conference call subscriber participation class list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: BroadSoft M6, LLC
    Inventors: Subash Madhusudan, Sunil Devireddy, Gary L. Brannick
  • Patent number: 7606561
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an emergency ringing facility able to remotely override a silent mode of a wireless communication device are disclosed. The systems comprise profile-management applications residing on wireless devices and allowing one user of a wireless device to override a silent mode of a remote wireless device. The profile management application executed on the wireless device queries whether the silent mode of the remote wireless device can be overridden, and if so, communicates with a profile-management application executed on the remote device and overrides the silent mode of that device. In an alternative embodiment, a silent mode of a wireless device can be overridden by a profile management server. A profile-management application is executed on a profile-management server communicating with a profile-management application executed on a wireless device and requests the overriding of the silent mode of a remote wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: George Mathew, Kotaro Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7593520
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing access to teleconference services using voice recognition technology to receive information on packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, the service provider enables a caller to enter access information for accessing a conference service using at least one natural language response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Publication number: 20090220066
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining a first connection with respect to a conference call on a first endpoint associated with a user. The method also includes determining if the user has requested a second connection with respect to the conference call, and establishing the second connection with respect to the conference call if the user has requested the second connection. Finally, the method includes replacing the first connection with the second connection with respect to the conference call if the user has requested the second connection. Replacing the first connection with the second connection includes establishing the second connection with respect to the conference call through a second endpoint associated with the user. The second connection is established transparently with respect to the conference call, and replaces the first connection transparently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Steven L. Christenson, Gebran G. Chahrouri
  • Patent number: 7580375
    Abstract: Providing a conference call includes establishing a bidirectional first class stream for each of a set of first class endpoints. A second class stream is established for each of a set of second class endpoints. Mixed streams are generated using the bidirectional first class streams, and one or more mixed streams are broadcasted to the set of second class endpoints. A particular second class endpoint is determined to have a right to have its stream included in the mixed streams. The second class stream for the particular second class endpoint is mapped to a bidirectional second class stream for the particular second class endpoint. Next mixed streams are generated using the bidirectional second class stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter R. Friedrich, Shantanu Sarkar, Nermin M. Ismail
  • Patent number: 7574228
    Abstract: Stored in an each speaker's sound volume coefficient table 13 are a speaker identification ID and information of a voice coefficient so as to be correlated with each other. A speaker identification unit 11 extracts an each speaker's ID from a received packet based on floor control information or outputs the packet as an RTP packet to an RTP buffer. A sound volume control unit 12 executes a control program 14a of a recording medium 14 to record a current speaker identification ID and reads a sound volume coefficient relevant to the speaker identification ID from the each speaker's sound volume coefficient table 13 to output the coefficient as sound volume control information. In this case, the sound volume control unit 12 increments/decrements the relevant sound volume coefficient based on sound volume adjustment information of a sound volume adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Katou
  • Patent number: 7558590
    Abstract: A method (100) and system (20) for multiparty communication using at least one dual mode communication device includes a dual mode radio (11) having at least a first modem (12) for operation on a first network and a second modem (13) for operation on a second network and a processor (55) coupled to the radio. The dual mode radio can be programmed to establish (102) an interconnect call on a first network between the dual mode radio and a second communication device, receive (104) a request for a private call on a second network from a third communication device, and mix and route (106) audio from the private call and the interconnect call at the dual mode radio when a multiparty call mode is selectively chosen. The dual mode radio can be a first modem operating on a CDMA network and a second modem operating on an iDEN network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Baudino, Deepak P. Ahya
  • Patent number: 7558736
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is based on a facilitation of the natural dynamics associated with face to face conversation, where the amplitude of a speaker's voice is often used to gain floor control. This capability advantageously allows a user who is intending to speak to interrupt a user who currently has floor control. By basing talker arbitration at least partially on the amplitude of the speaker's voice, the invention removes the need for a user to push a separate button on the handset before the commencement of speech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastian Thalanany, Narothum Saxena, Michael Irizarry
  • Patent number: 7551733
    Abstract: Methods and devices establish an area party line for telephone calls to provide a geographically based chat forum via a telephone. One method receives telephone calls at a local call station where the telephone calls may be landline calls from callers serviced by the local call station, wireless phone calls from users who are currently located in proximity to the local call station, and/or long distance calls from callers who have dialed into the local call station using an area code and exchange. Callers provide an indication of an area party line, such as a star code, and the local call station bridges the calls together. Another method receives telephone calls at a central call station, where the telephone calls are directed to the central call bridging station from a local call station, and the central call bridging station bridges the callers together depending upon the local call station that the calls are transferred from.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael S. Denny, Sammie W. Hill
  • Publication number: 20090086952
    Abstract: A system and method for providing the capability to simultaneously manage multiple conference calls, move participants in the conference calls from one conference call to another and subdivide or join multiple conference calls together, and the like, wherein a participant seeking to initiate conference calls does so at his or her endpoint by selecting conference call identifiers, where the identifiers identify conference calls to be created. The initiating participant then selects the participants to be associated with the particular calls and confirms the selection. Upon confirmation of the selection, the conference calls among the selected participants are established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: Avaya Technology LLC
    Inventors: Birgit A. Geppert, Frank M. Roessler
  • Publication number: 20090086951
    Abstract: An apparatus or endpoint device is disclosed for providing the capability to simultaneously manage multiple conference calls, move participants in the conference calls from one conference call to another and subdivide or join multiple conference calls together, and the like, wherein the apparatus or endpoint device provides a multi-conferencing capability that enables one or more teleconferencing participants to manage multiple teleconferences simultaneously. Each participant in the teleconference call manages their respective teleconference through their apparatus or endpoint device at their specific location by using it to adjust the teleconferencing topology, i.e., who should form what part of each specific teleconference call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: Avaya Technology LLC
    Inventors: Birgit A. Geppert, Frank M. Roessler
  • Patent number: 7499535
    Abstract: Connecting a meeting room telephone to a conference call, including: parsing a user's calendar entry to determine a room where a conference is scheduled, a meeting start time, and a conference call telephone number; querying a room reservation system for a telephone number for a meeting room telephone; waiting until detecting an attendee entering the room; in response to the attendee, other than a meeting chairperson, entering, connecting the telephone to the call with a participant passcode, other that a chairperson passcode; and detecting the chairperson entering the room, and in response thereto, automatically re-dialing the number and/or renegotiating the call utilizing the chairperson passcode; if the telephone is not connected to the call when the chairperson enters the room, automatically detecting that the chairperson has entered the room and, in response thereto, connecting the telephone to the call utilizing the chairperson passcode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew J. Ivory, Aaron K. Shook, Erik J. Burckart
  • Patent number: 7496188
    Abstract: An n-ways conferencing system using only the participants' telephony devices and without an external conference server. A plurality of telephony devices dial in to and report their mixing capability to a connection topology manager. The connection topology manager also determines the location of each telephony device and neighboring telephony device pairs in the conference service, as each telephony device is used for mixing voice signals of its closest neighbors, and calculates a minimum conference traffic delay for each telephony device. The connection topology manager then builds a topology for the conference service based on the mixing capability, location, and minimum conference traffic delay, wherein the connection topology manager distributes a mixing computation in a substantially uniform manner across the plurality of telephony devices. When a change in the network condition is detected, the connection topology manager rebuilds the topology to bypass the change in the network condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Debanjan Saha, Zon-Yin Shae
  • Patent number: 7483526
    Abstract: A method for using a centralized conference call manager is provided for initiating conference calls. Users register with the centralized conference call manager to set up a conference call at a future date and time. When the designated time/date arrive, the centralized conference call manager contacts the various intended attendees using a variety of contact locations (e.g., office telephone, mobile telephone, home telephone, etc.). The system further allows an intended attendee to, when contacted by the centralized conference call manager, provide a different contact number that the conference call manager will use instead. An anticipated attendee can decline the call and provide a verbal reason for not being able to attend. The centralized conference call manager records the reason and, when requested, plays the reason back to the other attendees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Kelley Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 7469045
    Abstract: A process for presenting a state of availability of a user for communications using a plurality of telecommunication devices including at least one means for the production of the presentation associated with an intelligent platform, including acquiring first data composed of characteristics of a user including at least one identification of the user, at least two terminals to which the user can be associated with at least one characteristic of a connection mode and including storage at an address accessible to the intelligent platform of the characteristics, updating second data representative of a physical and/or logic state of a terminal of a user and/or of a general physical and/or logic state of the user with requests for the updating of the physical and/or logic state of an associated terminal and/or of the user by virtue of identification of a user and/or of the user's terminal by a system and/or an authorized user and including optional storage at an address accessible to the intelligent platform of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Pushmessenger
    Inventor: Panagiotis Liakis
  • Patent number: 7436785
    Abstract: A method and system for location based subject matter teleconferencing is disclosed. A user makes a request to join a teleconference based on the user's location and subject matter. A conference-call-setup-system (“CCSS”) receives the request. The CCSS determines the location of the user and identifies the teleconference that matches the request. Additionally, the CCSS may use the time of the request when identifying the teleconference that matches the request. The CCSS then arranges for a conference bridge to join the user to the teleconference. As a result, the user can communicate with other users in the same general location who want to discuss the same subject matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Michael P. McMullen, Terry G. Rayburn
  • Publication number: 20080240393
    Abstract: A discussion unit (6) for use in a conference system (8) is disclosed, which is adapted to be connected to at least one second discussion unit (6) of the conference system (8). The discussion unit (6) is switchable between at least two operating modes. The discussion unit (6) further comprises at least one exchangeable control (420) out of a set of controls comprising at least one control for each of the operating modes, wherein the at least one exchangeable control (420) is adapted to indicate to a user the operating mode currently used and to allow for the user to control the discussion unit (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Ruud De Wit, Marc Van Loon
  • Publication number: 20080232570
    Abstract: A telecommunications feature is disclosed that enables a person to disconnect from a telecommunications session (e.g., a telephone call, a chat session, a video conference, etc.) and to be automatically reconnected at a later time. For example, Fred might be required to participate in his project group's weekly conference call, but as a practical matter Fred really only need to participate at the beginning and end of the meeting. After the conference call begins and Fred learns that the meeting will end at 4:00 PM, Fred uses the present invention to program his telephone to disconnect from the conference call now and to automatically reconnect to the conference call at 3:45 PM. This gives Fred the opportunity to get some work done and yet not miss the end of the conference call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: AVAYA TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Ezra Raphael Gilbert, Vipul Kishore Lalka, Venkat R. Gilakattula
  • Patent number: 7412047
    Abstract: The present invention automatically establishes a connection to each participant of a teleconference. Conference call set up and connect information may be provisioned in a variety of ways, including via a menu-based Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) mechanism and via a form or formatted file sent from a subscriber. Additionally, a conference participant is not tied to one telephone number or other such address. The present invention queries a profile database to determine a conference participant's current location before connecting the participant to the conference. Therefore a conference participant who happens to be working from home on a particular day need only update one database, and any conferences in which the telecommuting worker is expected to participate will automatically be connected to the worker's home telephone number, rather than the worker's office telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T BLS Intellectual Property, Inc
    Inventors: Hong Thi Nguyen, Linda Ann Roberts, Edward Michael Silver
  • Publication number: 20080175366
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing distributed conferencing is presented. A Public Branch Exchange (PBX) receives a plurality of calls intended for a conference bridge from a plurality of conference participants. The plurality of conference participants is conferenced together at the PBX. The plurality of conference participants is connected to the conference bridge by way of a single connection from the PBX to the conference bridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventor: Tibor Lukac
  • Publication number: 20080165945
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises storing information associated with a conference call that has previously been terminated. The method also comprises obtaining a request to re-establish the terminated conference call, and re-establishing the conference call in response to the request to re-establish the conference call. Re-establishing the conference call comprises using the stored information to set a first set of states associated with the re-established conference call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC
    Inventors: SRAVAN VADLAKONDA, ASHISH CHOTAI, SHANTANU SARKAR, ASEEM ASTHANA
  • Publication number: 20080159490
    Abstract: A conferencing system enables conference participants to control external party access to an ongoing conference call by providing a conference server that includes a conference client operable to manage a conference call between conference participants, an interface operable to receive an instruction during the conference call that defines a policy to control external party access to the conference call and a processor for executing the conference client to initiate the conference call and process the instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: ALCATEL LUCENT
    Inventors: ERIC GAUDIN, JACK JACHNER
  • Patent number: 7343008
    Abstract: Described in this paper are systems and methods of providing conferencing services where a conference participant is identified by the conferencing system when calling into the system. The system and methods focus on individual users instead of groups of participants. Instead of using a conference identity as the driver, embodiments herein invoke a user identity, and services are personalized for each user. The user has far fewer codes to juggle and all participants enjoy a quicker, richer, and more secure experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventor: David P. Frankel
  • Patent number: 7336776
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for establishing a multi-user call in a communication system. The communication system receives a call request to establish a group call with a shared group of users. The communication system determines which of the plurality of individual users should be excluded from the call and connects each of the group of included users to establish a multi-user call. The communication system preferably indicates that a unit was not currently available, for example by playing a prerecorded message, playing a tone and also preferably indicates why a unit was not available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah Lewandowski Barclay, Christopher Lawrence Fernandez, Ronald Bruce Martin, Raymond Leroy Ruggerio, Donna Michaels Sand
  • Patent number: 7289620
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing incoming and outgoing calls at an endpoint placed on hold are disclosed. A first call that includes an outbound media stream is established on a network between a first endpoint and a second endpoint. The first endpoint detects that the first call was placed on hold by the second endpoint and a second call between the first endpoint and a third endpoint after detecting that the first call was placed on hold. The first endpoint communicates the outbound media stream in the second call and mixes a first incoming media stream from the first call with a second incoming media stream from the second call for presentation to a user of the first endpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Rohit Dewan
  • Patent number: 7269252
    Abstract: A system to allow a conferee defined as a nuisance source to respond to an automatic nuisance decision of a Multipoint Control Unit is disclosed. For example, a conferee placing a conference on hold may generate on hold music, which may be identified by a nuisance detector. The nuisance detector sends an indication of the nuisance condition to a control unit in the MCU. The control unit mutes the signal coming from this conferee and sends an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) message to the conferee. The message may inform the conferee that he has been muted and requests the conferee for example to press one of a plurality of touch tone keys depending on his situation. For instance, the conferee can select particular keys if he is returning from the hold condition, if he is experiencing a noisy line/environment and needs to reduce the sensitivity of the nuisance detector algorithm, or if he wishes to disable the nuisance detector algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Knaz Eran
  • Patent number: 7231208
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing, a processor supported by the housing, a memory coupled to the processor, and a communications transceiver coupled to the processor. The transceiver is configured to support voice conference calling between more than two parties. A program stored in the memory and running on the processor is configured to provide a user interface on the display which is configured to display indicators representative of the parties on the conference call. The user interface includes the hold area configured to display indicators representative of the parties on hold and an active area configured to display indicators representative of the parties active on the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Palm, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Robertson, Eric Williams, Stephane Maes, Timothy Twerdahl, Carl Stone
  • Patent number: 7209947
    Abstract: A system and method for providing data network-assisted conference service to a wireless terminal. Conference-related information is received from a conference originator and stored. Prior to conference establishment time, a conference notification message is sent to the wireless terminal. A conference connection request is sent by the wireless terminal in response to the conference notification message, and a conference connection is established between the wireless terminal and a conference bridge that connects all conference participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Chinmei Chen Lee, Douglas William Varney
  • Patent number: 7200214
    Abstract: A method and system for participant control of privacy during a multiparty communication session includes receiving a request from a first participant to a multiparty communication connection for a sidebar between the first participant and a second participant to the multiparty communication connection. The sidebar is provided by at least substantially eliminating voice streams generated by the first participant and the second participant from conference output streams generated for a set of remaining participants to the multiparty communication connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael E. Knappe, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Patent number: 7167552
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for joining a meet-me conference call includes but is not limited to presenting an option to specify a quorum associated with a meet-me conference call, in response to user input to an application program co-resident with a terminal. In one embodiment, the user input includes but is not limited to an indication that the user is requesting to join a meet-me conference call. In one embodiment, the presenting an option to specify a quorum is done in response to the user input includes but is not limited to an indication that the user is requesting to specify a quorum either at the time at which a meet-me call is being scheduled, or at a time prior to a time at which a meet-me conference call is to transpire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Charles J. Bedard
  • Patent number: 7162025
    Abstract: A communication device recognizes a first string of characters as a telephone number and a second string of characters as additional information related to the telephone number. A menu is then displayed having a menu item including the telephone number and the additional information. When the user has selected the menu item, the telephone number and the additional information are provided to a telephone application of the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Schnurr
  • Patent number: 7133521
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for DTMF detection and voice mixing in the code-excited linear prediction (CELP) parameter space, without fully decoding and reconstructing the speech signal. The apparatus includes a Dual Tone Multiplexed Frequency (DTMF) signal detection module and a multi-input mixing module. The DTMF signal detection module detects DTMF signals by computing characteristic features from the input CELP parameters and comparing them with known features of DTMF signals. The multi-input mixing module mixes multiple sets of input CELP parameters, that represent multiple voice signals, into a single set of CELP parameters. The mixing computation is performed by analyzing each set of input CELP parameters, determining the order of importance of the input sets, selecting a strategy for mixing the CELP parameters, and outputting the mixed CELP parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Dilithium Networks Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Marwan Anwar Jabri, Jianwei Wang, Sameh Georgy, Michael Ibrahim
  • Patent number: 7133512
    Abstract: Within an interactive voice response system, a method of aggregating conference calls can include registering a caller with the interactive voice response system, accessing a calendar system used by the registered caller to determine teleconference data specifying at least a telephone number for a scheduled conference call, and, at approximately a time of the conference call, automatically calling the telephone number for the conference call. The method also can include establishing contact with the registered caller and joining the registered caller with the conference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Creamer, Brent L. Davis, Peeyush Jaiswal, Fang Wang
  • Patent number: 7130643
    Abstract: A portable phone is equipped with a position detector that detects the geographical position of the portable phone, and a telephone system may ring one or more land-based phones or portable phones according to the geographical position of the portable phone. One or more geographical regions are defined, with corresponding telephone parameters defined for each region. When a portable phone enters a defined region, exits a defined region, or changes between two defined regions, the function of one or more land-based phones or portable phones may change. The preferred embodiments thus allow changing the function of one or more other phones based on the self-detected geographical position of a portable phone. In this manner the convenience of using portable phones is greatly enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Lee Bates, Jeffrey Michael Ryan, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 7058168
    Abstract: A method and system for participant control of privacy during a multiparty communication session includes receiving a request from a first participant to a multiparty communication connection for a sidebar between the first participant and a second participant to the multiparty communication connection. The sidebar is provided by at least substantially eliminating voice streams generated by the first participant and the second participant from conference output streams generated for a set of remaining participants to the multiparty communication connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael E. Knappe, Shmuel Shaffer