Call Conferencing Patents (Class 455/416)
  • Patent number: 7693533
    Abstract: A method for performing session merging between PoC sessions under the environment of multiple PoC sessions is provided. A merging PoC client sends a request for the session merging with a merged session to a PoC server managing a merging session to which the PoC client belongs. The PoC server managing the merging session sends a session merge request to a PoC server managing the merged session. Negotiation of a CF (Controlling PoC Function) for managing a session to be merged is performed between the PoC server of the merging session and the PoC server of the merged session. When an entire CF of the session to be merged is selected as the negotiation between the PoC servers is completed, the PoC server of the merged session sends an UPDATE message of modified media parameters to a PoC client of the merged session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sang-Kyung Sung, Joon-Goo Park, Sung-Jin Park
  • Publication number: 20100081419
    Abstract: A communication method and a communication device thereof are provided. The communication method includes the steps of: displaying a calling window when a telephone connection between a calling party of the communication device and a called party is established; displaying a contact list window showing at least one contact item corresponding to at least one contact; dragging and dropping one of the at least one contact item from the contact list window to the calling window; performing a communication function relating to the called party and the dragged and dropped contact item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: HTC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ching-Liang Chiang, Chih-Wei Tai, Chi-Nien Chen, Tai-Ling Lu
  • Patent number: 7689201
    Abstract: A cellular phone having a telephone communication unit and a data communication unit is provided with the function of notifying a user of emergency data communication immediately even when the emergency data communication was received while a call was in progress. There is provided a communication terminal equipment according to the present invention, which includes a data communication unit which receives emergency data communication, a display unit which displays the contents of the received data communication thereon, and a communication unit which communicates with a base station by phone or the like. The communication unit establishes a call link through a cellular phone network, and the data communication unit allows received data to interrupt a call upon emergency, displays it on the display unit and notifies a user that emergency data has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusaku Katsube, Koichi Terui
  • Patent number: 7684816
    Abstract: A network element (300) can facilitate allocating first and second communication resources (such as, but not limited to, FDMA and TDMA communication resources) in support of supergroup communications. By one approach this comprises identifying (101) communication talkgroups as are to comprise a part of the communication supergroup and then determining (102) whether any of the communication talkgroups comprise first resource-only talkgroups. When any one of the communication talkgroups comprises a first resource-only talkgroup, the network element allocates (103) communication resources to support the communication supergroup wherein the communication resources do not comprise second resource communication resources (for example, the network element allocates first resource communication resources).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel M. Furrer, Daniel J. McDonald
  • Publication number: 20100067680
    Abstract: A system and methodology for managing a mute function muting a connection to a conference call or other communication is disclosed. The system is implemented when the mute function is activated on a line connected to a conference call through a telecommunications network. The method includes receiving a sound, determining whether the sound meets predetermined criteria and if the sound meets predetermined criteria then performing a mute status operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Karrie Hanson, Eric Cheung
  • 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: 7675537
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed whereby a wireless Personal Area Network such as a Bluetooth piconet may be extended to a remote location beyond the normal range by means of a conferencing connection. The conferencing connection may comprise, for example, one or more ISDN lines or an IP connection between two or more conference endpoints. The broadband connection may include a video channel, an audio channel, a control channel, and a Bluetooth channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: George “Jed” D. Wilson, Katharine D. Nogarede, Charles Gregory Rousch
  • Publication number: 20100056122
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for remote communication to realize the multi-user communication pattern, comprising: (1) linking at least one communication part of a plurality of communication devices via using expansion connection device; (2) connecting any plurality of communication devices of at least one communication part to communicate with communication devices of other parts by expansion connection device. In one embodiment of the invention, the method farther includes the step of recording contents of communication by record equipment. The method also comprises the step that any plurality of communication devices of at least one communication part converts communication signals by using expansion connection device before communicating to other parts. The present invention also provides one remote communication meeting system using the method for remote communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Zhongwen CHEN
  • Publication number: 20100056121
    Abstract: A method for simultaneous multi-party conversation, comprising steps of: (1) a calling party dialling a called party resulting in the voice signal of the calling party being directed into a computer of the calling party; (2) said computer transmitting the voice signal to a plurality of computers of called parties and activating several internet voice communication softwares of the called parties; (3) the voice signal of one of the called parties being received by the calling party; (4) then, the voice signal of the called party being transmitted to other called parties by a transforming device, thus achieving interconnection between the calling party and several called parties. Said method and system also comprise a step of conversation recordation. The invention also discloses a system for simultaneous multi-party conversation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Zhongwen CHEN
  • Publication number: 20100048191
    Abstract: Systems, methods and processor-readable media for initiating a call are disclosed. A particular system includes an access interface to receive a data message including a destination address from a mobile communication device. The system also includes a communication bridge responsive to the access interface. The communication bridge initiates a first call to the mobile communication device and initiates a second call to the destination address in response to the data message. The communication bridge bridges the first call to the second call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas F. Bender, Mark S. Hewitt
  • Patent number: 7664489
    Abstract: A method for a communication between two cellular phones is provided, in which the communication between the cellular phones includes an intercom communication and a telephone communication. The method includes steps of providing a telephone number of one cellular phone and an intercom number associated with the telephone number in the other cellular phone, dialing the telephone number of the one cellular phone by the other cellular phone to activate a calling to the intercom number associated with the telephone number, determining whether the cellular phones are within an intercom communication area, and performing the intercom communication therebetween while the cellular phones are within an intercom communication area, or performing the telephone communication therebetween while the cellular phones are without an intercom communication area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corp.
    Inventors: Chengshing Lai, Shilong Yang
  • Patent number: 7664490
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for establishing a call in a communication system including an Instant Messaging (IM) application provided by a Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) server connected to a number of IM clients, each associated with at least one conference endpoint managed by one or more management systems at least adapted to schedule and/or investigate possibilities for a conference between two or more individuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS
    Inventors: Carl Aaby, Nicolai Grodum
  • Publication number: 20100035593
    Abstract: A method of managing, in a telephone network, a conference call among a first terminal and a plurality of terminals, includes: setting up at least one voice channel for activating the conference call among the first terminal and the plurality of terminals; and causing deactivation of a microphone of at least one terminal of the plurality of terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: TELECOM ITALIA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Dario Franco, Marcello Sampo, Agostino Cotevino
  • Publication number: 20100015964
    Abstract: A method and system for call switching during multi-party calling are disclosed. The method of call switching during multi-party calling includes: receiving, by a base station, a call switch request signal from a first mobile terminal; placing, by the base station in response to the call switch request signal, a second mobile terminal in call active state from call waiting state as to the first mobile terminal, and sending a call switch response signal containing number digit information of the second mobile terminal to the first mobile terminal; and extracting, by the first mobile terminal, number digit information contained in the received call switch response signal, and displaying the number digit information on a display unit. The call switch response signal further includes an indication of number digit inclusion. Hence, the user of a mobile terminal can visually identify the counterpart through a displayed phone number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Hyuk An
  • Patent number: 7649893
    Abstract: A method of arbitrating group calls in a digital mobile radio system without need of a central component. In general terms the base station that are serving mobile units in a call each announce the nature of the signals that they are receiving. The stations then each compare the signals and decide which signal will be broadcast to the mobile units. The signals are preferably transmitted between base stations via a packet network using IP multicast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Tait Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Rex Allen Nisbet
  • Patent number: 7650142
    Abstract: A method for setting up a conference call where the subscribers are not only concentrated in one area but also more widely dispersed. The method allows both groups of subscribers to be contacted for a conference call with individuals close to the point of origination of the conference call being connected to a shared channel call and any members further out being connected to the conference call using individual channels. Members who initially started with an individual channel can move closer to the point of origin and automatically join the shared channel. This is of particular use to the emergency services where they may need to co-ordinate members arriving at the scene or performing related actions further away from the scene of the emergency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Timothy Longman, Martin Sauter, Frederic Carrier, Thomas Altwein, Darin Currie
  • Patent number: 7647036
    Abstract: A security group management system includes a cellular mobile station (2), two or more devices (3) belonging to a group, and a group management server (1). The group management server comprises a storage unit (11, 13) configured to store information about the cellular mobile station registered by a member of the group and group information about the group in advance; and a group information providing unit (16) configured to supply the group information in response only to an access from the registered cellular mobile station. The cellular mobile station has a group information transmission unit (23) configured to supply the group information to the devices so as to allow the devices to recognize that the devices belong to the group and to perform secure mutual connection and/or resource sharing among the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Omae, Yoichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7647374
    Abstract: The invention relates to a management of sessions between parties being connectable with a network. Thereby a first party registers to the network and invites a second party to a session. It is determined from a session information whether said session is to be retained by the network. The retaining comprises storing at least part of the session information for a subsequent re-establishment or release of the session by the network on behalf of said first party, releasing said retained session by the network towards the second party on behalf of the first party, when the first party deregisters from the network or loses connection to the network, re-establishing the retained session by the network towards the second party on behalf of the first party, when the first party repeatedly registers to said network or re-establishes connection with said network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Jarno Rajahalme, Christophe Bouret
  • Publication number: 20090325561
    Abstract: A method and system enables a conference call that includes a push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) call session and a non-PoC over cellular call session. The method includes establishing a PoC call session between a first communication device and a second communication device using a PoC server (step 705). A non-PoC call session is also established between the first communication device and a third communication device (step 710). Transcoded media data are then generated by transcoding and buffering media data received at the first communication device from the third communication device (step 715). Permission to transmit in the PoC call session is then received at the first communication device from the PoC server (step 725). The transcoded media data are then transmitted, from the first communication device to the push-to-talk over cellular server, for forwarding to the second communication device (step 730).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Chuan Xu, Xiang Xu
  • Patent number: 7640300
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, a client device is sent an indication of one or more types of information available for the client device. In response to the indication, a request is received from the client device to retrieve the information available for the client device. The information is identified and sent to the client device. In accordance with another aspect, one or more friends of the user are identified from persistent data, and a check made as to whether each of them is logged in to the system. For each of them that is logged in to the system, the user is subscribed to the friend's information and the friend is subscribed to the user's information. In accordance with another aspect, a user is allowed to be a friend of another user only if the other user is also a friend of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sean Christian Wohlgemuth, Mark D. VanAntwerp, Boyd C. Multerer, Brian R. Morin
  • Patent number: 7639634
    Abstract: A method for joining a virtual talk group includes facilitating communications of a virtual talk group. The virtual talk group includes a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks. The method also includes recording the communications of the plurality of endpoints of the virtual talk group. The method also includes adding a first endpoint to the virtual talk group and presenting the first endpoint with the recorded communications of the plurality of endpoints of the virtual talk group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Shah Talukder, Kittur V. Nagesh, Douglas J. Hall
  • Patent number: 7630724
    Abstract: A cellular, PDA communication device and communication system for allowing a plurality of cellular phone users to monitor each others' locations and status, to initiate cellular phone calls by touching a symbol on the touch screen display with a stylus which can also include point to call conferencing calling. Each participant's cellular phone PDA device includes GPS navigation receiver with application software for point to call cellular phone initiation to participants and geographical entities including vehicles, persons or events, conference calls and video transfers. The method and system also includes automatic shifting from GPRS/EDGE/CDMA/1XEVDO to SMS when any of the cellular phones in the communication network is in the voice mode and in use and for automatic shifting back to GPRS/EDGE/CDMA/1XEVDO upon completion of the voice phone call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm K. Beyer, Jr., Christopher R. Rice
  • Publication number: 20090298487
    Abstract: A method is provided for use in a push to talk or conferencing type service involving a terminal and a controller, comprising, in response to the controller deciding to grant a talk request received from the terminal, sending to the terminal an indication of an allowed talk time for a granted talk burst, the indication being for use at the terminal to monitor the remaining allowed talk time during the granted talk burst. There is also provided a method for use in a push to talk or conferencing type service involving a terminal and a controller, comprising, in response to the controller deciding to grant a talk request received from the terminal, monitoring the remaining allowed talk time at the controller using an allowed talk timer and starting the allowed talk timer at the controller in response to receipt of talk burst data from the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Hubert Przybysz, Bipin Thomas
  • Publication number: 20090291675
    Abstract: A communication apparatus is provided. A first subscriber identity card camps on a first cell belonging to a first wireless network capable of providing a conference communication service for the first subscriber identity card with at most N peer communication entities via a first radio transceiver module. A second subscriber identity card camps on a second cell belonging to a second wireless network via a second radio transceiver module. A processor builds a conference communication for the first subscriber identity card with at most (N?1) peer communication entities via the first cell, receives an add request to add a new peer communication entity to the conference communication, adds the second subscriber identity card to the conference communication via the first cell, and adds the new peer communication entity to the conference communication via the second cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chun-Ying Wu, Yu-Syuan Jheng
  • Publication number: 20090286522
    Abstract: A multiparty call processing method and mobile terminal implemented with the multiparty call processing method is provided. A multiparty call processing method for a mobile terminal detects a call request to a first network, determines whether the mobile terminal is in a full state of the first network, and sends a call request message to a second network when the mobile terminal is in the full state of the first network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kwang Min LEE
  • Patent number: 7620391
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for communication includes assigning to at least first and second communication terminals (22) of a communication system (20) at least respective first and second private identities and a common public identity different from at least the first and second private identities. Registrations of the public identity and of at least the first and second private identities are simultaneously maintained in the communication system (20). A request is received to set up a call in which the public identity serves as one of a source and a destination of the call. The call is established between a third communication terminal and one of at least the first and second communication terminals (22) using the simultaneously-maintained registrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Convergin Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayal Itzkovitz, Tzach Livyatan, Tal Zoller
  • Patent number: 7619994
    Abstract: A conference bridge adapter for processing data carried on a media path between, on the one hand, a conference bridge operative to communicate composite packets carrying media information and auxiliary information pertaining to the media information and, on the other hand, an endpoint characterized by an inability to exchange composite packets with the conference bridge. In one direction, a stream of composite packets is received from the bridge. An output media stream without auxiliary information is generated from the media information in each received composite packet. In the opposite direction, a stream of packets carrying only media information is received from the endpoint. Auxiliary information is derived from the media information and a stream of composite packets is generated by combining the media information and the auxiliary information. Thus, a media conference can be established between seemingly incompatible network elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Rafi Rapipour, Paul Coverdale
  • Patent number: 7616967
    Abstract: In the various embodiments of the present invention, a method of floor control in a PTX communications system comprises transmitting a floor control message via a floor control channel (905) wherein the floor control message consists of media designation fields (1003) for any possible requested media type. The media types preferred for the given requested PTX session are designated by populating the corresponding media type designators (1003) within the floor control message. The Real Time Control Protocol (RTCP) may be used for the floor control messaging channel and is independent from the requested media streams (217) which are typically Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) media streams. Support may be provided for older mobiles that do not support each type of RTP media stream, but will still receive and interpret the RTCP floor control messaging, which in the embodiments of the present invention, is common for all media types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael F. Coulas
  • Patent number: 7613113
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a capability for placing a slight delay in processing call setup and termination signaling messages in conferencing applications so that the call processing rate requirement on a Call Control Element (CCE) is lowered. For example, allowing conferencing participants of a conference call to join a conference bridge over a 90 second period will significantly improve the processing load on the CCE than allowing them to join in over a 30 second period. In one embodiment, the present invention introduces a configurable delay in the processing of signaling messages for call setups and terminations for high volume calls onto conference bridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Publication number: 20090264114
    Abstract: An apparatus for utilizing spatial information for audio signal enhancement in a multiple distributed network may include a processor. The processor may be configured to receive representations of a plurality of audio signals including at least one audio signal received at a first device and at least a second audio signal received at a second device. The first and second devices may be part of a common acoustic space network and may be arbitrarily positioned with respect to each other. The processor may be further configured to combine the first and second audio signals to form a composite audio signal, and provide for communication of the composite audio signal along with spatial information relating to a sound source of at least one of the plurality of audio signals to another device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Jussi Virolainen, Jarmo Hiipakka
  • Publication number: 20090264113
    Abstract: The invention provides a method to increase accessibility for automatically making conference calls. First, a group list referring to a plurality of remote phones selected by a user is received with a local mobile phone. The local mobile phone then automatically performs an automatic conference-call procedure by handling all protocols to establish a conference call between the local mobile phone and the remote phones according to the group list without user intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Yu-Syuan Jheng
  • Patent number: 7606563
    Abstract: In order to simplify the setup of telephone conference with distributed conference devices, each conference participant applies speech encoding to its own speech signal in order to reduce the bandwidth of its speech signal thus that the bandwidth compressed speech signal shows at least half of the bandwidth of the data transport channel. Each compressed speech signal is inserted to the data transport channel and that each conference participant extracts the compressed speech signals of the other parties from the data transport channel. Each participant then decodes the compressed speech signals and each conference participant sums up all decoded speech signals to a sum signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Peter Bloecher, Karl Hellwig, Matthias Rychetsky, Matthias Doerbecker
  • Patent number: 7602893
    Abstract: A method and a system for supporting rendezvous based instant group conferencing among mobile users allows a conference originator to initiate and setup instant group conferencing to a set of participants even when the participants may not be immediately available to commit to the conference call at the time of its initiation. All negotiations for obtaining commitments from the participants are performed by the system, thus relieving the originator of the time consuming task of negotiating with the participants. The system automatically decides as to when to actually dial out to the participants to setup the conference call after obtaining commitment from all (or a quorum of) required participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Inventors: Randeep Bhatia, Jorge Lobo, Guda Venkatesh
  • Publication number: 20090253418
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a system for a conference call, which includes: at least one portable audio device (MEM2-MEMn) arranged in an common acoustic space (AS) which device (MEM2-MEMn) is equipped with audio components (LS2-LSn, MIC2-MICn) for inputting and outputting an audible sound and at least one communication module (22); at least one base station device (MA) to which at least the said one portable audio device is interconnected and which base station device is connected to the communication network (CN) in order to perform the conference call from the said common acoustic space. At least part of the portable audio devices are personal mobile devices which audio components (MIC2-MICn) are arranged to pick the audible sound from the said common acoustic space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventor: Jorma Makinen
  • Patent number: 7599357
    Abstract: The present invention enables a network to detect electrical interference caused by cellular phones and correct the problem by playing a network announcement to the network operator if the interference reaches a certain threshold level. In turn, the network operator will notify participants of the conference call of the interference and ask them to change the location of their cellular phones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Patent number: 7599683
    Abstract: A speech communication system includes a plurality of portable terminals and a server device. The server device manages the talker right specifying a terminal which transmits speech when speech communication is performed between the portable terminals. The portable terminal includes a registration request notification unit. The registration request notification unit transmits, to the server device in response to predetermined external operation, a registration request notification for requesting registration of a reservation for the talker right. The server device includes a management table and a reservation registration unit. The management table stores management information containing the reservation status of the talker right. The reservation registration unit registers a reservation for the talker right in the management table in accordance with a registration request notification from the portable terminal. A talker right reservation method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Sou Kaida
  • Patent number: 7596102
    Abstract: A visual interface for a PTT user terminal displays user images of participants in a PTT conference. When a PTT conference is established, a controller determines whether an image associated with each participant invited to the PTT conference is stored in memory on the user terminal. For each participant that has an associated image stored on the user terminal, the controller displays the image. For those participants that do not have an associated image stored on the user terminal, the controller generates and sends a request for the image. Upon receipt of the image, the controller displays the image on the user terminal. During the PTT conference, the controller alters the appearance of the images to show the status information of each participant, such as which participant has floor control and presence of participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Stephen K. Forbes, Jonathan Charles Lohr
  • Publication number: 20090239515
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for assigning the carrier frequency in a trunking system, which includes: after the base station subsystem receiving a group call request, it assigns a carrier frequency reference for this group call, by which to establish the forward channels of the group users managed by the base station subsystem. With the method offered by the present invention, all the group members under a base station subsystem could be established on the same carrier frequency reference as far as possible, thereby sharing of the wireless channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei Bai, Rui Tao, Zhihui Zhang, Chi Huang, Feng Jiang
  • Patent number: 7593355
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing an improved interface to a caller during the initiation of a VoIP call. The present invention includes placing, by the caller, a request for information regarding a party to be called; returning a URL responsive to the request; and displaying to the caller one or more connection options corresponding to the URL. Additional aspects of the present invention include choosing, by the caller, at least one of the one or more connection options, and placing a call responsive to the one or more connection options chosen by the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Surazski, Pascal Huart
  • Publication number: 20090227241
    Abstract: An arrangement and method in a wireless communication network provides users with full control of service management, defines how a user can enter or leave services, and defines dependencies between services. A mobile terminal initiates establishment of a group and creates a unique groupID. The terminal sends invitations to other terminals to join the group and includes the unique groupID and a service feature tag for a desired service. The terminal will not request a service if it is incompatible with a service already running. Terminals that receive invitations store the groupID and service feature tags. These parameters are used to send acceptances or rejections, and to join later or leave a service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Elena Fersman, Michael Astrom
  • 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: 7580704
    Abstract: Provided is a communication system including a first, a second, a third, and a fourth apparatuses, in which the first and the second apparatuses communicate with each other over a first communication service, and the third and the fourth apparatuses communicate with each other over a second communication service. The first apparatus has a first communication means, a setup information obtaining means, and a first connection requesting means. The second apparatus has a second communication means, and a second connection requesting means. The third apparatus has a third communication means, and a setup information sending means. The fourth apparatus has a fourth communication means and a connection processing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Narita
  • Patent number: 7580711
    Abstract: A calibration procedure of wireless networks to create a topology map mainly consists of two phases: a measurement phase during which each wireless device, i.e. all mobile terminals end the central controller, transmits a calibration signal in broadcast mode (S2, S3, S4) and each other wireless device measures the received signal quality and the reporting phase during which each mobile terminal reports the measured results to the central controller of the network (S6, S7). Both of these phases are preferably initiated by the central controller, the measurement phase with the broadcast of a measurement control signal to all mobile terminals (S1) and the reporting phase with the broadcast of a reporting control signal to all mobile terminals (S5). Based on all measurement results the central controller creates a topology map of the network once all reports have been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Besma Kraiem, Janos Enderlein
  • Publication number: 20090209242
    Abstract: To allow a user to break out of a conference and rejoin it, multiple accessions within a predetermined period (such as one day) may be counted as a single accession in counting towards the predetermined number of accessions. Different users may be validated for use of the same resources for different durations. To encourage responsible use of the reservation facilities, allocation of resources may be prioritized for users having the most restricted duration of access. A telecommunications conferencing facility may include a provisioning facility for allocating resources to a user and a validation processor for creating validation information. The provisioning facility and validation processor control access to the resources such that a user is permitted access to the resources for a predetermined duration. A timer and/or counter may be employed to disable access after elapse of a predetermined period or number of accessions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Jason H. Chin
  • Patent number: 7577455
    Abstract: A system for interactive communication among lightweight audio communication devices over a communication network in which an application is stored and executed for use by network devices. The system includes a session management module for management of communication sessions among the audio communication devices. Session management includes receiving an initial message as an audio stream through an audio channel from a first audio communication device, producing a response message within the network devices, and determining whether the first communication device is responsively engaging the response message. The system also includes an audio processing module for storage, retrieval, and transmission of audio communication streams, including sending a response message to the first audio communication device and recording a reply message as an audio stream through the audio channel from a first communication device if the first communication device indicates responsive engagement with the response message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Margaret H. Szymanski, Paul M. Aoki, James D. Thornton, Allison G. Woodruff
  • 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: 7573837
    Abstract: A method for establishing multicast PoC communication is disclosed. To establish multicast PoC communication, a multicast-join process will be coupled with a PoC session setup process, and the PoC server will function as a multicast content server, to multicast PoC communications to the PoC session participants. For example, when a party initiates a PoC session, the PoC server may acquire a multicast flow-ID from a multicast session manager, and the PoC server may convey that multicast flow-ID to each participant within the PoC session setup signaling. Upon receipt of the multicast flow-ID, each participant may then engage in signaling with the multicast session manager, to join the associated multicast group. And the multicast session manager may direct the PoC server to begin multicasting the associated flow to the group members, which the PoC server will do once it begins receiving PoC bearer data from one of the PoC session participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Manish Mangal, Iris Zeng, Craig C. Rhoades, Mark A. Lipford, Wesam Alanqar
  • Patent number: 7567816
    Abstract: A radio communications system that eliminates limitation on usage forms of radio communication and enables users to implement radio communication easily. CUG (Closed User Group) servers of communication carriers are provided to an outside company such as ASP (Application Service Provider), and group information of PTT communication terminal devices for performing radio communication processing among particular PTT communication terminal devices is registered in the CUG servers provided outside so that the PTT communication terminal devices are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20090186605
    Abstract: This document describes tools capable of enabling users of mobile communication devices to create communication groups quickly and easily. With such a communication group a user may call, text, or instant message all persons in the group at once by selecting the communication group rather than each person in the group. In one embodiment, the tools enable a user to build a communication group by dragging and dropping indicators for persons he or she knows from one area of a screen into another area. In another embodiment, the tools automatically collect persons from those that the user knows based on one or more criteria. The user may then easily create a communication group of those collected persons, such as by tapping on an area of a mobile device's display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Darren A. Apfel, Jon Friedman, Keith L. Rowe, Rosanna H. Ho, Sandra I. Vargas, Peter A. Bernard, Matthew Justin Von Bencke
  • Publication number: 20090186608
    Abstract: A multi-standby mobile terminal and a method for providing a host function between different networks in a multi-standby mobile terminal are provided. The method includes creating a call from a first mobile terminal, as a multi-standby mobile terminal, to a second mobile terminal on a first network and to a third mobile terminal on a second network, outputting a received voice signal through a speaker from the first mobile terminal, when the voice signal is received from one of the second mobile terminal and third mobile terminal, and, transmitting, from the first mobile terminal, the received voice signal through a loopback process to the one of the second mobile terminal and third mobile terminal that does not transmit the voice signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Kwang Min LEE, Mathew LEE, Jae Suk KIM, Seong Hyeon LEE