Software based single agent multipoint conference capability

• US 20030012148A1
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Inventors: Peters, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,075,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party-service or three-way-call computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for providing a three-party connection among a first, second and third call participant during a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephone call. The method includes the steps of providing a respective first and second port within a transceiving terminal for receiving VoIP voice information of the VoIP telephone call from the first and second call participants, mixing the VoIP information from the ports of the first and second call participants and transferring the mixed VoIP information to the third call participant.

Claims

1. A method of providing a three-party connection among a first, second and third call participant during a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephone call, such method comprising:

providing a respective first and second port within a transceiving terminal for receiving VoIP voice information of the VoIP telephone call from the first and second call participants;

mixing the VoIP information from the ports of the first and second call participants; and

transferring the mixed VoIP information to the third call participant.

2. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 wherein the step of mixing further comprises adding a digital representation of the VoIP information from the first and second participants and dividing by two.

3. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 further comprising providing a third port for the third participant and transferring the mixed VoIP information to the third port.

4. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing a port for the first and second participant further comprises using predetermined locations in a respective first and second protocol stacks.

5. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 further comprising coupling a port of the first and second ports to an Internet connection.

6. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 further comprising mixing VoIP information from the second and third participant in a second mixer.

7. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 6 further comprising transferring the mixed VoIP information from the second and third participant to the first participant.

8. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 further comprising mixing VoIP information from the first and third participant in a third mixer.

9. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 8 further comprising transferring the mixed VoIP information from the first and third participant to the second participant.

10. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 further comprising defining the second participant as a prerecorded announcement played for the benefit of the third participant.

11. The method of providing a three-party connection as in claim 1 further comprising defining the third participant as a recorder for recording a voice signal of the first and second participants.

13. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 wherein the means for mixing further comprises means for adding a digital representation of the VoIP information from the first and second participants and dividing by two.

14. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising means for providing a third port for the third participant and transferring the mixed VoIP information to the third port.

15. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 wherein the means for providing a port for the first and second participant further comprises means for using predetermined locations in a respective first and second protocol stacks.

16. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising means for coupling a port of the first and second ports to an Internet connection.

17. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising means for mixing VoIP information from the second and third participant in a second mixer.

18. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 17 further comprising means for transferring the mixed VoIP information from the second and third participant to the first participant.

19. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising means for mixing VoIP information from the first and third participant in a third mixer.

20. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 19 further comprising means for transferring the mixed VoIP information from the first and third participant to the second participant.

21. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising means for defining the second participant as a prerecorded announcement played for the benefit of the third participant.

22. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising means for defining the third participant as a recorder for recording a voice signal of the first and second participants.

24. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 wherein mixer further comprises an arithmetic processor adapted to add a digital representation of the VoIP information from the first and second participants and dividing by two.

25. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 further comprising a third port for the third participant.

26. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 wherein the first and second ports for the first and second participant further comprises a respective first and second protocol stack.

27. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 12 further comprising an Internet connection coupled to the first and second ports.

28. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 further comprising a second mixer adapted to mix VoIP information from the second and third participant.

29. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 further comprising a third mixer adapted to mix VoIP information from the first and third participant.

30. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 wherein the second participant further comprises an audio playback device adapted to play a prerecorded announcement for the benefit of the third participant.

31. The apparatus for providing a three-party connection as in claim 23 wherein the third participant further comprises a recorder adapted to record a voice signal of the first and second participants.

12. An apparatus for providing a three-party connection among a first, second and third call participant during a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephone call, such apparatus comprising:

means for providing a respective first and second port within a transceiving terminal for receiving VoIP voice information of the VoIP telephone call from the first and second call participants;

means for mixing the VoIP information from the ports of the first and second call participants; and

means for transferring the mixed VoIP information to the third call participant.

23. An apparatus for providing a three-party connection among a first, second and third call participant during a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephone call, such apparatus comprising:

a respective first and second port within a transceiving terminal for receiving VoIP voice information of the VoIP telephone call from the first and second call participants;

a mixer adapted to mix the VoIP information from the ports of the first and second call participant; and

a communication processor adapted to transfer the mixed VoIP information to the third call participant.