Method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference

• US 20030053423A1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Mateu, Jordi
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A method and a telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference, with the telephone conference taking place via a telephone network and the telephone conference being assigned a code which can be predetermined, and from which a password is derived which allows the subscribers to the telephone conference access to a communication platform which is based on a data network, for the purpose of interchanging data during the telephone conference.

Claims

1. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system using a telephone network via which the telephone conference takes place, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a predetermined code to the telephone conference;

allocating a communication platform to the telephone conference, the communication platform being based on a data network and offering services for message and information transmission in data form between subscribers to the telephone conference, wherein the communication platform is accessed via a password derived from the code and is transmitted together with an access address for the communication platform to the subscribers to the telephone conference; and

requiring transmission of the password, by the subscribers, via the data network to the access address to gain access to the communication platform and to interchange messages and information with one another via at least one service of the communication platform.

2. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication platform is part of a call center.

3. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network is the Internet, and the access address is an IP address.

4. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 3, the method further comprising the step of providing access to the communication platform via an access server.

5. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication platform provides a service for a data conference circuit.

6. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication platform provides a service which allows the subscribers to chat with one another.

7. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication platform provides a service which allows picture data to be transmitted.

8. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication platform provides a service which allows video data to be transmitted.

9. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication platform provides a service which allows transmission of e-mails.

10. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of providing a subscriber with an indication of which of the other subscribers have access to the communication platform.

11. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of registering the telephone conference in a call center, the call center assigning the code to the telephone conference and using the code to derive the password.

12. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 9, the method further comprising the step of notifying the subscribers, via a call center, that a telephone conference has been called, and transmitting to the subscribers both the address and the password.

13. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference, using a telephone network, comprising:

a predetermined code which is assigned by the telecommunications system to the conference;

a communication platform allocated to the telephone conference, the communication platform being based on a data network and having services for message and information transmission in data form between subscribers to the telephone conference;

a password for protecting access to the communication platform, the password being derived from the code and being transmitted together with an access address to the communication platform to the subscribers to the telephone conference; and

at least one service to which access is provided via the communication platform after transmission of the password via the data network from a telecommunications terminal, which is associated with the data network, of a subscriber to the telephone conference.

14. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communication platform is part of a call center.

15. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data network is the Internet and the access address is an IP address.

16. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an access server for providing access to the communication platform.

17. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communication platform provides a service for a data conference circuit.

18. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communication platform provides a service for the subscribers to chat with one another.

19. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communication platform provides a service for transmitting picture data.

20. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 14, wherein the communication platform provides a service for transmitting video data.

21. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communication platform provides a service for transmission of e-mails.

22. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the communication platform indicates to a subscriber which of the other subscribers have access to the communication platform.

23. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 14, wherein the call center receives a request for a telephone conference, assigns the code to the telephone conference, and derives the password from the code.

24. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 23, wherein the call center notifies the subscribers that a telephone conference has been called, and transmits to the subscribers both the access address and the password.