Method and system for setting up conference call

• US 20030055899A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lederer, Thomas, Burger, Manfred, Hohl, Hubertus
• Application Number:
  US10/207,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055899A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/424 Arrangements for automatic redialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27
• 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

Abstract

Trigger information triggers retrieval of stored communication addresses which identify conferee terminals. Connections are then setup to terminals identified by retrieved communication addresses, respectively and the terminals are added to the conference call.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a conference call, comprising:

triggering retrieval of stored communication addresses identifying conferee terminals in response to trigger information;

setting up connections to terminals identified by the stored communication addresses, respectively, and

adding each of the terminals to the conference call.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a set of communication addresses is stored in association with a conference identifier, and

wherein said triggering in response to the trigger information triggers detection of a conference identifier and retrieval of the communication addresses associated with the conference identifier.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising generating the trigger information by user input on a terminal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said setting up includes

retrieving advisory information about setup of the conference call;

and

outputting the advisory information to the terminal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising generating the trigger information by an appointments diary application.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2,

further comprising initiating the conference call by a terminal, and

wherein said setting up includes outputting advisory information about setup of the conference call to the terminal.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said adding of one of the terminals to the conference call includes outputting advisory information to already connected terminals.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising displaying the advisory information on a display of the already connected terminals.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said displaying uses a graphical user interface.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising outputting the advisory information in spoken form to the already connected terminals.

11. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said setting up connects the terminals in parallel.

12. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising making at least one fresh connection attempt at a prescribed interval of time, if connection setup to a conferee terminal fails.

13. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising initiating a call-back call for a conferee terminal, if connection setup to the conferee terminal fails.

14. A conference setup device for setting up a conference call between conferee terminals, comprising:

a trigger unit to trigger conference setup when trigger information is received,

an address detection unit to retrieve stored communication addresses identifying the conferee terminals, when triggered by the trigger information; and

a connection controller to set up connections to the conferee terminals and to add the conferee terminals to the conference call.

15. The conference setup device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a user interface, coupled to said trigger unit, for a user of one of the conferee terminals.

16. The conference setup device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an application interface, coupled to said trigger unit, for an appointments diary application.

17. The conference setup device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an output unit to retrieve advisory information about setup of the conference call and to output the advisory information to at least one of the conferee terminals.

18. A terminal for setting up a conference call between conferee terminals, comprising:

a trigger unit to trigger conference setup when trigger information is received,

an address detection unit to retrieve stored communication addresses identifying the conferee terminals, when triggered by the trigger information; and

a connection controller to set up connections to the conferee terminals and to add the conferee terminals to the conference call.

19. The terminal as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an application interface, coupled to said trigger unit, for an appointments diary application.

20. The terminal as claimed in claim 19, further comprising an output unit to retrieve advisory information about setup of the conference call and to output the advisory information to at least one of the conferee terminals.