Intelligent switching system for voice and data

• US 20040210635A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keith Raniere
• Original Assignee: Global Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Danzig, Steven, Delaney, Thomas A., Miodownik, Saul, Raniere, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• 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: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A teleconferencing system for voice and data provides interconnections among user sites via a central station. User stations at user sites each alternate operation between a data mode connecting a user computer and modem to a user telephone communication path and a voice mode connecting a telephony circuit to the communication path. The teleconferencing system is adapted for conducting a voice conference over standard telephone lines while allowing simultaneous viewing of data objects such as slides, graphs, or text. A host computer connected to the central station serves as a central repository for storage and retrieval of data objects for use in teleconferences.

Claims

1-19. -19. (Canceled)

20. A method of conferencing, comprising the steps of:

retrieving a set of one or more data objects from a host computer, wherein said data objects represent a character;

processing the set of data objects in a storage device, the storage device located at a respective user site and having a storage system for data object storage;

operationally attaching a display system to at least one storage device;

operationally connecting the user site into the conference;

selecting a data object from the set of data objects and transmitting a control signal to indicate the selected data object; and

receiving the control signal and displaying the selected data object on the display system in response to the control signal.

46. A method of conferencing, comprising the steps of:

retrieving a set of executable data objects from a host computer;

processing the set of data objects in a storage device, the storage device located at a respective user site and having a storage system for data object storage;

operationally attaching a display system to at least one storage device;

operationally connecting the user site into the conference;

selecting a data object from the set of data objects and transmitting a control signal to indicate the selected data object; and

receiving the control signal and displaying the selected data object on the display system in response to the control signal.