System and method for simplified conference initiation

• US 20050130638A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schrader, Thies
• Application Number:
  US10/983,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• 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

The present invention discloses a method and a system for initiating, routing and scheduling conferences. A dial URL is introduced with a prefix unique for calling purposes. When a user activates such a URL in a web browser, a content handler associated with the browser recognizes the type of URL and sends a request to a managing tool to determine an available calling route between the user'"'"'s preferred end-point and the end-point being addressed in the URL with the required resources. The managing tool then schedules the resources and initiates the call between the end-points. The invention allows for a one-click initiation of ad-hoc calls and conferences.

Claims

1. A method for routing and establishing a call or a conference from an originating user to one or more terminating users each associated with one or more respective end-points, the method comprising:

when a URL (Universal Resource Locator) with a unique dial prefix is activated;

requesting a management tool to determine an available route of resources between a preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and a respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users;

determining, by means of a routing module included in said management tool, a number of routes between said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users based on capability and connection data stored in a database for the respective end-points and said resources, and assigning a cost value to each of said number of routes representing delay, bandwidth and/or reliability;

determining, by means of a scheduling module included in said management tool, which of said number of routes whose resources currently and/or in near future are being idle, based on status data of said resources stored in said database, and selecting a route among which, having the lowest cost value, as said available route; and

establishing the call or conference from said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user to said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users through said determined available route.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said unique prefix in said URL is followed by a respective identification of the terminating one or more users or the one or more end-points respectively associated with said one or more terminating users.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said unique prefix in said URL is followed by an identification of a group of the terminating one or more users or a group of the one or more end-points respectively associated with said one or more terminating users.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said scheduling module is adapted to book resources included in said available route for a predefined period of time and consecutively rebook the resources as the call or conference proceeds.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of establishing the call or conference further includes:

issuing set-up commands to said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user for initiating said call or conference through said determined available route.

6. A system for routing and establishment of a call or a conference from an originating user to one or more terminating users each associated with one or more respective end-points, the system comprising:

a routing module adapted to determine a number of routes between a preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and respective preferred one(s) of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users, upon a URL (Universal Resource Locator) with a unique dial prefix being activated, based on capability and connection data stored in a database for the respective end-points and said resources, and further adapted to assign a cost value to each of said number of routes representing delay, bandwidth and/or reliability,

a scheduling module adapted to determine which of said number of routes whose resources currently and/or in near future are being idle, based on status data of said resources stored in said database, and to select a route among which having the lowest cost value, as a preferred route,

a calling module adapted to establishing the call or conference from said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user to said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users through said preferred route.

7. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said unique prefix in said URL is followed by a respective identification of the terminating one or more users or the one or more end-points respectively associated with said one or more terminating users.

8. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said unique prefix in said URL is followed by an identification of a group of the terminating one or more users or a group of the one or more end-points respectively associated with said one or more terminating users.

9. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said scheduling module further is adapted to book resources included in said available route for a predefined period of time and consecutively rebook as the call or conference proceeds.

10. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said calling module further is adapted to issuing set-up commands to said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user for initiating said call or conference through said determined available route.

11. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said URL occurs in a web browser in said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user or in a PC, mobile phone or PDA not participating in the call or conference.

12. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said routing module, calling module and scheduling module is integrated in a managing tool.

13. A method for routing and establishing a call or a conference from an originating user to one or more terminating users each associated with one or more respective end-points, the method comprising:

upon activation of a URL (Universal Resource Locator) with a unique dial prefix,

receiving a request from the originating user to determine an available route of resources between a preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and a respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users;

determining a number of routes between said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users based on capability and connection data stored in a database for the respective end-points and said resources, and assigning a cost value to each of said number of routes representing delay, bandwidth and/or reliability;

determining which of said number of routes whose resources currently and/or in near future are being idle, based on status data of said resources stored in said database, and selecting a route among which, having the lowest cost value, as said available route; and

establishing the call or conference from said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user to said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users through said determined available route.

14. Apparatus for routing and establishing a call or a conference from an originating user to one or more terminating users each associated with one or more respective end-points, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request from the originating user to determine an available route of resources between a preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and a respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users, upon a URL (Universal Resource Locator) with a unique dialing prefix being activated;

means for determining a number of routes between said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user and said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users based on capability and connection data stored in a database for the respective end-points and said resources, and assigning a cost value to each of said number of routes representing delay, bandwidth and/or reliability;

means for determining which of said number of routes whose resources currently and/or in near future are being idle, based on status data of said resources stored in said database, and selecting a route among which, having the lowest cost value, as said available route; and

means for establishing the call or conference from said preferred one of the one or more end-points associated with the originating user to said respective preferred one of the one or more end-points respectively associated with the one or more terminating users through said determined available route.