Method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for interruption-free conference calling
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for supporting a conference link for communication between one or more endpoints, comprising steps of:
- establishing an ISDN audio link between the one or more endpoints when initiating the conference link;
monitoring the conference link for predefined errors or events;
switching communication from the conference link to the ISDN audio link when one or more of said predetermined errors or events is detected; and
switching the communication from the ISDN audio link back to the conference link when detected errors or events have disappeared or when the conference link is re-established.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to instability problems in circuit switched conferencing, and provides a method for establishing a backup “voice only” telephony link in parallel with a H.320 conference link. The two links between the calling parties is handled as one logical call entity. Audio is muted on the backup voice telephony link when status of the H.320 link is okay. If communication problems are detected on the H.320 link, audio is muted over the H.320 link and switched to the backup voice telephony link instead.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for supporting a conference link for communication between one or more endpoints, comprising steps of:
-
establishing an ISDN audio link between the one or more endpoints when initiating the conference link;
monitoring the conference link for predefined errors or events;
switching communication from the conference link to the ISDN audio link when one or more of said predetermined errors or events is detected; and
switching the communication from the ISDN audio link back to the conference link when detected errors or events have disappeared or when the conference link is re-established. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An apparatus for maintaining a conference link for communication between a plurality of endpoints, comprising:
-
an establishing unit configured to establish an ISDN audio link between the endpoints when initiating the conference link;
a monitoring unit configured to monitor the conference link for predefined errors or events; and
a switching unit configured to switch communication from the conference link to the ISDN audio link when one or more of said predetermined errors or events are detected, and to switch the communication from the ISDN audio link back to the conference link when detected errors or events have disappeared or when the conference link is re-established. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A system for establishing a videoconference, comprising
a first endpoint unit configured to establish conference link with another endpoint unit; - said first endpoint unit including
an establishing unit configured to establish an ISDN audio link between the first endpoint unit and another endpoint unit when initiating the conference link;
a monitoring unit configured to monitor the conference link for predefined errors or events; and
a switching unit configured to switch communication from the conference link to the ISDN audio link when one or more of said predetermined errors or events are detected, and to switch the communication from the ISDN audio link back to the conference link when detected errors or events have disappeared or when the conference link is re-established. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- said first endpoint unit including
-
18. A computer program product storing instructions for execution on a computer
system, which when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform steps of: -
establishing an ISDN audio link between the one or more endpoints when initiating the conference link;
monitoring the conference link for predefined errors or events;
switching communication from the conference link to the ISDN audio link when one or more of said predetermined errors or events is detected; and
switching the communication from the ISDN audio link back to the conference link when detected errors or events have disappeared or when the conference link is re-established.
-
-
19. An apparatus for maintaining a conference link for communication between a plurality of endpoints, comprising:
-
means for establishing an ISDN audio link between the one or more endpoints when initiating the conference link;
means for monitoring the conference link for predefined errors or events; and
means for switching communication from the conference link to the ISDN audio link when one or more of said predetermined errors or events is detected, and the communication from the ISDN audio link back to the conference link when detected errors or events have disappeared or when the conference link is re-established.
-
Specification