Method and application for arranging a conference call in a cellular network and a mobile terminal operating in a cellular network

• US 20070173238A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ali-Vehmas, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 8,351,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for arranging a conference call with mobile terminals operating in a cellular network. At first, a group of the participants of the conference call is formed either by selecting the participants from a list saved in the memory of the mobile terminal in by inputting the contract information of the participants manually. In the next step, a summons to the conference call is drawn up in standard form. An application loaded into the memory of the convener'"'"'s mobile terminal forms the summons, and sends the summons to the particulars via the cellular network. When a participant wants to join a conference call, he/she makes a call with the mobile terminal to the telephone number mentioned in the summons. An application in the mobile terminal of the convener receives the incoming calls and joins them to the conference call automatically.

Claims

1. A method for arranging a conference call between three or more participants using a mobile terminal operating in a cellular network in which method a group of participants of the conference call is formed, characterized in that in the mobile terminal of the convener of the conference call

a summons to a meeting is drawn up in standardized form,

a summons to a meeting is sent from a mobile terminal to all the members of the group of participants, and

calls coming from the participants are received in the mobile terminal and joined to the conference call automatically.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the summons to the meeting is formed before the group of participants is formed.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the group of participants is formed by selecting the participants from a list saved in the memory of the mobile terminal and/or inputting the contact information of the participants, such as telephone numbers, e-mail addresses or SIP addresses to the application manually.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the group of participants is given a name and that the formed group is saved in the memory of the mobile terminal for later use.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the time of the conference call and other information concerning the conference call is given in the summons to the meeting.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the agenda of the conference call is given in the summons to the meeting.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the summons to the meeting is formed as a character string composed of ASCII characters.

8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the summons to the meeting is sent to the participants as a text message.

9. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the summons to the meeting is sent to the participants as an e-mail message.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in connection with forming the summons to the meeting, a connection is opened to a calendar application in the mobile terminal and a reservation of time is made in the calendar application.

11. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the summons to the meeting is saved in the memory of the mobile terminal for later use.

12. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the duration of the conference call and the name of the group of participants are saved in the memory of the mobile terminal.

13. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the convener of the conference call is given a notification by means of the mobile terminal when a new participant has been joined to the conference call.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that said notification is given with an acoustic signal or a recorded voice message.

15. An application in a mobile terminal of a cellular network for establishing a conference call between three or more participants comprising means for forming a group of participants of the conference call, characterized in that said application further comprises

means for starting the application,

means for drawing up a summons to a meeting in standardized form,

means for sending a summons to a meeting to the members of the group of participants, and

means for receiving calls coming from the participants and joining them to the conference call automatically.

16. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that said means for forming a group of participants of the conference call comprise means for selecting participants from a list saved in the memory of the mobile terminal, and/or means for inputting the contact information of the participants, such as telephone numbers, e-mail addresses or SIP addresses to the application manually.

17. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that said means for starting the application comprise a starting icon produced on the display of the mobile terminal.

18. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that said means for starting the application have been arranged in a menu of the mobile terminal.

19. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that said summons to the meeting has been formed as a character string composed of ASCII characters.

20. An application according to claim 19, characterized in that said summons to the meeting has been formed as a text message.

21. An application according to claim 19, characterized in that said summons to the meeting has been formed as an e-mail message.

22. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises means for creating a connection to a calendar application in the mobile terminal for making a reservation of time in the calendar application.

23. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises means for separating the received summons to the meeting from other messages that have arrived.

24. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises means for picking up a telephone number from the received summons to the meeting and for automatically making a call to the number picked up.

25. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises means for saving the duration of the conference call and the name of the conference call in the memory of the mobile terminal.

26. An application according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises means for giving a notification to the convener of the conference call when a new participant has been joined to the conference call.

27. A mobile terminal operating in a cellular network, with a display and memory and means for arranging a conference call between three or more participants comprising means for forming a group of participants of the conference call, characterized in that said means for arranging a conference call comprise an application loaded into the memory of the mobile terminal, which application includes

means for starting the application,

means for drawing up a summons to a meeting in standardized form,

means for sending a summons to a meeting to the members of the group of participants, and

means for receiving calls coming from the participants and joining them to the conference call automatically.

28. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, characterized in that said means for starting the application comprise a starting icon brought to the display of the mobile terminal.

29. A mobile terminal according to claim 27, characterized in that said means for starting the application have been arranged in a menu of the mobile terminal.

30. A computer program on a storage or data transfer medium for loading an application into a memory of a mobile terminal, the application for establishing a conference call between three or more participants comprising means for forming a group of participants of the conference call, said application further comprising,

means for starting the application,

means for drawing up a summons to a meeting in standardized form,

means for sending a summons to a meeting to members of the group of participants, and

means for receiving calls coming from the participants and joining them to the conference call automatically,

where execution of the computer program results in operations that comprise, in the mobile terminal of a convener of the conference call,

drawing up the summons to the meeting in standardized form,

sending the summons to the meeting from the mobile terminal to all members of the group of participants, and

in response to receiving a call from a participant, joining the participant to the conference call automatically.