Method and System For Integration of Instant Messaging and Teleconferencing Via a Telephone Network

• US 20090006555A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Desmond, Michael, Wallace, Mark E., Curran, Darragh, Johnston, Trevor, Harrigan, Martin, Kuzucu, Cenk
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. conference server dials participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• 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: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks

Abstract

A system is provided comprising a plurality of instant messaging client applications (202, 207, 208, 209) communicating via a computer network (206) to send and receive messages in real time integrated with n-way teleconferencing capability via a telephone network (216). The system includes a plurality of instant messaging client applications (202, 207, 208, 209), an instant messaging server (204), and a teleconferencing server (210), all connected via a computer network (206). The teleconferencing server (210) enables n-way telephone connections via the telephone network (216). The n-way telephone connections are provided to telephone apparatus of at least some users of the instant messaging client applications who can visualise the teleconference via a graphical user interface (600) of the instant messaging client application.

Claims

1. A system comprising a plurality of instant messaging client applications communicating via a computer network to send and receive messages in real time integrated with n-way teleconferencing capability via a telephone network.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises:

a plurality of instant messaging client applications;

an instant messaging server; and

a teleconferencing server;

all connected via a computer network;

wherein the teleconferencing server enables n-way telephone connections via the telephone network.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teleconference server includes communication means to send notifications to the instant messaging server of the status of telephone connections during a teleconference.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instant messaging client applications have graphical user interfaces including means for displaying in real time details of participants of an n-way teleconference and the status of the telephone connections of the participants.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the n-way telephone connections are to telephone apparatus of users of the instant messaging client applications.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein an additional telephone connection is to a telephone apparatus of a user who is not a user of an instant messaging client application.

7. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface includes means for indicating a participant who is talking at a given time in the teleconference, the means for indicating being activated in response to notification from the teleconference server.

8. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface includes means for a user to input an indication that the user wishes to speak

9. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teleconferencing server uses a bridge which interfaces with the telephone network that interprets set up and control commands relating to a teleconference.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the teleconference server allows the system to utilise different network interfaces.

11. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teleconference server includes an interface allowing an instant messaging client application to set up and control a teleconference.

12. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teleconference server includes a telephone profile service for retrieving and storing telephone profiles, and a teleconference profile service for managing teleconference profiles including policy information, pin numbers and port allowances.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the instant messaging client applications is a moderator of the teleconference and has a graphical user interface including control input means for controlling the teleconference.

14. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface includes means for providing a telephone number at which a participant can be connected for the teleconference.

15. A method in which a plurality of users each with an instant messaging client application communicate in real time by instant messages via a computer network and can be simultaneously connected by an n-way teleconference via a telephone network.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the method includes:

a plurality of instant messaging applications communicating by instant messages via an instant messaging server on a computer network; and

establishing n-way telephone connections via a telephone network using a teleconferencing server on the computer network.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein a user of an instant messaging client application sets up and controls a teleconference by instant messaging communication with a teleconference server.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the user initiating the teleconference sends an instant message in the form of an invitation to proposed participants of the teleconference.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein non-users of instant messaging applications can also participate in the n-way teleconference by dialling in themselves or being dialled in by another participant.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the teleconference server notifies the instant messaging server of the status of telephone connections.

21. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the method includes providing graphical user interfaces for the instant messaging client applications including displaying in real time details of participants of an n-way teleconference and the status of telephone connections of the participants.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the method includes activating an indication in the graphical user interface of a participant who is talking at a given time in the teleconference, in response to a notification sent from the teleconference server.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the method includes a user inputting a telephone number in the graphical user interface at which they can be contacted for a proposed teleconference.

24. A computer program stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable program code means for performing the steps of:

providing an instant messaging client application for communicating with other instant messaging client applications by instant messages delivered via an instant messaging server on a computer network;

providing an extension to the instant messaging client application for enabling teleconferencing using a teleconferencing server on the computer network enabling n-way telephone connections via the telephone network.

25. A computer program stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable program code means for performing the steps of:

providing a plurality of instant messaging applications communicating by instant messages via an instant messaging server on a computer network; and

establishing n-way telephone connections via a telephone network using a teleconferencing server on the computer network.