SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING A CONFERENCE CALL

• US 20100165888A1
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Linqware Inc.
• Inventors: Turner, Tod C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• 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 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for initiating conference calls via an instant messaging system to reduce the effort required to initiate and manage the call. The system uses an IM connection between a requesting party and a conference call server to inform the conference call server of the desire to initiate the conference call. The conference call server may initiate the conference call by having involved parties called by a conference bridge, thus reducing the effort required by the parties to join the call.

Claims

1-79. -79. (canceled)

80. A method for initiating a conference call for a conference call requester using a network access device, the network access device communicating via an instant messaging service, the instant messaging service being adapted to communicate conference call request information with a conference call server, comprising:

indicating, at the network access device, a plurality of potential targets then being connected to the instant messaging service and participating in a given instant messaging session with the conference call requester;

generating a conference call request responsively to a single request by the conference call requester, said conference call request identifying each of the indicated potential targets; and

transmitting the conference call request to the conference call server;

wherein, a conference call connection initiated by the conference call server and connected to the conference call requestor and each of the indicated potential targets is automatically established responsively to the transmitted conference call request.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the instant messaging service comprises a software client active on said network access device.

82. The method of claim 80, wherein the instant messaging service comprises an Internet accessible application being communicably connected to said network access device via the Internet.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the Internet accessible application comprises a browser viewable web page.

84. The method of claim 80, wherein the conference call connection utilizes a publicly switched telephone network.

85. The method of claim 80, wherein the conference call connection utilizes a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communications path.

86. The method of claim 80, wherein the conference call connection provides for video data transmission.

87. The method of claim 80, wherein the conference call connection utilizes a cellular communications path.

88. The method of claim 80, wherein the network access device further comprises an application sharing capability.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the application sharing capability comprises an application sharing client installed on the network access device.

90. The method of claim 88, wherein the application sharing capability is integrated with the instant messaging service, the integration comprising functionality to allow a user to generate a conference call request via the instant messaging service from within the application sharing capability.

91. The method of claim 80, further comprising determining whether at least one potential target to a conference call is available for the conference call dependent upon the presence of an IM presence for the at least one potential target.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the initiating the conference call comprises communicating information from the conference call server to a third party conference call service, the third party conference call service establishing a conference bridge between the call requester and the identified potential targets.

93. The method of claim 92, wherein the conference bridge selects between alternate communications paths at least partially dependent upon cost criteria.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein at least one of the alternate communications paths comprise a Voice over IP (VoIP) communications path.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the conference bridge selects between alternate communications paths at least partially dependent upon performance criteria.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein at least one of the alternate communications paths comprise a Voice over IP (VoIP) communications path.

97. The method of claim 80, wherein the conference call request comprises addresses for the identified potential targets.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein at least one of the addresses comprises an automatic number identifier.

99. The method of claim 98, wherein at least one of the addresses comprises a voice over IP (VoIP) address.

100. The method of claim 80, wherein the network access device comprises a capability for communicating audio information via an Internet protocol connection.

101. The method of claim 80, wherein the network access device comprises a capability for communicating audio and visual information via an Internet protocol connection.

102. A method for initiating a conference call for a conference call requester using a network access device, the network access device communicating via an instant messaging service, the instant messaging service being adapted to communicate conference call request information with a conference call server, comprising:

identifying a plurality of potential targets then being connected to the instant messaging service and participating in a given instant messaging session with the conference call requester;

receiving, at the conference call server, a conference call request responsively to a single request by the conference call requester, said conference call request identifying each of the identified potential targets; and

wherein, a conference call connection initiated by the conference call server and connected to the conference call requestor and each of the identified potential targets is automatically established responsively to the transmitted conference call request.