Enhanced dedicated teleconferencing system
First Claim
1. A method for operating a teleconferencing system, the system having a bridge with a plurality of ports, each for communication with a party and control means responsive to a plurality of commands and a plurality of information responses for each command, said plurality of information responses including a first group and a second group, the control means responding to reformatted information responses of the second group of information responses, the bridge being controlled to execute function according to the commands and in response to inputting of information responses into the control means, the method comprising:
- connecting a service computer to the control means for issuing commands thereto for causing the bridge to execute functions corresponding to the commands;
storing in the service computer, the first group of information responses;
inputting into the service computer the second group of information responses;
issuing a selected command from the service computer to the control means for initiating a function corresponding to the selected command;
reformatting at least some of the second group of information responses; and
supplying the first, any unreformatted second and the reformatted second groups of information responses to the control means for completing the function corresponding to the selected command, from the service computer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enhancing the operation of a teleconferencing system, utilizes a programmed service computer to drive a bridge which has a plurality of ports for establishing communication with a plurality of conferees. The bridge includes a microprocessor which responds to a plurality of commands, each requiring information in the form of plural constant information responses and plural variable information responses. The constant information responses involve the status and identification for a conference and conferees of that conference. The variable response information is specific to each conferee. This may include first and last name for the conferee, as well as the conferee'"'"'s telephone number. The programming of the service computer supplies the information responses to the microprocessor in the appropriate order for achieving functions, such as the addition, removal and changing of status for conferees. The service computer can also communicate with terminals of the conferees so that data can be passed from one conferee to another.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for operating a teleconferencing system, the system having a bridge with a plurality of ports, each for communication with a party and control means responsive to a plurality of commands and a plurality of information responses for each command, said plurality of information responses including a first group and a second group, the control means responding to reformatted information responses of the second group of information responses, the bridge being controlled to execute function according to the commands and in response to inputting of information responses into the control means, the method comprising:
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connecting a service computer to the control means for issuing commands thereto for causing the bridge to execute functions corresponding to the commands; storing in the service computer, the first group of information responses; inputting into the service computer the second group of information responses; issuing a selected command from the service computer to the control means for initiating a function corresponding to the selected command; reformatting at least some of the second group of information responses; and supplying the first, any unreformatted second and the reformatted second groups of information responses to the control means for completing the function corresponding to the selected command, from the service computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for operating a teleconferencing system, the teleconferencing system having a bridge with a plurality of ports, each for communication with a party, and control means responsive to a plurality of commands and a plurality of information responses for each command to execute functions of the bridge in establishing and disconnecting communication with the parties, the plurality of information responses including a first group and a second group of information responses, the apparatus, comprising:
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a service computer connectable to the control means for issuing commands and for issuing first and second group information responses for causing the bridge to execute functions corresponding to each command; and a plurality of party terminals, each connectable to said service computer for receiving a display screen from said service computer concerning a conference, and for issuing commands, the second group information responses to said control means to conduct a conference. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of operating a plurality of teleconferencing bridges, each bridge having a plurality of ports for communication with a plurality of parties and control means responsive to a plurality of commands, and a plurality of information responses for each command, each bridge being controlled to execute functions according to the commands and in response to inputs of information responses into the control means, the method comprising:
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connecting a single service computer to the control means of at least one of the bridges at a time, for issuing commands to the at least one for causing the at least one bridge to execute functions corresponding to the commands, the computer being connectable to the control means of each of the bridges; storing at least some of the plurality of information responses in the service computer which can be utilized for the commands in each of the bridges; sending a selected command from the service computer to the control means of at least one of the bridges to initiate a function corresponding to the selected command in the at least one bridge; and supplying the information responses for the selected command from the service computer to the control means of the at least one bridge.
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Specification