Unattended meet-me-conference controlled by a telephone terminal

• US 5,369,694 A
• Filed: 12/23/1992
• Issued: 11/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Donald D., Thieler, Stephen M., Fidder, Ted M., Bales, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, DANIEL S
• Application Number:
  US07/996,349
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/207, 379/157, 379/158, 379/201, 370/62
• US Class Current: 379/206.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. conference server dials participants
• 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

Abstract

Creating the capability of a meet-me-conference call on a telephone terminal by actuation of a meet-me-conference button on the telephone terminal. The meet-me-conference button is actuated for a particular line appearance, and the meet-me-conference is then established by other telephone terminals calling the telephone number associated with that line appearance. The user of the telephone terminal can join the conference at a later point in time by going off-hook (call originator). As other parties call that line appearance, the telephone terminal adds them to the conference. As parties join the conference, their names are displayed on the telephone terminal, and a second button on the telephone terminal can be utilized to drop parties as they are added to the conference. A second actuation of the meet-me-conference button prevents further callers to the line appearance from being added to the conference which is also referred to as deactivation of the meet-me-conference.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an automatic meet-me-conference on a telecommunication switching system, comprising the steps of:

starting the execution of a software application program in a first telecommunication terminal;

receiving, by the software application program, a first call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a second telecommunication terminal;

receiving, by the software application program, a second call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a third telecommunication terminal; and

joining the first and second calls into the meet-me-conference call by the software application program.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of joining, by the software application program, the first telecommunication terminal into the meet-me-conference call in response to a call origination generated on the first telecommunication terminal.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises the step of blocking other telecommunication terminals from entering the meet-me-conference in response to an action of a user of the first telecommunication terminal requesting deactivation of the meet-me-conference.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprises the step of placing the meet-me-conference on hold by an action of the user of the first communication terminal;

calling a fourth communication terminal by an action of the user of the first telecommunication terminal; and

conferencing the fourth telecommunication terminal into the meet-me-conference by an action of the user of the first telecommunication terminal.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprises the step of notifying, by the software application program, the second telecommunication terminal of the names and telephone numbers of the users of the first and third telecommunication terminals when each telecommunication terminal joins the meet-me-conference and when the first or third telecommunication terminals changes call state.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprises the step of disconnecting, by the software application program, the second or third telecommunication terminal from the meet-me-conference in response to a user action on the first telecommunication terminal.

7. A method for implementing an automatic meet-me-conference on a telecommunication switching system, comprising the steps of:

activating the meet-me-conference;

receiving, by a first telecommunication terminal, a first call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a second telecommunication terminal;

receiving, by the first telecommunication terminal, a second call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a third telecommunication terminal; and

joining the first and second calls into the meet-me-conference call by the first telecommunication terminal.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprises the step of blocking other telecommunication terminals from entering the meet-me-conference in response to an action of the user of the first telecommunication terminal requesting reactivation of the meet-me-conference.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises the step of joining the first telecommunication terminal into the meet-me-conference call in response to a call origination generated on the first telecommunication terminal.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprises the step of notifying, by the first telecommunication terminal, the second telecommunication terminal of the names and telephone numbers of users of the first and third telecommunication terminals when each telecommunication terminal joins the meet-me-conference and when the first or third telecommunication terminals changes call state.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprises the step of disconnecting, by the first telecommunication terminal, the second or third telecommunication terminal from the meet-me-conference in response to a user action on the first telecommunication terminal indicating disconnect.

12. An apparatus for implementing an automatic meet-me-conference on a telecommunication switching system, comprising:

means for starting the execution of a software application program in a first telecommunication terminal;

means, in the software application program, for receiving a first call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a second telecommunication terminal;

means, in the software application program, for receiving a second call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a third telecommunication terminal; and

means, in the software application program, for joining the first and second calls into the meet-me-conference call.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprises means, in the software application program, for joining the first telecommunication terminal into the meet-me-conference call in response to a call origination generated on the first telecommunication terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprises means for blocking other telecommunication terminals from entering the meet-me-conference in response to an action of a user of the first telecommunication terminal requesting deactivation of the meet-me-conference.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprises means, in the software application program, for notifying the second telecommunication terminal of the names and telephone numbers of users of the first and third telecommunication terminals when each telecommunication terminal joins the meet-me-conference and when the first or third telecommunication terminals changes call state.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprises means, in the software application program, for disconnecting the second or third telecommunication terminal from the meet-me-conference in response to a user action on the first telecommunication terminal indicating disconnect.

17. An apparatus for implementing a meet-me-conference on a telecommunication switching system, comprising:

means, in a first telecommunication terminal, for activating the meet-me-conference;

means, in a first telecommunication terminal, for receiving a first call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a second telecommunication terminal;

means, in the first telecommunication terminal, for receiving a second call directed to the first telecommunication terminal from a third telecommunication terminal; and

means, in the first telecommunication terminal, for joining the first and second calls into the meet-me-conference call.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprises means for blocking other telecommunication terminals from entering the meet-me-conference in response to an action of the user of the first telecommunication terminal requesting deactivation of the meet-me-conference.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprises means, in the first telecommunication terminal, for joining the first telecommunication terminal into the meet-me-conference call in response to a call origination generated on the first telecommunication terminal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprises means, in the first telecommunication terminal, for notifying the second telecommunication terminal of the name and telephone numbers of the users of the first and third telecommunication terminals when each telecommunication terminal joins the meet-me-conference and when the first or third telecommunication terminals changes call state.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprises means, in the first telecommunication terminal, for disconnecting the second or third telecommunication terminal from the meet-me-conference in response to a user action on the first telecommunication terminal indicating disconnect.