Conferencing method for telephone switch system

• US 5,889,844 A
• Filed: 12/18/1996
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Utstarcom Korea Limited
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co. Ltd. (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Dae Sik, Hou, Yong Pil, Min, Mi Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/769,088
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/215, 379/201, 379/158, 455/518, 455/519, 455/414, 455/415, 455/416
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5027 Dropping a party from a conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A conferencing method for a telephone switch system for performing a conferencing function. In addition to a simple conferencing function, if there is a call request from a new subscriber, a conferencing function subscriber makes the existing subscriber wait, and communicates with the new subscriber or selects to communicate with the existing subscriber. Also, if it is desired to delete a specific subscriber, the specific subscriber can be deleted during conferencing communication, using a deletion key and a deletion code. If it is intended to delete some subscribers and add some subscriber during the conferencing communication, deletion and addition can be simultaneously performed, thereby achieving various conferencing services.

Claims

1. A conferencing method for a telephone switch system comprising the steps of:

performing a basic communication by a conferencing communication or a general telephone communication between subscribers (step S1);

conferencing with a conferencing function subscriber by selecting the conferencing function during the basic communication (step S2);

making an existing conference attendee wait and communicating with another subscriber if there is a call request from another subscriber during the conferencing communication (step S3);

adding another subscriber during the conferencing communication and allowing the conference to be performed additionally (step S4), said adding of another subscriber by the conference function subscriber being by a conference call supervisor;

conferencing again after said steps S3 and S4 (step S5);

checking by said conference function supervisor whether said conferencing function subscriber generates a subscriber deleting ID and performing said conferencing procedure of said step S2 if not (step S6);

selectively performing a subscriber deletion procedure if said subscriber deleting ID is generated in said step S6 and then going back to said conferencing step S2 (step S7);

deleting/adding subscribers (step S8); and

said subscriber deleting/adding step S8 being comprised of;

determining by said conference call supervisor whether said conferencing function subscriber is equipped with both the conferencing function and the subscriber deleting/adding function if said conferencing function subscriber'"'"'s key input is a change key while the conferencing communication is performed (step S6);

deleting a corresponding subscriber from said conferencing communication if it is determined by said conference call supervisor to be said conference function subscriber in said step S6, and determining whether a call number is input (steps S8-1 through S8-3), where said steps S2 and S5 are repeatedly performed so that the other subscribers continuously perform the conferencing communication if no call number is input in said steps S8-1 through S8-3;

holding another subscriber excluding said function subscriber if a call number is input in-said step S8-3, connecting telephone communication by connecting the subscriber of the input call number, and waiting until a transmission key is input (steps S8-4 through S8-6); and

connecting all waiting subscribers to perform the conferencing communication if said transmission key is input in said step S8-6 (step S8-7).

2. A conferencing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said call waiting step S3 is comprised of:

determining whether a call waiting function is offered to a new subscriber proposing a busy conference request if a busy conference request of a conferencing function subscriber is received from said new subscriber during the conferencing communication (steps S3-1 and S3-2);

outputting a call waiting signal to the subscriber subject to check by said conference call supervisor for said busy conference request, the conferencing function subscriber to notify that there is said busy conference request if said new subscriber is equipped with the call waiting function in said steps S3-1 and S3-2, and determining the input of a transmission key from said conferencing function subscriber (steps S3-3 and S3-4);

outputting a call waiting signal to all subscribers attending the conferencing communication to hold the communication if a transmission key is input in the steps S3-3 and S3-4 (step S3-5);

connecting a new subscriber and said busy conference requested subscriber to perform a telephone communication between both parties and determining whether a transmission key signal is input (steps S3-6 and S3-7); and

canceling said call waiting signal for all subscribers allowed to be waited in the course of conferencing communication by said conference call supervisor, and outputting a call waiting signal to a new subscriber to switch to the conferencing communication to resume the conferencing communication with existing subscribers engaged in the conference if the transmission key is input again (step S3-8).

3. A conferencing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said another subscriber adding step S4 is comprised of:

determining whether a call set-up for another subscriber is requested while telephone communication is performed (step S4-1);

checking by said conference call supervisor whether said conferencing function subscriber registers a subscriber adding function for setting another subscriber, and performing said step S2 if not (step S4-2);

transmitting a call waiting signal to the existing subscriber being engaged in telephone communication, mutually connecting another subscriber and the subscriber equipped with said subscriber adding function to allow both parties to perform telephone communication, and determining whether a transmission key is input, if said conferencing function subscriber registers said subscriber adding function for setting another subscriber (steps S4-3 1 through S4-34); and

stopping transmitting of said call waiting signal to the subscriber whose call is awaited and then connecting all parties, i.e., said conferencing function subscriber, another subscriber and awaiting subscriber so that all parties perform said conferencing communication (step S4-4).

4. A conferencing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said another subscriber adding step S4 is comprised of:

determining whether a call set-up for another subscriber is requested while telephone communication is performed (step S4-1);

checking by said conference call supervisor whether said conferencing function subscriber registers a subscriber adding function for setting another subscriber, and performing said step S2 if not (step S4-2);

transmitting a call waiting signal to the existing subscriber being engaged in telephone communication, mutually connecting another subscriber and the subscriber equipped with said subscriber adding function to allow both parties to perform telephone communication, and determining whether a transmission key is input, if said conferencing function subscriber registers said subscriber adding function for setting another subscriber (steps S4-31 through S4-34); and

stopping transmitting said call waiting signal to the subscriber whose call is awaited and then connecting all parties, i.e., said conferencing function subscriber, another subscriber and awaiting subscriber so that all parties perform said conferencing communication (step S4-4).

5. A conferencing method for a telephone switch system comprising the steps of:

performing a basic communication by a conferencing communication or a general telephone communication between subscribers (step S1);

conferencing with a conferencing function subscriber by selecting the conferencing function during the basic communication (step S2);

making an existing conference attendee wait and communicating with another subscriber if there is a call request from another subscriber during the conferencing communication (step S3);

adding another subscriber during the conferencing communication and allowing the conference to be performed additionally (step S4), and a conference call supervisor controlling the adding of another subscriber by the conference function subscriber by a conference call supervisor;

conferencing again after said steps S3 and S4 (step S5);

checking whether said conferencing function subscriber generates subscriber deleting ID by said conference function supervisor and performing said conferencing procedure of said step S2 if not (step S6);

selectively performing a subscriber deletion procedure if said subscriber deleting ID is generated in said step S6 and then going back to said conferencing step S2 (step S7);

deleting/adding subscribers (step S8); and

the conferencing function subscriber code in said steps S8-1 through S8-3 is given such that `1` is given to the subscriber who first requested for said conferencing communication, `2` is given to the subscriber who is connected with said first requesting subscriber by making a call to said subscriber, and serial codes being set in the order of subscribers attending in said conferencing communication.

6. A conferencing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said call waiting step S3 is comprised of:

determining whether a call waiting function is offered to a new subscriber proposing a busy conference request if a busy conference request of a conferencing function subscriber is received from said new subscriber during conferencing communication (steps S3-1 and S3-2);

outputting a call waiting signal to the subscriber subject to check for said busy conference request, the conferencing function subscriber to notify that there is said busy conference request if said new subscriber is equipped with the call waiting function-in said steps S3-1 and S3-2, and determining the input of a transmission key from said conferencing function subscriber (steps S3-3 and S3-4);

outputting a call waiting signal to all subscribers attending the conferencing communication to hold the communication if a transmission key is input in the steps S3-3 and S3-4 (step S3-5);

connecting a new subscriber and said busy conference requested subscriber to perform a telephone communication between both parties and determining whether a transmission key signal is input (steps S3-6 and S3-7); and

canceling said call waiting signal for all subscribers let to be waited in the course of conferencing communication, and outputting a call waiting signal to a new subscriber to switch to the conferencing communication to resume the conferencing communication with existing subscribers engaged in the conference if the transmission key is input again (step S3-8).

7. A conferencing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said another subscriber adding step S4 is comprised of:

determining whether a call set-up for another subscriber is requested while telephone communication is performed (step S4-1);

checking whether said conferencing function subscriber registers a subscriber adding function for setting another subscriber, and performing said step S2 if not (step S4-2);

transmitting a call waiting signal to the existing subscriber being engaged in telephone communication, mutually connecting another subscriber and the subscriber equipped with said subscriber adding function to allow both parties to perform telephone communication, and determining whether a transmission key is input, if said conferencing function subscriber registers said subscriber adding function for setting another subscriber (steps S4-31 through S4-34); and

stopping transmitting said call waiting signal to the subscriber whose call is waited and then connecting all parties, i.e., said conferencing function subscriber, another subscriber and waiting subscriber so that all parties perform said conferencing communication (step S4-4).