Method and apparatus for on-demand teleconferencing

• US 6,181,786 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Voyan Technology Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nylander, Eric Jay, Selig, Gregory Wayne, Detampel, Donald Francis Jr., Barnes, Kevin Dale, Yackey, Thomas Edward Jr., Phillips, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/366,355
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 348/7, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/207, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/205.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• 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 3/562 where the conference facilities are distributed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/06 using auxiliary connections for control or supervision , e.g. where the auxiliary connection is a signalling system number 7 link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

An on-demand teleconferencing system and method for setting up an on-demand conference call in a telecommunications system having the Advanced Information Network (AIN) architecture with system signaling the number 7 (SS7) and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). A subscriber is assigned an on-demand conference call number. When that number is dialed into the PSTN, it is identified by the PSTN that the dialed number requires handling by the SS7. The SS7 links the dialed number to a conference allocation and control system (CACS) which is connected to a plurality of scalable bridge servers. The CACS selects bridge servers available to handle the conference call and based upon a selection criteria such as a peak load sets up the on-demand conference call in one of the selected bridge servers.

Claims

1. An on-demand conferencing method for setting up a conference call in a telecommunications system, the telecommunications system having the Advanced Information Network (AIN) architecture with System Signaling 7 (SS7) and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique number for an on-demand conference call to an on-demand subscriber,

dialing the assigned unique number into the PSTN;

identifying in the PSTN that the dialed unique number requires handling by the SS7;

routing the identified unique number through the PSTN to the SS7;

linking in the SS7 the routed unique number to a conference allocation and control system (CACS) connected to a plurality of bridge servers, the CACS and plurality of bridge servers located externally from said PSTN, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a plurality of ports, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a sufficient number of ports to support a plurality of on-demand conference calls;

the CACS selecting available ports on one of said plurality of said bridge servers, and

setting up the on-demand conference call through the PSTN on said selected ports on one of the selected bridge servers under control of the CACS.

2. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 1 further comprising the step of changing the status of the set up on-demand conference call when the on-demand user inputs a status change.

3. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 2 wherein the changing status step occurs when the on-demand user inputs at least one of the following:

(a) DTMF signals, (b) World Wide Web commands, and (c) E-mail to the CACS.

4. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 1 wherein the step of setting up the on-demand conference call further comprises the steps of:

obtaining a translation number for the selected bridge server in the CACS;

delivering the obtained translation number to the SS7 from the CACS.

5. An on-demand conferencing method for setting up a conference call in a telecommunications system, the telecommunications system having the Advanced Information Network (AIN) architecture with System Signaling 7 (SS7) and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique number for an on-demand conference call to an on-demand subscriber, said assigned unique number identifying the on-demand subscriber;

dialing into the PSTN the assigned unique number;

identifying in the PSTN that the dialed unique number requires handling by the SS7;

routing the identified unique number through the PSTN to the SS7;

linking in the SS7 the routed number to a conference allocation and control system (CACS) connected to the plurality of bridge servers, the CACS and the plurality of bridge servers located externally from said PSTN, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a plurality of ports, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a sufficient number of ports to support a plurality of on-demand conference calls;

selecting in the CACS available ports on one of said plurality of bridge servers wherein said one bridge server has enough available ports to support the conference call;

reserving in the CACS said available ports on said one of the plurality bridge servers for the conference call; and

setting up the on-demand conference call through the PSTN on the one selected bridge server under control of the CACS.

6. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 5 wherein the step of selecting further selects available ports on said one bridge server based on load control and routing costs.

7. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 5 wherein the step of selecting further selects available ports on said one bridge server based upon failed hardware resources in a bridge.

8. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 5 further comprising the step of changing the status of the set up on-demand conference call when the on-demand user inputs a status change.

9. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 8 wherein the changing status step occurs when the on-demand user inputs at least one of the following:

(a) DTMF signals, (b) World Wide Web commands, and (c) E-mail to the CACS.

10. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 5 wherein the step of setting up the on-demand conference call further comprises the steps of:

obtaining a translation number for the selected ports on the bridge server in the CACS; and

delivering the obtained translation number to the SS7 from the CACS.

11. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 5 wherein the step of selecting further comprises the step of returning a “

system unavailable”

message when a b ridge server cannot selected.

12. An on-demand conferencing method for setting up a conference call between a subscriber and a plurality of participants in a telecommunications system, the telecommunications system having the Advanced Information Network (AIN) architecture with System Signaling 7 (SS7) and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique number for an on-demand conference call to a subscriber, said assigned unique number identifying the subscriber and the maximum conference size;

dialing by the subscriber or the plurality of participants the assigned unique number into the PSTN;

identifying in the PSTN that the dialed unique number requires handling by the SS7;

routing the identified unique number through the PTSN to the SS7;

linking in the SS7 the routed unique number to a conference allocation and control system (CACS) connected to the plurality of bridge servers, the CACS and the plurality of bridge servers located externally from said PSTN, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a plurality of ports, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a sufficient number of ports to support a plurality of on-demand conference calls;

selecting in the CACS available ports on one of said plurality of bridge servers wherein said one server has enough available ports to support the conference call;

obtaining a translation number for one of the selected bridge servers in the CACS;

delivering the obtained translation number to the SS7 from the CACS; and

setting up the on-demand conference call through the PSTN on the one selected bridge server under control of the CACS when the subscriber dials the assigned unique number into the PSTN.

13. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 12 wherein the step of selecting further selects available ports on said one bridge of said plurality of bridge servers based on load control and routing costs.

14. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 12 wherein the step of selecting further selects available ports on said one bridge of said plurality of bridge servers based upon failed hardware resources in a bridge.

15. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 12 further comprising the step of changing the status of the set up on-demand conference call when the subscriber or any one of the plurality of participants input a status change.

16. The on-demand conferencing method of claim 15 wherein the changing status step occurs when the on-demand user inputs at least one of the following:

(a) DTMF signals, (b) World Wide Web commands, and (c) E-mail to the CACS.

17. A method for connecting a subscriber and a participant in an on-demand conference call in a telecommunications system, said telecommunications system having a conference allocation and control system (CACS) controlling ports on a conferencing bridge, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a sufficient number of ports to support a plurality of on-demand conference calls, the CACS and the conferencing bridge located externally from said Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), said method comprising:

assigning an on-demand conference number to the subscriber; and

storing the assigned number,

the subscriber selecting a PIN for the conference call and delivering the assigned number and the PIN to the plurality of participants,

the CACS setting up the conference call on the ports of the conferencing bridge when the subscriber dials the assigned number in the telecommunications system, the subscriber entering the PIN to the CACS in response to the step of setting up,

the CACS adding a participant to the set-up conference call on a port in the conferencing bridge when one of the plurality of participants dials the assigned number in the telecommunications system and enters the PIN to the CACS.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of assigning further includes assigning a passcode to the subscriber and wherein the step of setting up further comprises the steps:

prompting the subscriber for a passcode;

entering the passcode by the subscriber, verifying that the entered passcode corresponds to the assigned passcode, receiving a PIN from the subscriber in response to the step of verification beginning the conference call in response to the step of receiving the PIN.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of adding a participant further comprises:

prompting the one participant to enter a PIN;

entering the PIN by the one participant;

verifying that the entered PIN corresponds to the PIN received from the subscriber;

placing the one participant into the conference call.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

placing the one participant on hold until the conference call begins.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of:

changing the assigned passcode by the subscriber in response to the step of verifying the passcode.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

recording a greeting from the subscriber in response to the step of verifying the passcode;

playing the recorded greeting to the added participant.

23. A method for connecting a subscriber and a participant in an on-demand conference call in a telecommunications system, said telecommunications system having a conference allocation and control system (CACS) controlling a plurality of ports on a plurality of conferencing bridges, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a sufficient number of ports to support a plurality of on-demand conference calls, the CACS and the conferencing bridge located externally from said Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), said method comprising:

assigning an on-demand conference number and a maximum conference size to the subscriber; and

storing the assigned number and maximum conference size,

the subscriber selecting a PIN for the conference call and delivering the assigned number and the PIN to the plurality of participants,

the CACS selecting ports on one conferencing bridge from said plurality of conferencing bridges wherein said one conferencing bridge has enough capacity to handle the conference call,

the CACS setting up the conference call on the selected ports of the one conferencing bridge when the subscriber dials the assigned number in the telecommunications system and enters the PIN to the CACS,

the CACS adding a participant to the set-up conference call on the selected ports in the one conferencing bridge when one of the plurality of participants dials the assigned number in the telecommunications system and enters the PIN to the CACS.

24. An on-demand conferencing system for making a conference call between a subscriber and a plurality of participants, said on-demand conferencing system comprising:

a database;

a number, a single passcode, and a maximum conference size assigned to said subscriber, said number, single passcode and maximum conference size stored in said database;

a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), said PSTN having service points for said subscriber, said service points receiving said number from said subscriber or from said plurality of participants for routing said number;

a conference allocation and control system (CACS);

an SS7 receiving the routed number from said service points for delivering the routed number to said CACS; and

a plurality of bridge servers having a plurality of ports connected to said CACS, said CACS and said plurality of bridge servers located externally from said PSTN, each of said plurality of bridge servers having a sufficient number of ports to support a plurality of on-demand conference calls, said CACS accessing said database based upon said delivered number for selecting available ports on said one bridge server from said plurality of bridge servers, said one bridge server having enough available ports for handling said conference call, said CACS returning to said SS7 routing information identifying the selected ports at the at least one bridge server,

said SS7 delivering said routing information to said PSTN, said PSTN linking said subscriber to said selected ports of said one bridge server, said CACS setting up said conference call in said selected ports of said one bridge server of said plurality of bridge servers when said subscriber delivers said single passcode to said CACS over said link, said CACS adding said plurality of participants to said conference call.

25. The on-demand conferencing system of claim 24 wherein said CACS has a bridge status memory file for said plurality of bridges, said bridge status memory file containing the identity of each bridge and the number and status of ports available for each said bridge.

26. The on-demand conferencing system of claim 24 wherein the number of ports available for each bridge in the bridge status memory file is updated when said CACS sets up said conference call said available ports of in said one bridge server.

27. The on-demand conferencing system of claim 25 wherein said bridge status memory file is updated when an additional bridge server is added to said plurality of bridge servers.

28. The on-demand conferencing system of claim 25 wherein said bridge status memory file is updated when additional ports are added to any one of said plurality of bridge servers.

29. The on-demand conferencing system of claim 25 wherein said bridge status memory file is updated whenever any ports in any of said plurality of bridge servers fails.