Automatic control of participation in telemeetings

• US 6,272,214 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Jonsson, Björn
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/977,070
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 370/263, 370/264
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• 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 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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

Abstract

One or more unique identifiers are created which are associated directly with an upcoming telemeeting. For example, a unique identifier can be a preselected telephone number in a PSTN, or a URL that identifies an address on the World Wide Web. In one embodiment, a telemeeting is administered automatically under the control of a communications network'"'"'s service node. Intended participants are invited to the meeting by including the unique identifier along with a notification message, such as, for example, in a facsimile message, e-mail message, page message, voice mail message, or bulletin board announcement. Using the unique identifier and suitable terminal equipment, any recipient of the notification message can call the telephone number (or click on the URL). In response to such a call, the service node generates and distributes to the recipient caller a personal reference, which is a unique telephone number (or URL address). The recipient caller then uses the personal reference to access and join the telemeeting via an appropriate node (e.g., to minimize calling distance, costs, etc.).

Claims

1. A method for implementing an automated telemeeting session in a system comprising a plurality of service nodes, each one of said plurality of service nodes connected to at least a telecommunications network and having control of a plurality of communications nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

having authenticated and authorized access to one of said plurality of service nodes, a conference administrator inputting definition information to said one of said plurality of service nodes to define the telemeeting session;

responsive to said definition information, outputting from said one of said plurality of service nodes at least one identifier associated with the telemeeting session;

distributing said at least one identifier in an invitation message to at least one of a plurality of intended session participants;

receiving at a first of said plurality of communications nodes associated with said at least one identifier, a response to participate, from said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants, said response further including at least one user preference;

distributing, from said one of said plurality of service nodes, a personal reference to said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants, said personal reference associated with a second of said plurality of communications nodes, said second of said plurality of communications nodes associated with said at least one user preference;

receiving at said second of said plurality of communications nodes a request to participate in said telemeeting session from said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants; and

facilitating communication at said second of said plurality of communications nodes associated with said at least one user preference.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of connecting said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants to said telemeeting session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a telephone number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal reference comprises a telephone number associated with a unique access node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier identifies an address in a Public Switched Telephone Network service node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal reference identifies a unique address in a node of a computer network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said unique address is a Uniform Resource Locator address in an Internet node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier includes an address part and a conference part, said conference part associated with a specific telemeeting out of a plurality of telemeetings.

9. A system for use in implementing an automated telemeeting session in a system comprising a plurality of service nodes, each one of said plurality of service nodes connected to at least a telecommunications network and having control of a plurality of communications nodes, said system comprising:

means for inputting definition information to one of said plurality of service nodes to define the telemeeting session;

means for outputting from said one of said pluralitv of service nodes at least one identifier associated with the telemeeting session;

means for distributing said at least one identifier as an invitation message to a plurality of intended session participants;

means for receiving at a first of said plurality of communications nodes associated with said at least one identifier, a response from at least one of said plurality of intended session participants, said response further including at least one user preference;

means for distributing from said one of said plurality of service nodes a personal reference to said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants, said personal reference associated with a second of said plurality of communications nodes, said second of said plurality of communications nodes associated with said at least one user preference;

means for receiving at said second of said plurality of communications nodes a request to participate in said telemeeting session from said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants; and

means for facilitating communication at said second of said plurality of communications nodes associated with said at least one user preference.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for connecting said at least one of said plurality of intended session participants to said telemeeting session.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for inputting comprises a computer terminal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for outputting comprises a communications switch.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said response from at least one of said plurality of intended session participants comprises a telephone call.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one identifier identifies an address in a Public Switched Telephone Network to a service node.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one identifier identifies an address in a node of a computer network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said address is a Uniform Resource Locator address in an Internet node.

17. A method for implementing an automated telemeeting session, comprising the steps of:

inputting definition information to a service node to define the telemeeting session;

responsive to said definition information, outputting from said service node a first identifier associated with the telemeeting session;

distributing said first identifier in an invitation message to an intended session participant;

receiving a response to the invitation message from the intended session participant, said response further including at least one user preference;

responsive to said response, selecting a personal reference based on a current location of the intended session participant and said at least one user preference;

distributing the personal reference to the intended session participant, said personal reference associated with one of a plurality of meeting places, said one of a plurality of meeting places associated with said at least one user preference; and

the intended session participant participating in the telemeeting session at said one of a plurality of meeting places associated with the personal reference and said user preference.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said one a plurality of meeting places is a closer one, relative to the intended session participant, of at least two possible meeting places.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of alerting current participants of said telemeeting session, and identifying the intended session participant to the current participants prior to connecting the intended session participant to said telemeeting session.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of connecting the intended session participant to said telemeeting session, and connecting a new session participant to said telemeeting session currently in progress without disconnecting the telemeeting session.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of connecting a new session participant further includes the steps of:

distributing said first identifier in an invitation message to the new session participant;

receiving a response to the invitation message from the new session participant;

responsive to said response, selecting a personal reference based on a current location of the new session participant;

distributing the personal reference to the new session participant; and

the new session participant participating in the telemeeting session at a meeting place associated with the personal reference.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said personal reference includes a selected one of a telephone number and a Uniform Resource Locator address.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said invitation message further includes a selected one of a facsimile message, an e-mail message, a page message, a voice mail message and a bulletin board announcement.

24. A system for implementing an automated telemeeting session, comprising:

means for inputting definition information to a service node to define the telemeeting session;

means, responsive to said definition information, for outputting from said service node a first identifier associated with the telemeeting session;

means for distributing said first identifier in an invitation message to an intended session participant;

means for receiving a response to the invitation message from the intended session participant, said response including at least one user preference;

means, responsive to the said response, for selecting a personal reference based on a current location of the intended session participant and said at least one user preference;

means for distributing the personal reference to the intended session participant, said personal reference associated with one of a plurality of meeting places, said one of a plurality of meeting places associated with said at least one user preference; and

means for permitting the intended session participant to participate in the telemeeting session at said one of a plurality of meeting places associated with the personal reference and said user preference.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a means connecting the intended session participant to said telemeeting session.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for identifying the intended session participant to current participants of said telemeeting session prior to connecting the intended session participant to said telemeeting session.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for connecting the intended session participant to said telemeeting session; and

means for connecting a new session participant to said telemeeting session currently in progress without disconnecting the telemeeting session.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said personal reference includes a selected one of a telephone number and a Uniform Resource Locator address.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein said invitation message further includes a selected one of a facsimile message, an e-mail message, a page message, a voice mail message and a bulletin board announcement.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein said one of a plurality of meeting places is a closer one, relative to the intended session participant, of at least two possible meeting places.