Method and apparatus for a conference call mediation service

• US 6,604,129 B2
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slutsman, Lev, Burg, Frederick M., Meier-Hellstern, Kathleen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/276,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/228, 709/205, 345/751-759
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• 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 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: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a conference call mediation service which allows for the scheduling of multi-participant conferences over the Internet is presented. A subscriber who desires to host a conference sends a conference request to a Web Service Control Point (WSCP) with attributes regarding the conference (i.e., date, time, conference agenda, etc.). The WSCP generates a unique conference ID, identifying the attributes of the proposed conference, and broadcasts a conference invitation to potential conference participants. Potential participants respond to the conference invitation and may make changes to, or modify, the attributes of the proposed conference. The WSCP acts as a negotiator between potential conference participants by continuing to resend the modified and unmodified conference attributes until an agreement regarding the conference is reached. At that point the WSCP schedules the conference with a communication service provider and sends a confirmation to each participant.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling over the Internet a conference, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a request for more information to a conference requesting party if a conference request is not complete;

sending a conference invitation based on the conference request, the conference invitation having at least one attribute pertaining to a substantive aspect of a desired conference, to at least one potential conference participant;

collecting at least one conference response from the at least one potential conference participant;

identifying whether the at least one conference response modifies the at least one attribute;

sending a notice of conference modification, if the at least one attribute has been modified, to the at least one potential conference participant; and

coordinating resource allocation, if the at least one attribute has not been modified, with a communication service provider.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

implementing an instruction, if the conference response is an updated conference response that further modifies the at least one attribute, regarding a condition of non-agreement of the scheduling of the conference.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

assigning a unique session-ID to the at least one attribute,

wherein the unique session-ID is used in at least one communication to identify the at least one attribute of the desired conference.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute is contained in at least one data field.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute is at least one of:

at least one conference agenda item, and

at least one relevant document for the desired conference.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one potential conference participant is a PSTN subscriber.

7. A method for scheduling over the Internet a conference, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a conference request, containing at least one attribute pertaining to a desired conference, from a conference requesting party;

checking whether the conference request is complete;

sending a request for more information, if the conference request is not complete, to the conference requesting party;

sending an acknowledgement, if the conference request is complete, to the conference requesting party;

sending a conference invitation, having the attribute, to at least one potential conference participant;

collecting at least one conference response from the at least one potential conference participant;

identifying whether the at least one conference response modifies the at least one attribute;

sending a notice of conference modification, if the at least one attribute has been modified, to the at least one potential conference participant; and

coordinating resource allocation, if the at least one attribute has not been modified, with a communication service provider.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

adding any missing information to the conference request.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein if a response to the request for more information is not received after a pre-determined time period has elapsed, the step of sending the request for more information will be repeated.

10. A method for scheduling over the Internet a conference, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a conference invitation, having at least one attribute pertaining to a desired conference, to at least one potential conference participant;

collecting at least one conference response from the at least one potential conference participant;

identifying whether the at least one conference response modifies the at least one attribute;

sending a notice of conference modification, if the at least one attribute has been modified, to the at least one potential conference participant;

coordinating resource allocation, if the at least one attribute has not been modified, with a communication service provider;

determining whether the desired conference can be scheduled;

returning to the step of coordinating resource allocation if the desired conference cannot be scheduled; and

sending a notice of commitment, if the conference can be scheduled, to the at least one potential conference participant.