Apparatus, method and system for automatic telecommunication conferencing and broadcasting

• US 6,606,305 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Thompson, Robin Jeffrey, Perkins, Kathleen Anne, McCormick, Mark Alan, Gafrick, John Matthew, FitzPatrick, Catherine Mary, Boyle, Patrick Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/199,850
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/260, 370/261, 370/263, 370/265, 370/266, 370/270, 370/401, 370/432, 370/328, 455/518, 379/201, 379/202, 379/204, 379/205
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system are provided for automatic telecommunication conferencing and broadcasting. The system embodiment includes a switch for reception of a first incoming call leg designating a multiple leg service, such as a telecommunication conference, and also designating a subscriber group. Each particular subscriber group is predefined, and consists of a list of directory numbers to be included within the conference or broadcast session. The system embodiment also includes a conference bridge coupled to the switch, in which the conference bridge includes instructions to receive the first incoming call leg routed from the switch, to determine the plurality of directory numbers associated with the subscriber group, and to return to the switch a plurality of intermediate incoming call legs corresponding to the plurality of directory numbers for routing by the switch to form a plurality of outgoing call legs. The conference bridge also includes further instructions to monitor answering of the plurality of outgoing call legs, and to connect an outgoing call leg indicating joinder, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, to the conference bridge for a multiple leg telecommunication session, such as a conference or broadcast session.

Claims

1. A method for telecommunication conferencing and broadcasting, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at a network switch a first incoming call leg designating a multiple leg service and a subscriber group;

(b) routing the first incoming call leg to a conference bridge;

(c) determining a plurality of directory numbers associated with the subscriber group;

(d) returning a plurality of independent, intermediate incoming call legs corresponding to the plurality of directory numbers to the network switch for routing to form a plurality of independent outgoing call legs;

(e) monitoring answering of the plurality of outgoing call legs; and

(f) when an outgoing call leg, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, indicates joinder, within the conference bridge, connecting the outgoing call leg to the conference bridge for a multiple leg telecommunication session with the first incoming call leg.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the multiple leg telecommunication session upon reception of an on hook message from the first incoming call leg.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the multiple leg telecommunication session upon reception of an on hook message from a penultimate call leg remaining from the plurality of call legs forming the multiple leg telecommunication session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting all outgoing call legs indicating joinder, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, to the conference bridge for the multiple leg telecommunication session.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple leg telecommunication session is a full duplex conference session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the full duplex conference session is indicated as part of the designation of the multiple leg service.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the full duplex conference session is determined as a default.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple leg telecommunication session is a half-duplex broadcast session.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the half duplex broadcast session is indicated as part of the designation of the multiple leg service.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein joinder is indicated by an answering of the outgoing call leg.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein joinder is indicated by an answering of the outgoing call leg followed by reception of a feature code.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of directory numbers corresponding to the subscriber group are predefined and stored in a database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the plurality of directory numbers is performed by a database query designating the subscriber group.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the plurality of directory numbers is performed by a first database query designating the subscriber group to obtain a predefined pseudo-random number, followed by a second database query designating the predefined pseudo-random number to obtain the plurality of directory numbers corresponding to the subscriber group.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the designation of the multiple leg service is a feature code.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the designation of the multiple leg service is a predetermined directory number.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises transmitting an ISUP initial address message, for each intermediate incoming call leg of the plurality of intermediate incoming call legs, wherein the ISUP initial address message includes a called party directory number, a calling party directory number, an identification of the subscriber group, and an indication of the multiple leg service.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises transmitting an ISUP initial address message, wherein the ISUP initial address message includes a calling party directory number, an identification of the subscriber group, and an indicator of a type of multiple leg service.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

releasing an outgoing call leg, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, which has remained unanswered for a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further comprises:

transmitting a message on the first incoming call leg indicating a number of outgoing call legs which have joined the multiple leg telecommunication session.

21. A system for telecommunication conferencing and broadcasting, the system comprising:

a switch, the switch for reception of a first incoming call leg designating a multiple leg service and a subscriber group; and

a conference bridge coupled to the switch, the conference bridge including instructions to receive the first incoming call leg routed from the switch, to determine a plurality of directory numbers associated with the subscriber group, and to return to the switch a plurality of independent, intermediate incoming call legs corresponding to the plurality of directory numbers for routing by the switch to form a plurality of independent outgoing call legs;

the conference bridge including further instructions to monitor answering of the plurality of outgoing call legs, and when an outgoing call leg, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, indicates joinder, the conference bridge including further instructions to connect the outgoing call leg to the conference bridge for a multiple leg telecommunication session with the first incoming call leg.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to terminate the multiple leg telecommunication session upon reception of an on hook message from the first incoming call leg.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to terminate the multiple leg telecommunication session upon reception of an on hook message from a penultimate call leg remaining from the plurality of call legs forming the multiple leg telecommunication session.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to connect all outgoing call legs indicating joinder, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, to the conference bridge for the multiple leg telecommunication session.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the multiple leg telecommunication session is a full duplex conference session.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the full duplex conference session is indicated as part of the designation of the multiple leg service.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to determine the full duplex conference session as a default.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the multiple leg telecommunication session is a half-duplex broadcast session.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the half duplex broadcast session is indicated as part of the designation of the multiple leg service.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to determine joinder by an answering of the outgoing call leg.

31. The system of claim 21 wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to determine joinder by an answering of the outgoing call leg followed by reception of a feature code.

32. The system of claim 21, further comprising a database coupled to the conference bridge, and wherein the database stores the plurality of directory numbers corresponding to the subscriber group.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to determine the plurality of directory numbers by a database query designating the subscriber group.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the database is further coupled to the switch, and wherein the switch includes instructions to perform a first database query designating the subscriber group to obtain a predefined pseudo-random number, and wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to perform a second database query designating the predefined pseudo-random number to obtain the plurality of directory numbers corresponding to the subscriber group.

35. The system of claim 21, wherein the designation of the multiple leg service is a feature code.

36. The system of claim 21, wherein the designation of the multiple leg service is a predetermined directory number.

37. The system of claim 21, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to transmit an ISUP initial address message to the switch, for each intermediate incoming call leg of the plurality of intermediate incoming call legs, wherein the ISUP initial address message includes a called party directory number, a calling party directory number, an identification of the subscriber group, and an indication of the multiple leg service.

38. The system of claim 21, wherein the switch includes instructions to transmit an ISUP initial address message to the conference bridge, wherein the ISUP initial address message includes a calling party directory number, an identification of the subscriber group, and an indicator of a type of multiple leg service.

39. The system of claim 21, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to release an outgoing call leg, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, which has remained unanswered for a predetermined period of time.

40. The system of claim 21, wherein the conference bridge includes further instructions to transmit a message on the first incoming call leg indicating a number of outgoing call legs which have joined the multiple leg telecommunication session.

49. The system of claim 28, wherein the half duplex broadcast session is indicated as part of the designation of the multiple leg service.

41. An apparatus for telecommunication conferencing and broadcasting, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface, the network interface for reception of an incoming call leg designating a multiple leg service and a subscriber group;

a port circuit coupled to the network interface;

a memory, the memory storing a plurality of directory numbers associated with the subscriber group; and

a processor coupled to the network interface, to the memory and to the port circuit, the processor including instructions to obtain from the memory the plurality of directory numbers associated with the subscriber group, and to return to the network interface a plurality of intermediate call legs corresponding to the plurality of directory numbers for subsequent routing to form a plurality of outgoing call legs;

the processor including further instructions to monitor answering of the plurality of outgoing call legs, and when an outgoing call leg, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, indicates joinder, to connect through the port circuit the outgoing call leg to the incoming call leg for a multiple leg telecommunication session.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor includes further instructions to terminate the multiple leg telecommunication session upon reception of an on hook message from the incoming call leg.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor includes further instructions to terminate the multiple leg telecommunication session upon reception of an on hook message from a penultimate call leg remaining from the plurality of call legs forming the multiple leg telecommunication session.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor includes further instructions to connect all outgoing call legs indicating joinder, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, to the incoming call leg for the multiple leg telecommunication session.

45. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the multiple leg telecommunication session is a full duplex conference session.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the full duplex conference session is indicated as part of the designation of the multiple leg service.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the processor includes further instructions to determine the full duplex conference session as a default.

48. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the multiple leg telecommunication session is a half-duplex broadcast session.

50. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the processor includes further instructions to determine joinder by an answering of the outgoing call leg.

51. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the processor includes further instructions to determine joinder by an answering of the outgoing call leg followed by reception of a feature code.

52. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the designation of the multiple leg service is a feature code.

53. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the designation of the multiple leg service is a predetermined directory number.

54. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor includes further instructions to transmit via the network interface an ISUP initial address message, for each intermediate call leg of the plurality of intermediate call legs, wherein the ISUP initial address message includes a called party directory number, a calling party directory number, an identification of the subscriber group, and an indication of the multiple leg service.

55. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the incoming call leg includes an ISUP initial address message, wherein the ISUP initial address message includes a calling party directory number, an identification of the subscriber group, and an indicator of a type of multiple leg service.

56. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor includes further instructions to release an outgoing call leg, of the plurality of outgoing call legs, which has remained unanswered for a predetermined period of time.

57. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor includes further instructions to transmit, via the network interface, a message on the first incoming call leg indicating a number of outgoing call legs which have joined the multiple leg telecommunication session.

58. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the apparatus is embodied within a conference bridge.

59. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the apparatus is coupled to a switch for the subsequent routing of the plurality of intermediate call legs corresponding to the plurality of directory numbers to form the plurality of outgoing call legs.