Conference call setup utilizing a wireless access protocol capable telephone

• US 6,792,265 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Chan, Jim H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY D
• Application Number:
  US09/677,243
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/414.1, 370/259, 370/260, 370/270, 370/351, 370/401, 370/463, 370/261, 370/262
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A wireless access protocol-capable telephone provides the ability to conference call numerous individuals. While maintaining the conference call, the telephone user simultaneously uses the wireless access protocol browser to perform data communication. The user then relays the information accumulated from the data communication back to the conference call.

Claims

1. A method for conferencing a plurality of telephone numbers onto a single telephone call using a wireless access protocol-capable telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting, at the wireless access protocol-capable telephone, a plurality of participants corresponding to the plurality of telephone numbers;

accessing the plurality of stored telephone numbers;

transmitting the plurality of stored telephone numbers to a server;

the server transmitting the telephone numbers to a service node;

initiating a telephone call in response to each of the plurality of telephone numbers;

conferencing all answered telephone calls on to a conference bridge; and

performing a data session simultaneously with the operation of the conference bridge;

determining a location for the wireless access protocol-capable telephone;

transmitting the location to a web application server;

the web application server transmitting contextualized content to the wireless access protocol-capable telephone based on the location; and

performing electronic commerce transactions as a result of the web interaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a location for the wireless access protocol-capable telephone is accomplished using triangulation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a location for the wireless access protocol-capable telephone is accomplished using global positioning satellites.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a location for the wireless access protocol-capable telephone is accomplished from a GPS enabled mobile by means of a network assisted GPS.

5. A network for providing the ability for conferencing a plurality of telephone numbers onto a single telephone call simultaneous with a data call, the network communicating with a wireless access protocol-capable telephone having a wireless access protocol browser, the network comprising:

a wireless access protocol gateway for receiving the plurality of telephone numbers and forwarding the plurality of telephone numbers;

a wireless telephony application server for receiving the forwarded plurality of telephone numbers and forwarding call information for each telephone number;

a service node for receiving the forwarded call information and initiating a telephone call in response to each of the call information;

a location server for retrieving a location of the wireless access protocol-capable telephone;

a web application server that can process a data call request based on location information and render web content, comprising electronic commerce transactions, back to the wireless access protocol browser; and

a mobile network for interfacing between the service node and the wireless access protocol-capable telephone to generate the ringing signals to each telephone number and receive an answer back from each telephone associated with each telephone number, the mobile network further setting up a conference bridge between each answered telephone number and enabling the data call with the wireless access protocol-capable telephone simultaneously with the conference bridge operation such that access to location based information and services are enabled from the wireless access protocol-capable telephone.