Method and apparatus for improved conference call management
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. An improved conference call system havinga plurality of stations each having a voice input, an audio output, and a user;
- a conference server able to support at least one conference call, and a communications channel connecting each station to the conference server;
wherein the conference server selectably grants to each station access to a selected one of the at least one conference call, each station accessing the selected conference call sends to the conference server the respective voice input, the conference server sends to each station accessing the selected conference call a processed aggregation of the received voice input from the other stations accessing the selected conference call, and each station accessing the selected conference call sends the respective processed aggregation to the respective audio output;
the improvement comprising;
each station having a means to selectably send to the conference server a request for designation, the conference serve collecting the request for designation from each requesting station accessing the selected conference call, designating at least one requesting station accessing the selected conference call, and the processed aggregation for each non-designated station accessing the selected conference call having a greater portion of voice input from the at least one designated station.
9 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed to allow individuals to initiate, join, manage, and participant in a conference call. Members of a community can meet and collaborate over telephones, especially cellular telephones, or computer workstations, in a way that is freeform or prescribed, automatic or moderated, spontaneous or scheduled, unassisted, and selectably anonymous. The invention provides broadly customizable degrees of collective and individual organizational control, and provides social safeguards to minimize disruptions by unruly participants.
-
Citations
59 Claims
-
1. An improved conference call system having
a plurality of stations each having a voice input, an audio output, and a user; -
a conference server able to support at least one conference call, and a communications channel connecting each station to the conference server;
whereinthe conference server selectably grants to each station access to a selected one of the at least one conference call, each station accessing the selected conference call sends to the conference server the respective voice input, the conference server sends to each station accessing the selected conference call a processed aggregation of the received voice input from the other stations accessing the selected conference call, and each station accessing the selected conference call sends the respective processed aggregation to the respective audio output;
the improvement comprising;
each station having a means to selectably send to the conference server a request for designation, the conference serve collecting the request for designation from each requesting station accessing the selected conference call, designating at least one requesting station accessing the selected conference call, and the processed aggregation for each non-designated station accessing the selected conference call having a greater portion of voice input from the at least one designated station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
15. An improved conference call system having
a plurality of stations each having a voice input, an audio output, and a user, a conference server able to support at least one conference call, and a communications channel connecting each station to the conference server; - wherein
conference server selectably grants to each station access to a selected one of the at least one conference call, each station accessing the selected conference call sends to the conference server the respective voice input, the conference server sends to each station accessing the selected conference call a processed aggregation of the received voice input from the other stations accessing the selected conference call, and each station accessing the selected conference call sends the respective processed aggregation to the respective audio output;
the improvement comprising;
the conference server sending to a selecting station of the plurality of stations, a list of conference call data representing a subset of the at least one conference call, and the selecting station having a means to selectably send conference call selection data, designating the selected conference call. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- wherein
-
24. An improved conference call system having
a plurality of stations each having a voice input, an audio output, and a user, a conference server able to support at least one conference call, and a communications channel connecting each station to the conference server; - wherein
the conference server selectably grants to each station access to a selected one of the at least one conference call, each station accessing the selected conference call sends to the conference server the respective voice input, the conference server sends to each station accessing the selected conference call a processed aggregation of the received voice input from the other stations accessing the selected conference call, and each station accessing the selected conference call sends the respective processed aggregation to the respective audio output;
the improvement comprising;
one of the plurality of stations transacting with the conference server to specify data representative of a new conference call to the conference server, the new conference call data comprising at least one of a topic, an interval, an initial speaker, an initial moderator, an access criterion, a conference location, and a specification for the rules of order; and
the conference server creating from the new conference call data a new one of the at least one conference call. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- wherein
-
27. A method for conducting a conference call having a plurality of participants comprising the steps of:
-
each participant selectably requesting designation as the current speaker, designating at least one of the requesting participants as the current speaker, and providing to each non-designated participant a processed aggregation of the voices of all of the other participants, the processed aggregation having a greater portion of the voice of the current speaker. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
-
-
38. A method for a selecting participant to access a conference call, comprising the steps of:
-
providing to the selecting participant a list of conference call data representing a subset of conference calls available, receiving from the selecting participant a designation of the conference call from the list, granting access to the selecting participant into the conference call as a participant. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
-
47. A method for a creating participant to create a conference call comprising the steps of;
-
sending new conference call data to a conference server, the new conference call data comprising at least one of;
a topic, an interval, an initial speaker, an initial moderator, an access criterion, a conference location, and a specification for the rules of order;
in response to which the conference server creates the conference call conforming to the new conference call data. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
-
Specification