End user control of a teleconferencing network through a data network

• US 6,915,331 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Managed Solutions, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuller, Brandon, Yu, Wesley, Hahn, Glenn, Dunlap, Darin, Narter, Bart, Ou, Jeff, Bieselin, David, Fenton, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/150,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20030235277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/260, 370/261, 379/93.21, 379/158, 379/202.01, 379/202.05, 709/200, 709/203, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5081 Inform conference party of participants, e.g. of change of participants conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection, H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/569 using the instant speaker's algorithm speech detection per se G10L25/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication

Abstract

A user connected to a data network controls a parallel teleconference network by sending requests through the data network. The requests are validated against permissions granted to the user and an action associated with a request is performed at the teleconferencing network if the request is validated. A status for a teleconference hosted by the teleconferencing network may be sent when the action is performed or when other changes occur during the teleconference. A voice message also may be sent to a user that is affected by the action. In one aspect, the allowed actions are presented to the user through the data network. In another aspect, a graphical user interface for controlling the teleconferencing network is presented to the user through the data network.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

receiving, from an end user through a data network, an identifier for a participant in a teleconference hosted by a teleconferencing network, wherein each one of a plurality of participants in the teleconference is eligible to be the end user at any time;

presenting, to the end user through the data network, a choice of actions allowed by a permission level associated with the end user;

receiving, from the end user through the data network, a chosen action; and

changing, at the teleconferencing network, a characteristic of the participant in accordance with the chosen action.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending, to the end user through the data network, a status for the teleconference.

3. The computerized method of claim 2, wherein the status is selected from the group consisting of a current speaker, participants, invitees, participant status, a breakout room status, and a conference lock status.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the participant status is selected from the group consisting of speaking, muted, permanently muted, voice only, data only, and voice and data.

5. The computerized method of claim 3 further comprising:

monitoring the teleconferencing network to determine the current speaker.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a message to the participant that is affected by the chosen action.

7. The computerized method of claim 6, wherein the message is sent through the data network.

8. The computerized method of claim 6, wherein the message is sent through the telecommunications network.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the permission level is based on a type associated with the end user.

10. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the type is selected from the group consisting of guest, profiled user, and conference scheduler.

11. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data network presents a graphical user interface to the end user to control the teleconferencing network.

12. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface is browser-based.

13. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, from the end user through the data network, an initiation request for the teleconference, the request comprising a plurality of invitees to the teleconference; and

connecting, by the teleconferencing network, the plurality of invitees to the teleconference if allowed by the permission level of the end user.

14. The computerized method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the invitees is connectable through a different teleconferencing network and further comprising:

connecting, by the teleconferencing network, the different teleconferencing network to the teleconference.

15. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending, to the end user through the data network, an error indicator if no actions are allowed by the permission level.

16. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of speaking ability, participation, and name.

17. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is for a current speaker.

18. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, from the end user through the data network, a request to change a characteristic of the end user; and

changing, at the teleconferencing network, the characteristic of the end user in accordance with the request.

19. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data network is a public wide area network.

20. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data network is virtual private network.

21. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data network is a local area network.

22. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, from the end user through the data network, an identifier for an invitee who is not participating in the teleconference; and

connecting, by the teleconferencing network, the invitee to the teleconference if the invitee elects to join the teleconference.

23. A machine-readable medium having executable instructions to cause a machine to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from an end user through a data network, an identifier for a participant in a teleconference hosted by a teleconferencing network, wherein each one of a plurality of participants in the teleconference is eligible to be the end user at any time;

presenting, to the end user through the data network, a choice of actions allowed by a permission level associated with the end user;

receiving, from the end user through the data network, a chosen action; and

changing, at the teleconferencing network, a characteristic of the participant in accordance with the chosen action.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, to the end user through the data network, a status for the teleconference.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the status is selected from the group consisting of a current speaker, participants, invitees, participant status, a breakout room status, and a conference lock status.

26. The machine-readable medium claim 25, wherein the participant status is selected from the group consisting of speaking, muted, permanently muted, voice only, data only, and voice and data.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the teleconferencing network to determine the current speaker.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a message to the participant that is affected by the chosen action.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the message is sent through the data network.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the message is sent through the telecommunications network.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the permission level is based on a type associated with the end user.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the type is selected from the group consisting of guest, profiled user, and conference scheduler.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the data network presents a graphical user interface to the end user to control the teleconferencing network.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the graphical user interface is browser-based.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the end user through the data network, an initiation request for the teleconference, the request comprising a plurality of invitees to the teleconference; and

connecting, by the teleconferencing network, the plurality of invitees to the teleconference if allowed by the permission level of the end user.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 35, wherein at least one of the invitees is connectable through a different teleconferencing network and further comprising:

connecting, by the teleconferencing network, the different teleconferencing network to the teleconference.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, to the end user through the data network, an error indicator if no actions are allowed by the permission level.

38. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of speaking ability, participation, and name.

39. The computerize method of claim 23, wherein the identifier is for a current speaker.

40. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the end user through the data network, a request to change a characteristic of the end user; and

changing, at the teleconferencing network, the characteristic of the end user in accordance with the request.

41. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the data network is a public wide area network.

42. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the data network is virtual private network.

43. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the data network is a local area network.

44. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the end user through the data network, an identifier for an invitee who is not participating in the teleconference; and

connecting, by the teleconferencing network, the invitee to the teleconference if the invitee elects to join the teleconference.

45. A data network server system comprising:

a processor connected to a memory through a bus;

a network interface connected to the processor through the bus to send and receive data to and from an end user and a teleconferencing network server, the end user participating in teleconference hosted by the teleconferencing network server; and

a process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to receive an identifier for a participant in the teleconference from the end user, to present to the end user a choice of actions allowed by a permission level associated with the end user, to receive a chosen action from the end user, and to send the chosen action to the teleconferencing server.

46. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to send an error indicator to the end user if no actions are allowed by the permission level.

47. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to send a status for the teleconference to the end user.

48. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to send a message to the participant affected by the chosen action.

49. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to receive a request to change a characteristics of the end user from the end user, and to send the request to the teleconferencing network server.

50. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to present a graphical user interface to the end user to control the teleconferencing network server.

51. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to receive an initiation request for the teleconference from the end user, the request comprising a plurality of invitees to the teleconference, and to send the request to the teleconferencing network server if allowed by the permission level of the end user.

52. The data network server system of claim 45, wherein the process further causes the processor to receive from the end user an identifier for an invitee who is not participating in the teleconference and to send the identifier to the teleconferencing network server.

53. The teleconferencing network server of claim 52, wherein the process further causes the processor to send a message to the participant that is affected by the chosen action.

54. A teleconferencing network server system comprising:

a processor connected to a memory through a bus;

a network interface connected to the processor through the bus to send and receive data to and from a data network server; and

a process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to receive a chosen action for a participant in a teleconference hosted by the teleconferencing network server and to change a characteristic of the participant in accordance with the chosen action.

55. The teleconferencing network server of claim 54, wherein the process further causes the processor to receive an initiation request for the teleconference, the request comprising a plurality of invitees, and to connect the plurality of invitees to the teleconference.

56. The teleconferencing network server of claim 55, wherein at least one of the invitees is connectable through a different teleconferencing network server and the process further causes the processor to connect the different teleconferencing network server to the teleconference.

57. The teleconferencing network server of claim 54, wherein the process further causes the processor to send a status for the teleconference.

58. The teleconferencing network server of claim 54, wherein the process further causes the processor to receive an identifier for an invitee who is not participating in the teleconference and to connect the invitee to the teleconference if the invitee elects to join the teleconference.

59. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving data from an end user and from a teleconferencing network, wherein the means for receiving is operable to receive an identifier for a participant in a teleconference and a chosen action from the end user;

means for determining a choice of actions allowed by a permission level associated with the end user; and

means for sending data to the end user and to the teleconferencing network, wherein the means for sending is operable to present the end user the choice of actions, and to send the chosen action to the teleconferencing network to change a characteristic of the participant.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the means for receiving is further operable to receive a request to change a characteristic of the end user, and the means for sending is further operable to send the request to the teleconferencing network.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the means for receiving is further operable to receive an initiation request from the end user, the request comprising a plurality of invites to the teleconference, and the means for sending is further operable to send the request to the teleconferencing network if allowed by the permission level of the end user.

62. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the means for receiving is operable to receive an identifier for an invitee who is not participating in the teleconference from the end user, and the means for sending is operable to send the identifier to the teleconferencing network.

63. An apparatus comprising:

a means for receiving data from a data network, wherein the means for receiving is operable to receive a chosen action from a participant in a teleconference; and

a means for controlling the teleconference, wherein the means for controlling is operable to change a characteristics of the participant in accordance with the chosen action.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the means for receiving is further operable to receive an initiation request for the teleconference, the request comprising a plurality of invitees, and the means for controlling is further operable to connect the plurality of invitees to the teleconference.

65. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the means for receiving is further operable to receive an identifier for an invitee who is not participating in the teleconference, and the means for controlling is further operable to connect the invites to the teleconference if the invitee elects to join the teleconference.