Internet-enabled conferencing system and method accommodating PSTN and IP traffic
First Claim
1. A system for conferencing callers that have called in to the system to participate in a previously scheduled conference, comprising:
- a time division multi-plexed (TDM) bus;
a public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface node coupled to the TDM bus, the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus operable to receive PSTN signals from a PSTN caller that has called in to the system to participate in the previously scheduled conference and to communicate corresponding information in a first timeslot using the TDM bus to enable the PSTN caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference;
an Internet Protocol (IP) interface node coupled to the TDM bus, the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus operable to receive IP packets from an IP caller that has called in to the system to participate in the previously scheduled conference and to communicate corresponding information in a second timeslot using the TDM bus to enable the IP caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; and
a digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus operable to;
receive the information for the IP caller from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated between the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in the second timeslot using the TDM bus, and communicate this received information for the IP caller from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus in a first conference timeslot using the TDM bus independent of input from any other caller participating in the previously scheduled conference, information for the IP caller being communicated using the TDM bus from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus through the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus throughout the previously scheduled conference; and
receive the information for the PSTN caller from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated between the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in the first timeslot using the TDM bus, and communicate this received information for the PSTN caller from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus in a second conference timeslot using the TDM bus independent of input from any other caller participating in the previously scheduled conference, information for the PSTN caller being communicated using the TDM bus from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus through the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus throughout the previously scheduled conference.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for conferencing callers includes a time division multiplexed (TDM) bus. A public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface node that is coupled to the TDM bus receives PSTN signals from a PSTN caller and communicates corresponding information in a first timeslot using the TDM bus. An Internet Protocol (IP) interface node coupled to the TDM bus receives IP packets from an IP caller and communicates corresponding information in a second timeslot using the TDM bus. Also coupled to the TDM bus is a conference bridge node that receives the information for the IP caller and communicates it to the PSTN interface node in a first conference timeslot, using the TDM bus. The conference bridge node also receives the information for the PSTN caller and communicates it to the IP interface node in a second conference timeslot, using the TDM bus.
100 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for conferencing callers that have called in to the system to participate in a previously scheduled conference, comprising:
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a time division multi-plexed (TDM) bus; a public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface node coupled to the TDM bus, the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus operable to receive PSTN signals from a PSTN caller that has called in to the system to participate in the previously scheduled conference and to communicate corresponding information in a first timeslot using the TDM bus to enable the PSTN caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; an Internet Protocol (IP) interface node coupled to the TDM bus, the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus operable to receive IP packets from an IP caller that has called in to the system to participate in the previously scheduled conference and to communicate corresponding information in a second timeslot using the TDM bus to enable the IP caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; and a digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus operable to; receive the information for the IP caller from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated between the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in the second timeslot using the TDM bus, and communicate this received information for the IP caller from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus in a first conference timeslot using the TDM bus independent of input from any other caller participating in the previously scheduled conference, information for the IP caller being communicated using the TDM bus from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus through the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus throughout the previously scheduled conference; and receive the information for the PSTN caller from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated between the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in the first timeslot using the TDM bus, and communicate this received information for the PSTN caller from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus in a second conference timeslot using the TDM bus independent of input from any other caller participating in the previously scheduled conference, information for the PSTN caller being communicated using the TDM bus from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus through the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus throughout the previously scheduled conference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for conferencing callers that have called in to the system to participate in a previously scheduled conference, comprising:
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at least one chassis comprising; a time division multi-plexed (TDM) bus; at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface node coupled to the TDM bus, the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus operable to receive PSTN signals from a PSTN caller that has called in to the system to participate in the previously scheduled conference and to communicate corresponding information using the TDM bus to enable the IP caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; at least one Internet Protocol (IP) interface node coupled to the TDM bus, the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus operable to receive IP packets from an IP caller that has called in to the system to participate in the previously scheduled conference and to communicate corresponding information using the TDM bus to enable the IP caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; and a digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus operable to; receive the information for the PSTN and IP callers from the PSTN and IP interface nodes coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated using the TDM bus between the PSTN and IP interface nodes coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus; in response, generate conference traffic for the PSTN and IP callers by communicating, using the TDM bus, the received information for the PSTN and IP callers from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus; and generate current state information for the conference; a database containing scheduling information for one or more future conferences, the scheduling information for a future conference specifying at least a number of callers, a time, and a duration for the future conference for pre-allocation of an appropriate number of timeslots on the TDM bus to the future conference for its specified time and duration; and a server complex coupled to the database and operable to; receive scheduling input from an IP user specifying at least a number of callers, a time, and a duration for a new future conference; and access the stored scheduling information in response to the scheduling input for purposes of scheduling the new future conference, scheduling the new future conference comprising pre-allocating an appropriate number of timeslots on the TDM bus to the new future conference for its specified time and duration. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of conferencing callers that have called in to participate in a previously scheduled conference, comprising:
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receiving public switched telephone network (PSTN) signals, from a PSTN caller that has called in to participate in the previously scheduled conference, at a PSTN interface node coupled to a time division multi-plexed (TDM) bus; communicating corresponding information from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus to a digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in a first timeslot using the TDM bus to enable the PSTN caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; receiving the information for the PSTN caller from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated between the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in the first timeslot using the TDM bus; receiving Internet Protocol (IP) packets, from an IP caller that has called in to participate in the previously scheduled conference, at an IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus; communicating corresponding information from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus to the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in a second timeslot using the TDM bus to enable the IP caller to participate in the previously scheduled conference; receiving the information for the IP caller from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus at the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus, this information having been communicated between the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus and the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus in the second timeslot using the TDM bus; communicating the received information for the IP caller from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus in a first conference timeslot using the TDM bus independent of input from any other caller participating in the previously scheduled conference, information for the IP caller being communicated using the TDM bus from the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus through the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus throughout the previously scheduled conference; and communicating the received information for the PSTN caller from the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus in a second conference timeslot using the TDM bus independent of input from any other caller participating in the previously scheduled conference, information for the PSTN caller being communicated using the TDM bus from the PSTN interface node coupled to the TDM bus through the digital conference bridge node coupled to the TDM bus to the IP interface node coupled to the TDM bus throughout the previously scheduled conference. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification