System and method for establishing and controlling an on-demand teleconference by a remote computer

• US 6,967,672 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Act Teleconferencing, Inc. (Premier Global Services, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Act Teleconferencing, Inc. (Premier Global Services, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kizhnerman, Mark, Huber, M. Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/121,409
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1409, 707/100, 707/1, 717/100, 709/204, 379/202.01
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A teleconference system and method is disclosed comprising, a teleconference bridge having a plurality of ports for establishing a teleconference between two or more attendees. A maintenance and administration terminal is connected to said bridge, for generating one or more transaction records in response to a change in the status of any port on said teleconference bridge. A first server is connected to said maintenance and administration terminal, for receiving the one or more transaction records generated by said maintenance and administrative terminal and storing the one or more transaction records in a first database. A second server is connected to said first server having an interface operable to send the one or more transaction records stored in said first database, to a remote computer.

Claims

1. A teleconference system comprising:

a teleconference bridge having a plurality of ports for establishing a teleconference between two or more attendees;

a maintenance and administration terminal connected to said bridge, for generating one or more transaction records in response to a change in the status of any port on said teleconference bridge;

a first server connected to said maintenance and administration terminal, for receiving the one or more transaction records generated by said maintenance and administrative terminal and storing the one or more transaction records in a database; and

a second server, connected to said first server, having an interface operable to send the one or more transaction records stored in said database, to a remote computer.

2. The teleconference system of claim 1 wherein said second server is connected to said remote computer via a packet network.

3. The teleconference system of claim 1 wherein said second server is connected to said remote computer via a circuit connection.

4. The teleconference system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second database connected to said maintenance and administrative terminal for storing one or more passcodes.

5. The teleconference system of claim 4 wherein said remote computer is capable of changing at least one of the one or more passcodes stored in said second database.

6. The teleconference system of claim 1 wherein the teleconference established between the attendees is an audio conference.

7. The teleconference system of claim 1 wherein the teleconference established between the attendees is a video conference.

8. The teleconference system of claim 1 wherein said first server generates billing data by applying billing rules stored in said database to the one or more transaction records received by said first server from the maintenance and administrative terminal.

9. The teleconference system of claim 8 wherein said first server stores the generated billing data in said database.

10. The teleconference system of claim 9 wherein the interface of said second server sends the billing data stored in said database to said remote computer via a packet network.

11. The teleconference system of claim 9 wherein the interface of said second server sends the billing data stored in said database to said remote computer via a circuit connection.

12. A teleconference system comprising:

a teleconference bridge having a plurality of ports for establishing a teleconference between two or more attendees;

a maintenance and administration terminal, connected to said bridge, for generating one or more transaction records in response to a change in the status of any port on said teleconference bridge;

a first server connected to said maintenance and administration terminal, for receiving the one or more transaction records generated by said maintenance and administrative terminal and storing said one or more transaction records in a first database;

a second server connected to said first server, for receiving the one or more transaction records stored in said first database and storing the one or more transaction records in a second database; and

a third server, connected to said second server, having an interface operable to send the one or more transaction records, stored in said second database, to a remote computer.

13. The teleconference system of claim 12 wherein said third server is connected to said remote computer via a packet network.

14. The teleconference system of claim 12 wherein said third server is connected to said remote computer via a circuit connection.

15. The teleconference system of claim 12 further comprising:

a third database connected to said maintenance and administrative terminal for storing one or more passcodes.

16. The teleconference system of claim 15 wherein said remote computer is capable of changing at least one of the one or more passcodes stored in said third database.

17. The teleconference system of claim 12 wherein the one or more transaction records received from said maintenance and administrative terminal are in a first format and the one or more transactions records stored in said first database are stored in a second format.

18. The teleconference system of claim 12 wherein the teleconference established between the attendees is an audio conference.

19. The teleconference system of claim 12 wherein the teleconference established between the attendees is a video conference.

20. The teleconference system of claim 12 wherein said first server generates billing data by applying billing rules stored in said first database to the one or more transaction records received by said first server from the maintenance and administrative terminal.

21. The teleconference system of claim 20 wherein said first server stores the generated billing data in said first database.

22. The teleconference system of claim 21 wherein the interface of said third server sends the billing data stored in said first database to said remote computer.

23. The teleconference system of claim 22 wherein the interface of said third server is connected to said remote computer via a packet network.

24. The teleconference system of claim 22 wherein said interface of said third server is connected to said remote computer via a circuit connection.