Method and system for controlling audio content during multiparty communication sessions

• US 6,978,001 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sarkar, Shantanu, Shaffer, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US10/039,160
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01, 379/205.01, 370/260
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2088 Call or conference reconnect, e.g. resulting from isdn terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• 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: H04M 3/569 using the instant speaker's algorithm speech detection per se G10L25/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method and system for controlling audio content during a multiparty communication session includes prompting active participants to the multiparty communication session to identify themselves. Media from a particular device from which no active participant is identified is disabled to terminate communication of the media from the particular device to other devices in the multiparty communication session.

Claims

1. A method for controlling audio content during a multiparty communication session, comprising:

establishing a multiparty communication session involving a plurality of participants, each participant associated with a device;

after establishing the multiparty communication session, prompting the participants to identify themselves as active participants; and

disabling media from a particular device previously used by one of the participants and from which no active participant is identified to terminate communication of the media from the particular device to other devices in the multiparty communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the participants to identify themselves in response to at least a request from one of the participants.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising authenticating the request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein authenticating the request comprises authenticating the participant making the request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling media from each device from which no active participant is identified.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the disabled media comprises on-hold content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a response to the prompt from at least one participant via a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) command.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing adaptive speech recognition to identify responses from participants.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering out responses to the prompt to prevent communication of the responses to the other devices in the multiparty session.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically playing to the particular device for which the media is disabled a prompt inviting the participant to re-join the multiparty communication session.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising enabling media from the particular device in response to at least receiving a re-join request from the particular device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying to the active participants a list of the active participants.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying the list of active participants to a particular active participant in response to a query by the particular active participant.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each active participant identifies himself with a secure signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the secure signal comprises a password.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining devices connected to the multiparty communication session streaming voice packets; and

disabling media from each device streaming voice packets and from which no active participant is identified.

17. A system for controlling audio content during a multiparty communication session, comprising:

means for establishing a multiparty communication session involving a plurality of participants, each participant associated with a device;

means for, after establishing the multiparty communication session, prompting the participants to identify themselves as active participants; and

means for disabling media from a particular device previously used by one of the participants and from which no active participant is identified to terminate communication of the media from the particular device to other devices in the multiparty communication session.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for prompting the participants to identify themselves in response to at least a request from one of the participants.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for authenticating the request.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for authenticating the request comprises means for authenticating the participant making the request.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for disabling media from each device from which no active participant is identified.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the disabled media comprises on-hold content.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving a response to the prompt from at least one participant via a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) command.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for utilizing adaptive speech recognition to identify responses from participants.

25. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for filtering out responses to the prompt to prevent communication of the responses to the other devices in the multiparty session.

26. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for periodically playing to the particular device for which the media is disabled a prompt inviting the participant to re-join the multiparty communication session.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising means for enabling media from the particular device in response to at least receiving a re-join request from the particular device.

28. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for identifying to the active participants a list of the active participants.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for identifying the list of active participants to a particular active participant in response to a query by the particular active participant.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein each active participant identifies himself with a secure signal.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the secure signal comprises a password.

32. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining devices connected to the multiparty communication session streaming voice packets; and

means for disabling media from each device streaming voice packets and from which no active participant is identified.

33. A system for controlling audio content during a multiparty communication session, comprising media encoded in logic and operable to:

establish a multiparty communication session involving a plurality of participants, each participant associated with a device;

after establishing the multiparty communication session, prompt the participants to identify themselves as active participants; and

disable media from a particular device previously used by one of the participants and from which no active participant is identified to terminate communication of the media from the particular device to other devices in the multiparty communication session.

34. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to prompt the participants to identify themselves in response to at least a request from one of the participants.

35. The system of claim 34, the logic further operable to authenticate the request.

36. The system of claim 35, the logic further operable to authenticate the request by authenticating the participant making the request.

37. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to disable media from each device from which no active participant is identified.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the disabled media comprises on-hold content.

39. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to receive a response to the prompt from at least one participant via a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) command.

40. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to utilize adaptive speech recognition to identify responses from participants.

41. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to filter out responses to the prompt to prevent communication of the responses to the other devices in the multiparty session.

42. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to periodically play to the particular device for which the media is disabled a prompt inviting the participant to re-join the multiparty communication session.

43. The system of claim 42, the logic further operable to enable media from the particular device in response to at least receiving a re-join request from the particular device.

44. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to identify to the active participants a list of the active participants.

45. The system of claim 44, the logic further operable to identify the list of active participants to a particular active participant in response to a query by the particular active participant.

46. The system of claim 33, wherein each active participant identifies himself with a secure signal.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the secure signal comprises a password.

48. The system of claim 33, the logic further operable to:

determine devices connected to the multiparty communication session streaming voice packets; and

disable media from each device streaming voice packets and from which no active participant is identified.

49. A method for handling on-hold endpoints in a conference call, comprising:

receiving an audio stream from each of a plurality of participants to a conference call;

receiving a control signal from a participant to the conference call indicating the conference call is receiving on-hold content from at least one on-hold endpoint;

prompting each participant to send a reply to a prompt;

receiving replies from active participants to the conference call; and

terminating media from devices associated with each participant not sending a reply.

50. A conference bridge, comprising:

an input buffer operable to receive and buffer audio streams generated by participants of a multiparty communication session;

a cross-connect operable to cross-connect an audio stream from each participant to conference output stream generators for remaining participants;

the conference stream output generator for each participant operable to combine each audio stream received from the cross-connect multiple independently controlled by the participant and to generate a conference output stream for the participant;

an output buffer operable to receive and buffer the conference output streams for transmission to the participant; and

an on-hold handler operable in response to a participant request to communicate with the participants, to identify active participants and to disable audio streams generated by devices associated with non-active participants.