Conference call method and apparatus therefor

• US 7,236,773 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/867,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/445, 455/450, 379/202.01, 379/204.01, 379/205.01, 379/207.01
• US Class Current: 455/416
• 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: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A conference call facility is described in which one (2a) of a group of communication devices (2a,2b,2c,2d) connected to a low power radio frequency network (9) is able to set up a call to a party external of the network (9) and then selectively add further devices (2a,2b,2c) to the call under the control of the user of the one device (2a). The users of the other devices (2b,2c) are able to enable or disable the selection of their device in a conference call. One or more of the communication devices may be a mobile radio telephone equipped with the necessary network interface (1).

Claims

1. A communications device for performing conferencing, the device comprising:

a first transceiver for communicating in a wireless low power radio frequency network;

a second tranceiver for communicating in a wireless telecommunications network; and

a controller configured to control the device to establish a channel for communication with at least one further communications device in the wireless low power radio frequency network, the at least one further communications device being operable to communicate in the wireless low power radio frequency network and also in the wireless telecommunications network, the controller further being configured to control the device to establish a channel for communicating with a destination in the wireless telecommunications network and to provide a communication link for the at least one further communications device to communicate with the destination by routing a call in the wireless telecommunication network through the wireless low power radio frequency network to the at least one further communications device.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to selectably add members of the first network to the call.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, including a memory holding data relating to current members of the first network from which the controller selects members to add to the call.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to remove a member of the first network from the call.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller, in accordance with data held in the memory, is inhibited from the selection of a current member of the first network for addition to the call.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

7. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to remove a member of the first network from the call.

8. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is operable to remove a member of the first network from the call.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller, in accordance with data held in the memory, is inhibited from the selection of a current member of the first network for addition to the call.

10. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

11. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

12. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

13. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

14. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

15. A method, in a wireless communications device, for performing conferencing, the method comprising:

establishing a first channel for communicating with a destination in a first wireless telecommunications network;

establishing a second channel for communicating with at least one further communications device in a second network, the second network being a wireless low power radio frequency network, the at least one further communications device being operable to communicate in the first and second networks; and

providing a communications link to enable the at least one further communications device to communicate with the destination by routing a call in the first network through the second channel and the second network to the at least one second communications device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, including selecting members of the first network to add to the cell.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, including storing data relating to current members of the first network.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, including storing data indicative of whether a member of the first network may be selected for addition to the call.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, including removing a member of the first network from the call.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, including storing data relating to current members of the first network.

21. A method as claimed in claim 17, including storing data indicative of whether a member of the first network may be selected for addition to the cell.

22. A method as claimed in claim 16, including removing a member of the first network from the call.

23. A method as claimed in claim 17, including removing a member of the first network from the call.

24. A method as claimed in claim 18, including removing a member of the first network from the call.

25. A first radio communications network including a communications device for performing conferencing, the device being operable in a first radio communications network and a second different radio communications network and comprising a first transceiver for establishing a channel for connection in the first network and a second transceiver for establishing a channel for connection in the second network and a controller for establishing a call in the first network and routing the call through the channel in the second network.

26. A radio communications system comprising:

a base station of a wireless telecommunications network;

a plurality of communication devices forming a wireless low power radio frequency network, at least a first one of the plurality of communications devices being operable in both the wireless low power radio frequency network and the wireless telecommunications, the at least one first communications device comprising;

a first transceiver for communication in the low power radio frequency network;

a second transceiver for communication in the wireless telecommunications network; and

a controller, the controller being configured to control the at least one first communications device to establish a channel for communication with at least a second one of the plurality of communications device in the low power radio frequency network;

wherein the at least one second communications device is operable to communicate in the low power radio freqeuncy network and also in the wireless telecommunications network, the controller is further configured to control the at least one first device to establish a channel for communicating with a destination in the wireless telecommunications network and to provide a communication link for the at least one second communications device to communicate with the destination by routing a call in the wireless telecommunication network through the wireless low power radio frequency network to the at least one second communications device.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the controller is selectably operable and add members of the first network to the call.

28. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the device includes a memory holding data relating to current members of the first network.

29. A system as claimed in claim 26, in which the first transceiver is adapted for use in a low power radio frequency.

30. A system as claimed in claim 26, in which the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

31. A system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the at least one first communications device includes a memory holding data relating to current members of the first network.

32. A system as claimed in claim 27, in which the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

33. A system as claimed in claim 28, in which the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

34. A system as claimed in claim 29, in which the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

35. A wireless low power radio frequency network including a communications device for performing conferencing, the device comprising:

a first transceiver for communicating in the wireless low power radio frequency network;

a second transceiver for communicating in a wireless telecommunications network; and

a controller configured to control the device to establish a channel for communication with at least one further communications device in the wireless low power radio frequency network, the at least one further communications device being operable to communicate in the wireless low power radio frequency network and also in the wireless telecommunications network and to provide a communication link for the at least one further communications device to communicate with the destination by routing a call in the wireless telecommunication network through the wireless low power radio frequency network to the at least one further communications device;

wherein the controller is operable to selectably add members of the first network to the call.

36. The wireless low power radio frequency network of claim 35, the communications device further including a memory holding data relating to current members of the first network from which the controller selects members to add to the call.

37. The wireless low power radio frequency network of claim 36, wherein the controller, in accordance with data held in the memory, is inhibited from the selection of a current member of the first network for addition to the call.

38. A wireless low power radio network including a communications device for performing conferencing, the device comprising:

a first trasceiver for communicating in the wireless low power radio frequency network;

a second transceiver for communicating in a wireless telecommunications network; and

a controller configured to control the device to establish a channel for communication with at least one further communications device being operable to communicate in the wireless low power radio frequency network and also in the wireless telecommunications network, the controller further being configured to control the device to establish a channel for communicating with a destination in the wireless telecommunications network and to provide a communication link for the at least one further communications device to communicate with the destination by routing a call in the wireless telecommunication network through the wireless low power radio frequency network to the at least one further communications device;

wherein the controller is operable to selectably add members of the first network to the call;

wherein the controller is operable to remove a member of the first network from the call.

39. A wireless low power radio network including a communications device for performing conferencing, the device comprising:

a first transceiver for communicating in the wireless low power radio frequency network;

a second transceiver for communicating in a wireless telecommunications network; and

a controller configured to control the device to establish a channel for communication with at least one further communications device in the wireless low power radio frequency network, the at least one further communications device being operable to communicate in the wireless low power radio frequency network and also in the wireless telecommunications network, the controller further being configured to control the device to establish a channel for communicating with a destination in the wireless telecommunications network and to provide a communication link for the at least one further communications device to communicate with the destination by routing a call in the wireless telecommunication network through the wireless low power radio frequency network to the at least one further communications device;

wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

40. A method, in a wireless communication device, for performing conferencing comprising:

establishing a channel for communicating with a further communications device in a wireless low power radio frequency network; and

communicating with a destination in a wireless telecommunications network by routing a call to the further communications device through the low power radio frequency network for forwarding, by the further device, to the destination in the wireless telecommunications network;

wherein the wireless communications device is operable to communicate in the wireless low power radio frequency network and also in the wireless telecommunications network.

41. A communications device for performing conferencing, the device comprising;

a first transceiver for communicating in a wireless low power radio frequency network;

a second transceiver for communicating in a wireless telecommunications network; and

a controller configured to control the device to establish a channel for communication with a further communications device in the wireless low power radio frequency network, and for communicating with a destination in the wireless telecommunications network by routing a call to the second communications device through the wireless low power radio frequency network for forwarding, by the second device, to a destination in the wireless telecommunications network.