Method and system for providing an improved communications channel for telephone conference initiation and management
First Claim
1. A method for providing and utilizing an improved communications channel for establishing and maintaining a telephone conference, the method comprising:
- receiving at a client computer a request to initiate a telephone conference, said request identifying two or more participants for the telephone conference;
in response to the request, transmitting an instant message including data for establishing the telephone conference between the participants to an instant messaging server computer;
receiving the instant message at the instant messaging server computer;
forwarding the instant message to a telephone conference gateway computer;
receiving the instant message at the telephone conference gateway computer, extracting from the instant message the data for establishing the telephone conference, creating a web services request based on the data, and executing the web services request in order to establish the telephone conference; and
receiving at the telephone conference gateway computer an indication that a telephone call has been placed to one of the participants and that the telephone call is in a ringing state.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing an improved communications channel for telephone conference initiation and management are provided. Messages for initiating and managing a telephone conference are exchanged between a client computer and a gateway computer utilizing XML formatted messages transmitted over an instant messaging compatible protocol. The gateway computer converts the messages to web services requests and communicates with telephone conference network hardware utilizing the web services-based request. Status indicators from the telephone conference equipment is converted from web services requests to XML by the gateway and transmitted back to the client computer via the instant messaging protocol.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing and utilizing an improved communications channel for establishing and maintaining a telephone conference, the method comprising:
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receiving at a client computer a request to initiate a telephone conference, said request identifying two or more participants for the telephone conference; in response to the request, transmitting an instant message including data for establishing the telephone conference between the participants to an instant messaging server computer; receiving the instant message at the instant messaging server computer; forwarding the instant message to a telephone conference gateway computer; receiving the instant message at the telephone conference gateway computer, extracting from the instant message the data for establishing the telephone conference, creating a web services request based on the data, and executing the web services request in order to establish the telephone conference; and receiving at the telephone conference gateway computer an indication that a telephone call has been placed to one of the participants and that the telephone call is in a ringing state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for providing and utilizing an improved communications channel for establishing and maintaining a telephone conference, the system comprising:
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a client application program operative to; transmit an instant message to an instant messaging server computer, the instant message including data requesting that a telephone conference between two or more participants be established, and display data extracted from an instant message received at the client computer indicating that a placed telephone call associated with the requested telephone conference is in a ringing state; a gateway application program operative to; receive the instant message from the instant messaging server computer, extract from the instant message the data requesting that a telephone conference be established, create a web services request based on the data, transmit the web services request to a network device capable of establishing the telephone conference, receive an indication that a telephone call has been placed to one of the participants and that the telephone call is in a ringing state, convert the indication that a telephone call has been placed to the instant message indicating that a placed telephone call associated with the requested telephone conference is in a ringing state, and transmit the instant message to the instant messaging server computer, wherein the instant messaging server computer is operative to forward the instant message to the client application program. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for providing and utilizing an improved communications channel for establishing and maintaining a telephone conference, the system comprising:
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a first memory storage; and a first processing unit coupled to the first memory storage, wherein the first processing unit is operative to; receive a request to initiate a telephone conference, said request identifying two or more participants for the telephone conference, and in response to the received request, transmit an instant message including data for establishing the telephone conference between the participants, a second memory storage; and a second processing unit coupled to the second memory storage, wherein the second processing unit is operative to; receive the instant message, and forward the instant message, a third memory storage; and a third processing unit coupled to the third memory storage, wherein the second processing unit is operative to; receive the forwarded instant message, extract from the forwarded instant message the data for establishing the telephone conference, create a web services request based on the data, execute the web services request in order to establish the telephone conference, and receive an indication that a telephone call has been placed to one of the participants and that the telephone call is in a ringing state. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method for providing and utilizing an improved communications channel for establishing and maintaining a telephone conference, the method comprising:
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transmitting an instant message to an instant messaging server computer, the instant message including data requesting that a telephone conference between two or more participants be established; displaying data extracted from an instant message received at the client computer indicating that a placed telephone call associated with the requested telephone conference is in a ringing state; receiving the instant message from the instant messaging server computer; extracting from the instant message the data requesting that a telephone conference be established; creating a web services request based on the data; transmitting the web services request to a network device capable of establishing the telephone conference; receiving an indication that a telephone call has been placed to one of the participants and that the telephone call is in a ringing state; converting the indication that a telephone call has been placed to the instant message indicating that a placed telephone call associated with the requested telephone conference is in a ringing state; and transmitting the instant message to the instant messaging server computer, wherein the instant messaging server computer is operative to forward the instant message to the client application program.
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Specification