Method and apparatus for detecting and correcting electrical interference in a conference call

• US 7,599,357 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/011,256
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/235, 370/260, 370/261, 370/267, 370/356, 379/202.01, 455/406, 455/416, 704/215, 704/270.1
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/056 non-invasive testing, i.e. in operation testing without service interruption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• 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

Abstract

The present invention enables a network to detect electrical interference caused by cellular phones and correct the problem by playing a network announcement to the network operator if the interference reaches a certain threshold level. In turn, the network operator will notify participants of the conference call of the interference and ask them to change the location of their cellular phones.

Claims

1. A method for detecting and correcting an electrical interference in a conference call in a communication network, comprising:

detecting said electrical interference in said conference call;

determining whether said electrical interference has exceeded a preset interference threshold level; and

interrupting said conference call to present an announcement if said preset interference threshold level has been exceeded, wherein said interrupting comprises;

raising and sending an electrical interference alarm to a call control element (CCE);

sending a network announcement regarding said electrical interference alarm to a conference bridge operator; and

interrupting said conference call by said conference bridge operator.

2. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method for detecting and correcting an electrical interference in a conference call in a communication network, comprising:

detecting said electrical interference in said conference call;

determining whether said electrical interference has exceeded a preset interference threshold level; and

interrupting said conference call to present an announcement if said preset interference threshold level has been exceeded, wherein said interrupting comprises;

raising and sending an electrical interference alarm to a call control element (CCE);

sending a network announcement regarding said electrical interference alarm to a conference bridge operator; and

interrupting said conference call by said conference bridge operator.

3. An apparatus for detecting and correcting an electrical interference in a conference call in a communication network, comprising:

means for detecting said electrical interference in said conference call;

means for determining whether said electrical interference has exceeded a preset interference threshold level; and

means for interrupting said conference call to present an announcement if said preset interference threshold level has been exceeded, wherein said interrupting means comprises;

means for raising and sending an electrical interference alarm to a call control element (CCE); and

means for directly interrupting said conference call to present said announcement, where said announcement is an automated announcement.