Multimedia augmented conference bridge

• US 7,653,192 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany
• Primary Examiner(s): AL Aubaidi, Rasha S
• Application Number:
  US10/324,755
• Time in Patent Office: 2,594 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/205.01, 379/207.01, 370/260, 348/14.09
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

The present invention provides an effective and efficient way to link multimedia sessions involving multimedia clients with a conference call involving telephony devices associated with the multimedia clients. In operation, the telephony system will recognize a call directed to an audio bridge, as well as trigger a message indicating the same. The message includes the telephony device'"'"'s directory number, which is used to access an address for an associated multimedia client. The address for the multimedia client is sent to a multimedia bridge, which is associated with the audio bridge. The multimedia bridge will use the multimedia client'"'"'s address to send the multimedia client the address for the multimedia bridge, addresses for other participating multimedia clients, and various types of information bearing on the multimedia aspect of the conference call.

Claims

1. A method for associating multimedia sessions with conference calls comprising:

a) receiving, upon detection that a first telephony device has multimedia capabilities, a first address for a first multimedia client upon initiation of a first call from the first telephony device to an audio bridge, the first telephony device and first multimedia client associated with a first participant of a conference call provided by the audio bridge; and

b) sending a multimedia bridge address for a multimedia bridge, which is associated with the audio bridge, to the first multimedia client using the first address.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first address is received from a service node associated with the multimedia bridge, the service node obtaining the first address based on a first directory number associated with the first telephony device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second address for a second multimedia client upon initiation of a second call from a second telephony device to the audio bridge, the second telephony device and second multimedia client associated with a second participant of the conference call provided by the audio bridge.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising sending the multimedia bridge address for the multimedia bridge to the second multimedia client using the second address.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising sending the second address to the first address.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending the first address to the second address.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and second participants are participants in the conference call and further comprising recognizing a change in participants in the conference call and sending messages indicative of the change in participants to the first and second addresses.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the messages are further indicative of the change in a participant who is participating only via a telephony device.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and second participants are participants in the conference call and further comprising recognizing a change in media capability provided by a multimedia client associated with a participant in the conference call and sending messages indicative of the change in media capability to the first and second addresses.

10. The method of claim 3 further comprising recognizing the second participant has ended participation in the conference call and sending a first message to the first address indicative of the second participant ending participation in the conference call.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending a second message to the second address indicative of the second participant ending participation in the conference call.

12. The method of claim 3 further comprising recognizing an end of the conference call and sending messages summarizing the conference call to the first and second addresses.

13. The method of claim 3 further comprising sending a first directory number for the first telephony device and a second directory number for the second telephony device to the first and second addresses.

14. The method of claim 3 further comprising facilitating a media session between the first and second multimedia clients.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a bridge access number for the audio bridge to the first address.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising facilitating a media session with the first multimedia client.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the media session relates to one of the group consisting of instant messaging, screen sharing, streaming media, video, application sharing and file transfer.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a media address to the first address wherein the media address defines a location of content associated with a media session and the first multimedia client can use the media address to access the content.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising receiving a request for the media session, accessing the content, and storing the content at the media address.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

c) receiving authentication indicia pertaining to the conference call from the first multimedia client; and

d) authenticating the first multimedia client to participate in association with the conference call based on the authentication indicia.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising sending a message to the first multimedia client with instructions to log into the conference call via the first telephony device.

22. A system for associating multimedia sessions with conference calls comprising:

a) an interface; and

b) a control system associated with the interface and adapted to;

i) receive, upon detection that a first telephony device has multimedia capabilities, a first address for a first multimedia client upon initiation of a first call from the first telephony device to an audio bridge, the first telephony device and first multimedia client associated with a first participant of a conference call provided by the audio bridge; and

ii) send a multimedia bridge address for a multimedia bridge, which is associated with the audio bridge, to the first multimedia client using the first address.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first address is received from a service node associated with the multimedia bridge, the service node obtaining the first address based on a first directory number associated with the first telephony device.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive a second address for a second multimedia client upon initiation of a second call from a second telephony device to the audio bridge, the second telephony device and second multimedia client associated with a second participant of the conference call provided by the audio bridge.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the control system is further adapted to send the multimedia bridge address for the multimedia bridge to the second multimedia client using the second address.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the control system is further adapted to send the second address to the first address.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the control system is further adapted to send the first address to the second address.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the first and second participants are participants in the conference call and wherein the control system is further adapted to recognize a change in participants in the conference call and send messages indicative of the change in participants to the first and second addresses.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the messages are further indicative of the change in a participant who is participating only via a telephony device.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the first and second participants are participants in the conference call and wherein the control system is further adapted to recognize a change in media capability provided by a multimedia client associated with a participant in the conference call and send messages indicative of the change in media capability to the first and second addresses.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the control system is further adapted to recognize the second participant has ended participation in the conference call and send a first message to the first address indicative of the second participant ending participation in the conference call.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the control system is further adapted to send a second message to the second address indicative of the second participant ending participation in the conference call.

33. The system of claim 24 wherein the control system is further adapted to recognize an end of the conference call and send messages summarizing the conference call to the first and second addresses.

34. The system of claim 24 wherein the control system is further adapted to send a first directory number for the first telephony device and a second directory number for the second telephony device to the first and second addresses.

35. The system of claim 24 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate a media session between the first and second multimedia clients.

36. The system of claim 22 wherein the control system is further adapted to send a bridge directory number for the audio bridge to the first address.

37. The system of claim 22 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate a media session with the first multimedia client.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the media session relates to one of the group consisting of instant messaging, screen sharing, streaming media, and file transfer.

39. The system of claim 22 wherein the control system is further adapted to send a media address to the first address wherein the media address defines a location of content associated with a media session and the first multimedia client can use the media address to access the content.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive a request for the media session, access the content, and store the content at the media address.

41. The system of claim 22 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

iii) receive authentication indicia pertaining to the conference call from the first multimedia client; and

iv) authenticate the first multimedia client to participate in association with the conference call based on the authentication indicia.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the control system is further adapted to send a message to the first multimedia client with instructions to log into the conference call via the first telephony device.