System and method for initiating a conference call
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A method for initiating a conference call, comprising the steps of:
- providing a conference call requester with a network access device, said network access device communicating via an instant messaging service, said instant messaging service being adapted to communicate conference call request information with a conference call server;
establishing a communications connection from said network access device to the conference call server;
presenting said conference call requester with a display showing a plurality of potential targets then being connected to said instant messaging service and participating in a given instant messaging session with the conference call requester and with whom a conference call may be initiated;
generating a conference call request responsively to a single request by the conference call requester, said conference call request identifying each of the potential targets for said conference call request;
transmitting said conference call request from said network access device to said conference call server; and
automatically establishing a conference call connection to said conference call requester, said conference call connection initiated by said conference call server, said conference call connection further being connected to each of the potential targets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a system and method for initiating conference calls via an instant messaging system to reduce the effort required to initiate and manage the call. The system uses an IM connection between a requesting party and a conference call server to inform the conference call server of the desire to initiate the conference call. The conference call server may initiate the conference call by having involved parties called by a conference bridge, thus reducing the effort required by the parties to join the call.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A method for initiating a conference call, comprising the steps of:
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providing a conference call requester with a network access device, said network access device communicating via an instant messaging service, said instant messaging service being adapted to communicate conference call request information with a conference call server; establishing a communications connection from said network access device to the conference call server; presenting said conference call requester with a display showing a plurality of potential targets then being connected to said instant messaging service and participating in a given instant messaging session with the conference call requester and with whom a conference call may be initiated; generating a conference call request responsively to a single request by the conference call requester, said conference call request identifying each of the potential targets for said conference call request; transmitting said conference call request from said network access device to said conference call server; and automatically establishing a conference call connection to said conference call requester, said conference call connection initiated by said conference call server, said conference call connection further being connected to each of the potential targets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for initiating a conference call, comprising the steps of providing a conference call server;
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providing a call requester with a network accessible device, the network accessible device being communicably connected to an instant messaging service, said instant messaging service being adapted to communicate conference call request information with said conference call server; presenting said conference call requester with a display showing a plurality potential targets then being connected to said instant messaging service and participating in a given instant messaging session with the conference call requester and with whom a conference call may be initiated; generating a conference call request by said conference call requester in a single step, said conference call request identifying each of the potential targets; transmitting said generated call request from said conference call requester to said conference call server; receiving said generated call request at said conference call server; parsing said conference call request to determine parameters associated with a requested conference call; and automatically initiating a conference call in accordance with parameters associated with the requested conference call between the conference call requester and each of the potential targets. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for initiating a conference call, comprising the steps of:
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providing a conference call server; providing a call requester with a network accessible device, the network accessible device having instant messaging software thereon, said instant messaging software being adapted to communicate conference call request information with said conference call server; presenting to said conference call requester a display showing a plurality of potential targets then being connected to an instant messaging service and participating in a given instant messaging session with the call requester and with whom a conference call may be initiated; generating a conference call request by the call requester responsively to a single requester indication; transmitting said generated call request from said call requester to said conference call server; receiving said generated call request at said conference call server; parsing said conference call request to determine parameters associated with a requested conference call; and automatically initiating a conference call between the call requester and each of the potential targets across a conference call connection in accordance with parameters associated with the requested conference call. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification