Mobile device conference calls via private branch exchange

• US 7,889,849 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schramm, Steven D., Perfetto, Josh, Fullarton, Paul, Chatterjee, Saurav, Rana, Hemendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee; Mohammed S
• Application Number:
  US11/726,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/201.01, 37920201-20701, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 455/416, 455/419, 455/414.1, 370/352, 370/259, 370260-262, 715/751
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/26 in which the information and the address are simultaneously transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42246 where the subscriber uses a multi-mode terminal which moves and accesses different networks with at least one network having a wireline access including cordless PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 : Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 : Operator skill based call distribution
• 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: H04M 7/0069 : comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 : where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Communication systems and methods are described that enable mobile devices to route telephone calls via an enterprise telephone system. The communication system is configured to receive via a data channel a request from the mobile device. The mobile device corresponds to a user making a call. The server receiving the request includes a private branch exchange (PBX) and one or more other servers hosted by or coupled to the enterprise. A first call leg is initiated over a first voice channel in response to the request. The first call leg is coupled to the server and mobile device. Numerous second call legs are initiated over a second voice channel, and the second call legs are coupled to the server and numerous client devices corresponding to an intended call recipients. A voice conference call is formed between the mobile device and client device by joining the first and second call legs.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a dial request at a first server via a data channel coupled to a mobile device the dial request including contact information for a plurality of intended call recipients;

transmitting a call initiation instruction to a telephone server coupled to an enterprise in response to the dial request;

the first server sending data representative of a transaction identifier and a telephone number for the telephone server to the mobile device;

the mobile device initiating in response to the request a first call leg over a first voice channel, the first call leg between the telephone server and the mobile device, and upon successfully connecting to the telephone server sending the transaction identifier to the telephone server;

the telephone server initiating a plurality of second call legs over a plurality of second voice channels to establish a plurality of second call legs between the telephone server and a plurality of client devices associated with the plurality of intended recipients in response to receiving the transaction identifier from the mobile device; and

the telephone server forming a voice conference call between the mobile device and the plurality of client devices by joining the first call leg and the plurality of second call legs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the mobile device and the plurality of client devices includes one or more of a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireline device, a voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) device, a private branch exchange device, a soft client, and a desktop client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact data for the plurality of call recipients corresponding to the plurality of client devices includes a telephone number.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising receiving at the mobile device a selection of the plurality of call recipients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone server a private branch exchange (PBX).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating of the first call leg comprises the mobile device automatically calling the telephone server using the telephone number.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving a first signal from the mobile device via the first call leg, wherein the first signal is sent in response to the initiating of the first call leg.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the initiating of the plurality of second call legs is in response to the receiving of the first signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes contact data of a plurality of call recipients, wherein the initiating of the plurality of second call legs comprises the telephone server automatically calling the plurality of client devices using the contact data.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving at least one second signal from at least one client device of the plurality of client devices via at least one call leg of the plurality of second call legs, wherein the at least one second signal is received at the telephone server in response to the initiating of the plurality of second call legs.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising automatically transmitting a prompt to the at least one client device via the at least one call leg, wherein the at least one second signal is received in response to the prompt.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the joining of the first call leg and the plurality of second call legs is in response to the receiving of the at least one second signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the joining includes joining the first call leg to ones of the plurality of second call legs that correspond to ones of the plurality of client devices from which a second signal is received.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising disconnecting the first call leg when the initiating of all of the plurality of second call legs fails.

15. The method of claim 5, comprising sending contact data of the plurality of call recipients to the mobile device in response to the request, wherein the contact data includes one or more of data of an enterprise coupled to the server, name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address, employer, position, data of at least one interaction, personal data comprising data of one or more of a spouse, relative, child, anniversary, and birthday.

16. The method of claim 5, comprising re-initiating the first call leg in response to termination of the first call leg by one or more of the mobile device and the server.

17. The method of claim 5, comprising:

disconnecting the first call leg in response to detecting termination of the plurality of second call legs; and

disconnecting the plurality of second call legs in response to detecting termination of the first call leg.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the request includes information of a class.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the initiating of the plurality of second call legs comprises initiating the plurality of second call legs between the telephone server and resources of a class group, wherein the resources possess an attribute of the class, wherein the class group includes one or more resources having one or more attributes in common.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising determining the resources from a plurality of contacts of an enterprise.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the initiating comprises attempting to initiate the plurality of second call legs with the plurality of client devices, wherein the plurality, of client devices correspond to the resources.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the attempting to initiate includes attempting in parallel to initiate the second call leg with each of the plurality of client devices.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the attempting to initiate includes attempting in sequence to initiate the second call leg with each of the plurality of client devices.

24. The method of claim 21, comprising determining a hierarchy of the attempting, wherein the hierarchy defines an order for attempting to initiate the plurality of second call legs with the plurality of client devices.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the attempting to initiate includes:

attempting in parallel to initiate the plurality of second call legs with each of a first set of the plurality of client devices; and

attempting in sequence to initiate at least one second call leg of the plurality of second call legs with each of a second set of the plurality of client devices.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the attempting to initiate includes attempting to initiate according to availability of the resources, wherein the availability includes one or more of presence of the resources, reachable status of the resources, availability determined by a host system, and availability specified by the resources.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the attempting to initiate includes attempting to initiate in accordance with context information, the context information including at least one of a connectivity state and an availability profile of each of the plurality of client devices.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the first server is hosted by one or more of an enterprise, a service provider, and a mobile network operator.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the data channel, the first voice channel and the second voice channel is provided by one or more of an enterprise, a service provider, and a mobile network operator.

30. The method of claim 1, comprising transferring signals between the mobile device and the server via the data channel, wherein the data channel includes a cellular data channel of a cellular network.

31. The method of claim 1, comprising transferring media between the mobile device and the server via the first voice channel, wherein the first voice channel includes a cellular voice channel of a cellular network.

32. A system comprising:

a facilitator coupled to an enterprise and

at least one communication network;

a telephone server in communication with the facilitator;

wherein the server is configured to receive a dial request via a data channel coupled to a mobile device, wherein the request includes contact information for a plurality of intended call recipients;

wherein the server is further configured to initiate in response to the dial request a first call leg with the mobile device over a first voice channel, the server initiating the first call leg by sending data representative of a transaction identifier and a telephone number for the mobile device, by the facilitator, to call to establish the first call leg;

wherein the server is further configured to wait to receive the transaction identifier from the mobile device via the first call leg;

the server configured to initiate a plurality of second call legs with a plurality of client devices associated with the intended call recipients over a plurality of second voice channels responsive to receiving the transaction identifier; and

the server configured to form a voice conference call between the mobile device and the plurality of client devices by joining the first call leg and the plurality of second call legs.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the server is hosted by one or more of the enterprise, a service provider, and a mobile network operator.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein one or more of the data channel, the first voice channel and the plurality of second voice channels is provided by one or more of the enterprise, a service provider, and a mobile network operator.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein each of the mobile device and the plurality of client devices includes one or more of a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireline device, a voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) device, a private branch exchange device, a soft client, and a desktop client.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the server includes one or more of a facilitator and a private branch exchange (PBX).

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the server is configured to receive at least one second signal from at least one client device of the plurality of client devices via at least one call leg of the plurality of second call legs, wherein the at least one second signal is received at the server in response to the initiating of the plurality of second call legs.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the server is configured to join the first call leg and the plurality of second call legs in response to receipt of the at least one second signal, wherein the joining includes joining the first call leg to ones of the plurality of second call legs that correspond to ones of the plurality of client devices from which a second signal is received.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the server is configured to instruct the telephone server to generate the plurality of second call legs.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein the server is configured to exchange signals with the mobile device via the data channel, wherein the data channel includes a cellular data channel of a cellular network.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the server is configured to exchange media with the mobile device via the first voice channel, wherein the first voice channel includes a cellular voice channel of a cellular network.

42. A non-transitory computer readable media including executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, provide conferencing by:

receiving a dial request at a first server via a data channel coupled to a mobile device, the dial request including contact information for a plurality of intended call recipients;

transmitting a call initiation instruction to a telephone server coupled to an enterprise in response to the dial request;

sending, by the first server, data representative of a transaction identifier and a telephone number for the telephone server to the mobile device;

waiting for a call from the mobile device via a first voice channel on the telephone number provided to the mobile device to establish a first call leg by the telephone server;

waiting for the mobile device to send the transaction identifier over the first call leg;

initiating in response to receiving the transaction identifier over the first voice channel, a plurality of second call legs over a plurality of second voice channels, the plurality of second call legs between the telephone server and a plurality of client devices associated with the contact information for the plurality of intended call recipients; and

forming a voice conference call between the mobile device and the plurality of client devices by joining the first call leg and the plurality of second call legs.