Systems and methods to direct a mobile communications device to a preferred teleconference bridge

• US 7,894,806 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tapp, J. Scott, Miller, Thomas Ray, Leigh, Randolph J., Guthrie, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming; William D
• Application Number:
  US11/424,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/575.6, 370/261, 348/14.08
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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 3/563 User guidance or feature selection

Abstract

A telecommunication system includes a processor, interfaces in communication with the public telephone network and a data network, respectively, and a memory. The memory comprises executable instructions that when executed by the processor direct the system to controllably permit access to a teleconference bridge in response to a communication from a mobile-communication device that includes information responsive to a previously communicated license key. Generally, the communication is in the form of a call from the user of the mobile-communication device. Upon receipt of the call, the telecommunication system confirms that the mobile-communication device communicates a pass code that was included in an encrypted form in the license key.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system, comprising:

a teleconference bridge;

a first interface in communication with the teleconference bridge and a public-telephone network; and

a second interface in communication with the teleconference bridge and a data network, the data network further coupled to a mobile-communication device, the second interface connecting a call from a mobile communication device to the teleconference bridge upon receipt of information responsive to a communicated license key entered during an application installation procedure on the mobile device.

2. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the communicated license key is an encrypted representation of a pass code accepted on the teleconference bridge.

3. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the communicated license key is entered once and stored thereafter in the mobile-communication device.

4. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the teleconference bridge monitors the communication for a set of dual-tone multiple frequency (DTMF) encoded signals.

5. The telecommunication system of claim 4, wherein the set of dual-tone multiple frequency (DTMF) encoded signals identify the mobile-communication device.

6. The telecommunication system of claim 4, wherein the set of dual-tone multiple frequency (DTMF) encoded signals convey the information responsive to the communicated license key.

7. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the second interface uses session initiated protocol.

8. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the second interface receives information from the mobile-communication device via a short-range radio-frequency signal associated with a local area network.

9. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the second interface receives information from the mobile-communication device via a cellular voice and data network.

12. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the communicated license key includes a pass code accepted on the teleconference bridge.

13. The telecommunication system of claim 12, wherein the pass code identifies an operational mode for the mobile communication device for the conference call.

14. The telecommunication system of claim 12, wherein the pass code is a subset of alphanumeric characters from the communicated license key.

15. The telecommunication system of claim 12, wherein the pass code is a translated subset of alphanumeric characters from the communicated license key.

16. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the pass code is generated from a portion of the alphanumeric characters from the communicated license key.

17. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein an authenticator, coupled to the teleconference bridge, prompts the mobile-communication device for a pass code.

18. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein an authenticator, coupled to the teleconference bridge, prompts the mobile-communication device for a pass code.

10. A method for directing a mobile-communication device initiated call to a designated teleconference bridge, the method comprising:

providing a telephone number associated with a teleconference bridge and a license key to a subscriber of a mobile-communication service, wherein the license key comprises an encrypted representation of a pass code that when decrypted and communicated from the mobile-communication device instructs the teleconference bridge to grant access to the operator of the mobile-communication device;

providing executable instructions that upon initial execution on the mobile-communication device prompt an operator of the mobile-communication device to enter the license key and in response to the license key, decrypt and store the decrypted pass code on the mobile-communication device such that the pass code is available for communication to the designated teleconference bridge each time the operator of the mobile-communication device establishes a call via the telephone number; and

upon receipt of a call from the mobile-communication device, waiting for the pass code before connecting the call to the teleconference bridge.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing executable instructions further comprises:

associating the pass code with teleconference bridge controls responsive to a subscriber privilege level.