Methods and devices for dynamic mobile conferencing with automatic pairing

• US 7,912,020 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rokusek, Daniel S., Khasawneh, Firas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faroul; Farah
• Application Number:
  US11/859,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20090081999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/352, 455/416, 455/41.2, 709/206
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. conference server dials participants
• 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

Described are methods and systems to preset a Bluetooth enabled headset and a Bluetooth enabled conference hub, so that at the time of a conference call, they are pre-paired and ready for use. Pairing information of a particular Bluetooth headset may be stored with a server and downloaded to a particular conference at the time of the scheduled conference. When a conference call is scheduled, via for example an email client conference scheduling tool, the hub will be automatically preset so that when a particular user with a headset comes within range, the headset and hub are paired and may transmit and receive communications between them. The described methods and systems can be used in large scale and small scale businesses with dynamic conferencing needs. The methods and systems can integrate with widely available email client conference scheduling tools currently used by many business enterprises.

Claims

1. A method for pre-pairing a Bluetooth enabled conference hub with a Bluetooth enabled headset, the method comprising:

a server receiving pairing information for the Bluetooth enabled headset wherein the pairing information of the Bluetooth enabled headset is associated with a client identifier to form predetermined client pairing information;

the server transmitting the predetermined client pairing information to the Bluetooth enabled conference hub for a scheduled communication, prior to the scheduled communication, via the Bluetooth enabled conference hub; and

pairing the Bluetooth enabled headset with the Bluetooth enabled conference hub based on the predetermined client pairing information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server transmitting the predetermined client pairing information to the Bluetooth enabled conference hub for a scheduled communication via the Bluetooth enabled conference hub comprises:

the server executing an email client application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the client identifier is an email address, the method further comprising:

the server transmitting notice of the scheduled communication to a client pursuant to the email address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the client identifier is a telephone number, the method further comprising:

the server transmitting notice of the scheduled communication to a client pursuant to the telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the server and the conference hub communicating via an IP network.

6. A method of pairing a Bluetooth enabled headset device and a Bluetooth enabled conference hub, the method comprising:

accessing an email client application based on a client identifier;

scheduling a scheduled time and a conference hub for conference call with the email client application based on the client identifier;

storing the scheduled time and the conference hub on a server;

determining whether predetermined client pairing information is stored on the server, the predetermined client pairing information including pairing information of the Bluetooth enabled headset device associated with a client identifier;

transmitting the predetermined client pairing information of the Bluetooth enabled headset device to the conference hub, prior to the scheduled time for conference call, if it is determined that predetermined client pairing information is stored on the server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the server transmitting the predetermined client pairing information to the Bluetooth enabled conference hub for a scheduled communication via the Bluetooth enabled conference hub comprises:

the server executing an email client application.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the client identifier is an email address, the method further comprising:

the server transmitting notice of the scheduled communication to a client pursuant to the email address.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the client identifier is a telephone number, the method further comprising:

the server transmitting notice of the scheduled communication to a client pursuant to the telephone number.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the server and the conference hub communicating via an IP network.

11. The method claim 6, wherein if it is not determined that predetermined client pairing information is stored on the server, the method further comprising:

prompting the client to transmit pairing information for the Bluetooth enabled headset; and

the server receiving the pairing information for the Bluetooth enabled headset;

the server associating the pairing information for the Bluetooth enabled headset with the client identifier to form predetermined client pairing information.

12. A system comprising:

a Bluetooth enabled headset having pairing information associated therewith;

a Bluetooth enabled conference hub configured to pair with the Bluetooth enabled headset;

a server configured to execute an email client application that is configured to receive data for scheduling conference calls via the Bluetooth enabled conference hub, the server further configured to associate the pairing information of the Bluetooth enabled headset with a client identifier to form predetermined client pairing information and to transmit the predetermined client pairing information to the Bluetooth enabled conference hub, prior to the scheduled conference call.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the client identifier is an email address and the server is configured to transmit notice of the scheduled communication to a client pursuant to the email address.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the client identifier is a telephone number and the server is configured to transmit notice of the scheduled communication to a client pursuant to the telephone number.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the server and the conference hub are configured to communicate via an IP network.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the predetermined client pairing information is securely transmitted to the Bluetooth enabled conference hub.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the Bluetooth enabled headset is configured for discoverable mode which is disabled when predetermined client pairing information is transmitted by the Bluetooth enabled conference hub and received by the Bluetooth enabled headset.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein there is a plurality of Bluetooth enabled headsets, each of which is configured to pair with the Bluetooth enabled conference hub based on each of the plurality of Bluetooth enabled headsets having individual predetermined client pairing information.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the server is one of a personal computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, and a workstation.