Method and system for transferring a conference between a mobile communication device and a conferencing terminal

• US 8,340,271 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Knaz, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US12/465,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/205.01, 379/204.01, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 455/425, 455/416, 455/417, 348/14.02, 370/260, 709/204
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• 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 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 7/0063 where the network is a peer-to-peer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system allows a user conducting a communication session on a personal communication device to transfer the communication session to a local conferencing device. The conferencing system prompts the personal communication device with an option to transfer the communication session to the conferencing device. The system obtains contact information for a multimedia endpoint associated with the remote communication device and initiates a connection between the local conferencing device and the remote multimedia endpoint. The system can also transfer a communication session from a local conferencing device to a portable communication device.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a communication session from a portable communication device to a local conferencing device during a communication session between the portable communication device and a remote communication device, comprising:

sending a prompt to the portable communication device prompting for a request to transfer the communication session from the portable communication device to the local conferencing device;

receiving from the portable communication device a request to transfer the communication session from the portable communication device to the local conferencing device;

determining contact information for a remote multimedia endpoint associated with the remote communication device; and

in response to the request from the portable communication device, initiating an audio connection between the local conferencing device and the remote multimedia endpoint;

instructing the local conferencing device to escalate the audio connection to a video communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device is selected from the group consisting of an IP phone, a portable computer, and a smart phone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the local conferencing device is a local multimedia endpoint.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the local multimedia endpoint is communicatively connected to at least one multipoint control unit.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising obtaining contact information of the remote multimedia endpoint at the local multimedia endpoint.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing contact information of the remote multimedia endpoint to the multipoint control unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating a connection comprises setting up a connection between the multipoint control unit, the local multimedia endpoint, and the remote multimedia endpoint.

8. A method of transferring a communication session from a local conferencing device to a portable communication device during a conference between the local conferencing device and a remote endpoint, comprising:

presenting a prompt to the portable communication device, prompting for a request to transfer the communication session from the local conferencing device to the portable communication device

receiving from the portable communication device a request to transfer the communication session from the local conferencing device to the portable communication device;

determining contact information for the remote endpoint;

providing the contact information to the portable communication device; and

in response to the request from the portable communication device, initiating an audio connection between the portable communication device and the remote endpoint;

instructing the local conferencing device to escalate the audio connection to a video communication session.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising terminating the in progress communication session between the local conferencing device and the remote endpoint.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the portable communication device is selected from the group consisting of an IP phone, a portable computer, and a smart phone.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the conferencing device is a local multimedia endpoint.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein local multimedia endpoint is communicatively coupled to a multipoint control unit.

13. A conferencing device comprising:

a programmable processor programmed to;

receive a signal indicating that a portable communication device is engaged in a communication session with a remote endpoint;

in response to the signal, send a prompt to the portable communication device prompting for a request to transfer the communication session to the conferencing device; and

in response to the request to transfer, transferring the communication session from the portable communication device to the conferencing device determining contact information for a remote multimedia endpoint associated with the remote endpoint; and

in response to the request from the portable communication device, initiating an audio connection between the conferencing device and the remote multimedia endpoint;

instructing the conferencing device to escalate the audio connection to a video communication session.

14. The conferencing device of claim 13, wherein the portable communication device is selected from the group consisting of an IP phone, a portable computer, and a smart phone.

15. The conferencing device of claim 13, wherein the conferencing device is a local multimedia endpoint.

16. The conferencing device of claim 15, wherein the programmable processor is further programmed to initiate a video communications session with a remote multimedia endpoint in response to the request to transfer.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon to cause a programmable processor to transfer a communication session from a portable communication device to a local conferencing device during a communication session between the portable communication device and a remote communication device, by causing the programmable processor to:

send a prompt to the portable communication device prompting for a request to transfer the communication session from the portable communication device to the local conferencing device;

receive from the portable communication device a request to transfer the communication session from the portable communication device to the local conferencing device;

determine contact information for a remote multimedia endpoint associated with the remote communication device; and

in response to the request from the portable communication device, initiate an audio connection between the local conferencing device and the remote multimedia endpoint;

instructing the local conferencing device to escalate the audio connection to a video communication session.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon to cause a programmable processor to transfer a communication session from a local conferencing device to a portable communication device during a conference between the local conferencing device and a remote endpoint, the computer executable instructions to causing the programmable processor to:

presenting a prompt to the portable communication device, prompting for a request to transfer the communication session from the local conferencing device to the portable communication device

identify a received request from the portable communication device to transfer the communication session from the local conferencing device to the portable communication device;

determine contact information for the remote endpoint;

provide the contact information to the portable communication device; and

in response to the request from the portable communication device, initiate a connection between the portable communication device and the remote endpoint;

instructing the local multimedia endpoint to escalate the audio connection to a video communication session.