Method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference

• US 8,370,430 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH and Co KG (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mateu, Jordi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Minh-Chau
• Application Number:
  US10/119,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20030053423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,955 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709225-227
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A method and a telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference, with the telephone conference taking place via a telephone network and the telephone conference being assigned a code which can be predetermined, and from which a password is derived which allows the subscribers to the telephone conference access to a communication platform which is based on a data network, for the purpose of interchanging data during the telephone conference.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference, using a telephone network, comprising:

a call center comprising at least one processor device to;

process a request for a telephone conference;

assign a predetermined code by the telecommunications system to the conference; and

derive a password from the predetermined code assigned to the telephone conference, wherein the password is assigned to gain access to an Internet-based data network communication platform, wherein the data network communication platform is allocated to the telephone conference, and

wherein the data network communication platform is configured to enable services for message and information transmission in data form between subscribers to the telephone conference;

wherein the call center is configured to transmit the password together with an IP address from the data network communication platform to the subscribers to the telephone conference;

wherein access to the data network communication platform is restricted until the telephone conference has started by not validating the password until the telephone conference is called;

wherein the password is received from the subscribers via the IP address to gain access to the data network communication platform during the telephone conference and to interchange messages and information with one another via at least one service of the data network communication platform.

2. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network communication platform is part of a call center.

3. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 2, wherein the call center receives a request for a telephone conference, assigns the code to the telephone conference, and derives the password from the code.

4. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 3, wherein the call center notifies the subscribers that a telephone conference has been called, and transmits to the subscribers both the IP address and the password.

5. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 2, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service for transmitting video data.

6. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an access server for providing access to the data network communication platform.

7. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service for a data conference circuit.

8. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service for the subscribers to chat with one another.

9. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service for transmitting picture data.

10. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service for transmission of e-mails.

11. A telecommunications system for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the data network communication platform indicates to a subscriber which of the other subscribers have access to the data network communication platform.

12. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system using a telephone network via which the telephone conference takes place, the method comprising:

processing a request for the telephone conference;

assigning a code to the telephone conference;

deriving a password from the code assigned to the telephone conference, wherein the password is assigned to gain access to an Internet-based data network communication platform;

assigning the password to the data network communication platform;

allocating the data network communication platform to the telephone conference,

wherein the data network communication platform enables services for message and information transmission in data form between subscribers to the telephone conference;

transmitting the password together with an IP address of the data network communication platform to the subscribers to the telephone conference;

restricting access to the data network communication platform until the telephone conference has started by not validating the password until the telephone conference is called;

receiving the password from the subscribers via the IP address to gain access to the data network communication platform during the telephone conference and to interchange messages and information with one another via at least one service of the data network communication platform;

generating automatically a completion signal to the data network communication platform once the telephone conference has ended; and

disconnecting the data network communication platform after receiving the completion signal.

13. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communication platform provides a service which allows transmission of e-mails.

14. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 13, the method further comprising the step of notifying the subscribers, via a call center, that a telephone conference has been called, and transmitting to the subscribers both the address and the password.

15. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data network communication platform is part of a call center.

16. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising the step of providing access to the data network communication platform via an access server.

17. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service for a data conference circuit.

18. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service which allows the subscribers to chat with one another.

19. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service which allows picture data to be transmitted.

20. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data network communication platform provides a service which allows video data to be transmitted.

21. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising the step of providing a subscriber with an indication of which of the other subscribers have access to the communication platform.

22. A method for interchanging messages and information during a telephone conference in a telecommunications system as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising the step of assigning the telephone conference to a call center, the call center assigning the code to the telephone conference and using the code to derive the password.