System and method for effecting conference calling

• US 8,392,502 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Piece Future Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Henrikson, Eric Harold, Lee, Anne Yin-Fee
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Khanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daftuar, Saket K
• Application Number:
  US10/122,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,980 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709/217, 709/226, 709/227, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 715/733, 715/751, 715/753, 715/758, 379/202.01, 379/204.01, 379/203.01, 379/205.01, 348 1408- 1409, 370/259, 370/389, 370/352, 370260-264
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/569 using the instant speaker's algorithm speech detection per se G10L25/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A system for effecting conference calling in a telecommunication network includes: (a) a plurality of subscriber units coupled with the telecommunication network; and (b) a conference control unit coupled with the telecommunication network. The conference control unit responds to a request message from a requesting subscriber unit to effect coupling of a conference-set of subscriber units in a conference calling configuration. The conference control unit controls inclusion in the conference-set by respective subscriber units. The system may provide that the conference control unit provides and controls conferencing services for the conference-set of subscriber units.

Claims

1. A method for effecting conference calling in a internet protocol (IP) network comprising a plurality of subscriber units and a conference control unit coupled with said network, the conference control unit performing a method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request via an IP call control protocol from a requesting subscriber unit of said plurality of subscriber units to effect coupling of a conference-set of subscriber units of said plurality of subscriber units in a conference calling configuration;

(b) creating a list of subscriber units in said conference calling;

said conference control unit being operable to accommodate a caller conferenced in using a conferencing capability resident at the subscriber unit of the caller;

(c) adding to said list as additional subscriber units are added to the conference calling set;

(d) managing the transfer of bearer streams between the subscriber units while providing any of the following applications to the subscriber units in the conference calling set;

(d1) receiving a text message from one of the subscriber units in the conference call to one or more designated recipients among the subscriber units in the conference calling set, and relaying the text message to the designated recipients;

(d2) receiving a data file from one of the subscriber units in the conference call with one or more designated recipients among the subscriber units in the conference calling set, and relaying the data file to the designated recipients;

(d3) receiving a request to initiate a shared whiteboard application from one of the subscriber units in the conference call, receiving data input to the shared whiteboard application from the subscriber unit, and relaying the data in a bearer stream to the other subscriber units in the conference call for display on the subscriber units;

(d4) receiving a request to initiate a shared data processing application from one of the subscriber units in the conference call, receiving data input to the shared data processing application from the user, and relaying the data in a bearer stream to the other subscriber units in the conference call for display on the subscriber units;

wherein only an operable connection to the IP network of the conferencing server unit carries a plurality of bearer streams, and such that each operable connection to the IP network of a respective subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units carries only a single bearer stream, that is the conference control unit accepting data streams from multiple sources, including subscriber units, for an initiated application and generating a single bearer stream output to each subscriber unit, such that a single data stream is sent from the current subscriber unit in control of the initiated application to the conference control unit, the conference control unit sending a copy of the data to all the other current subscriber units, with only the conference control unit receiving multiple (m+n) bearer streams for any application that allows data to be sent from each user, so that only a wireline connection between the current subscriber unit as conferencing host and the IP network carries (m+n) bearer streams, wherein at least one of said plurality of subscriber unit utilizes wireless communication protocols.

2. The method for effecting conference calling in the internet protocol (IP) network as recited in claim 1 wherein said data processing application includes shared spreadsheet services.

3. The method for effecting conference calling in the internet protocol (IP) network as recited in claim 1 wherein said data processing application includes shared word processor services.

4. The method for effecting conference calling in the internet protocol (IP) network as recited in claim 1 wherein said data processing application includes shared presentation services.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of subscriber units utilizes a Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS) protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the request from a requesting subscriber further comprises an E.164 number or a universal resource locater (URL) number.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of

(e) receiving a request from any subsciber unit in the conference calling set to input data to an initiated shared application;

and

(f) processing the request by transferring control of the initiated shared application to the requesting subscriber unit.

8. A method for effecting conference calling in a internet protocol (IP) network comprising a plurality of subscriber units and a conference control unit coupled with said network;

the conference control unit performing a method comprising the steps of;

(a) receiving a request via an IP call control protocol from a requesting subscriber unit of said plurality of subscriber units to establish a conference call;

(b) receiving a request from the requesting subscribing unit to add one or more subscriber units to the conference call;

(d) managing the transfer of bearer streams between the subscriber units while providing any of the following applications to the subscriber units in the conference calling set;

(d1) receiving a text message from one of the subscriber units in the conference call to one or more designated recipients among the subscriber units in the conference calling set, and relaying the text message to the designated recipients;

(d2) receiving a data file from one of the subscriber units in the conference call with one or more designated recipients among the subscriber units in the conference calling set, and relaying the data file to the designated recipients;

(d3) receiving a request to initiate a shared whiteboard application from one of the subscriber units in the conference call, receiving data input to the shared whiteboard application from the subscriber unit, and relaying the data in a bearer stream to the other subscriber units in the conference call for display on the subscriber units;

(d4) receiving a request to initiate a shared data processing application from one of the subscriber units in the conference call, receiving data input to the shared data processing application from the user, and relaying the data in a bearer stream to the other subscriber units in the conference call for display on the subscriber units;

wherein only an operable connection to the IP network of the conferencing server unit carries a plurality of bearer streams, and such that each operable connection to the IP network of a respective subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units carries only a single bearer stream, that is the conference control unit accepting data streams from multiple sources, including subscriber units, for an initiated application and generating a single bearer stream output to each subscriber unit, such that a single data stream is sent from the current subscriber unit in control of the initiated application to the conference control unit, the conference control unit sending a copy of the data to all the other current subscriber units, with only the conference control unit receiving multiple (m+n) bearer streams for any application that allows data to be sent from each user, so that only a wireline connection between the current subscriber unit as conferencing host and the IP network carries (m+n) bearer streams, wherein at least one of said plurality of subscriber unit utilizes wireless communication protocols.

9. The method for effecting conference calling in the internet protocol (IP) network as recited in claim 8 wherein said data processing application includes shared spreadsheet services.

10. The method for effecting conference calling in the internet protocol (IP) network as recited in claim 8 wherein said data processing application includes shared word processor services.

11. The method for effecting conference calling in the internet protocol (IP) network as recited in claim 8 wherein said data processing application includes shared presentation services.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said plurality of subscriber units utilizes a Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS) protocol.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the request from a requesting subscriber further comprises an E.164 number or a universal resource locater (URL) number.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of

(e) receiving a request from any subsciber unit in the conference calling set to input data to an initiated shared application;

and

(f) processing the request by transferring control of the initiated shared application to the requesting subscriber unit.