Methods and apparatus for timeslot teleconferencing

• US 8,411,599 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Jayaraman, Mehta, Neerav
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US12/638,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20110141951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for a timeslot teleconference. A meeting invite is created for a timeslot teleconference on a computer. Timeslots are created for the timeslot teleconference in the meeting invite on the computer. Participants are designated for the timeslots in the meeting invite on the computer, and the timeslots are different time periods during the timeslot teleconference, which can have variable start and end times, as determined by a host. Reach numbers are added for each of the participants in the meeting invite on the computer, and the reach numbers are contact numbers to call the participants for their respective timeslots. The meeting invite is transmitted to participants on the computer. To participate in the timeslot teleconference, the timeslot teleconference is configured for the reach numbers to be called for the participants to correspond to their respective timeslots and/or the participants to call in for their respective timeslots.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a computer for a timeslot teleconference, the method comprising:

creating on the computer a meeting invite for the timeslot teleconference;

creating on the computer timeslots for the timeslot teleconference in the meeting invite;

designating on the computer participants for the timeslots in the meeting invite, wherein the timeslots are different time periods during the timeslot teleconference that can have variable start and end times, as determined by a host;

adding on the computer reach numbers for each of the participants in the meeting invite;

wherein the reach numbers are contact numbers to call the participants for respective timeslots; and

transmitting on the computer the meeting invite to the participants;

wherein to participate in the timeslot teleconference, the timeslot teleconference is operative for a selection of the reach numbers to be called for the participants to correspond to the respective timeslots and the participants to call in for the respective timeslots;

wherein when the participants are called for an upcoming timeslot, operating the timeslot teleconference to place the participants for an upcoming timeslot in a lobby after the participants for the upcoming timeslot have answered the call;

wherein the lobby is a holding arrangement for the participants to wait for the upcoming timeslot; and

moving the participants for the upcoming timeslot to the timeslot teleconference when a selection of;

a previous timeslot has completed;

the host initiates start of the upcoming timeslot;

a set time for the upcoming timeslot is reached; and

a predefined number participants for the upcoming timeslot are in the lobby.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising not calling the participants when the respective timeslots are not in session.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the participants call in and the respective timeslots are not in session, preventing the participants from being connected to the timeslot teleconference until the respective timeslots are in session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the participants when the respective timeslots have ended on the timeslot teleconference;

and

connecting the participants of a next timeslot to the timeslot teleconference.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising designating groups for the timeslots, wherein the groups comprise various participants.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the timeslots of the timeslot teleconference so that only participants designated to a particular timeslot of the timeslots can participate in the teleconference when the particular timeslot is started.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the timeslots are operative to restrict particular participants from participating in the timeslot teleconference during a particular timeslot when the particular participants are not designated to the particular timeslot.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising during the timeslot teleconference for a particular timeslot, operating the timeslot teleconference to stop any participants who are not previously designated for the particular timeslot from being able to engage in the timeslot teleconference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the timeslot teleconference is a single teleconference comprising a plurality of timeslots;

and

wherein the reach numbers are stored in a user profile with additional preferences and rules for notification.

10. A device, comprising:

memory comprising computer-executable instructions;

a processor executing the computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

creating a meeting invite for a timeslot teleconference;

creating timeslots for the timeslot teleconference in the meeting invite;

designating participants for the timeslots in the meeting invite, wherein the timeslots are different time periods during the timeslot teleconference;

adding reach numbers for each of the participants in the meeting invite;

wherein the reach numbers are contact numbers to call the participants for the respective timeslots; and

transmitting the meeting invite to the participants;

wherein to participate in the timeslot teleconference, the timeslot teleconference is operative for a selection of the reach numbers to be called for the participants to correspond to the respective timeslots and the participants to call in for the respective timeslots;

wherein when the participants are called for an upcoming timeslot, operating the timeslot teleconference to place the participants for an upcoming timeslot in a lobby after the participants for the upcoming timeslot have answered the call;

wherein the lobby is a holding arrangement for the participants to wait for the upcoming timeslot; and

moving the participants for the upcoming timeslot to the timeslot teleconference when a selection of;

a previous timeslot has completed;

the host initiates start of the upcoming timeslot;

a set time for the upcoming timeslot is reached; and

a predefined number participants for the upcoming timeslot are in the lobby.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising not calling the participants when the respective timeslots are not in session.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising when the participants call in and the respective timeslots are not in session, preventing the participants from being connected to the timeslot teleconference until the respective timeslots are in session.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising disconnecting the participants when the respective timeslots have ended on the timeslot teleconference;

and

connecting the participants of a next timeslot to the timeslot teleconference.

14. The device of claim 10, further comprising designating groups for the timeslots, wherein the groups comprise various participants.