Automatic management control of external resources

• US 8,611,877 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Buzdugan, Marian Constantin
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/285,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/550.1, 455/518, 379/93.21
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

Presented are systems and methods for receiving one or more generic commands when coupled to a heterogeneous conference call, the conference call including a plurality of participants coupled to the conference call using one or more mobile devices. The system automatically translates, by a control module the one or more generic commands into one or more native commands recognized by a first conference hosting system, of the plurality of conference hosting systems. The system automatically sends the one or more native commands to the first conference hosting system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving one or more generic commands when coupled to a heterogeneous conference call, the conference call including a plurality of participants coupled to the conference call using one or more mobile devices;

automatically translating, by a control module the one or more generic commands into one or more native commands recognized by a first conference hosting system, of the plurality of conference hosting systems; and

automatically sending the one or more native commands to the first conference hosting system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the types of conference hosting systems are selected from the group consisting of a mobile bridge, an intermediate conference server, and a conference bridge.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more generic commands are received from a mobile device coupled to the heterogeneous conference call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically translating occurs on a mobile device coupled to the heterogeneous conference call.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a control selected by a user via a user interface; and

automatically associating the control with the one or more generic commands.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the first conference hosting system using a conference map.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving one or more command translation programs from an associated memory, wherein automatically translating the one or more generic commands into the one or more native commands uses the one or more command translation programs.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic command is associated with a request to add a participant to the heterogeneous conference;

the method further comprising;

determining if a participant limit has been reached for the heterogeneous conference,

connecting with an additional conference hosting system using the one or more native commands, if the participant limit is reached, to create an expanded heterogeneous conference, and

adding the participant to the expanded heterogeneous conference via the additional conference hosting system.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code being operable, when executed by a computer system, to cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving one or more generic commands when coupled to a heterogeneous conference call, the conference call including a plurality of participants coupled to the conference call using one or more mobile devices;

automatically translating, by a control module the one or more generic commands into one or more native commands recognized by a first conference hosting system, of the plurality of conference hosting systems; and

automatically sending the one or more native commands to the first conference hosting system.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the types of conference hosting systems are selected from the group consisting of a mobile bridge, an intermediate conference server, and a conference bridge.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more generic commands are received from a mobile device coupled to the heterogeneous conference call.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein automatically translating occurs on a mobile device coupled to the heterogeneous conference call.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a control selected by a user via a user interface; and

automatically associating the control with the one or more generic commands.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying the first conference hosting system using in part a conference map.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving one or more command translation programs from an associated memory, wherein automatically translating the one or more generic commands into the one or more native commands uses the one or more command translation programs.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more generic command are associated with a request to add a participant to the heterogeneous conference;

the method further comprising;

determining if a participant limit has been reached or the heterogeneous conference,

connecting with an additional conference hosting system using the or more native commands, if the participant limit is reached, to create an expanded heterogeneous conference, and

adding the participant to the expanded heterogeneous conference via the additional conference hosting system.

17. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute modules; and

a memory storing the modules, the modules comprising;

an interface module configured to receive one or more generic commands on a mobile device coupled to a heterogeneous conference call, the conference call including a plurality of participants coupled to the conference call using one or more mobile devices, wherein the mobile device is coupled to the conference call using a first conference hosting system, of a plurality of conference hosting systems,

a control module configured to automatically translate the one or more generic commands into one or more native commands recognized by a second conference hosting system, of the plurality of conference hosting systems, and

a communication module configured to automatically send the one or more native commands to a server which distributes the one or more native commands to the second conference hosting system.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the types of conference hosting systems are selected from the group consisting of a mobile bridge, an intermediate conference server, and a conference bridge.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the interface module is further configured to:

receive a control selected by a user via the user interface; and

automatically associate the control with the one or more generic commands.

20. The mobile device of claim 17 wherein the control module is further configured to identify the first conference hosting system using in part a conference map.

21. The mobile device of claim 17 wherein the control module is further configured to retrieve one or more command translation programs from an associated memory, wherein automatically translating the one or more generic commands into the one or more native commands uses the one or more command translation programs.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the one or more generic commands are associated with a request to add a participant to the heterogeneous conference;

the control module further configure to;

determine if a participant limit has been reached for the heterogeneous conference,

connect with an additional conference hosting system using the or more native commands, if the participant limit is reached, to create an expanded heterogeneous conference, and

add the participant o the expanded heterogeneous conference via the additional conference hosting system.

23. A server comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute modules; and

a memory storing the modules, the modules comprising;

an interface module configured to receive one or more generic commands from a mobile device coupled to a heterogeneous conference call, the conference call including a plurality of participants coupled to the conference call using one or more mobile devices, wherein the mobile device is coupled to the conference call using a first conference hosting system, of a plurality of conference hosting systems;

a control module configured to automatically translate the one or more generic commands into one or more native commands recognized by a second conference hosting system, of the plurality of conference hosting systems; and

a communication module configured to automatically distribute the one or more native commands to the second conference hosting system.

24. The server of claim 23, wherein the types of conference hosting systems are selected from the group consisting of a mobile bridge, an intermediate conference server, and a conference bridge.

25. The server of claim 24, wherein the control module is further configured to establish conference connections with the first conference and the second conference.

26. The server of claim 23, wherein the generic command is associated with a request to add a participant to the heterogeneous conference;

the control module is further configured to;

determine if a participant limit has been reached for the heterogeneous conference;

connect with an additional conference hosting system, if the participant limit is reached, to create an expanded heterogeneous conference;

add the participant to the expanded heterogeneous conference via the additional conference hosting system.