Communication system utilizing near field communication (NFC) to provide enhanced teleconference features and related methods

• US 8,718,626 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Rose, Scott Douglas, Griffin, Jason Tyler, Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/179,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20130017780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/518, 455/519, 455/410, 455/41.2, 348/14.02, 370/260
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5081 Inform conference party of participants, e.g. of change of participants
• 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: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

A communication system may include a plurality of conferencing endpoints at different locations and capable of being coupled to a telecommunication network, a respective near field communication (NFC) device associated with each conferencing endpoint, and a plurality of electronic devices. Each electronic device may be configured to register at one of the conferencing endpoints for a teleconference between the plurality of conferencing endpoints based upon communication with a respective NFC device associated with the one of the conferencing endpoints. At least one of the electronic devices may be further configured to provide a notification based upon a security level associated with another electronic device being registered for the teleconference.

Claims

1. A teleconference server for use with a conferencing endpoint capable of being coupled to a telecommunication network and having a first near field communication (NFC) device associated therewith, the server configured to:

establish a teleconference between a plurality of conferencing endpoints;

receive registration information regarding a plurality of electronic devices each configured to register at one of the plurality of conferencing endpoints based upon communication with a respective NFC device associated with said one of the conferencing endpoints;

identify each conference participant based on the received registration information;

determine respective security levels from the received registration information; and

send participant information to at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

2. The teleconference server of claim 1 further configured to send information regarding participants whose security level is below a threshold to electronic devices of participants whose security level is at or above the threshold.

3. The teleconference server of claim 2 wherein said at least one of the plurality of electronic devices is further configured to update a stored calendar event associated with the teleconference based upon the identified conference participants.

4. The teleconference server of claim 2 wherein the electronic devices of participants whose security level is at or above the threshold further comprises a display configured to display a visual alert based upon the security level associated with the participants whose security level is below the threshold.

5. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein at least one of said conferencing endpoints is configured to communicate registration information to said teleconference server.

6. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electronic devices is configured to communicate registration information to said teleconference server.

7. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein the security level is determined based upon a telephone number associated with a given electronic device.

8. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein the security level is determined based upon an electronic mail address associated with a given electronic device.

9. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein at least one of said conferencing endpoints is configured to announce electronic device registration for the teleconference.

10. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic device comprises a mobile wireless communications device.

11. The teleconference server of claim 1 wherein at least one of the conferencing endpoints comprises a display and is configured to display a video feed received by said at least one conferencing endpoint during the teleconference.

12. An electronic device for use with a conferencing endpoint capable of being coupled to a telecommunication network and having a first near field communication (NFC) device associated therewith, the electronic device comprising:

a display;

a second NFC device; and

a controller coupled with said second NFC device, the controller being configured to

register at the conferencing endpoint for a teleconference based upon communication between said second NFC device and the first NFC device,

receive and display information regarding participants of the teleconference on the display, and

cause said display to display a visual alert based upon a security level associated with at least one other electronic device registered for the teleconference.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein said controller is further configured to update a stored calendar event associated with the teleconference based upon the received participant information.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 further comprising a transmitter coupled with said controller;

and wherein said controller is further configured to communicate registration information via said transmitter.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the security level associated with at least one other electronic device registered for the teleconference is determined based upon at least one of a telephone number or an email address associated with the at least one other electronic device.

16. A method of operating a teleconference server comprising:

establishing a teleconference between a plurality of conferencing endpoints capable of being coupled to a telecommunication network and having a first near field communication (NFC) device associated therewith;

receiving registration information regarding a plurality of electronic devices each configured to register at one of the plurality of conferencing endpoints based upon communication with a respective NFC device associated with said one of the conferencing endpoints;

determining respective security levels from the received registration information; and

sending participant information to at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising updating a stored calendar event of one of the electronic devices associated with the teleconference based upon identified conference participants.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising receiving registration information from at least one of the electronic devices.