System and process for mass telephony conference call

• US 8,885,805 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tele-Town Hall LLC
• Original Assignee: Tele-Town Hall LLC
• Inventors: Smelyansky, Vladimir, Marchevsky, Roman, Smith, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Teshale, Akelaw
• Application Number:
  US12/805,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20110182212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.21, 379/158, 379/100.4, 37920201-20701, 370260-266, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 455/416
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2088 Call or conference reconnect, e.g. resulting from isdn terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5072 Multiple active speakers conducting a computer conference, e.g. Admission detection H04L12/1822
• 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: H04M 3/566 relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053

Abstract

An automated teleconferencing control system and method reduces conference call setup time by simultaneously out dialing to multiple conferees through a plurality of parallel telecommunications resources. The teleconferencing control system includes the feature of automatically gathering statistics of each connection attempt, as well as many other call aspects, using these statistics to automatically improve the efficiency of subsequent conference call initiations. Gathered statistics are also used to automatically configure the system to cause all of the conferees to be connected to a conference call at substantially the same time. The selection of which telecommunications resources are used for contacting each target conferee is made based on criteria that include the telephone number or Internet address of the target conferee'"'"'s telephone.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of connecting multiple conferees in a teleconference call, comprising:

storing in a data storage, a conferee list of the multiple conferees;

acquiring data on the multiple conferees from said data storage using a teleconferencing controller, said data including conference call activity and connection statistics on connection with each of said multiple conferees, said connection statistics including at least connection status, connection time, and conferee interaction time which is defined as the amount of time that has elapsed while a given conferee of said multiple conferees was responding to an automated invitation process carried out by said teleconferencing controller;

utilizing connections over a telephony interface path, to contact the multiple conferees whom are associated with the teleconference call, using said data; and

performing a statistical analysis using said teleconferencing controller, to analyze statistics on said data on each of the multiple conferees, and to thereby modify said data of each of said multiple conferees in said conferee list.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending, using said teleconferencing controller, statistical data on each said teleconference call, to a statistics database.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said statistical data includes externally sourced statistics automatically imported into said statistics database, by said teleconferencing controller.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said statistical data is exported to external applications, using said teleconferencing controller.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

increasing a connection time between said multiple conferees to said teleconference call using said modified data of said multiple conferees.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said increased connection time minimizes a time elapsed between connection of the first of the multiple conferees to said teleconference call, and a last of the multiple conferees to said teleconference call, using said teleconferencing controller.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

increasing connection times for predetermined conferees of said multiple conferees, using said teleconferencing controller, in order to ensure that actual connection times with said teleconference call for said predetermined conferees coincides with actual connection times of the other of the multiple conferees with said teleconference call.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said increased connection time is a start time offset parameter, and said start time offset parameter is modified based upon said statistical analysis.

9. A computer system of connecting multiple conferees in a teleconference call, comprising:

at least one memory containing at least one program for performing the steps of;

storing in a data storage, a conferee list of the multiple conferees;

acquiring data on the multiple conferees from said data storage using a teleconferencing controller, said data including conference call activity and connection statistics on connection with each of said multiple conferees, said connection statistics including at least connection status, connection time, and conferee interaction time which is defined as the amount of time that has elapsed while a given conferee of said multiple conferees was responding to an automated invitation process carried out by said teleconferencing controller;

utilizing connections over a telephony interface path, to contact the multiple conferees whom are associated with the teleconference call, using said data;

performing a statistical analysis using said teleconferencing controller, to analyze statistics on said data on each of the multiple conferees, and to thereby modify said data of each of said multiple conferees in said conferee list; and

a processor for executing the program.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a statistical database, which includes statistical data on each said teleconference call.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said statistical data includes externally sourced statistics automatically imported into said statistics database, by said teleconferencing controller.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said statistical data is exported to external applications, using said teleconferencing controller.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein said modified data of said multiple conferees is used to increase a connection time between said multiple conferees to said teleconference call.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system connect multiple conferees in a teleconference call, the computer system having a program comprising the steps of:

storing in a data storage, a conferee list of the multiple conferees;

acquiring data on the multiple conferees from said data storage using a teleconferencing controller, said data including conference call activity and connection statistics on connection with each of said multiple conferees, said connection statistics including at least connection status, connection time, and conferee interaction time which is defined as the amount of time that has elapsed while a given conferee of said multiple conferees was responding to an automated invitation process carried out by said teleconferencing controller;

utilizing connections over a telephony interface path, to contact the multiple conferees whom are associated with the teleconference call, using said data; and

performing a statistical analysis using said teleconferencing controller, to analyze statistics on said data on each of the multiple conferees, and to thereby modify said data on each of said multiple conferees in said conferee list.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further comprising:

sending, using said teleconferencing controller, statistical data on each said teleconference call, to a statistics database.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein said statistical data includes externally sourced statistics automatically imported into said statistics database, by said teleconferencing controller.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said statistical data is exported to external applications, using said teleconferencing controller.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further comprising:

increasing a connection time between said multiple conferees to said teleconference call using said modified data of said multiple conferees.

19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein said increased connection time minimizes a time elapsed between connection of the first of the multiple conferees to said teleconference call, and a last of the multiple conferees to said teleconference call, using said teleconferencing controller.

20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

increasing connection times for predetermined conferees of said multiple conferees, using said teleconferencing controller, in order to ensure that actual connection times with said teleconference call for said predetermined conferees coincides with actual connection times of the other of the multiple conferees with said teleconference call.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein said increased connection time is a start time offset parameter, and said start time offset parameter is modified based upon said statistical analysis.