System and method for short-range electronic communication

• US 8,958,783 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Soundrapandian, Suriyaprakash, Midtun, James Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US13/136,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20130029648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/66.1, 455/557, 455/550.1, 455517-519, 455/552.1, 455416-419, 455/410, 455/414.1, 455/452, 379/201.01, 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

A system and method for transferring information over a short range are disclosed. The system and method can be used for a variety of applications, including administrative provisioning of information to particular users, providing information relating to a user during a conference call, handing off calls to or from another phone, for other application deployment, for pass of control, and similar applications. The system includes a first device capable of short-range communication and having a client application thereon and a second device capable of short-range communication and having a client or an administrator application thereon. Information is passed between the first device and the second device using short range communication.

Claims

1. A method of communication on a conference call the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a conference call between at least one telephony device and a collaboration appliance, the collaboration device coupled to a short-range communication component;

placing a mobile device having short-range communication capabilities proximate the short-range communication component;

establishing a participant list comprising participant information regarding participants on the conference call, wherein at least participant information for a user of the mobile device is established on the list automatically using short-range communication;

disseminating the participant list via the collaboration appliance to participants on the conference call;

updating the participant list as participants join or leave the conference call;

transferring the call from the collaboration appliance to the mobile device; and

optionally updating the participant list to inform the other participants of the transfer to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating the user participant list using information transmitted using short-range communication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of installing a client program on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration appliance comprises one of a telephone or a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range communication is a distance of about two feet or less.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range communication is a distance of about 4 cm or less.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transferring a call between the mobile device and another device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a prompt on the mobile device to remain on the conference call or to end the call.