Methods, systems, and products for monitoring conferences

• US 8,989,361 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitfield, Lloyd, Bedingfield, James Carlton
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, ANTIM G
• Application Number:
  US13/535,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 379/14.08, 379/14.09, 379/93.21, 379/158, 379/202.01, 379/204.01, 379/260, 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 370/268, 370/269, 370/270
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• 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 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for monitoring a conference. A first bridging function is established that bridges together signals received from all conference participants. A second bridging function is established that bridges together signals received from i) a subset of the conference participants, ii) an output of the first bridging function, and iii) a monitor of the conference. The second bridging function isolates the monitor'"'"'s signals from the conference such that only the subset of the conference participants may communicate with the monitor during the conference.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a conference, comprising:

receiving, at a first splitter, first party signals sent from a first participant'"'"'s device;

receiving, at a separate second splitter, second party signals from a second participant'"'"'s device;

sending, from the first splitter, the first party signals to a first bridge device;

sending, from the first splitter, the first party signals to a separate second bridge device;

sending, from the separate second splitter, the second party signals to the first bridge device;

sending, from the separate second splitter, the second party signals to the second bridge device;

bridging together, by the first bridge device, the first party signals and the second party signals to establish an output signal of the conference;

sending, from the first bridge device, only send the conference output signal to the second participant'"'"'s device to establish the conference between the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device;

displaying graphical controls for a private sub-conference between a monitoring party and one of the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical controls that selects a participant of the private sub-conference with the monitoring party;

receiving, by the second bridge device, monitor signals from a separate monitor device of the monitoring party not a participant of the conference;

bridging together, by the second bridge device, the output signal with the monitor signals from the separate monitor device to produce a private sub-conference signal of the private sub-conference; and

isolating, by the second bridge device, the monitor signals from the one of the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device not selected for the private sub-conference with the monitoring party;

wherein the monitoring party selects the participant of the private sub-conference.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a monitoring request to establish the private sub-conference.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring the conference to establish the private sub-conference.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing feedback to the participant.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an audible indication that the private sub-conference is established.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a visible indicator of the private sub-conference.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising periodically producing an announcement during the private sub-conference.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a message indicating the private sub-conference is established.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

instructing a first splitter to receive first party signals sent from a first participant'"'"'s device;

instructing a separate second splitter to receive second party signals from a second participant'"'"'s device;

instructing the first splitter to send the first party signals to a first bridge device;

instructing the first splitter to send the first party signals to a separate second bridge device;

instructing the separate second splitter to send the second party signals to the first bridge device;

instructing the separate second splitter to send the second party signals to the second bridge device;

instructing the first bridge device to bridge together the first party signals and the second party signals to establish an output signal of a conference;

instructing the first bridge device to only send the conference output signal to the second participant'"'"'s device to establish the conference between the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device;

displaying graphical controls for a private sub-conference between a monitoring party and one of the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical controls that selects a participant of the private sub-conference with the monitoring party;

instructing the second bridge device to receive monitor signals sent from a separate monitor'"'"'s device associated with the monitoring party;

instructing the second bridge device to bridge together the output signal with the monitor signals to produce a private sub-conference signal of the private sub-conference; and

instructing the second bridge device to isolate the monitor signals from the one of the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device not selected for the private sub-conference with the monitoring party;

wherein the monitoring party selects the participant of the private sub-conference.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a monitoring request to establish the private sub-conference.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring the conference to establish the private sub-conference.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise providing feedback to the separate monitor'"'"'s device.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise providing an audible indication that the private sub-conference is established.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise providing a visible indicator of the private sub-conference.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise periodically producing an announcement during the private sub-conference.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise sending a message indicating the private sub-conference is established.

17. A memory storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

instructing a first splitter to receive first party signals sent from a first participant'"'"'s device;

instructing a separate second splitter to receive second party signals from a second participant'"'"'s device;

instructing the first splitter to send the first party signals to a first bridge device;

instructing the first splitter to send the first party signals to a separate second bridge device;

instructing the separate second splitter to send the second party signals to the first bridge device;

instructing the separate second splitter to send the second party signals to the second bridge device;

instructing the first bridge device to bridge together the first party signals and the second party signals to establish an output signal of a conference;

instructing the first bridge device to only send the conference output signal to the second participant'"'"'s device to establish the conference between the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device;

displaying graphical controls for a private sub-conference between a monitoring party and one of the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical controls that selects a participant of the private sub-conference with the monitoring party;

instructing the second bridge device to receive monitor signals sent from a separate monitor'"'"'s device associated with the monitoring party;

instructing the second bridge device to bridge together the output signal with the monitor signals to produce a private sub-conference signal of the private sub-conference; and

instructing the second bridge device to isolate the monitor signals from the one of the first participant'"'"'s device and the second participant'"'"'s device not selected for the private sub-conference with the monitoring party;

wherein the monitoring party selects the participant of the private sub-conference.

18. The memory according to claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a monitoring request to establish the private sub-conference.

19. The memory according to claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring the conference to establish the private sub-conference.

20. The memory according to claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise providing feedback to the first participant'"'"'s device.