System and methods for multi-participant teleconferencing using preferred forms of telecommunication
First Claim
1. A system for initiating a telecommunication connection between two or more participants, comprising:
- a telecommunication manager configured in such a way as to manage selection of a form of telecommunication for each of the two or more participants when the telecommunication connection is desired between a plurality of telecommunication devices operable by the two or more participants; and
a plurality of participant records stored on one or more storage devices, the one or more storage devices in communication with the telecommunication manager and each of the plurality of participant records comprising at least one participant identifier each for identifying a respective participant of the two or more participants as being associated with a respective participant record of the plurality of participant records;
wherein each of the plurality of participant records includes indications of a preferred form of telecommunication for the respective participant associated with the respective participant record of the plurality of participant records when the telecommunication connection is desired;
wherein at least one respective participant of the two or more participants is associated with their own respective participant record of the plurality of participant records identified by the at least one participant identifier;
wherein when the telecommunication connection is desired by a first of the two or more participants, the telecommunication manager manages connection of the first of the two or more participants and each of a remainder of the two or more participants based on respective participant records associated with the first of the two or more participants and the remainder of the two or more participants;
wherein the preferred form of telecommunication for each of the remainder of the two or more participants is determined by the telecommunication manager searching the respective participant records associated with each of the two or more participants;
wherein a participant record associated with at least one of the remainder of the two or more participants indicates a different preferred form of telecommunication than a first participant record associated with the first of the two or more participants; and
wherein when only one participant of the remainder of the two or more participants has indicated the preferred form of telecommunication prior to initiation of the telecommunication connection, others of the remainder of the two or more participants are contacted by the system upon the initiation of the telecommunication connection without having previously indicated a preferred form of telecommunication.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-participant teleconferencing system includes a telecommunication manager that is configured to establish telecommunication connections with participants by instructing and initiating one or more telecommunication devices (e.g., media gateway devices, email servers, web servers, multipoint control units, etc.). Participants can be enabled to provide personal preferences to the telecommunication manager. The personal preferences and other participant information can be stored on one or more storage devices as participant records. The participant records preferably include preferred forms of telecommunication for the participants. Each preferred form of telecommunication can include an indication of a preferred type of telecommunication device and/or an indication of a preferred telecommunication technology. The telecommunication manager can utilize the preferred forms of telecommunication stored on the one or more storage devices to schedule, manage, and initiate multi-participant telecommunication.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for initiating a telecommunication connection between two or more participants, comprising:
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a telecommunication manager configured in such a way as to manage selection of a form of telecommunication for each of the two or more participants when the telecommunication connection is desired between a plurality of telecommunication devices operable by the two or more participants; and a plurality of participant records stored on one or more storage devices, the one or more storage devices in communication with the telecommunication manager and each of the plurality of participant records comprising at least one participant identifier each for identifying a respective participant of the two or more participants as being associated with a respective participant record of the plurality of participant records; wherein each of the plurality of participant records includes indications of a preferred form of telecommunication for the respective participant associated with the respective participant record of the plurality of participant records when the telecommunication connection is desired; wherein at least one respective participant of the two or more participants is associated with their own respective participant record of the plurality of participant records identified by the at least one participant identifier; wherein when the telecommunication connection is desired by a first of the two or more participants, the telecommunication manager manages connection of the first of the two or more participants and each of a remainder of the two or more participants based on respective participant records associated with the first of the two or more participants and the remainder of the two or more participants; wherein the preferred form of telecommunication for each of the remainder of the two or more participants is determined by the telecommunication manager searching the respective participant records associated with each of the two or more participants; wherein a participant record associated with at least one of the remainder of the two or more participants indicates a different preferred form of telecommunication than a first participant record associated with the first of the two or more participants; and wherein when only one participant of the remainder of the two or more participants has indicated the preferred form of telecommunication prior to initiation of the telecommunication connection, others of the remainder of the two or more participants are contacted by the system upon the initiation of the telecommunication connection without having previously indicated a preferred form of telecommunication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of initiating a telecommunication connection between two or more participants, comprising:
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a telecommunication manager initiating a telecommunication by causing, using at least one processor, a request to be sent to each of the two or more participants based on information obtained from a plurality of participant records stored in one or more data storage devices, each participant record of the plurality of participant records comprising at least one participant identifier for identifying a participant of the two or more participants as being associated with a respective participant record of the plurality of participant records; wherein each of the plurality of participant records includes indications of a preferred form of telecommunication for the respective participant associated with the respective participant record of the plurality of participant records; wherein at least one respective participant of the two or more participants is associated with their own respective participant record of the plurality of participant records identified by the at least one participant identifier; the telecommunication manager receiving, through at least one input device, responses to the request from at least one of the two or more participants, the responses being in the form of a telecommunication request to establish the telecommunication connection between the two or more participants; wherein when only one participant of the two or more participants has indicated the preferred form of telecommunication prior to initiation of the telecommunication connection, others of the two or more participants are contacted by the system upon the initiation of the telecommunication connection without having previously indicated a preferred form of telecommunication; wherein when the telecommunication connection couples together each of the two or more participants, forms of telecommunication are selected by the telecommunication manager according to the preferred form of telecommunication as indicated by each of the plurality of participant records associated with each of the two or more participants; and wherein a preferred form of telecommunication for a first participant of the two or more participants is selected by the telecommunication manager according to the preferred form of telecommunication as indicated by a first of the at least two of the plurality of participant records associated with the first participant and another preferred form of telecommunication for a second participant of the two or more participants is selected by the telecommunication manager according to the preferred form of telecommunication as indicated by a second of the plurality of participant records associated with the second participant. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification