Method of joining a conference call

• US 9,185,229 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Logan, Adrian, Jain, Rohit, Fritzley, Eric, Labrador, Christopher, McAndrews, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US14/338,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20150023222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• 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 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method of joining a user to a conference call event an interface associated with a time management software application is displayed. The interface displays information relating to the conference call event including a date for a conference call which is subject of the conference call event and a start time of the conference call. While displaying the interface, a menu offering one or more options is displayed; these one or more options include an option to join the conference call. When an indication of a selection of the option to join the conference call is received, information associated with the conference call is located; this information includes a telephone number for a conference call bridge. A connection with the conference call bridge using the telephone number is initiated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of joining a user to a conference call event, the method comprising:

displaying, at a mobile device, an interface associated with an application providing a conferencing service, the interface comprising displaying information relating to the conference call event including a date for a conference call which is subject of the conference call event and a start time of the conference call;

displaying, at the mobile device, while displaying the interface, one or more selectable options including a selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call;

receiving an indication of a selection of the selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call;

locating, by the mobile device, information associated with the conference call, the information including a telephone number for a conference call bridge; and

initiating, by the mobile device, connection with the conference call bridge using the telephone number.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the displaying the interface associated with the application providing the conferencing service comprises displaying an interface component associated with the conference call event.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the one or more selectable options are displayed after receiving an indication of a selection of the interface component.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the displaying the interface comprises displaying an entry for the conference call event in a calendar view of the interface.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein the interface component comprises a display of a calendar event.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the one or more selectable options further include a selectable option to create a new calendar entry, a selectable option to open the selected conference call event, and a selectable option to present a different calendar view of calendar events.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the displaying information relating to the conference call event includes displaying an end time of the conference call.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the receiving an indication of the selection comprises receiving an indication of a user interaction with the interface.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the conference call event is managed by a conference call system including the conference call bridge and the locating information associated with the conference call includes locating in a database the telephone number and a security code associated with the conference call event, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises providing the security code to the conference call system after connection to the conference call system subsequent to the initiating connection with the conference call bridge.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein commencing the displaying the one or more selectable options occurs simultaneously with commencing the displaying the interface.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the displaying the interface comprises displaying a reminder window for the conference call event, and further comprising displaying the reminder window at a pre-configured time preceding the start time of the conference call.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the one or more selectable options further include a selectable option to dismiss the reminder window and to cease to display the reminder window after receiving an indication of a selection of the selectable option to dismiss.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein all conference participants are connected to the conference call independent from the host.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the user is not the host.

15. A mobile communications device for joining a user to a conference call event, said device comprising:

a display;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to cause the device to;

provide, on the display, an interface associated with an application providing conference service, the data comprising information relating to the conference call event including a date for a conference call which is subject of the conference call event and a start time of the conference call,

provide, on the display, one or more selectable options including a selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call, the data for displaying the one or more selectable options being provided concurrently with the data for displaying the interface,

receive an indication of a selection of the selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call,

locate information associated with the conference call, the information including a telephone number for a conference call bridge, and

initiate connection with the conference call bridge using the telephone number.

16. A computer-implemented method of joining a user to a conference call event, the method comprising:

displaying, at a mobile device, an interface associated with a calendar application, the interface comprising displaying information relating to the conference call event including a start time and an end time of a conference call which is subject of the conference call event;

after receiving an indication of a selection of the conference call event, displaying, at the mobile device, with the interface, one or more selectable options, the one or more selectable options including a selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call;

after receiving an indication of a selection of the selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call, locating, by the mobile device, information associated with the conference call, the information including a telephone number for a conference call bridge; and

initiating, by the mobile device, connection with the conference call bridge using said telephone number.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the locating information associated with the conference call comprises locating the information in a database.

18. A computer-implemented method of joining a user to a conference call event, the method comprising:

at a pre-determined time in advance of a start time associated with a conference call event, simultaneously initiating a display, at a mobile device, of (i) a reminder window displaying information relating to the conference call event and (ii) one or more selectable options including a selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call;

after receiving an indication of a selection of the selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call, locating, by the mobile device, information associated with the conference call, the information including a telephone number for a conference call bridge; and

initiating, by the mobile device, connection with the conference call bridge using the telephone number.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 wherein the locating information associated with the conference call comprises locating the information in a database.

20. A computer-implemented method of joining a user to a conference call event, the method comprising:

displaying, at a mobile device, a user interface associated with an application providing a conferencing service, the user interface comprising displaying information relating to the conference call event including a date for a conference call which is subject of the conference call event and a start time of the conference call;

displaying, at the mobile device, while displaying the user interface, one or more selectable options available to the user, the one or more selectable options including a selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call;

after receiving, from the user, a selection of the selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call, locating, by the mobile device, information associated with the conference call, the information including a dial-in telephone number; and

initiating, by the mobile device, dialing of the dial-in telephone number.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the locating information associated with the conference call comprises locating the information in a database.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions that are executable by at least one processor of a device to cause the device to perform a method, the method comprising:

facilitating, at the device, a display of an interface associated with an application providing conferencing service, the interface comprising information relating to the conference call event including a date for a conference call which is subject of the conference call event and a start time of the conference call;

facilitating, at the device, a display of one or more selectable options including a selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call, the display of the one or more selectable options being concurrent with the display of the interface;

acquiring an indication of a selection of the selectable option to automatically initiate joining to the conference call;

locating information associated with the conference call, the information including a telephone number for a conference call bridge; and

initiating connection with the conference call bridge using the telephone number.