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Method and apparatus for conferencing of text messages

  • US 9,282,191 B2
  • Filed: 08/29/2013
  • Issued: 03/08/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of establishing a first conference amongst at least three users comprising:

  • receiving, at a bridge, an out of band and substantially instantaneous message initiated by a first user, said message including more than one user identities, said bridge including one or more incoming physical or logical communications channels;

    assigning a unique logical identifier to each user associated with said more than one user identities, and to said first user, said unique logical identifier including an actual phone number associated with said each user or said first user and a Direct inward Dial (DID) phone number from a pool of DID numbers associated with the bridge;

    forming a first group of users from said unique logical identifiers for the at least three users; and

    transmitting subsequent substantially instantaneous out of band messages received from any user associated with said first group to all or a subset of other such users associated with said first group, said messages being transmitted out of band and substantially instantaneous, wherein said Direct inward Dial (DID) phone number that is assigned for said first user or said each user is capable of being different than one or more Direct inward Dial (DID) phone numbers assigned to other users within said first group of users, and wherein the unique logical identifier for the first user and said each user uniquely identifies the first user and said each user as participants in the first conference.

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