Smartphone conferencing system and method of operating same
First Claim
1. A smartphone conferencing system for handling a conference call between a smartphone and a plurality of conference call participants over a communications network, the smartphone conferencing system comprising:
- a smartphone server for receiving a conference call establishment request from a smartphone containing contact details relating to a plurality of conference call participants and establishing a communication link through the communication network between the smartphone and each of the conference call participants;
an audio server for splicing the audio feed from each of the smartphone and the conference call participants into a conference call feed and delivering that conference call feed to each of the smartphone and the conference call participants;
a database server for storage of data relating to the smartphone users account and data relating to one or more of the smartphone, the call participants, a plurality of call tariffs, and the conference call feed thereon; and
a dial-out and permissions rating engine (DPRE) in communication with both the database server and the smartphone server, the DPRE comprising;
means to receive the conference call establishment request forwarded from the smartphone server;
means to analyse the conference call establishment request to detect valid conference call establishment requests and invalid conference call establishment requests including means to compare a conference call dial-out history of the smartphone user with the conference call establishment request; and
means to instruct the smartphone server to accept and process or reject the conference call establishment request based on the analysis of the conference call establishment request.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a smartphone conferencing system (1), a dial-out and permissions rating engine (DPRE) (17) for use in the system, and a method of handling a smartphone conference call between a smartphone user and a plurality of conference call participants (5). The system and method both incorporate a DPRE (17) which analyzes the conference call establishment requests and determines if a request is valid or if a request is invalid based on call dial-out history. The system and method will obviate many of the delays in establishing a smartphone conference call and will prevent fraud should the users lose their smartphone (3).
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A smartphone conferencing system for handling a conference call between a smartphone and a plurality of conference call participants over a communications network, the smartphone conferencing system comprising:
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a smartphone server for receiving a conference call establishment request from a smartphone containing contact details relating to a plurality of conference call participants and establishing a communication link through the communication network between the smartphone and each of the conference call participants; an audio server for splicing the audio feed from each of the smartphone and the conference call participants into a conference call feed and delivering that conference call feed to each of the smartphone and the conference call participants; a database server for storage of data relating to the smartphone users account and data relating to one or more of the smartphone, the call participants, a plurality of call tariffs, and the conference call feed thereon; and a dial-out and permissions rating engine (DPRE) in communication with both the database server and the smartphone server, the DPRE comprising; means to receive the conference call establishment request forwarded from the smartphone server; means to analyse the conference call establishment request to detect valid conference call establishment requests and invalid conference call establishment requests including means to compare a conference call dial-out history of the smartphone user with the conference call establishment request; and means to instruct the smartphone server to accept and process or reject the conference call establishment request based on the analysis of the conference call establishment request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A dial-out and permissions rating engine (DPRE) for use in a smartphone conferencing system for authorizing a conference call between a smartphone and a plurality of conference call participants over a communications network, the DPRE comprising:
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means to receive a conference call establishment request forwarded from a smartphone server; means to analyse the conference call establishment request to detect valid conference call establishment requests and invalid conference call establishment requests including means to compare a conference call dial-out history of the smartphone user with the conference call establishment request; and means to instruct the smartphone server to accept and process or reject the conference call establishment request based on the analysis of the conference call establishment request. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of handling a smartphone conference call between a smartphone and a plurality of conference call participants over a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
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a smartphone server receiving a conference call establishment request from a smartphone; the smartphone server passing the conference call establishment request on to a dial-out and permissions rating engine (DPRE); the DPRE analysing the conference call establishment request to detect whether the conference call establishment request is a valid conference call establishment request or an invalid conference call establishment request; and the DPRE instructing the smartphone server to accept and process or reject the conference call establishment request depending on whether the conference call establishment request is a valid conference call establishment request or an invalid conference call establishment request; and in which the step of analysing the conference call establishment request comprises comparing a conference call dial-out history of the smartphone user with the conference call establishment request. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification