Method and apparatus for enabling a mobile endpoint device to be a hub for a conference call

• US 9,635,698 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maski, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Awet
• Application Number:
  US14/085,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20150139044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for enabling a mobile endpoint device to be a hub for a conference call are disclosed. For example, the method connects to the conference call, broadcasts a signal to at least one slave mobile endpoint devices to join the conference call over a personal area network, receives a pairing request from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device over the personal area network, accepts the pairing request and connects the at least one slave mobile endpoint device to the conference call via the master mobile endpoint device over the personal area network, wherein both the master mobile endpoint device and the at least one slave mobile endpoint device have two-way communications with the conference call and conference call controls.

Claims

1. A method for handling a conference call, the method comprising:

connecting, by a processor of a master mobile endpoint device, to the conference call;

broadcasting, by the processor, a signal to at least one slave mobile endpoint device to join the conference call over a personal area network;

receiving, by the processor, a pairing request from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device over the personal area network;

accepting, by the processor, the pairing request; and

connecting, by the processor, the at least one slave mobile endpoint device to the conference call via the master mobile endpoint device over the personal area network, wherein both the master mobile endpoint device and the at least one slave mobile endpoint device have two-way communications with the conference call and conference call controls, wherein a slave mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a user control on the at least one slave mobile endpoint device for adjusting a volume of the at least one slave mobile endpoint device for the conference call, wherein a first master mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a first user control on the master mobile endpoint device for muting the at least one slave mobile endpoint device for the conference call, and wherein a second master mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a second user control on the master mobile endpoint device for disconnecting the at least one slave mobile endpoint device from the conference call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the accepting the pairing request comprises:

authenticating, by the processor, the pairing request from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authenticating comprises receiving a pre-defined code provided by the master mobile endpoint device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the processor, an audible tone when the pairing request is received from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one slave mobile endpoint device comprises a plurality of slave mobile endpoint devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal area network uses a near field communications protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the processor, a list of the at least one slave mobile endpoint device that is connected to the master mobile endpoint device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an additional slave mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a control for muting the at least one slave mobile endpoint device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the master mobile endpoint device and the slave mobile endpoint device both have a wireless communication service subscription.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing, by the processor, a conference call application programming interface on the master mobile endpoint device to perform the connecting of the at least one slave mobile endpoint device to the conference call via the master mobile endpoint device over the personal area network.

11. A computer-readable storage device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor of a master mobile endpoint device, cause the processor to perform operations for handling a conference call, the operations comprising:

connecting to the conference call;

broadcasting a signal to at least one slave mobile endpoint device to join the conference call over a personal area network;

receiving a pairing request from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device over the personal area network;

accepting the pairing request; and

connecting the at least one slave mobile endpoint device to the conference call via the master mobile endpoint device over the personal area network, wherein both the master mobile endpoint device and the at least one slave mobile endpoint device have two-way communications with the conference call and conference call controls, wherein a slave mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a user control on the at least one slave mobile endpoint device for adjusting a volume of the at least one slave mobile endpoint device for the conference call, wherein a first master mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a first user control on the master mobile endpoint device for muting the at least one slave mobile endpoint device for the conference call, and wherein a second master mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a second user control on the master mobile endpoint device for disconnecting the at least one slave mobile endpoint device from the conference call.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the accepting the pairing request comprises:

authenticating the pairing request from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the authenticating comprises receiving a pre-defined code provided by the master mobile endpoint device.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, further comprising:

providing an audible tone when the pairing request is received from the at least one slave mobile endpoint device.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the personal area network uses a near field communications protocol.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying a list of the at least one slave mobile endpoint device that is connected to the master mobile endpoint device.

17. A method for handling a conference call, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a slave mobile endpoint device, a signal to pair with a master mobile endpoint device to join the conference call over a personal area network, wherein the master mobile endpoint device has established a connection to the conference call;

sending, by the processor, a pairing request over the personal area network;

receiving, by the processor, an indication that the pairing request is accepted; and

connecting, by the processor, to the master mobile endpoint device over the personal area network, wherein the master mobile endpoint device and the slave mobile endpoint device both have two-way communications with the conference call and conference call controls, wherein a slave mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a user control on the slave mobile endpoint device for adjusting a volume of the slave mobile endpoint device for the conference call, wherein a first master mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a first user control on the master mobile endpoint device for muting the slave mobile endpoint device for the conference call, and wherein a second master mobile endpoint device conference call control comprises a second user control on the master mobile endpoint device for disconnecting the slave mobile endpoint device from the conference call.