Security techniques for reconnecting to a conference session using a computing device

• US 9,736,692 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2016
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lundqvist, Jan Tomas, Nepal, Sailesh, Lindberg, Jonas Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): HEARD, ERIN FILE
• Application Number:
  US15/289,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/152 Temporary dial plan
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2088 Call or conference reconnect, e.g. resulting from isdn terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A computer-implemented technique can include joining, by a computing device having one or more processors, a conference session hosted by a server via a wireless computing network. In response to joining the conference session, the computing device can receive, from the server via the wireless computing network, a dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session. The computing device can detect a trigger condition indicative of a need to reconnect to the conference session via a cellular telephone network. In response to detecting the trigger condition, the computing device can initiate a telephone call to the dial-in telephone number via the cellular telephone network. In response to the server obtaining authentication of a caller identification of the computing device, the computing device can rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

establishing, by a server computing device via a wireless computing network, a conference session;

allowing, by the server computing device, a client computing device to join the conference session via the wireless computing network;

transmitting, by the server computing device and to the client computing device via the wireless computing network, a dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session;

receiving, by the server computing device and from the client computing device, a signal or identifier of the client computing device;

in response to receiving the signal or identifier, initiating, by the server computing device, a defined time window during which rejoining of the conference session using the dial-in telephone number is permitted;

detecting, by the server computing device, a telephone call by the client computing device to the dial-in telephone number via a cellular telephone network;

when the telephone call is detected within the defined time window, allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network; and

not allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network when (i) the telephone call is detected before the defined time window or (ii) the telephone call is detected after the defined time window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, by the server computing device, authentication of a caller identification of the client computing device prior to allowing the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a carrier of the cellular telephone network is integrated with the server computing device, and wherein the server computing device authenticates the caller identification.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a carrier of the cellular telephone network is not integrated with the server computing device, and wherein the server computing device obtains the caller identification authentication from a third-party authentication service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising after the client computing device has rejoined the conference session via the cellular telephone network:

receiving, by the server computing device and from the client computing device, a request for a new dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session; and

transmitting, by the server computing device and to the client computing device, the new dial-in telephone number.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the dial-in telephone number and the new dial-in telephone number are each selected by the server computing device from a predetermined collection of telephone numbers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the dial-in telephone number is a single-use dial-in telephone number that, after the client computing device rejoins the conference session, is no longer valid for reconnecting to the conference session.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

establishing, by a server computing device via a wireless computing network, a conference session;

allowing, by the server computing device, a client computing device to join the conference session via the wireless computing network;

obtaining, by the server computing device, a dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session, the dial-in telephone number being a single-use dial-in telephone number that is only valid for reconnecting to the conference session one time;

transmitting, by the server computing device and to the client computing device via the wireless computing network, the dial-in telephone number;

detecting, by the server computing device, a telephone call by the client computing device to the dial-in telephone number via a cellular telephone network; and

in response to detecting the telephone call, allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the server computing device and from the client computing device, a signal or identifier of the client computing device; and

in response to receiving the signal or identifier, initiating, by the server computing device, a defined time window during which rejoining of the conference session using the dial-in telephone number is permitted.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the telephone call is detected within the defined time window, allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network; and

when the telephone call is detected outside of the defined time window, not allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising obtaining, by the server computing device, authentication of a caller identification of the client computing device prior to allowing the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a carrier of the cellular telephone network is integrated with the server computing device, and wherein the server computing device authenticates the caller identification.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a carrier of the cellular telephone network is not integrated with the server computing device, and wherein the server computing device obtains the caller identification authentication from a third-party authentication service.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining the dial-in telephone number includes selecting, by the server computing device, the dial-in telephone number from a predetermined collection of telephone numbers.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising after the client computing device has rejoined the conference session via the cellular telephone network:

receiving, by the server computing device and from the client computing device, a request for a new dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session;

selecting, by the server computing device, the new dial-in telephone number from the predetermined collection of telephone numbers; and

transmitting, by the server computing device and to the client computing device, the new dial-in telephone number.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

establishing, by a server computing device via a wireless computing network, a conference session;

allowing, by the server computing device, a client computing device to join the conference session via the wireless computing network;

transmitting, by the server computing device and to the client computing device via the wireless computing network, a dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session;

detecting, by the server computing device, a telephone call by the client computing device to the dial-in telephone number via a cellular telephone network;

determining, by the server computing device, whether the cellular telephone network is operated by a carrier that is integrated with the server computing device;

when the carrier is integrated with the server computing device, authenticating, by the server computing device, a caller identification of the client computing device;

when the carrier is not integrated with the server computing device, obtaining, by the server computing device and from a third-party authentication service, authentication of the caller identification of the client computing device; and

in response to the caller identification being authenticated, allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the server computing device and from the client computing device, a signal or identifier of the client computing device; and

in response to receiving the signal or identifier, initiating, by the server computing device, a defined time window during which rejoining of the conference session using the dial-in telephone number is permitted.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

when the telephone call is detected within the defined time window, allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network; and

when the telephone call is detected outside of the defined time window, not allowing, by the server computing device, the client computing device to rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting, by the server computing device, the dial-in telephone number from a predetermined collection of telephone numbers, wherein the dial-in telephone number is a single-use dial-in telephone number that, after the client computing device rejoins the conference session, is no longer valid for reconnecting to the conference session.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising after the client computing device has rejoined the conference session via the cellular telephone network:

receiving, by the server computing device and from the client computing device, a request for a new dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session;

selecting, by the server computing device, the new dial-in telephone number from the predetermined collection of telephone numbers; and

transmitting, by the server computing device and to the client computing device, the new dial-in telephone number.