Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for expedited access to conference calls

• US 9,762,735 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: West Technology Group LLC (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Webster, Craig A., Pauba, Kevin, Sojka, Myron P., Mateer, Michael T., DeLong, Melissa A., McIntosh, Jonathan P
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Sonia
• Application Number:
  US14/869,190
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• 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 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• 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 3/561 by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• 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

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for admitting conferees into a conference call. Methods to achieve the foregoing can comprise: transmitting an admission request from a user of a communications device to a server for admission to a conference call, the admission request including a unique identifier; storing data unique to the communications device in a data store; relaying the unique identifier from the server to the data store; comparing the unique identifier with the data unique to the communications device; and, when the unique identifier and the previously stored data match, connecting the user directly to the conference call which includes bypassing entry of at least one conference pass code by the user.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a server operable to receive an admission request from a communications device, the admission request including a unique identifier, and create a conference call in response to the admission request;

a data store including previously stored data unique to the communications device; and

wherein the server is further operable to connect the communications device to the conference call when the unique identifier and the previously stored data match which includes a bypass of an entry of at least one conference pass code, store the unique identifier in the data store for future reference to identify conference calls including at least one of an origination from the communications device and associated with the communications device, wherein the unique identifier comprises a unique destination telephone number used to receive the admission request and wherein additional information associated with at least one of the communications device and a user of the communications device is not examined and the conference call is originated without prearrangement with a service provider.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications device comprises one of a telephone, a personal computer, a WiFi-based device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a handheld computer.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data store comprises one of a magnetic hard drive, a floppy disk, an optical drive, and a CD-ROM.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server includes one of voice response units and interactive voice response units.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein communications between the communications device, the data store, and the server are transmitted and received via one of a circuit-switched telecommunications network and a packet-switched telecommunications network.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique identifier additionally comprises one of a telephone number of the communications device, a telephone number assigned to the user, a mobile identification number, biometric data, an e-mail address, a Universe Resource Locator (URL), a browser cookie, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving an admission request at a server from a communications device, the admission request including a unique identifier;

creating a conference call in response to the admission request;

storing data unique to the communications device in a data store;

comparing the unique identifier with the data unique to the communications device; and

when the unique identifier and the previously stored data match, connecting the communications device to the conference call which includes bypassing entry of at least one conference pass code, and storing the unique identifier in the data store for future reference to identify incoming conference calls including at least one of originating from the communications device and associated with the communications device wherein the unique identifier comprises a unique destination telephone number used to receive the admission request and wherein additional information associated with at least one of the communications device and a user of the communications device is not examined and the conference call is originated without prearrangement with a service provider.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the server includes one of voice response units and interactive voice response units.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the communications device is a telephone with one of a wired connection and wireless connection.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user of the communications device arranges for at least one of receiving admission to existing conference calls and starting new conference calls in a contractual arrangement with a provider of conference calling services.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of a telephone number of the communications device, a telephone number assigned to the user, a mobile identification number, biometric data, an e-mail address, a Universe Resource Locator (URL), a browser cookie, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address is alternatively transmitted from the communications device to the server as the unique identifier.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising providing access information for accessing the conference call from the server to the communications device.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the unique identifier comprises the access information.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform:

receiving an admission request at a server from a communications device, the admission request including a unique identifier;

creating a conference call in response to the admission request;

storing data unique to the communications device in a data store;

comparing the unique identifier with the data unique to the communications device; and

when the unique identifier and the previously stored data match, connecting the communications device to the conference call which includes bypassing entry of at least one conference pass code, and storing the unique identifier in the data store for future reference to identify incoming conference calls including at least one of originating from the communications device and associated with the communications device wherein the unique identifier comprises a unique destination telephone number used to receive the admission request and wherein additional information associated with at least one of the communications device and a user of the communications device is not examined and the conference call is originated without prearrangement with a service provider.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the communications device is a telephone with one of a wired connection and wireless connection.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the communications device comprises one of a telephone, a personal computer, a WiFi-based device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a handheld computer.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the user of the communications device arranges for at least one of receiving admission to existing conference calls and starting new conference calls in a contractual arrangement with a provider of conference calling services.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein one of a telephone number of the communications device, a telephone number assigned to the user, a mobile identification number, biometric data, an e-mail address, a Universe Resource Locator (URL), a browser cookie, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address is alternatively transmitted from the communications device to the server as the unique identifier.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, further comprising instructions for providing access information for accessing the conference call from the server to the communications device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19, wherein the unique identifier comprises the access information.