Method of joining a conference call

• US 9,819,803 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Logan, Adrian Michael, Jain, Rohit Rocky, Fritzley, Eric Allan, Labrador, Christopher, McAndrews, Michael Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US14/920,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 370260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• 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 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• 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 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• 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 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method of joining a user to a conference call event an interface associated with a time management software application is displayed. The interface displays information relating to the conference call event including a date for a conference call which is subject of the conference call event and a start time of the conference call. While displaying the interface, a menu offering one or more options is displayed; these one or more options include an option to join the conference call. When an indication of a selection of the option to join the conference call is received, information associated with the conference call is located; this information includes a telephone number for a conference call bridge. A connection with the conference call bridge using the telephone number is initiated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a user, a selection of a time interval for a specific day in a displayed calendar;

in connection with the selection of the time interval, displaying a user interface for generating an invitation to a conference call, the user interface including graphical elements associated with attributes of a conference call including an editable subject field and an editable location field;

in response to a selection in the user interface for generating the invitation, displaying a conference-call menu including one or more actions available to the user including an option to invite attendees to a conference call at the time interval for the specified day with the user;

receiving a selection of one or more attendees; and

transmitting, to the one or more attendees, the invitation identifying the attributes of the conference call.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the selection of the time interval, displaying an action menu displaying actions available to the user including an option to create a new conference-call event and a new appointment event; and

receiving a selection of the option to create the new conference-call event, wherein the user interface is displayed in response to the selection of the option to create the new conference-call event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the action menu overlaps the displayed calendar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the conference-call menu overlaps the user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes include at least one of a start time, an end time, a time zone, a subject, or a location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the calendar includes an x-axis and a y-axis, and days of a week are displayed along the x-axis and hours of an associated day are displayed along the y-axis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of one or more attendees comprises:

presenting an address book including a list of contacts; and

receiving a selection of one or more contacts in the address book.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user, a selection of a time interval for a specific day in a displayed calendar;

in connection with the selection of the time interval, displaying a user interface for generating an invitation to a conference call, the user interface including graphical elements associated with attributes of a conference call including an editable subject field and an editable location field;

in response to a selection in the user interface for generating the invitation, displaying a conference-call menu including one or more actions available to the user including an option to invite attendees to a conference call at the time interval for the specified day with the user;

receiving a selection of one or more attendees; and

transmitting, to the one or more attendees, an invitation identifying the attributes of the conference call.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to the selection of the time interval, displaying an action menu displaying actions available to the user including an option to create a new conference-call event and a new appointment event; and

receiving a selection of the option to create the new conference-call event, wherein the user interface is displayed in response to the selection of the option to create the new conference-call event.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the action menu overlaps the displayed calendar.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the conference-call menu overlaps the user interface.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the attributes include at least one of a start time, an end time, a time zone, a subject, or a location.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the calendar includes an x-axis and a y-axis, and days of a week are displayed along the x-axis and hours of an associated day are displayed along the y-axis.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving a selection of one or more attendees comprises:

presenting an address book including a list of contacts; and

receiving a selection of one or more contacts in the address book.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

an input device configured to receive, from a user, a selection of a time interval for a displayed calendar;

a display configured to;

in connection with the selection of the time interval, display a user interface for generating an invitation to a conference call, the user interface including graphical elements associated with attributes of a conference call including an editable subject field and an editable location field;

in response to a selection in the user interface for generating the invitation, display a conference-call menu including one or more actions available to the user including an option to invite attendees to a conference call at the time interval for the specified day with the user;

the input device further configured to receive a selection of one or more attendees; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, to the one or more attendees, an invitation identifying the attributes of the conference call.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising:

the display further configured to, in response to the selection of the time interval, display an action menu displaying actions available to the user including an option to create a new conference-call event and a new appointment event; and

the input device further configured to receive a selection of the option to create the new conference-call event, wherein the user interface is displayed in response to the selection of the option to create the new conference-call event.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the action menu overlaps the displayed calendar.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the conference-call menu overlaps the user interface.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the attributes include at least one of a start time, an end time, a time zone, a subject, or a location.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the calendar includes an x-axis and a y-axis, and days of a week are displayed along the x-axis and hours of an associated day are displayed along the y-axis.

21. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising:

the display further configured to present an address book including a list of contacts; and

the input device further configured to receive a selection of one or more contacts in the address book.