Techniques for a mixed audio conference

• US 9,883,044 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Thakkar, Pulin, Mehta, Bimal, Sekaran, Dhigha
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US15/046,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 370261, 370352-356, 370401, 370466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Techniques for a mixed audio conference are described. An apparatus may comprise an audio video multipoint control unit to mix call information from multiple call connections established over a packet-switched network for a conference call. The apparatus may comprise a telephony gateway communicatively coupled to the audio video multipoint control unit. The telephony gateway may establish a bridge connection with a conference bridge servicing a call connection over a circuit-switched network, the telephony gateway to translate call information from the call connection for use by the audio video multipoint control unit. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a logic circuit; and

an audio video multipoint control unit (AVMCU) executed on the logic circuit, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to process a new link-Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) request message corresponding to bridging operations for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conference and an Audio Conference Provider (ACP) conference, designate a time to initiate the bridging operations based upon conference state data, and create a bridge connection between a network for the VoIP conference and a network for the ACP conference.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to mix converted call information from a telephony gateway with call information received from client nodes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to initiate the bridging operations when both the VoIP conference and the ACP conference are activated and are mixing voice.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to extract conference bridge connection information included in the link-PSTN request.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to reset the VoIP/ACP bridge connection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to receive an unlink-PSTN request.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to determine the time to create the bridge connection based upon other conference state data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to determine the time to create the bridge connection based upon whether an ACP conference is active.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to determine the time to create the bridge connection based upon whether the audio video multipoint control unit is mixing audio, and an AVMCU conference is active and has at least one participant.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to query a conference shared state for conference bridge connection information.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to send a request to a conference focus on receiving the link-PSTN request.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to subscribe for conference notifications on a conference bootstrap.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to send a request to a conference focus on receiving the link-PSTN request.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, the audio video multipoint control unit operative to signal with the telephony gateway to cause a telephony gateway to dial into the ACP conference based on conference bridge connection information.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising

processing, via processor hardware, a new link-Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) request message corresponding to bridging operations for a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conference and an Audio Conference Provider (ACP) conference;

designating, via the processor hardware, a time to initiate the bridging operations based upon conference state data; and

creating, via the processor hardware, a bridge connection between a network for the VoIP conference and a network for the ACP conference.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising mixing via the processor hardware, translated call information from a telephony gateway with call information received from client nodes.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising bridging, via the processor hardware, a call connection from a circuit-switched network for the ACP conference to a conference call over a packet-switched network using the bridge connection.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a computer hardware storage medium containing instructions that if executed by processor hardware enable a system to:

process a new link-Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) request message corresponding to bridging operations for a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conference and an Audio Conference Provider (ACP) conference;

designate a time to initiate the bridging operations based upon conference state data; and

create a bridge connection between a network for the VoIP conference and a network for the ACP conference.

19. The article of claim 18, further comprising instructions that if executed by the processor hardware enable the system to receive conference bridge connection information comprising a conference bridge number to directly establish the bridge connection.

20. The article of claim 18, further comprising instructions that if executed by the processor hardware enable the system to initiate the bridging operations when both the VoIP conference and the ACP conference are activated and are mixing voice.