Conference call method and apparatus therefor

• US 20010049283A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Graham
• Granted Patent: US 7,236,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• 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 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A conference call facility is described in which one (2a) of a group of communication devices (2a,2b,2c,2d) connected to a low power radio frequency network (9) is able to set up a call to a party external of the network (9) and then selectively add further devices (2a,2b,2c) to the call under the control of the user of the one device (2a). The users of the other devices (2b,2c) are able to enable or disable the selection of their device in a conference call. One or more of the communication devices may be a mobile radio telephone equipped with the necessary network interface (1).

Claims

1. A communications device for performing conferencing, the device being operable in a first radio communications network and a second different radio communications network and comprising a first transceiver for establishing a channel for connection in the first network and a second transceiver for establishing a channel for connection in the second network and a controller for establishing a call in the first network and routing the call through the channel in the second network.

2. A device as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein the controller is operable to selectably add members of the first network to the call

3. A device as claimed in

claim 2

, including a memory holding data relating to current members of the first network from which the controller selects members to add to the call.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the controller is operable to remove a member of the first network from the call.

5. A device as claimed in

claim 3

and in any claim appendant thereto, wherein the controller, in accordance with data held in the memory, is inhibited from the selection of a current member of the first network for addition to the call.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first transceiver is adapted for use in a low power radio frequency network.

7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

13. A first radio communications network including a device as claimed in any one of

claims 1

to

7

.

8. A method of performing conferencing using a communications device and comprising establishing a channel for connection in a first network, establishing a channel for connection in a second different network, establishing a call in the first network and routing the call through the channel in the second network.

9. A method as claimed in

claim 8

, including selecting members of the first network to add to the call.

10. A method as claimed in

claim 8

or

claim 9

, including storing data relating to current members of the first network.

11. A method as claimed in

claim 9

or

claim 10

as appendant thereto, including storing data indicative of whether a member of the first network may be selected for addition to the call.

12. A method as claimed in any one of

claims 8

to

11

, including removing a member of the first network from the call.

14. A radio communications system comprising a base station of a second radio communications network and a plurality of communication devices forming a first wireless communications network, at least one of which devices being operable in the first radio communications network and the second different radio communications network and comprising a first transceiver for establishing a channel for connection in the first network and a second transceiver for establishing a channel for connection to the base station in the second network and a controller for establishing a call in the first network and routing the call through the channel in the second network.

15. A system as claimed in

claim 14

, wherein the controller is selectably operable to add members of the first network to the call.

16. A system as claimed in

claim 14

or

claim 15

, wherein the device includes a memory holding data relating to current members of the first network.

17. A system as claimed in any one of

claims 14

to

16

, in which the first transceiver is adapted for use in a low power radio frequency network.

18. A system as claimed in any one of

claims 14

to

17

, in which the second transceiver is adapted for use in a cellular mobile radio network.

19. A communications device substantially as described herein with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings.