Conference-call initiation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conference-call apparatus comprising:
- A) a web server;
B) a conference bridge; and
C) control circuitry for responding to a request from a conference host for a conference call by;
i) operating the web server to provide at least one telephone-number-eliciting web page;
ii) sending to at least one invitee a message inviting that invitee to direct a browser to one said telephone-number-eliciting web page;
iii) operating the web server to obtain a telephone number thereby elicited from the invitee; and
iv) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a telephone call to that telephone number.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In response to a request for a conference call among specified invitees, a conference-call system provides web pages that elicit from respective invitees the telephone numbers at which they can be reached, and it causes messages that contain those web pages'"'"' URIs to be sent to those invitees. If a presence network indicates that an invitee'"'"'s messages will be received on a telephone, the conference system instead sends to that phone a message specifying a telephone number to call and a PIN to be used for that purpose.
137 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A conference-call apparatus comprising:
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A) a web server;
B) a conference bridge; and
C) control circuitry for responding to a request from a conference host for a conference call by;
i) operating the web server to provide at least one telephone-number-eliciting web page;
ii) sending to at least one invitee a message inviting that invitee to direct a browser to one said telephone-number-eliciting web page;
iii) operating the web server to obtain a telephone number thereby elicited from the invitee; and
iv) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a telephone call to that telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A conference-call apparatus comprising:
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A) a web server;
B) a conference bridge; and
C) control circuitry for responding to a request from a conference host for a conference call by;
i) obtaining from a presence network apparatus-type information concerning a conference invitee;
ii) determining from the apparatus-type information thereby obtained whether the invitee is employing a telephone to receive messages;
iii) if the invitee is thereby determined to be employing a telephone to receive messages, sending the invitee a telephone number to call in order to join the conference call; and
iv) if the invitee is online but not thereby determined to be employing a telephone to receive messages;
a) eliciting from the invitee a telephone number at which that invitee can be reached; and
b) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a call to that telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. For operating a conference-call apparatus comprising a web server and a conference bridge to respond to a request for a conference call, a method comprising:
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A) operating the web server to provide at least one telephone-number-eliciting web page;
B) sending to at least one invitee a message inviting that invitee to direct a browser to one said telephone-number-eliciting web page;
C) operating the web server to obtain a telephone number thereby elicited from the invitee; and
D) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a telephone call to that telephone number.
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17. For operating a conference-call apparatus comprising a web server and a conference bridge to respond to a request for a conference call, a method comprising:
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A) obtaining from a presence network apparatus-type information concerning a conference invitee;
B) determining from the apparatus-type information thereby obtained whether the invitee is employing a telephone to receive messages;
C) if the invitee is thereby determined to be employing a telephone to receive messages, sending the invitee a telephone number to call in order to join the conference call; and
D) if the invitee is online but not thereby determined to be employing a telephone to receive messages;
i) eliciting from the invitee a telephone number at which that invitee can be reached; and
ii) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a call to that telephone number.
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18. A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system to configure the computer system as control circuitry for responding to a conference-call request from a conference host to a conference-call apparatus comprising a web server and a conference bridge by:
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A) operating the web server to provide at least one telephone-number-eliciting web page;
B) sending to at least one invitee a message inviting that invitee to direct a browser to one said telephone-number-eliciting web page;
C) operating the web server to obtain a telephone number thereby elicited from the invitee; and
D) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a telephone call to that telephone number.
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19. A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system to configure the computer system as control circuitry for responding to a conference-call request from a conference host to a conference-call apparatus comprising a web server and a conference bridge by:
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A) obtaining from a presence network apparatus-type information concerning a conference invitee;
B) determining from the apparatus-type information thereby obtained whether the invitee is employing a telephone to receive messages;
C) if the invitee is thereby determined to be employing a telephone to receive messages, sending the invitee a telephone number to call in order to join the conference call; and
D) if the invitee is online but not thereby determined to be employing a telephone to receive messages;
i) eliciting from the invitee a telephone number at which that invitee can be reached; and
ii) operating the conference bridge to join the invitee to the conference call by sending a call to that telephone number.
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Specification