System and method for managing a conference call

• US 20070116226A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Christensen, James, Wolf, Tracee, Bennett, William, Sussman, Jeremy, Levy, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/202.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for initiating a conference call are disclosed. The method includes running a conference call managing application. The method also includes receiving at least one participant-defined condition. The participant-defined condition is associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant'"'"'s communication device to connect the participant to the conference call. At least one alert is sent out to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a conference call, the method on an information processing system comprising:

running a conference call managing application;

receiving at least one participant-defined condition associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant'"'"'s communication device to connect the participant to the conference call; and

sending out at least one alert to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the participant'"'"'s communication device is at least one of:

a location of the communication device;

an availability of the communication device to receive communication service and

a communication device subscriber ID.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the participant-defined condition is one of at least:

a defined number of participants required for the conference call to start; and

at least one set of required participants required for the conference call to start.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the participant-defined condition conflicts with at least one other participant-defined condition; and

prompting, in response to determining that a conflict exists, the participant to define a new participant-defined condition.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending conference call status information to the participant for presentation to the participant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending out at least one alert further comprises sending the alert through at least one of:

an instant message;

a telephone call;

a text message;

a web page; and

a conference call managing application on a device of the participant.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one participant-defined connection parameter associated with at least one conference call defining a connection method to connect a participant associated with the participant-defined connection parameter to the at least one conference call.

8. A teleconferencing system for managing and initiating at least one teleconference call, the system comprising:

a conference call managing application;

a receiver for receiving at least one participant-defined condition associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant'"'"'s communication device to connect the participant to the conference call; and

a transmitter for sending out at least one alert to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the status of the participant'"'"'s communication device is at least one of:

a location of the communication device;

an availability of the communication device to receive communication service and a communication device subscriber ID.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the participant-defined condition is one of at least:

a defined number of participants required for the conference call to start; and

at least one set of required participants required for the conference call to start.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a conflict checker for determining whether the participant-defined condition conflicts with at least one other participant-defined condition, and wherein the conflict checker prompts, in response to determining that a conflict exists, the participant to define a new participant-defined condition.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmitter sends conference call status information to the participant for presentation to the participant.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the sending out at least one alert further comprises sending the alert through at least one of:

an instant message;

a telephone call;

a text message;

a web page; and

a conference call managing application on a device of the participant.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the receiver receives at least one participant-defined connection parameter associated with at least one conference call defining a connection method to connect a participant associated with the participant-defined connection parameter to the at least one conference call.

15. A computer program product for initiating a conference call, the computer program product comprising instructions for:

running a conference call managing application;

receiving at least one participant-defined condition associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant'"'"'s communication device to connect the participant to the conference call; and

sending out at least one alert to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the status of the participant'"'"'s communication device is at least one of:

a location of the communication device;

an availability of the communication device to receive communication service and

a communication device subscriber ID.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the participant-defined condition is one of at least:

a defined number of participants required for the conference call to start; and

at least one set of required participants required for the conference call to start.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

determining whether the participant-defined condition conflicts with at least one other participant-defined condition; and

prompting, in response to determining that a conflict exists, the participant to define a new participant-defined condition.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

sending conference call status information to the participant for presentation to the participant.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the sending out at least one alert further comprises sending the alert through at least one of:

an instant message;

a telephone call;

a text message;

a web page; and

a conference call managing application on a device of the participant.