TELECONFERENCE SUBSCRIPTION CONTROL FOR AGENDA SUBSCRIPTION TOOLS

• US 20090296909A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kline, Nyralin N., Anglin, Debbie A., Anglin, Howard H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2088 Call or conference reconnect, e.g. resulting from isdn terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5027 Dropping a party from a conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• 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

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for autonomously controlling caller access to a teleconference based on specified preferences of a moderator. Using preferences established by the moderator of a teleconference, a conference control system may grant or restrict access of participants of the teleconference. The conference control system may authorize callers of a teleconference based on the current agenda item being discussed or the amount of time a caller has been on the ongoing teleconference. When a specific caller is not authorized to be on a conversation, the conference control system may mute the conversation for a specific caller, or disconnect the caller. The conference control system may autonomously re-connect the caller when an authorized agenda item for the caller is being discussed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access by participants of a teleconference to a conference control system, the method comprising:

receiving a first time at which a teleconference is scheduled to take place;

receiving a plurality of agenda items of the teleconference;

receiving a list of participant telecommunication devices participating in the teleconference;

receiving a selection of one or more agenda items from the plurality of agenda items for each participant of the teleconference, wherein the selection of one or more agenda items specifies a list of agenda items of the teleconference, wherein each agenda item specifies participants of the teleconference that are authorized to exchange communication while that agenda item is being discussed;

determining a maximum time limit for the agenda item that the participant telecommunication device is permitted to exchange communication in the teleconference;

creating a conference pass code for the participant telecommunication device;

transmitting the conference pass code to the participant telecommunication device;

in response to receiving a connection request of the participant telecommunication device at the first time, wherein the connection request contains the conference pass code, establishing a connection between the participant telecommunication device and the teleconference;

determining a current agenda item being discussed;

in response to determining the maximum time limit for the current agenda item being discussed the has expired, preventing communication exchange with the teleconference for the participant telecommunication device;

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is not one of the selected agenda items, preventing communication exchange with the teleconference for the participant telecommunication device; and

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is one of the selected agenda items, connecting the participant telecommunication device to the teleconference.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is not one of the selected agenda items, terminating the connection to the teleconference of the participant telecommunication device; and

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is one of the selected agenda items while the participant telecommunication device is not on the teleconference, re-establishing the connection with the teleconference to the participant telecommunication device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request of a moderator telecommunication device, wherein the request authorizes a selection of participant telecommunication devices that are permitted to exchange communication to the teleconference; and

in response to receiving the request, muting participant telecommunication device that are not of the selected participant telecommunication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the teleconference terminating prior to each agenda item of the plurality of agenda items being discussed, selecting a next time for a follow-up teleconference;

creating a follow-up pass code for each authorized participant of the plurality of participants authorized to speak on one or more of the remaining agenda items; and

transmitting the follow-up pass code to each of the authorized participants.

5. A conference control system comprising:

a transceiver;

a processor;

processing logic for;

receiving a first time at which a teleconference is scheduled to take place;

receiving a plurality of agenda items of the teleconference;

receiving a list of participant telecommunication devices participating in the teleconference;

receiving a selection of one or more agenda items from the plurality of agenda items for each participant of the teleconference, wherein the selection of one or more agenda items specifies a list of agenda items of the teleconference, wherein each agenda item specifies participants of the teleconference that are authorized to exchange communication while that agenda item is being discussed;

determining a maximum time limit for the agenda item that the participant telecommunication device is permitted to exchange communication in the teleconference;

creating a conference pass code for a participant telecommunication device;

transmitting the conference pass code to the participant telecommunication device;

in response to receiving a connection request of the participant telecommunication device at the first time, wherein the connection request contains the conference pass code, establishing a connection between the participant telecommunication device and the teleconference;

determining a current agenda item being discussed;

in response to determining the maximum time limit for the current agenda item being discussed the has expired, preventing communication exchange with the teleconference for the participant telecommunication device;

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is not one of the selected agenda items, preventing communication exchange with the teleconference for the participant telecommunication device; and

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is one of the selected agenda items, connecting the participant telecommunication device to the teleconference.

6. The conference control system of claim 5, the processing logic further comprising:

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is not one of the selected agenda items, terminating the connection to the teleconference of the participant telecommunication device; and

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is one of the selected agenda items while the participant telecommunication device is not on the teleconference, re-establishing the connection with the teleconference to the participant telecommunication device.

7. The conference control system of claim 5, the processing logic further comprising:

receiving a request of a moderator telecommunication device, wherein the request authorizes a selection of participant telecommunication devices that are permitted to exchange communication to the teleconference; and

in response to receiving the request, muting participant telecommunication device that are not of the selected participant telecommunication devices.

8. The conference control system of claim 5, the processing logic further comprising:

in response to the teleconference terminating prior to each agenda item of the plurality of agenda items being discussed, selecting a next time for a follow-up teleconference;

creating a follow-up pass code for each authorized participant of the plurality of participants authorized to speak on one or more of the remaining agenda items; and

transmitting the follow-up pass code to each of the authorized participants.

9. A computer program product having a plurality of instructions embodied therein, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processing device, allows a machine to:

receive a first time at which a teleconference is scheduled to take place;

receive a plurality of agenda items of the teleconference;

receive a list of participant telecommunication devices participating in the teleconference;

receive a selection of one or more agenda items from the plurality of agenda items for each participant of the teleconference, wherein the selection of one or more agenda items specifies a list of agenda items of the teleconference, wherein each agenda item specifies participants of the teleconference that are authorized to exchange communication while that agenda item is being discussed;

determine a maximum time limit for the agenda item that the participant telecommunication device is permitted to exchange communication in the teleconference;

create a conference pass code for a participant telecommunication device;

transmit the conference pass code to the participant telecommunication device;

in response to receiving a connection request of the participant telecommunication device at the first time, wherein the connection request contains the conference pass code, establish a connection between the participant telecommunication device and the teleconference;

determine a current agenda item being discussed;

in response to determining the maximum time limit for the current agenda item being discussed the has expired, prevent communication exchange with the teleconference for the participant telecommunication device;

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is not one of the selected agenda items, prevent communication exchange with the teleconference for the participant telecommunication device; and

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is one of the selected agenda items, connect the participant telecommunication device to the teleconference.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions which when executed allows the machine to:

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is not one of the selected agenda items, terminate the connection to the teleconference of the participant telecommunication device; and

in response to determining the current agenda item being discussed is one of the selected agenda items while the participant telecommunication device is not on the teleconference, re-establish the connection with the teleconference to the participant telecommunication device.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions which when executed allows the machine to:

receive a request of a moderator telecommunication device, wherein the request authorizes a selection of participant telecommunication devices that are permitted to exchange communication to the teleconference; and

in response to receiving the request, mute participant telecommunication device that are not of the selected participant telecommunication devices.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions which when executed allows the machine to:

in response to the teleconference terminating prior to each agenda item of the plurality of agenda items being discussed, select a next time for a follow-up teleconference;

create a follow-up pass code for each authorized participant of the plurality of participants authorized to speak on one or more of the remaining agenda items; and

transmit the follow-up pass code to each of the authorized participants.