Keyword Alerting in Conference Calls

• US 20120033796A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Gilbert, Ezra Raphael, Lalka, Vipul Kishore, Gilakattula, Venkat R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• 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 conferencing system is disclosed in which a participant to a conference call can program the embodiment to listen for one or more “keywords” in the conference call. The keywords might be a participant'"'"'s name or words associated with him or her or words associated with his or her area of knowledge. The embodiments uses speech recognition technology to listen for those words. When the embodiments detects that those words have been spoken, the embodiment alerts the participant—using audible, visual, and/or tactile signals—that the participant'"'"'s attention to the call is warranted. When the keywords are chosen wisely, the benefit can be great.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. The method comprising:

receiving by a data-processing system a first signal, wherein the first signal comprises a keyword and indicates that a user of a telecommunications terminal who is not a participant of a conference call C is to be added to conference call C when the keyword is spoken by a participant of conference call C; and

when the keyword is spoken by a participant of conference call C, transmitting by the data-processing system a second signal that is adding the user to conference call C.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

receiving by the telecommunications terminal one or more user inputs that specify the keyword and indicate that the user is to be added to conference call C when the keyword is spoken by a participant of conference call C; and

in response to the one or more user inputs, transmitting by the telecommunications terminal the first signal to the data-processing system.

23. A method comprising:

establishing, by a data-processing system, a call comprising a first telecommunications terminal, a second telecommunications terminal, and a third telecommunications terminal;

receiving, by a data-processing system, a first directive signal to transmit a first alert signal to said second telecommunications terminal when a first topic signal has been received, wherein in the first topic signal is transmitted by the first telecommunications terminal in response to receiving user input at the first telecommunications terminal and wherein the first topic signal indicates that a first topic is next to be discussed during the call;

receiving, by a data-processing system, the first topic signal from the first telecommunications terminal; and

transmitting, by a data-processing system, said first alert signal to said second telecommunications signal because said first topic signal has been received.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising transmitting said first directive signal from said first telecommunications terminal.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising transmitting said first directive signal from said second telecommunications terminal.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said first directive signal is received at a telecommunications switch.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said first directive signal is received at said first telecommunications terminal from a user of said first telecommunications terminal.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising transmitting said first alert signal from a telecommunications switch.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising transmitting said first alert signal from said first telecommunications terminal.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

receiving a second directive signal to transmit a second alert signal to said second telecommunications terminal when a second topic signal has been received, the second topic signal indicating that a second topic is next to be discussed on the call;

receiving said second topic signal; and

transmitting said second alert signal to the second telecommunications terminal both the second directive signal and the second topic signal has been received.

31. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

receiving a second directive signal to add a fourth telecommunications terminal to said call when a second topic signal has been received, the second topic signal indicating that a second topic is next to be discussed on the call;

receiving said second topic signal; and

adding said fourth telecommunications signal to the conference call when both second directive signal and the second topic signal has been received.

32. A method comprising:

establishing, by a data-processing system, a call comprising a first telecommunications terminal and a second telecommunications terminal;

receiving, by a data-processing system, a first directive signal to add a third telecommunications terminal to said call when a first topic signal has been received, wherein the first topic signal is transmitted by the first telecommunications in response to receiving a user input at the first telecommunications terminal, and wherein the first topic signal indicates that a first topic is next to be discussed during the call;

receiving, by a data-processing system, the first topic signal from the first telecommunications terminal; and

adding, by a data-processing system, said third telecommunications terminal to the call when both the first directive signal and the first topic signal has been received.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising transmitting said first directive signal from said first telecommunications terminal.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising transmitting said first directive signal from said second telecommunications terminal.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein said first directive signal is received at a telecommunications switch.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said first directive signal is received at said first telecommunications terminal from a user of said first telecommunications terminal.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein said third telecommunications terminal is added to said call by said first telecommunications terminal.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein said third telecommunications terminal is added to said call by said second telecommunications terminal.

39. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

receiving a second directive signal to transmit a first alert signal to the second telecommunications terminal when a second topic signal has been received, the second topic signal indicating that a second topic is next to be discussed on the call;

receiving said second topic signal; and

transmitting said first alert signal to said second telecommunications signal when the second directive signal and the second topic signal has been received.

40. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

receiving a second directive signal to add a fourth telecommunications terminal to the call when a second topic signal has been received, the second topic signal indicating that a second topic is next to be discussed on the call;

receiving said second topic signal; and

adding said fourth telecommunications signal to said conference call when both the second directive signal and the second topic signal has been received.