System and method for controlling a conference call

• US 6,349,136 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1999
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wierzbicki, Alex Lawrence, Wilson, Randall Joe, Light, Jeffrey Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Agdeppa, Hector
• Application Number:
  US09/359,784
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01, 379/205.01, 379/206.01
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/18 with means for reducing interference or noise; with means for reducing effects due to line faults with means for protecting lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• 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 system and method that provides control of a conference call. A controlling party enters a code and is isolated from the conference. Each conference participant is sequentially connected to the controlling party so that the controlling party may determine the noise level on that leg of the call. If there is no excess noise, then the controlling party may enter a code which causes the switch to select the next party on the conference call. When the controlling party discerns the offending conference participant, the controlling party can signal the switch to drop the offending party. The controlling party may then rejoin all of the conference participants.

Claims

1. A method for use in a telecommunications system for controlling a conference call in a conference circuit in order to determine a source of noise in said conference call, said conference call comprising a plurality of legs, each of said legs supporting one participant in the conference call, said method comprising the steps of:

isolating all of the legs of the conference call in the conference circuit from a controlling leg;

connecting one of said legs of said conference call to the controlling leg through the conference circuit;

determining whether said one of said legs is the source of noise;

dropping said one of said legs if said one of said legs is the source of said noise; and

rejoining all of the legs of the conference call.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of isolating all of the legs of the conference call comprises receiving a code from the controlling leg.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein receiving the code comprises flashing the switchhook and entering one or more dual-tone, multifrequency digits.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further including the steps of:

isolating said one of said legs of said conference call and connecting another one of said legs to the controlling leg through the conference circuit if said one of said legs is not the source of noise.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the steps of disconnecting, connecting and determining are performed until the leg with the source of the noise is dropped.

6. A telecommunications system for controlling a conference call, said conference call comprising a plurality of participants each having a connection to a conference circuit, each of the connections comprising a leg of the conference call through the conference circuit, said telecommunications system comprising:

a conference circuit connecting all of the legs of the conference call;

means for isolating all of the legs of the conference call from a controlling leg;

means for serially connecting each of said legs of said conference call through the conference circuit to the controlling leg;

means for dropping said one of said legs if said one of said legs is noisy; and

means for rejoining all of the remaining legs of the conference call.

7. A telecommunications system according to claim 6 wherein said means for isolating and said means for rejoining are responsive to a switchhook signal from the controlling leg.

8. A telecommunications system according to claim 6 wherein said means for connecting and means for dropping are responsive to dual tone, multifrequency signals from the controlling leg.

9. A telecommunications system according to claim 6 wherein said telecommunications system comprises a switching system connected to said conference participants.

10. A telecommunications system according to claim 6 wherein said telecommunications system comprises a plurality of switching systems, each of said switching systems being connected to at least one conference participant.