Internet-enabled conferencing system and method accommodating PSTN and IP traffic

• US 6,876,734 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2000
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emeeting Net Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Emeeting Net Incorporated
• Inventors: Harmon, Paul D., Summers, J. Larry, Smith, Trey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/515,338
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.21, 379/158, 379/201.12, 379/202.01, 379/205.01, 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 709/204
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• 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 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/129 Details of providing call progress tones or announcements

Abstract

A system for scheduling a conference between callers includes a database that stores scheduling information indicating at least a start time, a duration, and a maximum number of callers for one or more scheduled conferences, the scheduling information reflecting available conferencing resources. A server complex coupled to the database communicates, to a requesting Internet Protocol (IP) user, at least one page including one or more scheduling input fields. The server complex receives scheduling input from the requesting IP user for a requested conference according to the scheduling input fields. The server complex accesses the database to determine, according to the scheduling input, whether sufficient resources are available for the requested conference. If so, the server complex allocates at least some available resources to the requested conference and generates confirmations of the requested conference for communication to the callers.

Claims

1. Software associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) user, comprising:

conference scheduling software operable to;

provide at least one page to the IP user comprising one or more scheduling input fields for a requested conference involving at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) caller and at least one IP caller;

receive scheduling input from the IP user for the requested conference, according to the scheduling input fields, for communication to a server complex associated with the conference bridge; and

control software for controlling selected aspects of a conference in progress, the conference involving at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) caller and at least one IP caller, the control software operable to;

in response to the IP user being provided with current state information for the conference, receive control input from the IP user for communication to a conference bridge in which the conference is implemented.

2. The software of claim 1, wherein the scheduling indicates at least a start time, duration, and maximum number of callers for the requested conference.

3. The software of claim 2, wherein the scheduling input further comprises a caller identifier for one or more callers.

4. The software of claim 2, wherein the scheduling information specifies a type of confirmation each caller is to receive.

5. The software of claim 1, wherein the conference control input specifies an outcome selected from the group consisting of:

muting of one or more callers;

unmuting of one or more callers;

signaling of one or more callers;

communicating a recorded message to one or more callers;

involving one or more callers in a sub-conference;

adding one or more new callers; and

removing one or more callers.

6. The software of claim 5, wherein the outcomes available to the IP user are determined according to a privilege level associated with the IP user.

7. The software of claim 1, further comprising monitoring software operable to:

provide at least one page to the IP user comprising one or more monitoring input fields;

receive conference monitoring input from the IP user according to the monitoring input fields, the monitoring input comprising a conference identifier for a conference to be monitored; and

communicate the conference monitoring input to the conference bridge.

8. A method implemented in computer software associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) user, comprising:

providing at least one page to the IP user using conference scheduling software, the page comprising scheduling one or more scheduling input fields for a requested conference involving at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) caller and at least one IP caller;

receiving scheduling input from the IP user for the requested conference, according to the scheduling input fields, for communication to a server complex associated with a conference bridge; and

in response to the IP user being provided with current state information for a conference in progress involving at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) caller and at least one IP caller, receiving conference control input from the IP user using control software for communication to the conference bridge, the conference control input for controlling selected aspects of the conference.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the scheduling indicates at least a start time, duration, and maximum number of callers for the requested conference.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the scheduling input further comprises a caller identifier for one or more callers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the scheduling information specifies a type of confirmation each caller is to receive.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the conference control input specifies an outcome selected from the group consisting of:

muting of one or more callers;

unmuting of one or more callers;

signaling of one or more callers;

communicating a recorded message to one or more callers;

involving one or more callers in a sub-conference;

adding one or more new callers; and

removing one or more callers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the outcomes available to the IP user are determined according to a privilege level associated with the IP user.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing at least one page to the IP user using monitoring software, the page comprising monitoring input fields; and

receiving monitoring input from the IP user, using the monitoring software and according to the monitoring input fields, for communication to the conference bridge, the monitoring input comprising a conference identifier for a conference to be monitored.

15. A system for conferencing callers, comprising:

a database operable to store current state information for one or more conferences, at least one of the conferences involving at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) caller and at least one Internet Protocol (IP) caller;

a conference bridge node coupled to the database and operable to;

generate conference traffic for communication to the callers;

generate current state information for each conference for communication to IP users associated with the conferences; and

in addition, periodically communicate current state information for each conference to the database for storage; and

a server complex coupled to the database and to the conference bridge node, the server complex operable to;

periodically access the stored current state information for at least one conference associated with an IP user; and

communicate at least some of that stored current state information to the IP user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the current state information comprises a caller identifier for each caller currently involved in the conference.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the current state information comprises an indication of which one or more callers are currently speaking.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the conference bridge node is operable to generate the current state information for communication to IP users in substantially real time.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the server complex is further operable to:

receive conference control input from an IP user according to the current state information; and

communicate one or more instructions to the conference bridge node according to the conference control input.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the conference control input specifies an outcome selected from the group consisting of:

muting of one or more callers;

unmuting of one or more callers;

signaling of one or more callers;

communicating a recorded message to one or more callers;

involving one or more callers in a sub-conference;

adding one or more new callers; and

removing one or more callers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the outcomes available to the IP user are determined according to a privilege level associated with the IP user.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the conference bridge node is further operable to add a new caller to the conference in response to the new caller either entering a conference telephone number or entering a conference IP address.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the conference bridge node is further operable to generate an entry tone for communication to the callers in response to adding the new caller to the conference.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the server complex comprises at least a web server.

25. A method for conferencing callers, comprising:

storing in a database current state information for one or more conferences, at least one of the conferences involving at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) caller and at least one Internet Protocol (IP) caller;

generating conference traffic using a conference bridge node for communication to the callers;

generating current state information for each conference using the conference bridge node for communication to IP users associated with the conferences;

periodically communicating current state information for the conferences from the conference bridge node to the database for storage;

using a server complex, periodically accessing the stored current state information for at least one conference associated with an IP user; and

communicating at least some of that stored current state information from the server complex to the IP user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the current state information comprises a caller identifier for each caller currently involved in the conference.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the current state information comprises an indication of which one or more callers are currently speaking.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the conference bridge node generates the current state information for communication to IP users in substantially real time.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving conference control input from at least one IP user at the server complex according to the current state information; and

communicating one or more instructions to the conference bridge node from the server complex according to the conference control input.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the conference control input specifies an outcome selected from the group consisting of:

muting of one or more callers;

unmuting of one or more callers;

signaling of one or more callers;

communicating a recorded message to one or more callers;

involving one or more callers in a sub-conference;

adding one or more new callers; and

removing one or more callers.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the outcomes available to the IP user are determined according to a privilege level associated with the IP user.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising using the conference bridge node to add a new caller to the conference in response to the new caller either entering a conference telephone number or entering a conference IP address.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising using the conference bridge node to generate an entry tone for communication to the callers in response to adding the new caller to the conference.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the server complex comprises at least a web server.