Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) location based conferencing

• US 7,626,951 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Hines, John Gordon, Croy, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Jayanti K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Houshmand; Hooman
• Application Number:
  US11/503,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20070091906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device uses its location to narrow down known and unknown potential VoIP third parties meeting the user'"'"'s criteria, based on their physical proximity to the initial caller and other pre-determined characteristics, to join in a phone conference. A VoIP soft switch includes conference bridges that eliminate the conventional requirement that they dial digits for a direct link with another specific VoIP communications device. Instead, location information relating to the initial VoIP user is passed to the VoIP conference bridge, either from the user'"'"'s VoIP communication device or from their respective location server. The location information is then compared by the VoIP soft switch against other VoIP devices to find potential VoIP users within a defined geographic region surrounding the initial VoIP user. Those VoIP users matching the criteria are sent an Invite message to join the conference, which they may or may not accept.

Claims

1. A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conference bridge, comprising:

a conference bridge application addressable by an Internet Protocol, said conference bridge application adapted to receive a request to establish a conference comprising at least one user entered customized criteria text string for limiting participation in said establishment of said conference;

a module to establish a geographic boundary of a given conference; and

a plurality of Internet interfaces interfaced to said conference bridge application, said plurality of Internet Interfaces accepting communications from a respective plurality of VoIP users;

wherein said conference is established between said plurality of VoIP users based on said geographic boundary and said user entered customized criteria text string.

2. A method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications devices, comprising:

establishing at least one conference bridge;

receiving at least one user entered customized criteria text string for limiting participation in said given conference bridge;

receiving a VoIP call to said conference bridge from an initial VoIP user;

comparing a location of said initial VoIP user to a location of at least one other VoIP user to establish a proximate distance there between; and

establishing said at least one conference bridge between said VoIP voice communications devices based on said proximate distance and said user entered customized criteria text string.

3. The method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 2, further comprising:

requesting a location of said initial VoIP user from a positioning center.

4. The method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining a location of said initial VoIP user from said initial VoIP user.

5. The method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 2, wherein:

a plurality of conference bridges are established.

6. The method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 5, wherein:

said plurality of conference bridges are established on a soft switch.

7. The method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 6, wherein:

said soft switch is located in a VoIP service provider'"'"'s network.

8. The method of conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 2, further comprising:

issuing an invite message to another VoIP user based on a match of said location of said at least one other VoIP user being within a desired proximity to said location of said initial VoIP user.

9. Apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications devices, comprising:

means for establishing at least one conference bridge;

means for receiving at least one user entered customized criteria text string for limiting participation in said given conference bridge;

means for receiving a VoIP call to said conference bridge from an initial VoIP user;

means for comparing a location of said initial VoIP user to a location of at least one other VoIP user to establish a proximate distance there between; and

means for establishing said at least one conference bridge between said VoIP voice communications devices based on said proximate distance and said user entered customized criteria text string.

10. The apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for requesting a location of said initial VoIP user from a positioning center.

11. The apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for obtaining a location of said initial VoIP user from said initial VoIP user.

12. The apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 9, wherein:

said means for establishing at least one conference bridge establishes a plurality of conference bridges.

13. The apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 12, wherein:

said plurality of conference bridges are established on a soft switch.

14. The apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 13, wherein:

said soft switch is located in a VoIP service provider'"'"'s network.

15. The apparatus for conferencing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) voice communications device according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for issuing an invite message to another VoIP user based on a match of said location of said at least one other VoIP user being within a desired proximity to said location of said initial VoIP user.