Conference endpoint instructing conference bridge to dial phone number

• US 8,964,604 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodman, Jeffrey, Drell, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/080,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20050213730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,633 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 370/263, 370/264, 370/266, 370/270
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5036 using conference for collection of feedback
• 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 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/568 audio processing specific to telephonic conferencing, e.g. spatial distribution, mixing of participants echo suppression in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/02; sound field processing per se H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• 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: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for improved audio, video, and data conferencing. The present invention provides a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints communicating data including audio data and control data according to a communication protocol. A local conference endpoint may control or be controlled by a remote conference endpoint. Data comprising control signals may be exchanged between the local endpoint and remote endpoint via various communication protocols. In other embodiments, the present invention provides for improved bridge architecture for controlling functions of conference endpoints including controlling functions of the bridge.

Claims

1. A conference endpoint for managing participation in a conference call via a conference bridge, the conference endpoint comprising:

an audio processing unit;

a control module communicably coupled to the audio processing unit; and

a network interface communicably coupled to the control module;

wherein the control module is operable to transmit control data combined in-band with audio data to the conference bridge; and

wherein the control data comprises an instruction that the conference bridge dial a specified phone number.

2. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the control data comprises the specified phone number.

3. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the control data comprises a name associated with the specified phone number.

4. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the network interface sends and receives data according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of IP, modem data, ISDN, and analog.

5. The conference endpoint of claim 4, wherein the control data is substantially humanly inaudible.

6. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the conference endpoint is selected from the group consisting of a computer with a microphone and speaker, an audio communication device without the control module combined with a separate control module, a speakerphone, an IP phone, and a video conferencing unit.

7. The conference endpoint of claim 1, further comprising:

a video processing unit communicably coupled to the network interface.

8. A conferencing system comprising:

a conference endpoint;

a multipoint conference bridge; and

a communication channel having a communication protocol coupling the bridge and the conference endpoint;

wherein the conference endpoint comprises a control module operable to provide control data combined in-band with audio data to the bridge;

wherein the control data is operable to instruct the bridge to dial a specified phone number; and

wherein the bridge is operable to automatically dial the specified phone number.

9. The conferencing system of claim 8, wherein the communication protocol is a protocol selected from the group consisting of IP, modem data, ISDN, and analog.

10. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein the control data is substantially humanly inaudible.

11. The conferencing system of claim 8, wherein the conference endpoint is selected from the group consisting of a computer with a microphone and speaker, an audio communication device without the control module combined with a separate control module, a speakerphone, an IP phone, and a video conferencing unit.

12. A method for adding a conferee to a conference, the method comprising the steps of:

combining in-band a control signal with an audio signal in a conference endpoint;

sending the combined audio and control signal from the conference endpoint to a multipoint conference bridge; and

instructing the multipoint conference bridge to dial a specified phone number based on the control signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the combined audio and control signal is sent according to a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of IP, modem data, ISDN, and analog.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the control signal is substantially humanly inaudible.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer for adding a conferee to a conference by performing the steps comprising:

combining in-band a control signal with an audio signal in a conference endpoint;

sending the combined audio and control signal from the conference endpoint to a multipoint conference bridge; and

instructing the multipoint conference bridge to dial a specified phone number based on the control signal.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer of claim 15, wherein the combined audio and control signal is sent according to a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of IP, modem data, ISDN, and analog.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer of claim 15, wherein the control signal is substantially humanly inaudible.