Establishing a remotely hosted conference initiated with one button push

• US 9,357,164 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalipatnapu, Rajah K. V. R., Guo, Yu, Shah, Krutarth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US12/050,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,996 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method includes registering with a first remote conference manager operated by a first entity and a request to enable conferencing with a second entity. The method also includes querying the first remote conference manager for at least one conference room hosted by the second entity and updating a directory of conference rooms comprising at least one local conference room to further comprise the at least one remote conference room. The method further includes receiving a request to schedule a conference. Upon determining at least one remote conference room is to be used for the scheduled conference, the method also includes transmitting the request to the first remote conference manager. Upon the second remote conference manager transmitting an acceptance of the conference, the method also includes receiving details from the first remote conference manager for establishing a connection for use with the conference and transmitting the details to the at least one local conference room.

Claims

1. A method implemented via instructions encoded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a processor, the method comprising:

registering a first conference manager with a host conference manager, the host conference manager operated by a host entity, the first conference manager operated by a first entity that is physically separate from the host entity;

transmitting to the host conference manager by the first conference manager a request to enable conferencing with a second entity that is physically separate from the first entity and the host entity, the second entity operating a second conference manager registered with the host conference manager;

querying, by the first conference manager, the host conference manager for information indicative of at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

updating, by the first conference manager, a directory of physical conference rooms comprising at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity to further comprise the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

receiving, by the first conference manager, a request to schedule a conference; and

upon determining at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity is to be used for the scheduled conference;

transmitting, by the first conference manager, the request to the host conference manager; and

upon the second conference manager transmitting an acceptance of the scheduled conference;

receiving, by the first conference manager, details from the host conference manager for establishing a connection for use with the scheduled conference;

transmitting, by the first conference manager, the details for establishing the connection for use with the scheduled conference to the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity; and

by the first conference manager after the scheduled conference is initiated within the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity, routing and switching of audio, video, or data needed for the scheduled conference between equipment in the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity and the host conference manager such that audio, video, or data needed for the scheduled conference remains synchronized.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity.

3. The method of claim 1:

further comprising receiving a credential supplied by the host entity; and

wherein registering with a host conference manager operated by a host entity comprises registering with a host conference manager operated by a host entity using the credential supplied by the host entity.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from the host conference manager a room alias representing at least one physical conference room operated by an entity other than the first entity.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the host conference manager information indicative of the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein registering with a host conference manager operated by a host entity comprises registering a third entity with the host conference manager, the third entity operating a third conference manager, the host conference manager configured to facilitate in establishing a conference between the second entity and the third entity in which the first entity is not a direct participant in the conference.

7. A method implemented via instructions encoded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a processor, the method comprising:

registering a first conference manager with a host conference manager, the first conference manager operated by a first entity, the host conference manager operated by a host entity that is physically separate from the first entity;

registering a second conference manager with the host conference manager, the second conference manager operated by a second entity that is physically separate from the first entity and the host entity;

receiving by the host conference manager a request from the first entity for information indicative of at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

receiving by the host conference manager a request from the first entity for a conference with the second entity;

reserving by the host conference manager at least one resource for use in facilitating the conference;

upon receiving from the second conference manager a message rejecting the request for the conference;

releasing by the host conference manager the reservation of the at least one resource for use in facilitating the conference; and

transmitting, by the host conference manager to the first conference manager, a message indicating the second conference manager rejected the request for the conference;

upon receiving from the second conference manager a message accepting the request for the conference, transmitting by the host conference manager to the first conference manager and the second conference manager details for establishing a connection for use with the conference; and

after the conference is initiated, routing and switching of audio, video, or data needed for the conference between equipment operated by the first entity and the host conference manager such that audio, video, or data needed for the conference remains synchronized.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting to the second conference manager a request from the first conference manager requesting to enable conferencing between the first entity and the second entity.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving information indicative of at least one conference room operated by the first entity and the at least one conference room operated by the second entity;

transmitting to the first conference manager the information indicative of the at least one conference room operated by the second entity;

transmitting to the second conference manager the information indicative of the at least one conference room operated by the first entity; and

transmitting to the second conference manager a request received from the first conference manager requesting a conference.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving from the first conference manager a room alias representing at least one physical conference room operated by an entity other than the first entity.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing the first entity with access to the room availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a request for access to the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

transmitting the request to the second conference manager;

upon receiving the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity, transmitting the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity.

13. A system comprising:

an interface of a first conference manager, the first conference manager operated by a first entity, the interface operable to;

transmit a registration request to a host conference manager operated by a host entity that is physically separate from the first entity;

transmit to the host conference manager a request to enable conferencing with a second entity that is physically separate from the first entity and the host entity, the second entity operating a second conference manager registered with the host conference manager; and

query the host conference manager for information indicative of at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity; and

a microprocessor coupled to the interface and operable to update a directory of physical conference rooms comprising at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity to further comprise the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

wherein the interface is further operable to;

receive a request to schedule a conference;

upon the microprocessor determining at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity is to be used for the scheduled conference;

transmit the request to the host conference manager; and

upon the second conference manager transmitting an acceptance of the scheduled conference;

receive details from the host conference manager for establishing a connection for use with the scheduled conference;

transmit the details for establishing the connection for use with the scheduled conference to the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity; and

after the scheduled conference is initiated within the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity, route and switch of audio, video, or data needed for the scheduled conference between equipment in the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity and the host conference manager such that audio, video, or data needed for the scheduled conference remains synchronized.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is further operable to determine the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity.

15. The system of claim 13:

wherein the interface is further operable to receive a credential supplied by the first entity; and

wherein the interface operable to transmit a registration request to a host conference manager operated by a host entity comprises an interface operable to transmit a registration request to a host conference manager operated by a host entity using the credential supplied by the host entity.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is further operable to receive from the host conference manager a room alias representing at least one physical conference room operated by an entity other than the first entity.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is further operable to transmit to the host conference manager information indicative of the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity.

18. A system comprising:

an interface of a host conference manager, the host conference manager operated by a host entity, the interface operable to;

receive a registration request from a first conference manager operated by a first entity that is physically separate from the host entity;

receive a registration request from a second conference manager operated by a second entity that is physically separate from the first entity and the host entity;

receive a request from the first entity for information indicative of at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

receive a request from the first entity for a conference with the second entity; and

a microprocessor coupled to the interface and operable to;

reserve at least one resource for use in facilitating the conference;

upon receiving from the second conference manager a message rejecting the request for the conference;

release the reservation of the at least one resource for use in facilitating the conference;

transmit a message indicating the second conference manager rejected the request for the conference; and

upon receiving from the second conference manager a message accepting the request for the conference, transmit to the first conference manager and the second conference manager details for establishing a connection for use with the conference;

wherein after the conference is initiated, audio, video, or data needed for the conference between equipment operated by the first entity and the host conference manager is routed and switched such that audio, video, or data needed for the conference remains synchronized.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface is further operable to transmit to the second conference manager a request from the first conference manager requesting to enable conferencing between the first entity and the second entity.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface is further operable to:

receive information indicative of at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity and the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

transmit to the first conference manager the information indicative of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

transmit to the second conference manager the information indicative of the at least one physical conference room operated by the first entity; and

transmit to the second conference manager a request received from the first conference manager requesting a conference.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface is further operable to provide the first entity with access to the room availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface is further operable to:

receive a request for access to the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity;

transmit the request to the second conference manager;

upon receiving the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity, transmit the availability of the at least one physical conference room operated by the second entity.